Feedback Fatigue

S1E8 - Michael DiMella - Rethinking Centralization

S1E8 - Michael DiMella - Rethinking Centralization Rethinking Centralization with Michael DiMella of CHARLESGATE S1E8 features Michael DiMella, Managing Partner at CHARLESGATE Michael’s Bio: Michael DiMella is the Managing Partner of CHARLESGATE. CHARLESGATE is an integrated real estate firm that empowers thousands of clients throughout New England with a comprehensive array of services across residential and multifamily real estate - sales brokerage, property management & leasing, investment sales, construction, and new development. With deep, local roots, we were founded in Boston in 2003 and are headquartered in the Back Bay. We are rapidly growing, including making the Inc 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America three times (and counting). Michael is a nationally recognized leader in the real estate industry and has been awarded as one of Boston’s Top “40 Under 40” professionals by The Boston Business Journal, as one of the Top "30 Under 30" Realtors in America by Realtor Magazine, and as one of the Top 250 Real Estate Teams in America in the WSJ Real Trends Report. He is frequently cited in local and national news publications like The Boston Globe, The Wall Street Journal, Boston Magazine, and Banker & Tradesman for his insight and perspective on the Boston real estate market. In this episode: Feedback Philosophy: Michael views feedback as a gift essential for growth and improvement, whether from supervisors, colleagues, or residents. Multifamily Operating Model: The model advocates for functional specialization, breaking property manager roles into focused team pods. This balances centralized tasks with human-centered roles closer to residents. Believes in a hybrid approach, using technology to enhance efficiency without replacing personal interaction. Challenges and Solutions: Turnover and Stress: High employee turnover (up to 37%) stems from overburdened roles. The new model provides role clarity and career pathways, reducing stress. Collaboration: Pod structures promote teamwork and shared best practices, combating isolation. Resident Experience: Feedback Focus: Emphasizes micro feedback (e.g., maintenance ratings) but sees potential in expanding macro feedback (e.g., resident sentiment surveys). Communication Gaps: Unresponsiveness is a key complaint, driving changes to improve response times. Human vs. Tech: Overreliance on tech (e.g., self-guided tours) reduces satisfaction. The focus remains on maintaining human connections. Implementation and Metrics: The model evolved iteratively, with COVID-19 accelerating changes. KPIs are tied to specific roles, ensuring accountability and weekly performance reviews. Feedback informs training and process improvements for consistency across properties. Vision: The approach balances better resident experiences with financial goals, emphasizing the importance of human interactions in property management. Michael DiMella on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldimella/ CHARLESGATE: https://www.charlesgate.com/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feedback-fatigue/id1770584511 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5E1KUHoxNjTDCIVBtnwwUw Website: https://www.widewail.com/feedback-fatigue Revyse: https://community.revyse.com/c/multifamily-podcast-directory/feedback-fatigue About Feedback Fatigue: We're getting all this amazing resident feedback. What do we do with it? Learn the playbooks multifamily operators and industry experts are using to find success today. Hosted by Widewail’s Katie Ritter, National Accounts, Multifamily and Jake Hughes, Director of Marketing. Learn more about Widewail: https://www.widewail.com/property-manager-reputation-management Season 1 lineup: S1E1: October 1st Faith Barker Marketing Manager, Trilogy S1E2: October 8th Josh Becerra CMO, Pink Taco S1E3: October 15th Bobbi Steward CEO, Revyse S1E4: October 22nd Rebecca Smith and Ashley Stran Marketing & Business Development Director, Social Media Coordinator, WPM Real Estate Management S1E5: October 29th Janet Rosseth Founder & CMO, Cadence Marketing Solutions S1E6: November 5th Kevin Wilson Director of Marketing, Strategy & Planning, Southern Land Company S1E7: November 12th Dana Hill Director of Customer Experience, RangeWater Real Estate S1E8: November 19th Michael DiMella Managing Partner, CHARLESGATE

S1E7 - Dana Hill - How RangeWater Aligns Operations and Feedback

How RangeWater Aligns Operations and Feedback S1E7 features Dana Hill, Senior Director of Engagement at RangeWater In this episode of Feedback Fatigue, we cover: Importance of Feedback: Hill emphasized feedback as essential for performance, connection, and trust. She noted that Gen Z values transparency over perfection, with trustworthiness linked to an average rating rather than a perfect score. Operational Structure: Her day-to-day involves assessing resident concerns and online reputation data. RangeWater’s structured approach includes identifying properties needing improvement and celebrating top performers. Alignment Across Departments: Being part of the operations team allows Hill to integrate feedback with operational metrics (e.g., occupancy, maintenance) across departments. RangeWater uses this data to make actionable improvements, enhancing resident experiences and property performance. Training and Consistency: A BI tool and a reputation management toolkit provide transparent KPI tracking. Monthly trainings and accessible resources empower community teams to improve and align with company standards. Incentivizing Performance: KPIs tied to bonuses motivate teams, making reputation management financially rewarding and ensuring company-wide alignment with Rangewater’s core values and performance goals. Dana Hill on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danadhill/ RangeWater: https://liverangewater.com/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feedback-fatigue/id1770584511 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5E1KUHoxNjTDCIVBtnwwUw Website: https://www.widewail.com/feedback-fatigue Revyse: https://community.revyse.com/c/multifamily-podcast-directory/feedback-fatigue About Feedback Fatigue: We're getting all this amazing resident feedback. What do we do with it? Learn the playbooks multifamily operators and industry experts are using to find success today. Hosted by Widewail’s Katie Ritter, National Accounts, Multifamily and Jake Hughes, Director of Marketing. Learn more about Widewail: https://www.widewail.com/property-manager-reputation-management Season 1 lineup: S1E1: October 1st Faith Barker Marketing Manager, Trilogy S1E2: October 8th Josh Becerra CMO, Pink Taco S1E3: October 15th Bobbi Steward CEO, Revyse S1E4: October 22nd Rebecca Smith and Ashley Stran Marketing & Business Development Director, Social Media Coordinator, WPM Real Estate Management S1E5: October 29th Janet Rosseth Founder & CMO, Cadence Marketing Solutions S1E6: November 5th Kevin Wilson Director of Marketing, Strategy & Planning, Southern Land Company S1E7: November 12th Dana Hill Director of Customer Experience, RangeWater Real Estate S1E8: November 19th Michael DiMella Managing Partner, CHARLESGATE

S1E6 - Kevin Wilson - On the Verge of Things Really Accelerating

“On the Verge of Things Really Accelerating” S1E6 features Kevin Wilson, the Director of Marketing at Southern Land Company. In the show, we cover: Resident Feedback as a Continuous Process: Kevin emphasizes a “love-love” relationship with feedback, viewing it as a tool for both improvement and engagement. He highlights that feedback, while not always immediately actionable, helps adapt offerings to changing resident expectations. He underscores the value of gathering feedback systematically across both new and stabilized communities to stay aligned with evolving resident needs. Adapting Spaces and Amenities Based on Feedback: Kevin discusses using resident input to refine community amenities, illustrating how feedback has driven changes like introducing multipurpose spaces and evolving fitness areas to meet contemporary needs, such as creating spaces for games or yoga. He sees amenity flexibility as a way to maintain relevance and enhance resident satisfaction. Efficient Feedback Collection through Short Surveys: Kevin notes that residents are more likely to respond to short, targeted surveys, especially over text. He sees the trend toward concise feedback collection, driven by digital tools and AI, as crucial for identifying "micro trends" and maintaining responsiveness without overwhelming residents with requests. Building Community and Retention: Kevin views events and communal spaces as pivotal to fostering a sense of community, which he believes is critical for resident retention. He shares examples of smaller, less costly initiatives like game nights or branded community events, which encourage residents to meet and build connections, positively impacting their overall satisfaction and likelihood of renewing. Strategic Use of AI for Feedback Analysis: Kevin explains that AI tools now make it easier to analyze and act on feedback promptly. This capability allows his team to understand what resonates or requires improvement across communities more effectively, enabling targeted adjustments in real-time. Kevin Wilson on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-wilson-aab16a8/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feedback-fatigue/id1770584511 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5E1KUHoxNjTDCIVBtnwwUw Website: https://www.widewail.com/feedback-fatigue Revyse: https://community.revyse.com/c/multifamily-podcast-directory/feedback-fatigue About Feedback Fatigue: We're getting all this amazing resident feedback. What do we do with it? Learn the playbooks multifamily operators and industry experts are using to find success today. Hosted by Widewail’s Katie Ritter, National Accounts, Multifamily and Jake Hughes, Director of Marketing. Learn more about Widewail: https://www.widewail.com/property-manager-reputation-management Season 1 lineup: S1E1: October 1st Faith Barker Marketing Manager, Trilogy S1E2: October 8th Josh Becerra CMO, Pink Taco S1E3: October 15th Bobbi Steward CEO, Revyse S1E4: October 22nd Rebecca Smith and Ashley Stran Marketing & Business Development Director, Social Media Coordinator, WPM Real Estate Management S1E5: October 29th Janet Rosseth Founder & CMO, Cadence Marketing Solutions S1E6: November 5th Kevin Wilson Director of Marketing, Strategy & Planning, Southern Land Company S1E7: November 12th Dana Hill Director of Customer Experience, RangeWater Real Estate S1E8: November 19th Michael DiMella Managing Partner, CHARLESGATE

S1E5 - Janet Rosseth of Cadence - The Hybrid Approach to Multifamily Feedback

The Hybrid Approach to Multifamily Feedback S1E5 features Janet Rosseth, the CMO of Cadence Marketing solutions. In this episode, we cover: Volume of Feedback: Janet emphasized how feedback has evolved, noting that property managers now deal with feedback from multiple channels (online reviews, internal surveys, and direct communications). This has increased the complexity of managing and interpreting feedback. Prioritizing Actionable Feedback: Given the overwhelming volume, Janet suggests categorizing feedback into what is actionable versus noise. She recommends focusing on feedback that aligns with strategic business goals. Human Element and Technology: Janet advocates a hybrid approach where technology supports, rather than replaces, human interaction. While automation is useful, particularly in areas like response times and notifications, she notes that too much reliance on technology can depersonalize the experience. Training and Adoption: She stressed the importance of training teams to use new technology effectively and incorporating tech into daily operations. By fostering familiarity with tools in low-stress settings, employees are more likely to adopt them even in high-pressure situations. The “Compliment Sandwich”: Janet utilizes a "compliment sandwich" approach in delivering feedback, ensuring that clients feel encouraged and that feedback is constructive. This aligns with her goal of making clients feel supported rather than criticized. Setting Realistic Goals and Pacing: Janet’s consultancy, Cadence, focuses on pacing strategies to ensure sustainable improvements. She advocates for a "stride and sprint" approach to diagnostics, enabling clients to assess their marketing and operational needs methodically without overwhelming the team. Alignment on Priorities: Janet emphasized the importance of involving stakeholders to self-assess and rank priorities. This collaborative process helps create buy-in and allows teams to take ownership of their improvement efforts, ensuring that changes are more readily accepted and effective. Janet Rosseth on Linkedin: Cadence Marketing Solutions: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feedback-fatigue/id1770584511 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5E1KUHoxNjTDCIVBtnwwUw Website: https://www.widewail.com/feedback-fatigue Revyse: https://community.revyse.com/c/multifamily-podcast-directory/feedback-fatigue About Feedback Fatigue: We're getting all this amazing resident feedback. What do we do with it? Learn the playbooks multifamily operators and industry experts are using to find success today. Hosted by Widewail’s Katie Ritter, National Accounts, Multifamily and Jake Hughes, Director of Marketing. Learn more about Widewail: https://www.widewail.com/property-manager-reputation-management Season 1 lineup: S1E1: October 1st Faith Barker Marketing Manager, Trilogy S1E2: October 8th Josh Becerra CMO, Pink Taco S1E3: October 15th Bobbi Steward CEO, Revyse S1E4: October 22nd Rebecca Smith and Ashley Stran Marketing & Business Development Director, Social Media Coordinator, WPM Real Estate Management S1E5: October 29th Janet Rosseth Founder & CMO, Cadence Marketing Solutions S1E6: November 5th Kevin Wilson Director of Marketing, Strategy & Planning, Southern Land Company S1E7: November 12th Dana Hill Director of Customer Experience, RangeWater Real Estate S1E8: November 19th Michael DiMella Managing Partner, CHARLESGATE

S1E4 - Rebecca Smith and Ashley Stran of WPM - Play to Your Strengths

Play to Your Strengths S1E4 features Rebecca Smith and Ashley Stran of WPM. In this episode we cover: Roles and Career Transitions: Ashley Stran has been with WPM for over 18 years, transitioning from leasing to accounting and later to the marketing department as the Social Media Coordinator. Her journey emphasizes the value of career flexibility within an organization and how employees can contribute in different capacities. Rebecca Smith, Director of Marketing and Business Development for WPM’s multifamily division, shared how her role evolved from leasing to brand engagement and business development, focusing on promoting WPM's reputation and services. Approach to Feedback: WPM's feedback strategy involves both macro and micro approaches. Rebecca looks at feedback at a macro level, focusing on trends and using it to enhance branding and business development. Ashley, on the other hand, addresses feedback at a micro level, working directly with property teams to resolve issues raised in reviews. This two-pronged approach allows WPM to maintain a high level of service and brand integrity by both responding to individual concerns and leveraging positive feedback to attract new clients and residents. Managing Negative Reviews: Ashley emphasized the importance of responding to negative reviews, either by addressing concerns directly with the resident or publicly on review platforms to demonstrate that WPM takes feedback seriously. Reviews are seen as opportunities for growth, and often, by reaching out to residents, they can turn negative reviews into positive outcomes. Brand and Reputation: WPM leans into its strengths, focusing on aspects where they excel, such as unit cleanliness, condition, and maintenance. Feedback data from Widewail showed WPM outperforming industry benchmarks in these areas. Rebecca highlighted that they use this data to reinforce their brand promise, "Performance that Adds Value," which resonates with both residents and potential clients. Feedback’s Role in Business Development: Positive feedback is used in business development to demonstrate WPM's ability to meet client expectations and maintain properties to a high standard. The feedback also helps identify where WPM excels and where improvements can be made. Future of Feedback: Both guests touched on the future of feedback, highlighting verification. There is growing concern over fake or unverified reviews, and regulatory bodies like the FTC are cracking down on unfair review practices. Employee and Client Relationships: Rebecca and Ashley stressed the importance of employee satisfaction and strong client relationships. WPM’s culture of valuing employees and long tenures is reflected in its ranking as a top workplace, and the company aims to attract clients who share similar values and respect for the challenges property managers face. Rebecca Smith on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-smith-nalp-21230/ Ashley Stran on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-stran-62a807162/ WPM Real Estate: https://www.wpmllc.com/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/feedback-fatigue/id1770584511 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5E1KUHoxNjTDCIVBtnwwUw Website: https://www.widewail.com/feedback-fatigue Revyse: https://community.revyse.com/c/multifamily-podcast-directory/feedback-fatigue About Feedback Fatigue: We're getting all this amazing resident feedback. What do we do with it? Learn the playbooks multifamily operators and industry experts are using to find success today. Hosted by Widewail’s Katie Ritter, National Accounts, Multifamily and Jake Hughes, Director of Marketing. Learn more about Widewail: https://www.widewail.com/property-manager-reputation-management Season 1 lineup: S1E1: October 1st Faith Barker Marketing Manager, Trilogy S1E2: October 8th Josh Becerra CMO, Pink Taco S1E3: October 15th Bobbi Steward CEO, Revyse S1E4: October 22nd Rebecca Smith and Ashley Stran Marketing & Business Development Director, Social Media Coordinator, WPM Real Estate Management S1E5: October 29th Janet Rosseth Founder & CMO, Cadence Marketing Solutions S1E6: November 5th Kevin Wilson Director of Marketing, Strategy & Planning, Southern Land Company S1E7: November 12th Dana Hill Director of Customer Experience, RangeWater Real Estate S1E8: November 19th Michael DiMella Managing Partner, CHARLESGATE