AI is projected to revolutionize almost every industry known to humanity, reshaping how we work, communicate, and solve problems. The disruptive technology has already transformed our daily interactions—from Siri's voice assistance to the sophisticated fraud detection algorithms used by banks.
And yes, we get it—AI can be intimidating. But instead of letting it overwhelm you, we've broken down how you can use AI to make your life easier, some best practices for using AI, and what AI might not be great for just yet.
AI is meant to take on the things you don’t want to do. This means you get more time to focus on what really matters—like building relationships with clients, creating strategic plans, or simply having more time for the parts of the job you truly enjoy. Here’s how AI can help for leasing:
Writing Messages to Customers
Sometimes writing a message is just exhausting. You know what you want to say, but it’s the 50th message of the day, and you’re completely fried. This is where AI shines: give it context and keywords so it can draft your message for you. It’s a way to jump-start your thoughts and save your energy for when it matters.
Automating Inquiry Response
Efficient responses can make all the difference, but using AI to handle inquiries can be challenging. As Steve Wunch discussed with Mike Brewer on a recent episode of The Multifamily Mind Podcast, customers can easily be tricked into thinking AI-generated responses are from real people. Misunderstandings like this can create awkward situations, especially if a customer expects to meet an agent they’ve been “chatting” with.
While using AI to efficiently answer questions and provide accurate information quickly is beneficial, it's important to manage the way this is communicated to future residents. Some individuals may prefer interacting with a human; even knowing they're talking to an AI might turn potential residents away.
Managing Customer-Facing AI
One option to mitigate this concern is to be completely transparent about whether the customer is interacting with an AI or a human. By clearly stating that they can receive an immediate response from the AI, or wait up to 24 hours for a human response, customers may be more inclined to choose the AI for its speed, even if they initially hesitate towards communicating with AI.
Even if your clients are willing to interact with AI, there will eventually come a point when they need to speak with a leasing agent—whether it's to sign their lease, move in, or get their keys. Therefore, it's crucial to have a seamless handoff between the AI and the human representative. Understanding and managing these handoffs is crucial because poor handoffs can result in potential residents walking out the door.
SalesMail AI
SalesMail actually has two AIs that can assist you when contacting a potential resident. First, we can automatically write an email intro based on your transcript—just make the video and press a button to create the email copy for you. Second, AI helps you find your videos faster by automatically naming them in the SalesMail video tab. So when you need to locate a recording, it'll be easy to identify, allowing you to send emails more efficiently and save valuable time.
Crafting a good response from AI is an art form. Just like there’s no single best recipe, there’s no single perfect AI prompt. Success comes from refining, experimenting, and continuously improving to achieve great results. To help you succeed, here are some tips and tricks to make AI work effectively for you.
Context is King
To understand why context is crucial for AI, think of getting directions—if you only say 'how do I get there,' the AI could lead you off in any number of ways. But if you say 'how do I get to the nearest park,' the AI will follow what you need more accurately. The more specific and detailed your instructions, the more precise and useful the AI's response will be. More words mean a more precise answer.
Main Keywords
Certain words can significantly enhance the effectiveness of AI. 'Concise' and 'options' are both examples that can make a big difference. 'Concise' ensures responses are brief yet impactful, while 'options' helps account for AI's variability in accuracy by providing multiple responses at once. These specific words might not be the best fit for everyone—you might find 'playful' or 'direct' better matches your style. The key is to experiment and discover which words align with how you want the AI to respond. Starting with 'concise' and 'options' is a great approach, and you can add more personalized terms over time.
AI can do a lot, but there are some areas where it’s not quite ready for prime time.
Generating Reports
AI is still prone to mistakes. If you use AI to generate an important report, and it’s incorrect, you’re still the one who has to answer for it. For instance, as of the day this article was posted, AI still struggles with something as simple as counting the 'R's in the word 'strawberry'. Now imagine submitting an occupancy report with incorrect numbers—that’s not just a mistake, it could be a severe problem.
Regulatory Compliance
Similar to reports, anything involving regulations and compliance requires 100% accuracy. AI’s tendency to miss details could lead to serious issues, and that’s not worth the risk.
To clarify, if you're working with a specialized AI solution from a reputable company designed to generate reports, they have likely implemented methods to ensure the accuracy of the numbers. The caution here is more relevant for general-purpose tools like ChatGPT. Most commercial AI tools are not yet reliable enough for generating critical reports that require complete accuracy.
AI is an incredibly powerful tool that, when used correctly, can make your work life easier, faster, and more enjoyable. We hope you now feel more ready to tackle the world with AI at your side. Whether it’s writing messages, managing inquiries, or leveraging tools like SalesMail AI, the key is to embrace AI smartly and make it work for you.
If you're using SalesMail, make sure to check out SalesMail AI—it’s awesome and can help you reach out to your customers more effectively. Start experimenting with AI today, and you’ll soon discover just how much time and effort it can save, allowing you to focus on what truly matters: building connections.