National Apartment Association Education Institute Telephone Presentations 1

Telephone Presentations Objectives Implement good telephone etiquette in the workplace. Apply effective speaking and listening skills to telephone presentations. List preparations a Leasing Professional should make for a telephone presentation. 2

Telephone Presentations Objectives Describe the basic objectives of a telephone contact. Develop a process for working with current residents. Handle an irate caller. 3

Telephone Skills Self-Evaluation In all telephone conversations: When speaking to a prospective resident: When accepting a service request: 4

Today’s Agenda 5

Importance of the Telephone 9 of 10 future residents call first 4 times more likely to lease 6

Preparing for a Telephone Presentation 1.Pens and pencils Telephone message pads, blank guest cards 2. 3.A calendar 4.An up ‑ to ‑ date list of apartments available to lease 7

Preparing for a Telephone Presentation 5. Written directions to the community from North, South, East and West for ease in providing directions 6. Blank service request forms 7.Frequently called numbers 8. A positive attitude 8

Projecting your Professional Image 1.Smile and be enthusiastic 2.Speak clearly and at an appropriate pace 3.Not place your fingers or hand over the mouthpiece 4.Keep your personal calls to a minimum 5.Be sincere and courteous to your callers 9

Telephone Etiquette 1.Answer the call promptly 2. Add warmth to your response by smiling when greeting the caller 3. Keep the greeting clean and simple 4.Identify yourself 10

Telephone Etiquette 5. What you are doing and give the caller your undivided attention STOP 9. Do not eat, drink or chew gum while on the telephone 6.Slow down and take control of the conversation 7.Do not carry on additional conversations with others in the office while you are on the telephone 8.Do not handle the call while trying to process paperwork, etc 11

Telephone Etiquette 10. Put people on hold only after asking them to hold and waiting for their response 11. Do not leave the caller on hold for longer than thirty seconds 12. Always say “thank you” 13. Wait for the caller to hang up before you hang up the telephone 14. Do not use industry jargon or slang 12

Improve your Speaking Skills… Improve your Performance. Communication is a two-way street Never assume Think before you speak Vocabulary Speaking Voice Inflection 13

Voice Inflection “I didn’t tell Tom you were stupid.” 7% Spoken word 93% Non-Verbal Communication 14

Voice Inflection “I didn’t tell Tom you were stupid.” 15

Voice Inflection “I didn’t tell Tom you were stupid.” 16

Voice Inflection “I didn’t tell Tom you were stupid.” 17

Voice Inflection “I didn’t tell Tom you were stupid.” 18

Voice Inflection “I didn’t tell Tom you were stupid.” 19

Voice Inflection “I didn’t tell Tom you were stupid.” 20

Active Listening Perhaps as important as speaking is listening. 21

Active Listening Activity 1.Did anyone make a profit? 2.If anyone did make a profit, who was it? 3.If there was a profit, how much was it? 1.Did anyone make a profit? 2.If anyone did make a profit, who was it? 3.If there was a profit, how much was it? 22

Top 10 Ways to Improve Listening 1. Work to understand the other person. 2. Pay attention to the substance of the speaker's requests. 3. Make it a habit to listen first and respond second. 4. Be attentive. 5. Listen carefully for the main idea. 23

Top 10 Ways to Improve Listening 6. Concentrate on the facts. 7. Ask good questions without overly interrupting the caller. 8. Do not allow positive or negative reactions to the speaker change your behavior. 9. Concentrate all your energy on the speaker. 10. Jot down more detailed notes. 24

Game 25

Diagram A 26

Diagram B 27

According to Research Prospects call an average of nine communities 28

Types of Callers Time Saving Caller I Don’t Trust you Caller Geographical Caller 29

Basic Objectives Who? What? When? Where? Why? How much? An appointment? 30

Keep These in Mind 1. Make sure you guide the conversation 2. As you respond to questions, make sure you ask some of your own 3. Talk about a specific apartment. It is more personable 4. Elaborate on the benefits of this apartment before quoting rental rates 5. Speak positively about the rates. Build value! 6. Always remain pleasant even if you cannot schedule an appointment 7. Leave the prospect with a positive feeling 31

INITIAL LEASING QUESTIONS “How much are…” “Do you have any…” “Can you tell me about…” 32

Why Use Q/A/Q? 1.It deflects the price issue momentarily. 2.It places the Leasing Professional in control of the call. 3.It helps qualify the caller by asking when they need their apartment home. 4.It begins the closing process with use of the “Assumptive Close”. 33

What’s wrong with this Telephone Call? Leasing Professional Prospective Resident 34

Key Elements of a Successful Presentation The leasing presentation begins the moment the telephone is answered. “People buy from people they like.” 35

3 Key Elements P ersuade I nform E nthuse 36

Closing Begins with the Telephone 1.Establishes a relationship 2.Gathers information 3.Describes the community 4.Looks for opportunities to "close" 37

Tracking Weekly Traffic Resident Referrals 38

Taking Requests for Service 1.What are the three most frequent requests for services from existing residents at your community? 2.Which requests are easiest to address? Which are hardest? Why? 3.Do you notice any difference in your manner when talking with prospective residents than with existing residents? If so, how do you account for it? 39

Identifying Caller Needs 40

Identifying Caller Needs Resident's name Apartment number Telephone number The date(incl. year) and time of the call Permission to enter the apartment Pet? Intrusion alarm code Specific nature of the problem Specific location of the problem Information that should be obtained from the resident generally includes the following: 41

Resolving Problems Follow ‑ up to Ensure the Resident is Satisfied 42

Handling Irate Callers 43

The Most Frequent Causes of Irate Calls 1.Previous service request was ignored. 2.Previous service request is still not completed. 3.Increase in rent or decrease in amenities/ resource facilities. 4.Personal problems of the caller unrelated to the service request. 5.Problems with neighbors. 44

Dealing with Irate Phone Calls from Residents Remain calm. Use the caller's name once or twice during the conversation. Listen to everything the caller says without interruption. Identify the problems. Probe for additional information. 45

Dealing with Irate Phone Calls from Residents Apologize for any inconvenience, real or imagined. Keep the voice low. Reassure the caller that everything possible will be done to solve the problem. Follow up to make sure the resident is satisfied with the results. Take thorough notes throughout the conversation. 46

Fair Housing Implications Arranging appointments Making callbacks Acts of courtesy Personal information required Availability of properties presented Location of properties presented Follow up procedures 47

Telephone Presentations 48