Often times, it is easy for a community manager to simple say, "I'm sorry. I'm just following our company policy or the procedure manual." This may be why you are doing what you are doing (whether it is approving or denying applications, handling evictions or enforcing the community rules and regulations.) However, simply saying that you are doing it because that's what the policy says isn't going to help any resident feel good about what's happening and it often doesn't create a positive environment within the community. 

Address the Facts

Whether you are dealing with conflicts, enforcing the community rules or you are facing application questions, your ultimate goal is to talk about the facts involved in the situation. Why are you making this decision? What facts led up to this decision? By taking these steps, and being clear about your specific needs, it is possible for individuals to better understand why something is happening and what they can do, if possible, to fix it.

Make the Human Connection

One of the most important steps that a company can take is to form a human connection with the residents within the community. That means being "real." Instead of sending a note about noise complaints, visit the unit when you know the resident is there. Then, say, "We've been getting noise complaints over the last few days. I wanted to check in on you and find out what's going on. Do you need any help? Is there a concern we can work with you on?" By creating this type of dialogue you don't just "yell" at them. You talk to them and find out what's going on so you can address it.  Of course, document the conversation and follow up with a letter.

It takes a matter of minutes to make these changes to the way you are handling conflicts and resident needs. It's always a good idea to work directly with people to understand them, not because you want to base decisions off of relationships, but because you want to develop strong relationships that minimize conflicts in the first place. Working with your community is an important step every property manager needs to manage.