On an early Sunday morning a few years back, one of our agents fielded a call from a man in a state of absolute panic. Thinking he’d be back in a snap, the caller had left food cooking on the stove while he ran out to the local 7-11 to pick up a missing ingredient. Instead, when he returned to his car, bag in hand, he discovered a flat tire – and a useless spare.
“Please,” he begged, “please send someone to turn off my stove before my apartment burns down.”
The Focus agent immediately phoned the on-call maintenance person. From receiving the frantic plea to reaching on-call personnel, it took our team just a little over two minutes to arrange for emergency assistance. (And the maintenance person DID reach the pot just as it was beginning to boil dry.)
As a property manager, you’re accustomed to addressing multiple calls and crises, and so are the agents at Focus. We are used to unpredictable residents with uncommon sense who may leave their cooktops burning or faucets running while you’re somewhere out of range. Our agents know when to escalate a call to keep people and properties safe.
Hiring an answering service that excels in dispatching for property management can protect your residents and your wallet.
Consider another scenario:
It’s late evening on another Sunday, some years later. A call comes in from a resident notifying our agent of an unsightly mess near the stairwell of Building 2716. “Looks like litter and garbage,” describes the caller, adding that he thought maintenance crews should be informed as it could be a tripping hazard.
However, the instructions for this particular community explicitly state that we are NOT allowed to dispatch calls that are not emergencies – they are to be held for the office. The call center agent is now faced with a dilemma: risk angering the maintenance person and management company, or err on the side of caution.
Early the next morning, as dawn sends pink-gray light through the stairwell windows, a nurse on the early shift hurries from her apartment in Building 2716. She’s running late, juggling her thermos and her purse. She takes her hand off the stair rail as she digs blindly for her car keys. Rounding the landing, she takes a step toward the second flight, the debris from the spill from the night before blends with the dark carpet…
A good answering service doesn’t just take calls, they are able to “make the call” regarding the best decision based on decades of experience
Emergencies come in all shapes and sizes. And an emergency waiting to happen is still an emergency. It’s Focus’ policy when dispatching for property management to notify maintenance crews of ALL potentially hazardous situations.
A call center’s responsiveness can not only protect your residents but can also protect your company from costly damages and liability. Exemplary customer service is Focus’ driving principle. We know your requirements, we respond quickly, and we maintain your company’s stellar reputation.
Contact us today at 1-800-886-6696 to learn more.