Today I\u2019m going to share a story of how not to handle the sales process.\u00a0 This post is not so much about my negative experience, but more of a lesson for your business.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m currently in the process of seeking a new apartment.\u00a0 Not that the current place is bad, I just want to try a different area of town since I\u2019m still relatively new to Minneapolis.<\/p>\n
First, I did some research online to flesh out a list of potential places.\u00a0 As an aside, I\u2019m always shocked at how many aggregators eat a free lunch on hyper-local\u00a0 residential real estate SERPs (but we\u2019ll save that for another post).\u00a0 As I\u2019m friendly with the leasing consultants in my current building (Loring Park City Apartments), and the building owner (Village Green) manages multiple properties in the area, I figured it would be worth asking them for suggestions too.<\/p>\n
They recommended another Village Green owned property \u2013 Lake Calhoun City Apartments \u2013 which was in the area I\u2019m interested in living.\u00a0 Great.\u00a0 So I called them (during business hours) last week.\u00a0 No answer \u2013 that\u2019s fine, they must be out touring the properties or just busy.<\/p>\n
This Saturday, I had a list of properties I was going to visit.\u00a0 I had called and made appointments with some, but many have leasing offices with posted hours on their websites, so I figured it would be OK to swing by.\u00a0 On my way out, I walked by my leasing office and the consultants stopped me to say hello.\u00a0 They were pleased not only to ask how my day was going and wish me luck finding a new place, they even went a step further and gave me the spiel about the other Village Green apartment I might be interested in.<\/p>\n
Together, we tried once again to call them, but there was no answer.\u00a0 The leasing consultant here said she\u2019d keep trying to connect with them, but that they were currently open to give tours and to try checking it out.\u00a0 It says they are open on their website as well, so my expectation was I\u2019d get the tour.\u00a0 They also have giant banners on the streets surrounding the building, encouraging passer-by\u2019s to enter and check it out.\u00a0 This will become important in a second.<\/p>\n
I took their address with the others and went about my apartment shopping.\u00a0 First, my appointments, then some walk-ins (who were all happy to help if they were there \u2013 or there was simply no one there which is fine, I understand) and last on my list was the Village Green Property.<\/p>\n
I drove over there and was pleased to see not one, but two leasing consultants in the office as I stood outside the building.\u00a0 However, this is where things go downhill.<\/p>\n
The system to dial in is the same as my current building.\u00a0 I know exactly how to use it and that I\u2019m doing it right.\u00a0 But I ping them twice without a response.\u00a0 Eventually, I just walk up to the glass and catch their attention and they let me in.<\/p>\n
Once inside, it\u2019s chaos.\u00a0 There are two leasing consultants there however neither can answer the door, and they barely pay attention to me.\u00a0 I felt like it was pretty rude and found it a complete dichotomy from how the consultants are in my current building.\u00a0 The consultants here always take a moment to make contact with prospects even if they were already with one, and as a resident they treated my wonderfully.<\/p>\n
So after standing there for a few moments, I decide to approach one of the consultants who looks like she hasn\u2019t sat down all day.\u00a0 I mention I am a current Village Green customer and was referred to check these apartments out by the leasing consultant in my current property.\u00a0 I say how pleased I am with the current building and this is one of my top choices for a new home.\u00a0 I mention I\u2019d love to get a tour.<\/p>\n
And\u2026they snub me.\u00a0 The response was something to the effect of:<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry, we\u2019re busy today helping other potential new residents tour the property.\u00a0 You\u2019ll have to make an appointment and come back.\u201d<\/p>\n
What?\u00a0 I tried calling them on my own and even with one of their other consultants.\u00a0 Moreover, I\u2019m a current customer of theirs who was referred by someone else in their company.\u00a0 I\u2019m a ridiculously qualified sales lead and they don\u2019t even want to talk to me.\u00a0 My schedule is busy and I\u2019m already there, so I ask politely if I can tag along with another prospect to look at a unit now.\u00a0 No dice.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s get this straight:<\/p>\n
I filled out a time for another appointment, but after all of that I received an apology without emotion, as if they didn\u2019t care anyway.<\/p>\n
This shows:<\/p>\n
Anyway, although I did sign up for a new appointment Sunday, I was too busy to make it.<\/p>\n
End of story?\u00a0 Village Green won\u2019t keep my business \u2013 not from the lack of a quality product, but from not nailing the sales process.\u00a0 Too much effort when I found great places that were available to talk to me on my schedule.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Today I\u2019m going to share a story of how not to handle the sales process.\u00a0 This post is not so … <\/p>\n