Does text messaging help reduce past dues?

Sue_C

Maybe tenants are more likely to respond to a text message than a notice in the mail. Does messaging get results faster than email, phone calls or snail mail? Tell us your past-due strategy!

kwheeler

I think texts are better! One lazy Sunday I texted the past dues instead of calling them and a lot of people either came in or paid online that day.

Orkocean

There is no one all mighty solution. All tenants are different and respond to different methods of notifications. Text messages are useful, there are a few services out there who will automate it for you to send on a regular basis to your past due tenants, even automatic recorded phone calls.

Doc

XpressCollect [Text] was instituted with our company and while it is not for everyone, a lot of our customers are very happy with it and chose to pay using the link sent in the text message. One more collection tool never hurts.
　

PhilR

I get quite a few responses from texts. However when it comes to chasing debt, then we have a policy to do phone (leaving a message where possible), email and text. I have even used a text with an enquiry when they wouldn't answer their phone - it seems they have no problem saying no via a text rather than answering the phone lol.

ThriftyStorage

My store uses On-Line bill pay

BReeZy

What are some of you using for the SMS texting? Have you found a good free one to use that you can share? We tried one service once and just had all sorts of issues getting it to actually work. Any recommendations? 

PhilR

@BReeZy we don't use an automated SMS, it's done manually from our work mobiles. I have templates set up for the majority of situations.

holly_fiorello

Studies suggest that a 98% of text messages are read within 2 minutes vs only 26% of emails. Even so, at Next Door Storage we use a multi-communication approach and send automated texts, emails, calls and schedule live calls so that we are always top of mind. The President of Next Door Storage created CallPotential. CallPotential's Collection Manager not only makes a big difference in collecting past due rent, but it also reduces the amount of units that go to auction every month. I believe one of the operators using the software said that they went from 20 auctions to 7 the first month.

Normally there are only two reasons people don't pay their rent...they either don't have the money or they forgot. Using txt/sms is a quick easy way to remind them so when they do have the money you are first in mind, and if they just forgot you've given them a lot of opportunities to remember. 

We also think it's important to include an easy bill pay link in the text. Two taps and bam they are paid! 

Naheed

We are a small new facility and still finding ways that work.  We decided to introduce SMS for new enquiries and also for past dues. Not sure how people find then for enquiries but they do work for past dues - we often find people will make payment.  We follow up all enquiries with a phone call but often find during working hours people don't pick up - so an SMS is a good way to let them know you are trying to contact them. 
We are using Twilio which integrates with Sitelink and is cost effective.

brendalaporte

We are using text messaging here at our office and I find that it works very well, especially for hard to reach customers.  Usually the response is within a couple of minutes. I use it when all other methods fail.

Ron

Did you all have an "Opt In" form for the tenant to sign? If they do not opt in to receive texts it may be seen as an unsolicited text.....Stupid California and the 9th circuit court

We have looked at starting that for new tenants and having a place on the sign up sheet for them to agree to receive texts from us.

Ron

Is there a place in Sitelink where you can mark a tenant as agreeing to receiving sms?

We could start doing new Rental Agreements that has them agree to receive texts from us, that would just get the new tenants. It would take years to have 1200+ current tenants at 2 facilities switched to new Rental Agreements.

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0350-text-message-spam

TeamThomes

We use Call Potential , previous to that we would text the tenants using textmagic. we had great results alot of our tenants work in D.C. and can not take calls but get etxt messages. Now that we use Call Potential we save alot more time and energy we have seen an increase in tenats paying on time when they get the text versus an unanswered call or email.