The document discusses techniques for effective telephone communication when interacting with prospective apartment residents. It emphasizes maintaining a positive attitude, using proper vocabulary, modulating your voice, actively listening, being prepared with knowledge of the property and availability, qualifying callers by obtaining relevant information, painting a picture to describe the property's features and benefits, and setting firm appointments while discussing income guidelines. The goal is to guide the conversation, qualify potential residents, and get them to visit the property in order to increase the likelihood of securing a new lease.

2. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 In the midst of a busy day, a telephone ringing might seem Like a Distraction or an Inconvenience to some… That sound should be welcomed! It’s the sound of MONEY CALLING! A prospective resident that calls first is FOUR TIMES more likely to lease than someone who just visits the community without calling first. Why ARE Telephone Calls are so important?

3. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Begin with your #1 GOAL in Mind: Get the prospect to your community NOW! Set a firm APPOINTMENT! Why ARE Telephone Calls are so important?

4. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 It is important to remember the caller's goal... To determine which Communities they do NOT need to visit. Which Is: Why prospective Residents use The telephone To shop for an Apartment

5. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Do you have the 6 vital telephone skills? Do you have P.A.V.L.O.S.? P ROPER VOCABULARY A TTITUDE V OICE FLUXUATION L ISTENING O N YOUR TOES S PEAKING

6. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 #1 Proper vocabulary Tenant , Unit Complex Turn, Traffic Use proper English Avoid using “slang” or “ industry” terms. Use words that create a positive feeling. Remember to use good manners. Do you have the 6 vital telephone skills? Do you have P.A.V.L.O.S.?

7. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Talk like a PRO! Instead of…. ~ Unit ~ Complex/Project ~ Laundry Room ~ Tenant ~ Parking Lot View ~ Work Order ~ Traffic ~ Security Gates ~ Office ~ Maintenance Man ~ Staff / Employees ~ “You’ll have to…” ~ Square Feet Use…. ~ Apartment Home ~ Community ~ Laundry/Clothes Care Center ~ Resident ~ Community View ~ Service Request ~ Prospective Residents ~ Entry Gates ~ Leasing Center ~ Service Technician ~ Team / Team Member ~ “May I suggest…” ~ can accommodate ….. Do you have the 6 vital telephone skills?

8. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 #2 Attitude Maintain a positive attitude that will present yourself and how others perceive you in a good way. A positive attitude will make people around you feel comfortable with and trust you. Attitude is the most important skill and WILL effect ALL of your other skills daily. Do you have the 6 vital telephone skills? Do you have P.A.V.L.O.S.?

9. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 #3 voice fluxuation Keep your tone _______ & ________. Be careful not to pull the phone away from or bring too close to your mouth. Emphasis on certain words can change the meaning of a phrase. Do you have the 6 vital telephone skills? Do you have P.A.V.L.O.S.?

10. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 #4 ListenING Convey that you are ________ in what they have to say. Assure them that you ______________. Avoid interrupting the caller or talking over them. Do you have the 6 vital telephone skills? Do you have P.A.V.L.O.S.?

11. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Activity: Are you a good LISTENER?

13. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 #5 on your toes Respond promptly, but think ___. Don’t say something you might regret. Be ready for anything and everything! Know your property, ____________, specials etc… Do you have the 6 vital telephone skills? Do you have P.A.V.L.O.S.?

14. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Clear _________ Easy to understand Friendly & Enthusiastic Warm & G______________ Not too loud or too soft Use their name in conversation #6 - SPEAKING Do you have the 6 vital telephone skills? Do you have P.A.V.L.O.S.?

15. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Get ready for the call... Part One the telephone presentation SUCCESS Being ready for the call is the KEY to your SUCCESS! Have your Leasing TOOLS with you… 1. Guest Cards 2. Pens 3. Availability, Pricing & Specials 4. Leasing Portfolio

16. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Greet the Caller... This may be your only chance at a first and lasting impression! Answer the phone in 2-3 rings. Try this… RING 1 ______, grab a pen, _________, Availability & Leasing Portfolio RING 2 Take a deep _______, pull away from any _______________. RING 2 ½ ________ & Pick up the phone Part two the telephone presentation

17. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Greet the Caller... Part two the telephone presentation Example of an Approved Greeting: "It's a great place to live at (Property Name), this is (Name) and I can help you!"

18. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Building Rapport & Qualifying Your GUEST CARD is your guide to keep you on track during your telephone conversation. Engage your caller in friendly conversation. Respond to the information they provide to you. Avoid a Question & Answer session. Information on the Guest Card is usually not obtained in order. You should get all of the information requested on the Guest Card in an effort to qualify the prospective resident and help them find the best apartment that meets their needs. Part three the telephone presentation Guest Card

19. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 a Fair Housing note... Consistency is the key in Fair Housing. Using the guest card during all calls will help you in attempting to obtain the same information from each caller. Become familiar with the Guest Card and how you can naturally obtain the information you need to assist the caller with their apartment home search. the telephone presentation

20. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Part three the telephone presentation Qualifying BASICS WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN WHY HOW =

21. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Part three the telephone presentation Most callers just start by asking how much an apartment is, even though a large majority already have an idea of your rental rates. Sometimes, callers just don’t know what else to ask about. Did you know that most callers already know the price of the apartments before they call? You are there to guide and control the telephone conversation and should try to avoid talking about prices, specials and/or income restrictions right away. However, you should never make a caller angry by refusing to give out the information they have requested. If the caller is requests specific information (i.e. pricing) more than _____ times, give it to them immediately. Then try to continue the conversation by providing information about your community.

22. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Group Activity: Let’s practice how to get the information on the guest card from the prospective resident in a conversational way.

23. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Part four the telephone presentation Know and use your availability. Avoid using a “L______ L______” Keep things positive! Focus on unique ________ & ________. “ Paint A __________” Use Pre-___________ Statements. Community Description: Will you WIN?

24. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Part four the telephone presentation Use the features of your community, the apartment homes & Richman Property Services to show how they will benefit your caller. Make this technique more successful by using it to STAND OUT from the rest & ___________________ COMPETITORS! Unique Features & Benefits

25. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Activity List 2 features and the benefits of these for your community & your most popular floorplan. Write a feature/benefit statement about your community, most popular floorplan and RPS.

27. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Part four the telephone presentation PAINT a Picture Being the most effective tool you can use, make sure you are unique, detailed and relevant as you describe your community and it’s features to “show” your prospect how this is the community they should call HOME! Use _______ and ___________ language to help build that image in the callers mind!

28. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Group Activity Write sentences that “PAINT A PICTURE” about your community that you could use in your telephone presentation. Focus on unique features of the apartment home, such as the finishes and design and the amenities available to the residents.

29. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Part four the telephone presentation Pre-Closing Statements There are 2 reasons for using pre-closing statements. 1. It allows the caller to talk. If the feedback is positive, this confirms to the leasing consultant that they’re going in the right direction. If not, this gives the consultant a chance to overcome any hesitations and try again. 2. It gives the caller the chance to say “yes” without a firm commitment. Each time the caller says “yes”, they will be confirming (for themselves) that this is the right place to live. With every “yes”, it will become harder for them to say “no” at the end when you ask them for their application and deposit.

30. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Part four the telephone presentation When is the "RIGHT" time to discuss Income Guidelines? Just before setting an appointment is the ideal time to review the income guidelines. Discussing it at this time, in combination with the number of people that will be living in the apartment, creates an easy, non- intrusive tone about the conversation.

31. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Part four the telephone presentation What is the "RIGHT" way to discuss Income Guidelines? “ Our community has income guidelines and what that means, is that for ___ people living in your home, the total annual household income cannot exceed $________. Do not ask how much they make. This puts them in an uncomfortable spot. You should assume all callers meet the guidelines, unless they indicate otherwise. * May not be applicable or under specific circumstances. Please follow written direction from Corporate Management for deviation from this procedure.

32. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Part five the telephone presentation Set the appointment as soon as possible. Relay to the caller your desire to be available to meet with them when they visit. Check your schedule and the OneSite appointment book to ensure you will be there! If your caller is unsure or reluctant to schedule, try to at least suggest a day & morning/afternoon. If you are unsuccessful at setting an appointment, express your excitement about wanting to meet them and that you will follow-up with them. IMPORTANT NOTE: Book appointment immediately in OneSite. TIPS on setting Appointments. Get them to your community FAST!

33. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Part five the telephone presentation Remember, your GOAL... Get them to your community FAST! EITHER / OR APPROACH DIRECT APPROACH Would you prefer to come tour the How soon can you come and see me? community today at 3 or Friday at noon? An APPOINTMENT IS: A Specific DAY A Specific TIME A Specific PERSON to MEET A Specific LOCATION to MEET AT

34. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Part six the telephone presentation Wrap it up! Offer Directions ~ You should know & be comfortable with giving directions from multiple areas. ~ If the caller indicates that they already know where you are located, confirm this by making a brief statement that includes a reference to a known landmark near your community. a Fair Housing note... Avoid using places of worship as points of reference when giving directions to your community. This can be perceived as discrimination based on religion. Assumptions could be made that there may be a preference to rent to members of that place of worship’s denomination .

35. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Role-Play Activity: In your 3-person group, take turns practicing your telephone techniques. One person will be the caller, one the leasing consultant and the third is the observer. The observer will use the Telephone Checklist. As a group, talk about your results after all three of you have been the consultant. Each person should play each role once.

37. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 telephone do’s and dont’s Please HOLD Use the following guidelines when you need to place a caller on hold: If you must place the caller on hold, ask for permission & _________ for a response. Use the _____ feature on your phone, not your hand. Leave a caller on hold for no more than 30 seconds. If you need more time, pick up the line, thank them for their patience & ask if they can continue to hold. Again wait for a response before placing them on hold.

38. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 telephone do’s and dont’s Multiple Phone Lines Use the following guidelines when you are on the phone and another line is ringing: If you are on the phone with a new prospective resident during a telephone presentation, allow the phone to roll over to the answering service & as soon as you finish your call, check the messages and return the calls right away. If you are on the phone with anyone else, nicely & professionally ask them if you “may place them on hold for just a moment.” Wait for them to respond and then place them on hold using the hold feature. When you answer another line, be sure not to forget about your initial caller. Depending on the circumstances of the call, you may need to ask if you could return one of the calls. If this is the case, be sure to explain that you want to speak with them and you will call them back by a certain time – and make sure you do!

39. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 telephone do’s and dont’s Responding to Voice Mail Messages Call back messages in the order in which they were received. Confirm that you have the correct person when they answer. Before starting your conversation, make sure that it is a good time for them to talk. Once you’ve established these items, you should move into the conversation and utilize the guest card as any other typical telephone conversation . If you get a voice mail while returning calls: Leave only a brief, approximately 10 second message. Don’t be caught off guard - Be prepared to leave a message. Don’t leave too much information. You want them to call you back. Leave your number 2 times. Don’t state you’ll call them – it gives them an excuse not to call you back. End with a “call-to-action”

40. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Are you ready to shop? Now that you're a telephone leasing PRO... Let's get SHOPPED!

41. Who’s Calling? TELEPHONE TECHNIQUES H. Kattelman 2008 Are you ready to shop? 100% CLUB Who will be our next members?