My how the Covid-19 pandemic has changed our thinking of how to conduct business today. And it was inevitable that it would change how Multifamily communities engage prospective renters. For that reason, BetterBot is officially announcing the Industry’s first and only true automated Intelligent Appointments solutions with COVID protocols.
“Pre-COVID we booked appointments with the assumption the prospect would be walking in the door at some appointed time,” said Holly Berkey, Regional Marketing Director at Lincoln Property Company. “Today some of our communities are still not taking walk-in appointments, but we need to meet the prospective renter, show them the property, and get them leased. What’s more, is we need to protect our leasing team by vetting out any on-premise appointments as to whether the prospect is at risk of spreading COVID to our folks.”
Enter BetterBot’s Intelligent Appointment types offering 5 unique appointment and tour options:
3D Tours & Videos
When using BetterBot, prospects can view most any hosted virtual or video tour in the actual bot experience. Other solutions require a prospect to leave the bot and bounce out to the property website or wherever the tour or video is hosted. With BetterBot, prospects can view common platforms such as Zillow tours, Matterports, Vimeo, YouTube, Realync, Helix, FocalRack, RoundMe, LCP360, and more without ever leaving the bot. This is particularly important when the bot is engaged in channels like Facebook, Google My Business, Yelp, Instagram, Twitter, various ILSs, etc.
In-Person Appointments
BetterBot works seamlessly with most Multifamily and non-Multifamily calendar solutions. In the event a prospect wants to schedule an in-person appointment, BetterBot allows property management companies the ability to insert a vetting option prior to scheduling. For example, Holly at Lincoln asks prospects three questions up front such as:
- Have you tested positive for COVID-19 or have you been tested for COVID-19 and are awaiting results?
- Have you come into close contact (within six feet) with someone who has had a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis in the past 14 days?
- Do you have a fever (greater than 100.4 F or 38.0 C) OR symptoms of lower respiratory illness such as a cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or a sore throat?
Only after answering negatively to all three will the bot allow prospects to schedule an in-person appointment. If they answer yes to any of them, the bot then provides off-site only options such as live-video or phone appointments.
Self-Guided Appointments
One of the more exciting options to enter the Multifamily space is the self-guided tour solution where prospective renters can visit the property without a leasing agent being present on the tour. BetterBot has or is in the process of integrating with six self-guided tour companies including Tour24, Rently, Smartrent, PowerPro, Pynwheel, and Anyone Home. And because this is an on-premise appointment, BetterBot’s COVID protocols can be used to determine the safety of this potential appointment before booking.
Live-Video Appointments
Many apartment communities are now offering live-video meetings and tours. BetterBot can help facilitate these by scheduling these appointments and delivering meeting links and instructions.
Phone Appointment
If a prospective renter would like an appointment time to talk on the phone, BetterBot will check the community’s respective calendar and schedule an open time. In addition, alerts, instructions, and notices will be sent to both the leasing team as well as the prospective renter.
Question: What if I don’t offer all of these appointment types?
Answer: No problem. Your BetterBot will only show the appointment type(s) your community offers. Also, the “COVID protocols” are completely flexible to suit your preferred wording and can work to set expectations for every appointment type your community offers.
BetterBot: Better Conversations. Better Leasing.
