Good morning!

We’re kicking off Q3 with clarity and momentum. By leaning into smarter systems and cutting down on manual drag, we’re creating more room for focus, creativity, and real results. Automation isn’t just saving time - it’s helping us move faster where it counts. Let’s keep building with intention and keeping the friction low.

— Lucas Robinson, Founder & CEO at BudgetMailboxes.com

🎯 This Week’s Strategy:

• Customer Journey Mapping

🤝 Boardroom Brief:

• NYC Launches Enforcement Wave on Illegal Short-Term Rentals
  

Strategy

🎯 Customer Journey Mapping

In the property management industry, success isn’t just about efficient operations—it’s about creating experiences that tenants and owners value at every stage of their relationship with you. Customer Journey Mapping is a powerful strategy that helps property managers better understand and optimize every touchpoint a resident, prospect, or owner encounters—from initial inquiry to long-term renewal.

What Is Customer Journey Mapping?

Customer Journey Mapping is the process of visualizing every interaction a customer has with your property management company. This includes researching a rental, contacting your team, signing a lease, submitting maintenance requests, receiving communications, and eventually renewing or moving out.

By mapping this journey, property managers can identify pain points, uncover opportunities for improvement, and design experiences that increase satisfaction, retention, and referrals.

How Property Managers Can Implement Customer Journey Mapping

1. Define Your Target Personas

Start by identifying who you're mapping the journey for—prospective tenants, current residents, property owners, or all three. Each audience will have a unique journey and set of needs.

Action Steps:
✅ Create 2–3 key personas (e.g., "young professional renter," "remote property owner").

✅ Gather feedback through surveys, interviews, and support interactions.

✅ Include motivations, frustrations, communication preferences, and goals.

2. Map Key Stages of the Journey

Break the journey into stages—such as Awareness, Consideration, Leasing, Move-in, Living Experience, Renewal, and Exit.

Action Steps:
✅ List the touchpoints in each stage (website visits, tour scheduling, lease signing, service requests, rent payment, etc.).

✅ Note what systems or team members are involved in each stage.

✅ Identify emotional highs and lows from the tenant or owner perspective.

3. Identify Pain Points and Gaps

Once mapped, analyze the journey for bottlenecks, friction points, or inconsistent experiences. These are your biggest opportunities for improvement.

Action Steps:
✅ Track delays in response times (e.g., long maintenance wait times, unanswered leasing questions).

✅ Spot where communication breaks down—such as between move-in and first rent collection.

✅ Use feedback forms or review analysis to uncover hidden frustrations.

4. Optimize Key Touchpoints

Use your findings to enhance the customer experience—especially in areas that directly impact satisfaction and retention.

Action Steps:
✅ Automate welcome emails and onboarding for new tenants.

✅ Improve responsiveness with AI chatbots or ticketing systems.

✅ Create standardized messaging for lease renewals, maintenance updates, and more.

5. Monitor and Improve Continuously

Customer journey mapping is not a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process. As your technology, team, or portfolio evolves, so will your journey map.

Action Steps:
✅ Set up quarterly journey reviews to update touchpoints and address new pain points.

✅ Involve cross-functional teams (leasing, maintenance, accounting) to ensure alignment.

✅ Use tenant satisfaction scores (NPS), renewal rates, and support ticket trends to measure success.

Why It Matters

Property managers who truly understand their customers' journey can proactively shape positive experiences, reduce churn, and build brand advocates. Whether you're managing 20 units or 2,000, journey mapping brings clarity to chaos and helps you serve better—at every step.

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Boardroom Brief

NYC Launches Enforcement Wave on Illegal Short-Term Rentals

Property managers operating in or near New York City should take note: the city is intensifying enforcement of Local Law 18, its strict short-term rental regulation enacted in 2023. This week, the Office of Special Enforcement issued warning letters to 500 registered Airbnb hosts and threatened license revocation for five others. Violations include renting out entire units for fewer than 30 days and exceeding the two-guest limit—common on platforms like Airbnb but now explicitly prohibited. With potential fines of up to $5,000 and a continued focus on protecting long-term housing stock, compliance is critical. Since the law’s introduction, Airbnb listings in NYC have dropped by over 90%, reinforcing the importance of understanding and aligning with local regulations. Property managers should proactively audit rental activities to ensure adherence and avoid legal exposure.

Game

🎉 Fun Finale: Play & Poll