From day one, our approach as HMO landlords has always been to treat it as a business where the tenants are our customers, rather than a passive-income stream. That’s fortunate really, since self-managing a HMO portfolio is far from passive!
So we developed a heavy emphasis on customer service and periodically look into new and different ways we can bring on the VIP treatment for our tenants. We want to make them feel special and appreciated. After all, if you are not taking care of your customer – your competitor will.
Giving gifts to your clients helps them to feel valued by you, and, if given at the right moments during the relationship, can also serve to build brand loyalty, referrals and repeat business. The corporate world give luxury gifts and experiences to their clients. The retail industry give loyalty cards and private sales for regular customers. Landlords give….usually they don’t give it much thought actually!
Obviously, you don’t need to go OTT and roll out the red carpet, but some simple and thoughtful gestures show your tenants that they are appreciated and will create a memorable renting experience for them.
If you are considering ways to add value for your tenants, let some of these ideas inspire you…
- Use Christmas as a way to thank your tenants for their custom over the past year. Keep it simple and send a card to the whole house, but make sure you name each tenant on the card.
- I deliver a gift to the house too. I’ve sent books, board games, booze, Christmas hampers, chocolates, individual Christmas puddings… and chocolates win hands down. Make it a big box of a luxury brand for them to share.
- Make a note of all your tenants’ birth dates, and send birthday cards. This is more personalised than a Christmas gift so it really makes them feel individually special.
- Provide a welcome pack when they move in. The simplest (yet still effective) version is a booklet welcoming them to the house, with info about the house and how and when to contact you in the event they need to report any issues. It gives them a sense of comfort to know you are on hand if needed.
- Or you could pimp up the Welcome Pack and include some ‘housewarming gifts’ along with it (like toilet paper, hand soap, tea/coffee/sugar, and if it’s a new house, some basic cleaning products are a help).
- Or outsource it to an online company to prepare and send a ‘housewarming hamper’ on your behalf. Some companies even offer to put your logo on the gift card or hamper box.
- Negotiate special deals and discounts with local businesses especially for your tenants.
- Or give the gift of Vaboo to your tenants – Vaboo have already negotiated discounts with national suppliers and you just pay a small monthly amount per tenant for the privileges your tenants receive.
- If you have a decent sized portfolio, you could arrange social events. They wouldn’t have to be fully funded by you – you will find tenants will happily pay to socialise with other like-minded young professionals at these specialised VIP events.
- Thank your tenants for their length of service by offering a practical gift on the anniversary of their moving in. For example, offer a professional room cleaning for free at years one or two, free carpet cleaning at year three, or room re-paint at year four or new mattress at year five etc.
Of course, any amount of gifts will never compensate for poor and inefficient service, so make sure you get the basics right first, then add in one or more of the special touches suggested above for some added effect.
“If you are not taking care of your customer – your competitor will”.