How to De-Escalate an Upset Tenant

Just like with any business, you are bound to encounter an upset or angry customer at some point. This is just part of being a human running a business. Human beings are blessed and cursed with the concept of emotions. Sometimes they are beautiful and can leave your day looking brighter and happier, and sometimes they are unpleasant and can leave you feeling in a dump. Here are some easy ways to help with an upset or angry tenant when you happen to run into one. 

Try to Remain Calm  

This is the first and most important step because you cannot fight fire with fire. It’s easy to see someone coming at you showing how angry they are and to want to get in the defense and get angry back. However, this will just escalate things further and no progress in solving any problems will be made.  

You must remember that even though it may look like they are angry at you because that is where the anger is being directed. The tenant has a problem with something, and they are coming to for a solution and your job is to help find the solution. 

Listen to Them 

Give the tenant space and time to talk about what they are upset about and what they feel would be a good solution. Allowing them to communicate their feelings will show that you care about how this situation is affecting them and that you are not simply brushing them off. Apologizing, when necessary, will also show that you care about how they are feeling and empathize with their situation. Apologizing is especially important if they are upset at something that was a result of the company or yourself. 

 

 

Communicate Clearly 

Be sure that you are communicating the problem back to the tenant to ensure that you completely understand the issue. Let the tenants know that you are working to find the solution so that they understand. While working to find the solution, be sure to provide updates to the tenants so that they can be informed that you are actively working on resolving the issue. 

Finding a Solution 

Ensuring that you find a solution that is practical for the company and for the tenant. Creating a list of a couple of possible solutions can be helpful, that way if one doesn’t pan out, you have a backup plan.  

Follow Up 

When you have found an adequate solution to the problem and have implemented it, you should follow up with the tenant to be sure that they are pleased with the outcome. Documentation is important for many reasons. One so that everyone on your team can be informed of the updates and in case you need to refresh your memory down the line when a similar issue pops up, this will come in handy! 

Use it as a Learning Opportunity 

After everything is all said and done and the problem has been solved, it would be helpful to use this instance as a learning opportunity for you and your team. There is always an opportunity to improve your people skills and your property management skills and when a miscommunication or problem occurs, it is the perfect time!  

Remember that it is you and the tenant against the problem, not against each other! Finding a solution and moving forward will make everyone happier at the end of the day!