Your ideal week as a property manager

According to Ray White South Australia PM business development executive Chris Tepper (pictured below) procrastination is just your body’s way of helping itself.

“What is the one thing you have been putting off? It’s normal, we all do it but we can use tools, research and science to break the habit too,” he told a packed breakout session at PMC 2023 in the Hunter Valley.

“Use the five to one countdown and set a timer for 10 minutes, hit start and get to work. You can break your procrastination habit. Use collective commitment. Set aside time each day or week as a team to go through and complete a sprint on a certain task or priority.

“Most people make 35,000 decisions on an average day, so you may have a collective commitment on ‘eating all your frogs together’ be that lease renewals, bond refunds, invoice arrears and tidying up any other tasks.” Use a task system such as Ailo Projects, Monday.com or Airtable.

Mr Tepper uses the ‘CAT’ organisation technique which is to consolidate all digital communications, automate as much as you can and template where possible.

“Consolidate all your digital communications – forward all your Gmail inbox, SMS, Whatsapp, messenger, front desk messages into the one area. Automate where you can for entering rents, sending updates, following up rent arrears and template everything and anything.”

Meanwhile, Ray White New South Wales property management BDE Nancy Navarrete (pictured above) used her breakout session to talk about the opportunity of relationships.

“Most property managers I speak to say they got into their role because it’s a chance to connect with people and build relationships, but unfortunately sometimes we get complacent and can get bogged down by the day-to-day,” Ms Navarrete said.

“It’s hard to focus on maintaining and building relationships, but connection has never been more important. People want to know they are safe and supported.

“By increasing your connection, you’re forming stronger relationships with your clients and it will increase the satisfaction you have in your role, even when it’s challenging.”

She outlined several relationship fundamentals including the need for good communication, making sure your tenants and landlords are feeling heard, instilling trust in your clients, handling disagreements professionally and focusing on authenticity, respect, honesty and most importantly empathy.