There’s no doubt, our phones have completely transformed how we communicate with people. Text messages are a powerful and very popular form of communication. In fact, in 2018, 1. 5 billion people around the world had the ability to send and receive messages via SMS. A recent study showed that 9 in 10 people send and receive text messages on a daily basis.
Why Text?
Texts are a casual and short way to reach another person with your message. More and more, a quick text is all it takes to schedule an appointment or confirm that a repair is now complete. More so than email, a text message has a sense of timeliness and urgency. Email messages aren’t always opened right away. And, let’s be honest, how many times have you ended up overlooking an email as it’s buried with the other hundreds of other emails you receive daily.
Text messaging is a highly effective way for property managers and landlords to communicate with tenants. It is easy to use, and doesn’t require high overhead costs. And, the benefits for property professionals are clear: roughly 95% of text messages are opened, and most of those within three minutes of being received. That means more tenants get your message, more quickly.
Briefly, texting is beneficial because:
- Instant Delivery – A text message arrives within nanoseconds.
- High Open Rate – Text messages have much higher open rates compared to email, and are more likely to be read.
- Reliable – Unlike emails, a text message won’t end up in a spam folder.
Texting with Tenant Management Software
Sure, it’s convenient, but that doesn’t mean you can start blasting your tenants with text messages through your tenant management software. There are some basic texting etiquette rules to follow.
Make it easy to opt-out. Believe it or not, there are people out there who don’t use their cellphones on a regular basis, and a text message might go unnoticed for days or weeks. And, some renters simply don’t want to communicate by texting. If a tenant doesn’t want to receive text messages from you, you need to respect that. It should be easy-peasy to opt out.
Have it in writing. The lease agreement, or signup to the tenant portal, should contain a notice to tenants that by signing up for the portal they will receive text messages.
Let your tenant know what you will be texting. Most property management companies use text messages in the following situations:
- To schedule and confirm repairs
- To get consent for maintenance people to enter the unit
- Emergency situations
- Simple rent reminders/paid confirmations
Property Vista’s Tenant Management Software
Web-based and simple to use, Property Vista’s robust suite of tenant management software helps reduce vacancies, cut risk and increase cash flow and improve tenant relations, giving you the sturdy foundation you need to start building opportunities and growth.
We offer a range of packages so that our software will scale up with you, making Property Vista an investment for both now and the future of your company. Smaller portfolios will run more efficiently, while larger holdings can capitalize on our full offering to centralize and automate their complex structure.
Interested? See pricing and arrange a demo here.
