Using a different method with which to communicate could prompt a prospect to take an apartment search elsewhere, Khaing points out.  Todd Katler, CEO of Anyone Home, concurs, saying prospects should be able “to trade in their own currency”.

“When prospects have the ability to contact and communicate with leasing teams in exactly the way they prefer, that leads to an incredibly powerful leasing experience for apartment shoppers,” Katler says. “It fosters continual engagement, drives more leases and creates resident loyalty.”

Mill Creek prospective residents interested in exploring the company's communities aren't limited to the traditional contact channels of phone calls and emails. For example, future residents visiting the website can easily contact leasing associates via text and FaceTime, in addition to email. The community's phone number is listed in case they want to reach out via a traditional phone call. Also, prospects visiting the Facebook pages can chat with leasing teams via Messenger for quick responses.

Mill Creek also has implemented automated responses to prospective residents in mediums such as text and email. According to Khaing, these responses–which feature information about how to view floorplans, photos and virtual tours, and also provide instructions about booking a tour and applying online–give customers the immediate gratification they're seeking. The responses also make the leasing associates' jobs easier by providing the answers to many common questions.

In addition, Mill Creek's websites now give prospective residents the ability to schedule apartment home tours online. According to an Anyone Home study, apartment shoppers who book tours through a self-scheduling solution convert to leases at twice the rate of those who schedule visits through traditional methods.

“In the past, a prospective resident may have ended their work shift at 2 a.m. and in the middle of the night, they would send in an inquiry about scheduling a tour,” says Brittany Wagner, a senior software training manager for Mill Creek. “Unfortunately, they would have to wait until the next morning when someone was in the office at 9 a.m. to get a response back. Now, they have the freedom to book a tour themselves at anytime from anywhere.”

Giving prospects the ability to schedule tours is critical to providing a positive apartment-shopping experience, notes Katler.

“Generally speaking, today's prospective renters–especially when you're talking about Millennials and Gen Zers–want less human interaction,” Katler says. “The more they can do by themselves on their smartphones or tablets, the better. Of course, savvy multifamily operators also recognize that prospects who want to engage with leasing associates while scheduling a tour should still have that option. It's all about making sure leads can engage with communities in the way and at the time they want.”

Looking ahead, more apartment communities will allow prospects to take self-guided tours, Katler adds. The technology has the dual benefits of providing the solo shopping experience that more of today's prospects are craving while also freeing up busy onsite staffs to tend to many other important responsibilities, he says.

In the end, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to engaging with apartment shoppers. But a wide variety of communication preferences is the best approach.