Multifamily Leaders Podcast Episode 37: It all begins with teamwork: What it takes to be the #1 ORA Property in the Nation

The George in Fort Worth, TX, is the #1 ORA property in the entire country for online reputation for 2021. Ginger Schmidt and Evelyn Lott share how The George’s team are each other’s biggest fans, and this positivity spills over to their residents. Listen in to glean ideas for enhancing your own community’s reputation by asking for reviews, ensuring your residents are heard, and more.

“I really think residents see how well we all work together, and you can see that in the online reputation, and people want to live here.”

In this episode, Mindy converses with Ginger Schmidt and Evelyn Lott about how they have achieved the highest ORA score for online reputation for their community, The George. Their biggest tip is to ask, ask, and ask again for reviews from their residents. Their confidence in the service they provide pushes them to be persistent and consistent in seeking reviews, and they even have QR codes around their community so that prospects and residents, alike, can leave feedback on the spot.

Ginger and Evelyn also note how their team really works together as a unified body. They consistently seek to motivate their team by being their biggest cheerleaders, and steps like daily goals and pep talks help to create a positive environment that enhances employee morale. This positivity affects the resident experience, too, and their teamwork ensures that customers do not have to wait to hear back from a certain staff member; instead, they all step in to provide immediate assistance, which has a big impact.

Finally, Mindy asks Ginger and Evelyn how they deal with conflict and irate residents. They explain how communication is the key, and ensuring the residents are heard and that solutions are found is important to diffuse any anger. They also have an open-door policy and make sure they are easy to get ahold of. This genuine passion for customer service has paid off in big ways, and they end the conversation by offering the same advice to communities seeking to improve their online reputation: ask, ask, ask for those reviews.