Is Your Property and Leasing Team Disney Ready?

By Linda Day Harrison, theBrokerList, Chicago, IL

How do management companies typically respond to new business inquiries?

1. Phone interview with a request to tour the client's property.
2. Follow up with a brochure and cover letter.
3. Suggest the prospective client visit your website for more information.
4. How about a lunch meeting to discuss the business opportunity?
5. Or do you receive an RFI that requires you respond to a series of questions to be considered to bid?

In any or all of these scenarios your properties and corporate office should strive to think that every time there is a new business inquiry, it will result in a live tour of your office or properties and you can confidently say, "Why not stop at some of our offices or properties? We would love you to see our operations first-hand!"

You need to think that each potential new business opportunity will be predicated on a behind-the-scenes tour of your operation and back offices, and you are always ready! Does that give you a warm and fuzzy feeling, or does it make you want to panic and run for the exits?

The question you need to ask yourself each day is: Are you ready for that tour?

When it comes to day-to-day property management or leasing, so much of our day can be filled with inefficiency, busy work, and interruptions. Reflecting on the daily drama, you will soon see that most of what is important isn't even the focus -- how we appear to the public and/or the customers we serve should be the focus!

What the customers and general public see when they step inside our properties or offices is our curb appeal. It is vital that we keep them up to par every single day.

If you think that your property is going to be toured, what do you do? That should be your mindset every single day. We know the world is not perfect, but customers or the general public should not be exposed to the ugliness or the behind-the-scenes issues -- those are our problems, and should not to be publicly aired.

You need to show the world, or your customers, what they want to see.

• Smiling faces, friendly greetings
• Clean entrances
• Obvious issues attended to
• Neatly dressed & groomed staff
• Easy to navigate facility and grounds

Now think about Disney World as an example. Disney World has an exemplary manner of treating their guests. When the show starts at Disney World, you do not see messy stacks of paper, litter, uncut grass, weeds, torn uniforms, or grumpy faces. Even if the Disney people are grumpy, you would never know it!

There is no difference with property management and leasing. What goes on behind the curtain, before the show at Disney, may be very ugly and hectic and full of drama. Costumes may not fit, pins may hold things closed, etc., but when the show starts and the curtain is pulled open, the show is well done and rehearsed.

The same should hold true for our industry. When the door opens in the morning, greet your day just like you think Disney World would do it. Each face should be required to smile and it should be all hands on deck to strive for excellence with curb appeal, common areas, and behind-the-scenes mechanical areas. Just remember when a new business opportunity arises, your team is ready to be showcased to help your company grow. No need to prepare, no need to worry, just let the show begin and feel free to invite any prospective new client to tour your properties and offices -- you will know your team is Disney ready!