Understanding the Purpose of Resident Surveys
Resident satisfaction is the cornerstone of successful property management. The leasing environment is more competitive than ever. As a result, retention of current residents is essential. Whether you’re an owner, operator, or staff member, resident satisfaction surveys are an essential way to gain a greater understanding of your residents and their needs.
A property management customer satisfaction survey isn’t just a box to check or another piece of paperwork. It’s a key source of actionable feedback on resident needs, preferences, and concerns. Resident surveys provide you with quantitative data that helps inform your decision making, identify areas of improvement, and gauge overall resident satisfaction.
A well-crafted resident satisfaction survey provides key data on residents' feelings about staff performance, handling of service requests, amenities, and more.
The Importance of Resident Satisfaction
The benefits of resident satisfaction are clear. Happy renters are likely to renew their leases, refer friends to their apartment community, and leave positive reviews. On the other hand, dissatisfied residents often churn, leave negative reviews, and hurt the atmosphere of the community.
Resident satisfaction surveys empower operators to make informed decisions. More often than not, property staff are incredibly busy. Survey results can help identify simple, achievable ways to enhance the resident experience.
Multifamily operators encounter huge amounts of information in their day-to-day tasks. Like any customer-facing role, negative feedback can feel constant. While anecdotal evidence is useful, it's important to get feedback from a larger subset of residents.
Crafting Effective Property Management Resident Satisfaction Surveys
What makes an effective resident satisfaction survey? Before making decisions based on a data source, you should be sure it's accurate, complete, relevant, and timely. If the information isn't correct, doesn't tell the whole story, doesn't meet your needs, or is out of date, ignore it.
Timeliness is the simplest challenge to overcome. Regularly surveying your residents ensures your data is up-to-date and trustworthy.
Relevancy is another attainable goal. Resident satisfaction survey templates are a great place to start. You don't need to reinvent the wheel, but it's worth taking time to tailor the survey to each property. Take care to ask about amenities, tech packages, or any other areas of interest.
Next, focus on completeness. Cast a wide net, allowing renters to share feedback on their whole experience. Additionally, avoid excessively lengthy surveys to improve completion rates.
Finally, ensure accuracy by writing clear, simple questions. Avoid confusing wording whenever possible. Consider including an "other" option on multiple choice questions. Generally, resident survey templates will include well-written questions. It's a safe option to modify these to suit your needs rather than starting from scratch.
Real Estate Customer Satisfaction Survey Questions
A list of sample resident satisfaction survey questions is included below. This is just a starting point. Customizing a satisfaction survey will allow you to glean the most insights from your residents.
1. How long have you lived at this property?
2. How satisfied are you with the performance of property managers and staff?
a. Very dissatisfied
b. Dissatisfied
c. Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
d. Satisfied
e. Very satisfied
3. How satisfied are you with the speed and quality of maintenance?
a. Very dissatisfied
b. Dissatisfied
c. Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
d. Satisfied
e. Very satisfied
4. How satisfied are you with the amenities at this property?
a. Very dissatisfied
b. Dissatisfied
c. Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
d. Satisfied
e. Very satisfied
5. On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to recommend living at this property to a friend or acquaintance?
6. What other feedback do you have?
Resident surveys offer valuable data that shouldn't be overlooked. By crafting well-designed surveys and regularly gathering feedback, you gain the insights needed to boost resident satisfaction. Ultimately, this focus on the resident experience builds stronger communities and supports a healthier business venture.
