AI is really useful at multifamily properties, streamlining processes for marketers, property managers and more. But of course, AI can’t do everything—there needs to be a balance between AI and human interaction. What should you give to AI, and what should your team handle? The MHN Executive Council shares their suggestions.
Help Me Help You
The balance between AI and human interaction is a blend of efficiency and expanded capacity. AI is like my digital assistant, ensuring consistent messaging and sparking creativity when I need it. It significantly increases my productivity, enabling me to achieve more. However, it’s important to recognize that AI complements but doesn’t replace human interaction. The balance between AI and human interaction empowers me to manage the marketing landscape more effectively.
In the fast-paced world of marketing, staying ahead of the curve and maintaining consistency in brand messaging is key. AI allows me to effortlessly maintain a consistency of tone and “brand language” throughout my marketing materials. It also provides inspiration and a kickstart when needed. It significantly increases my productivity, as I find my marketing tasks are completed faster and more efficiently. —Mary Herrold, Vice President of Marketing, Evergreen Real Estate Group
Supplement and Support
AI can work wonders to produce and analyze data, complete routine tasks and respond to general inquiries and questions. But we have to remember we’re a service provider. And our business is built on relationships. Nothing can replace talking to a person in real time. Can you converse with a bot about a conference you both just attended? Or dialog about a mutual industry connection? Perhaps you’ve got personal experience to share about a particular geographic market or neighborhood. Sharing individual perspectives is at the heart of relationship building and AI can never provide this personalized aspect of service.
As leaders we can ease employee and client concerns about AI taking over jobs and projects and place it in its proper place. AI is a tool in a diverse toolbox that includes other technologies, skills, talents, expertise and human heart and soul. As AI evolves we can keep the right balance by remembering it’s here to supplement and support, not replace, human interaction. —Mary Cook, President, Mary Cook Associates
Humans Need Humans
Property management is a complex industry that requires a multifaceted approach to successful on-site operations. Automation has allowed communities to process paperwork and complete other routine tasks more accurately and efficiently. It has offered the opportunity for communities to run 24/7 without burning out on-site teams. However, embracing AI does not diminish the need for human interactions. AI will continue to grow in ways that will further streamline tasks and operations but it is not a stand in for human interaction and developing relationships. Communities are renting to humans and humans need humans. —Jessica Heckman, Director of Residential Asset Management, Larken Associates
