Executive Letter #1: We Don't Do Average

At our company, average is a dirty word. In this letter, I'm going to give you three specific tactics we follow to avoid being like everyone else:

1. No Detail Is Too Small
1. Don't Hire Average People
1. Be a Model For Your Team

Don't think that's a typo. They are all number one for a reason...but I'll get to that a bit later.

During the week, from time to time, I drive the streets surrounding our REI Nation headquarters to check on several of the rental properties we own and manage. Why do I do this? The first takeaway:

If trash has blown into a yard, I pick it up. If grass is growing in driveway cracks, I immediately contact our yard services vendor or rehab team to fix.

Occasionally, I notice a house isn’t well lit and we get that taken care of immediately to ensure a great first impression, regardless of the time of day.

If I see the resident, I will stop and visit with them. I ask them how things are going and how our property management team is performing. Then I ask if there’s anything I can do for them while I’m there.

When I get back to the office, I'll relay these stories to my team and expect and encourage them to adhere to these same details while in the field.

The way I see it, I’m running a customer service company that just happens to be in the real estate business and the resident is our most important customer.

I work to set an example for my team members with every action I take.

If they see me pick up the "easy button," it's cause I'm about to throw it in the trash.

Why Details Equal Results

Putting customer service first in every category can be time consuming and expensive, but it always pays off in the end with huge results.

The idea of putting customer service first in property management was unheard of when we started. Unremarkable customer service was, and for many continues to be, the industry norm.

So we came in and did what no one else was doing: providing an outstanding experience to our residents, vendors, investors, and team members. It became the foundation of REI Nation and Premier Property Management Group.

And guess what? It works. It more than works. It gets results.

For our residents, we bend over backwards. We survey everyone who rents a home from us, and we read every single response. If something’s wrong, we don’t just fix it.

We’re going to the home to meet the resident and we’re bringing cookies and flowers with us. And then those residents stay with us for years, many years, making everyone money.

(By the way, other companies would refer to these important customers as renters or tenants. We feel like the term residents describes how we see them.)

To make sure we’re taking good care of these residents and homes, REI Nation works with the best vendors in the business.

Our vendors know that if they’re not offering the highest quality product at a premium value, they won’t be working with us for long. In return, we promote and help develop their business, because it’s good for all of us.

Our customer service department calls our investors once a month, just to check in with them and ask about their experience with us. We train our team to ask if they have questions about their portfolio or if we can assist them with anything not on "the list."

If there’s an issue, we want to know about it. This identifies opportunities before they start while also satisfying residents and owners.

And, finally, we take good care of our team members. And this brings me to my next major takeaway:

Now, I'll be honest, it's not easy to work here. But our folks have told us that working here makes them better and has helped them get where they want to go. That's a service we provide to them, and they pay us back with hard work and loyalty. Average people cannot work in our company.

Skeptics Are The Ultimate Motivator

When I decided that I wanted to bring that level of customer service to the real estate industry, and specifically to the property management business, some people were skeptical.

At the time, it was a radical idea – which is my favorite kind.

Part of the challenge in providing excellent customer service in the property management industry is identifying exactly who the primary customer is that you’re serving.

Is it the residents living in your homes? Is it the vendors providing services to those homes? Is it the investors who’ve hired you to manage their properties? Is it the people working for your company?

The answer is yes. They are ALL the "customer." And they all expect and deserve excellent customer service and an excellent experience.

And when skepticism turns into awe, you know you’ve got a great thing going.

But it’s not just about showing the skeptics. That’s just your jumpstart. It’s about what keeps you going. What pushes you to that standard of excellence day in, day out. That’s the kind of thing that builds your reputation, that cements every deal you make with credibility.

That’s why knowing the foundation of your business is so important. It’s what helps you focus your efforts, so you don’t just drown in details…you make the details matter.

What You Hang On the Walls of Your Business

You can’t walk down the halls of REI Nation and Premier Property Management Group without seeing our core values posted in every single room. Recently I read Relentless by Tim S. Grover. From this book, I picked up the philosophy that each of our values is number one. No one value is more important than the other.

Notice anything?

These aren't just nice words. They're a directive, a call to action. And they apply to every single team member equally.

When we commit to these values, we show up with the kind of integrity our partners count on. And since our relationship with our owners, residents, vendors, and team members is the top priority of REI Nation, our core values matter.

Doing the right thing is a good investment

Preserving our reputation, credibility, and integrity is always my top concern.
If a house needs repairs, fix it. If a vendor needs your testimonial, give it. If an investor wants to tell you their whole life story, listen. If a team member wants to reach a goal, challenge them.

This leads me to my last key takeaway:

Many other companies – those so-so property management teams with unremarkable customer service – would be happy with 98% satisfaction across the board. In fact, they’d probably wipe their hands and call the whole damn thing a triumph. But to us, 98% isn’t good enough.

Our team knows that what I’m looking at is that 2%. What could be better? What haven’t we thought of yet? What’s keeping us from excellence?

From week one, we ask our new team members how they like working here. What don’t they like? And so on. Then we work to improve their experience from then on.

You will never be disappointed by the outcomes of providing excellence

When I'm in Florida, I make it a habit to visit a Publix grocery store. This is a business that practices customer service excellence.

All departments are immaculate. The produce has been carefully placed. The shelves are perfectly lined up with all labels facing outwards. Customers are cared for and smiling.

One of the things I like most about Publix, though, is the way their team members show up to work. They park in a designated area at the far back of the lot, rain or shine. They adjust their ties and aprons as they walk from their cars to the store, so that by the time they clock in they are already dressed the part. And when they leave for the day, they remain in uniform after they clock out, only loosening their ties and aprons after they walk out the door.

When I’m checking on my properties in Texas, I make it a point to have dinner at the world-renowned Nick and Sam’s Steakhouse. I don't even eat steak. I usually get the salmon, actually.

I go just observe how they do what they do. I watch how quickly every one of the wait team respond to every small need - freshening a glass, clearing a plate, gauging the experience. I see the manager check every plate before being served, edges wiped of splatter. I watch the choreography required as, in unison, all dishes are placed before guests, covers removed, and the presentation is complete.

I’ve spent years observing, identifying, and then imitating excellent customer service at all of the business I’ve created and run.

Once again, the details matter. The details make the experience.

Commit to The Grind

No matter what business you’re in, you’re in the customer service business. And how you observe, integrate, and deliver great customer service is really about attention to detail.

My advice? Above all, take care of everyone who makes up your business, and make them feel heard.

Until next time,

Kent Clothier
Chief Grind Officer