Meet Casey and Patience, Apartment Life Coordinators who have been serving in Gilbert, Arizona since 2022.
Tell us what welcome visits are and how you do them.
Our leasing staff gives us a list every single month of residents who moved in the previous month. We plan one night a month, and we reach out via email just to say, “Hey, we're going to come by and welcome you to the community.”
We visit new residents together as a family. And frankly, bringing our kiddos has been a huge talking point. Oftentimes it serves as an icebreaker when we knock on someone's door. Having our kiddos making funny sounds or saying goofy things helps open up conversations to start building relationships.
When residents are told in advance that we're going to come by and welcome them and see how things are going after a month, it's nice because then when we stop by, it shows them that we follow up on what the leasing office promises them. It shows them that they are cared for.
Why do welcome visits matter to new residents?
We get to be a touch point for people when they first move in. I think it just helps them to let their guard down, to know that people are here in their corner and that they're known and seen. I think that is a huge added value for residents.
Studies have shown that if people don't connect in the first 30 to 90 days to several people on the property, then they will not renew. If they don't begin to connect in the first 30 to 90 days, they'll already start thinking “Where am I going to live next year?” And so, it is satisfying, as an Apartment Life Coordinator, to know that you're helping to connect them so early. And I think we've seen that here at The Tyler.
How does this translate to monthly events?
It helps when they come to the events and they see us talking to someone else, we can easily introduce them to more people, you know? It's been sweet to see community forming around people, not just through us, but through other residents as well.
We want our neighbors to have an authentic sense of community, and we can get the ball rolling and then see them come back to another event with other people that we've introduced them to, people they met at an event.
Tell us about renewal visits.
Renewal visits are similar. We're trying to get a gauge on how their experience has been. Our property is really unique, because we’re able to give a renewal gift before they even sign again. These are really beautiful gifts that our retailers downstairs have helped us make.
When you give someone a gift, the ice is immediately broken. You get to say, “Hey, we appreciate being your neighbor. Here's a sweet gift from The Tyler to you. We hope it's been amazing. We hope you stay and continue to call this home.” Everyone loves that.
This interview was pulled from Episode 227 of the Apartment Life Leadership Podcast and lightly edited for clarity. For more coordinator stories and interviews, you can follow along at apartmentlife.org/podcast. Follow @aptlife for updates on new episodes and upcoming content! If you enjoy listening, leave us a review on Apple or Spotify. We can't wait to hear from you and hope this podcast serves as a helpful resource.