Feedback is the lifeblood of Build to Rent. Gathering insight from BTR customers is the best way to engage and retain residents – and it provides information which can be used on future schemes.
There are many ways of gathering this feedback but it’s important that it is gathered independently – and it is acted upon.
Ways of gathering feedback might include:
- Questionnaires at the start, mid-term and exit
- Maintenance surveys
- Resident forums
- Focus groups
- Mystery shopping
These could be done electronically, via an app, with a smart speaker, text message or through email. However, these methods should be complemented with face-to-face interactions or telephone interviews. Direct engagement, preferably carried out independently, is the best way to build trust and gain the most valuable feedback.
What sort of questions should be included?
Questionnaires compiled by RealService, in partnership with a client, can cover issues ranging from the provision of amenities and their quality or cleanliness (lifts, reception areas, gardens, parking) to the quality of relationships with building managers, other staff or landlords (communication, responsiveness, ease of leasing/maintenance processes, likelihood of lease renewal).
It’s best to work on a questionnaire which is future-proofed so you can compare results and improvements year on year, while also including relevant additions like, for example questions around Covid response.
A five-point Likert Scale – excellent, good, average, poor, really poor – will provide nuance but it’s important to get qualitative information as well as data. Email or text surveys can provide some detail, but a telephone interview or focus group is the best way of asking “why?” or “how can we improve?”
Questionnaires should include the Net Promoter Score (NPS).
On a scale of 0-10, would you recommend us to a friend or colleague?