Centralization has become a widely discussed topic and a widely implemented concept across the rental housing industry in recent years.
But in practice, the term means different things to different companies, and the various ways in which operators in the military housing space have centralized their operations was the subject of the 2024 Apartmentalize session, “Centralization with a Soul: Building Centralized Services Without Compromising CX.”
Property managers in all segments of rental housing are feeling multiple pressures to centralize operations in some form or fashion, said Alison Birney, Vice President of Facilities Management for Balfour Beatty Communities. “We have this need for innovation and efficiency in today’s market, and we’ve got to look at what drives that,” she said.
Factors include the desire to create better resident experiences in light of rising customer expectations, the need to mitigate growing costs and the desire to boost associate morale and retention by easing job burdens, according to Birney.
Lisa Robertson, Regional Leader of Customer Experience at Lendlease Communities, said that resident surveys and more detailed studies into renter needs can identify opportunities for centralization that leads to better customer experiences. “There is no reason to do any of our work without thinking of [residents] first,” she said. “What they need, what they want, what they think they want.”
WinnResidential Military Housing Services has improved renter satisfaction and created greater efficiencies by centralizing its resident call center operations, said Odeyssa Douglas, Senior Portfolio Director of Facilities at the company.
Previously, the operator used a network of third-party call centers and onsite dispatch teams, according to Douglas. However, a review of resident feedback surveys revealed a glaring weakness. “We weren’t doing so good at follow-up,” she said. “We were excellent in all other areas—call handling, etc.—but the follow-up was kind of broken.”
WinnResidential Military Housing decided to bring its call center operations in-house and focus on improved training and associate recruitment. Before the pandemic, the company had two brick-and-mortar call centers. Since COVID, call-center employees have worked remotely. “It’s been a great success for us,” Douglas said.
Mai Dang, President of Connected Communities, a nonprofit created by WinnCompanies that connects residents of affordable and mixed-income housing with life-enhancing programs and services, outlined how the organization provides a customer experience that is centralized and streamlined for renters.
The organization has site-based community coordinators that help residents obtain each of the services and resources they need. “Our residents aren’t having to go through five different doors in six different directions,” Dang said.
Additionally, Connected Communities is working on an app that will also provide an efficient way for residents to interact with their properties and find services. The app “is about centralizing resources in one place and making it easy for folks to use,” Dang said. “It would be a place where you could place a work order, pay your rent, connect with your neighbors, but also you’d be able to access community resources such as financial planning and affordable tax preparation. It would all be in an app in the palm of your hand on your phone.”
Stephen Ursery is a Senior Account Manager for LinnellTaylor Marketing.