Disclaimer: This is a joke 😉
Dear leasing agents,
It’s time to face the music: Robots are after your jobs. I’ve seen it happening, and I’ve gathered proof, which I lay before you now.
- 62% of customers would rather interact with a chatbot instantly than wait 15 minutes for a human agent. (Tidio)
- 19% of businesses already use a chatbot, and 62% plan to add one. (Tidio)
- Unlike human agents, AI chatbots can work round-the-clock, 24/7. Sixty percent of chatbot conversations are happening after-hours, according to research by Respage. Feeling threatened yet?
- At The Metropolitan West Chester in Pennsylvania, the ResMate AI leasing agent saved over 200 hours of leasing staff time in one month.
- ResMate reduces lead-to-lease time by 53% when compared to using only human agents.
As if those cold, hard statistics aren’t enough, allegedly, these robots can even do something known as “natural language processing” (NLP), meaning they can understand human language and respond as though they are human. Creepy, right?
To make matters worse, apartment complexes seem to be embracing them as though they’re a dear friend. One property in Pennsylvania has even named its AI “Katie.
And despite the fact that I regularly say, “Hey Siri, where’s the nearest gas station?” and “Alexa, what’s the weather today?” I think you’ll agree that calling an AI by a name is utterly absurd.
Plus, check this out: ResMate even tells jokes.
Since the future is clearly doomed, I’ve done what I can to help you cope with your role’s inevitable obsoletion: I’ve created a list of the things you can do when AI takes your leasing agent job.
Good luck out there.
1. Give better tours without feeling rushed
Sure, ResMate AI leasing assistant can book tours for you, even after hours (with a lead-to-tour conversion rate of 37%!), but you know what it can’t do? Conduct those tours! ResMate doesn’t have a body, which is good news for you–because you do! And showing units is the fun part of the job anyway.
So with the 10 hours you’ll save each week from not having to hassle with answering phones, emails, or texts, nor having to remind prospective tenants of their tours (yup, ResMate sends reminders for you), you can relax and give a great tour. Focus on answering questions thoroughly and establishing trust with your prospects.
ResMate can take on the menial tasks while you have all the fun.
Take that, AI scum.
2. Build rapport with your residents
You probably got into this business because you’re a people person, but with all the redundant questions you have to answer over and over (yes, your building is pet friendly. No, residents cannot have a pet python), you don’t get to know your residents as much as you’d like to.
Thankfully, this is another area where you’ve got the upper hand on ResMate (because ResMate doesn’t even have hands). Sure, ResMate can tell the occasional joke, but it can’t organize a pool party, bake cookies for residents, or play fetch at the dog run with the cute Golden Retriever that lives in apartment 701 (ah, the perks of a pet-friendly building!).
3. Work up a sweat in the gym
The paradox of being a leasing agent is you spend your days telling prospects how awesome your community’s amenities are but never get to use those amenities yourself. This ends now.
While ResMate AI leasing assistant deals with answering phones after-hours, you can get your steps in on that sweet treadmill with the pool view you’re always gushing about.
4. Help your community go viral on social media
Did you know ResMate speaks Spanish too? Don’t be intimidated; this is actually great news. Because instead of attempting to master a second language, you can finally master that social media trend that’ll make your community go viral on Instagram.
#golittlerockstar
5. Cool off by taking a dip in the pool
Hey, while you’re at it, why not lounge by the pool and go for a swim? Since ResMate insists on instantly following up with prospects who have toured and encouraging them to submit an application, you might as well have fun in the water. This is a power play that will make you feel superior to AI, especially since the last time ResMate tried to cannonball, it short-circuited because electricity and water, dear friends, do not mix.
Humans for the win.
6. Fire up the grill
Now that you’ve worked up an appetite and ResMate AI leasing assistant is still hard at work nurturing leads, fire up that poolside grill and cook yourself a meal. Then, sit in front of the computer and tell ResMate how delicious your BBQ tastes while it sits there unhearing, unfeeling, and untasting because it is, after all, a mere robot.
7. Scope out the competition
While ResMate manages the monotony of fielding incessant questions from prospects who have no intention of actually applying, you can scope out your competitors’ properties.
Is this petty? Maybe. But it’ll satisfy your curiosity, and you can tell the marketing team you did it for “research.”
Trench coat, fake mustache, and sunglasses optional.
8. Race the golf carts with the maintenance staff
Leasing and maintenance are always zipping around on those golf carts to fulfill requests and check on units. But with all the spare time you’ll have when a robot is automating your follow-ups, why not schedule a golf cart race among staff in the parking lot? (Be sure to block off the parking lot and be safe!)
Is there a glimmer of hope?
Robots are not humans, but they dare to call themselves leasing agents now? Do they have any idea the kind of work that goes into your role? The audacity they have in replacing you is unsettling.
Oh, wait, scratch that—it turns out AI might not be “taking your job” after all. I’ve just received word that ResMate can get stumped and knows when to ask for human help. Ha! I also checked with The Metropolitan apartment complex, and it turns out that, despite fully deploying ResMate, they still employ human leasing agents. Phew! Robots can enhance your work, but they can never replace you, you gem of a sentient being.
With ResMate AI leasing assistant saving multifamily properties an average of 100 hours of staff time a month, you now have a list of seven things you can do while ResMate handles the monotonous tasks—and you can focus on the best parts of your job.
