Property Management Software Features: Automated Scheduling

When dealing with an influx of leads from various ILSs and sources, it becomes difficult to schedule showings efficiently. Let's talk about the most trending 2024 property management software features: Automated scheduling for property managers.

Imagine your marketing team is on fire, channeling leads from all corners but your administrative team is struggling with your scheduling tool. Your scheduling tool lacks customization. CEOs, owners and regional managers do not have clear visibility of the showing teams' activities. The scheduler and calendar are not syncing perfectly with the availability of agents, renters, and your other leasing tools. You need the right property management software features to streamline your operations and boost your efficiency!

Do these resonate with your everyday hustle? You need the right property management software features to streamline your operations and boost your efficiency.

To further elaborate your challenges we asked different PM companies their team structures, showing model (i.e. guided vs self-showing) and their issues with their scheduling software and these are the answers we received from you:

If you are a real estate showing agent, the CEO of a PM company, a leasing agent, or a freelance broker searching for THE perfect solution to schedule showings easily? Congratulations, you've just hit the jackpot with LetHub. Why? Here's what you need to know about LetHub:

1. It adapts to every team structure whether you have in-house agents or outsource showings to brokers, we cater to all
2. All showing models have custom options to make their scheduling easier
3. Easy to use calendar for your team to make manual changes even with automation in place

Different Types of Property Showings Models

When it comes to showing off your properties, having the best automated scheduling tools for property management can make all the difference. Let's dive into how you can use these tools to mix up your showing strategy and connect with potential tenants.

[[cta]]

1) The Classic Touch: In-Person/Guided Tours

First off, there's nothing quite like showing a property in person. It gives you that golden opportunity to build lasting relationships.

2) The Self-Service Revolution: Self-Showings with Lockbox Tech

But what about when in-person tours aren't possible? That's where self-showings step up. This has been a game-changer for people during and post covid.

3) The Best of Both Worlds: Hybrid Showings

And if you can’t decide between the two, why not go for a hybrid approach? Hybrid showings are a mix of in-person tours with self-showings, hitting the sweet spot for every kind of renter out there. Two approaches make your portfolio a fit for a hybrid model:

1. You have some properties or units on the market that allow self-showing and some that allow only guided tours
2. You have properties with a lockbox in place but need an agent present at the time of showing. Usually, high-end properties fall into this criteria as this approach ensures extra security with the lockbox and an agent present during the tour.

Types of Showing Team Structures: The Role of In-House and Outsourced Agents in Property Showings

[[cta2]]

1) The Home Team Advantage: In-house Team Members

Leasing agents that can perform guided and self-showings. These are members of your Property Management Company that handle the showings. They mostly work on a monthly salaried income. Effective property management software features can help them stay on top of their schedules.‍

2) The Expert Allies: Outsourced Team Members

Commission-based agents, relators, and/or part-time agents that perform guided and self-showings. These are outsourced by the Property Management Companies to only give tours of their properties because of their expertise in converting leads to leases. They get paid mostly a commission for every lease conversion.

In a nutshell, using the right showing scheduler for property managers like LetHub means you can offer the perfect mix of showings.

Let’s talk about all the problems your team members face with scheduling showings and how LetHub can solve them. With each of the solutions we have for you, we also explain how to make it work and what will be the outcome.

Tackling Your Pain Points: How to Schedule Showings Efficiently

1) Having No-shows waste your leasing agents’ time?  

Impact: No-shows are more than just minor inconveniences; they represent a significant loss of time and potential revenue for property managers. Each missed appointment delays the leasing process and could mean the loss of a prospective tenant to competing listings.  

Solution: LetHub tackles this issue head-on with a customizable automated reminder system. By sending timely reminders and confirmations, and allowing prospects to confirm or reschedule, LetHub ensures higher showing attendance rates. The platform also facilitates group showings, making it possible to accommodate multiple interested parties in one slot, further optimizing the showing process.  

Result: Automated communications = 45% increase in showings and faster lease closures.  

2) The fear of squatters and break-ins keeping you from doing Self-Showings?

Impact: There is a critical flaw in older lockbox models, which often relied on static codes that didn't change between showings. Without the ability to change codes automatically, properties are vulnerable to unauthorized access long after a showing is completed, leading to issues like squatting. This deters property managers from utilizing self-showings to their fullest potential, risking increased vacancies and rental losses.

Solution: With a powerful Integration with Stripe and a smart collaboration with Codebox, LetHub has the best possible security for keeping squatters at bay. When a lead books a self-tour, LetHub runs an advanced ID check as part of the verification process. Prospective tenants must confirm their identity, providing an additional layer of security that goes beyond the basic ID checks. This not only ensures that only verified leads gain access to your properties but also significantly mitigates the risk of rental scams.

These prospects once verified are issued vendor codes. Which means each potential tenant receives a unique, one-time access code. The beauty of one-time access codes lies in their inability to be reused or exploited, providing a fresh layer of security for each showing. Once a showing is over, the code expires, rendering it useless for entry again. This method virtually eliminates the potential for unauthorized entries between showings, addressing one of the primary concerns property managers face with self-showings.

LetHub enhances self-showings with property management software features like vendor code generation and ID checks. This added layer of security ensures that only verified individuals can access properties, maintaining safety and security for both the property and its residents.

Property managers and in-house security teams benefit from these features, as they provide peace of mind by ensuring that property access is controlled and monitored.  

Result: Enhanced security measures + controlled access = safe and secure self-showings.

3) Need to switch lockbox codes whenever maintenance personnel or vendors require access to the property?

Impact: The need to manually change lockbox codes for each vendor or maintenance visit disrupts the flow of property management tasks. It can lead to delays in property maintenance, increased workload for agents, and potential security risks with codes being handled improperly.

Solution: LetHub’s manual code generation for lockboxes provides a seamless solution to this issue. Agents can now generate one-time or temporary access codes on-demand for maintenance workers or vendors. This eliminates the need to switch codes frequently, ensures that access is securely controlled and monitored and automates scheduling.

Result: Manual Code Generation + Secure Temporary Access = Streamlined Vendor Visits + Enhanced Property Security

Self-showing leasing agents reap the most rewards from this solution, as it significantly simplifies the process of managing property access for non-tenant visits. It not only reduces their administrative burden but also boosts the efficiency and security of property maintenance operations. ‍

4) Juggling Multiple Showings Across Different Units Inefficiently?

Impact: Let’s say your agent has 2 on-market units. And they are conducting a showing per prospect for each unit. They have a showing of unit A at 2 PM, and then a showing of the same unit at 3 PM and one at 4 PM, all on the same day. Wouldn’t it be great if they could just combine the two showings for unit A in one-time slot - saving them the hassle of back and forth?  

Solution: This is where LetHub calendar comes in. It can group your incoming showings into a slot like in the example above. The leads schedule showings for the slot 2 PM - 4 PM of unit A. This happens on the basis of the first lead that booked a showing for the 2 PM - 4 PM slot and then for the agent's convenience LetHub will only allow this slot to be opened for the unit A until it is all filled.

With this property management software feature, your agents can assemble their showing slots for each unit consecutively so they can handle multiple prospects in a single time block before they travel to their other on-market units saving them hours of back and forth throughout the city. But the tours are not given to all leads together but instead they are all catered to individually. It's not like a group event where you need 10 people to show up or else it won't happen. It is for the convenience of agents' time and not being able to get serious leads.

Result: Instant scheduling + group showings equate to a streamlined leasing process and reduced travel time.  

Both leasing agents and property managers benefit by enabling quicker turnovers and improving overall operational efficiency.

5) Spending Time and Gas Running Around Town for Showings?  

Impact:. If your showing agent has showings for Monday, one is booked for Property A at 2 PM and 4 PM, and another showing Property B at 3 PM. Sounds like a logistical nightmare and something your team must have settings about to find work-around ways to make showings more efficient. You would essentially want something that could organize Property A’s showings in one consecutive go like having them be booked back-to-back.  

Solution: LetHub's automated scheduling feature smartly uses an option for your team’s ease. It organizes showings logically, minimizing travel time and expenses. Using back-to-back on LetHub, you can just turn the toggle on and LetHub will smartly schedule showings for your properties to be in consecutive slots.

For example: You turn your toggle on for back-to back showings. Now, Property A’s showing slots on Monday will be opened up for 1 PM, or 3 PM, if a lead has booked a showing for 2 PM slot. Then once 3 PM is booked it will automatically open up slots for 4 PM and remove the option of 1 PM to let incoming leads dictate the slots that open up.

Your LetHub Automated Scheduler will smartly schedule showings back-to-back with one another:

Bonus feature: You can also add buffer time in LetHub. This prevents agents from getting booked for another showing all across town without giving them travel time or buffer time in between from one showing to another.

Once you set the travel buffer time for 60 mins you will not be booked for other property showings for 60 mins after your guided tour has ended.

Result: Logical scheduling + minimized travel = operational efficiency and cost savings.  

This feature helps out your in-house teams’ property managers and showing agents.  

6) Not able to split showings amongst your agents equitably? or Lots of back and forth because of an Unavailable Agent?  

Impact: Managing a balanced workload among a team of agents, especially when dealing with high-demand properties, can lead to disparities and scheduling conflicts. Let’s say agent X is doing 80% of all the showings and agent Y is only doing 20% of the showings. This may be due to a property assigned to agent X being high in demand and/or has been on market for more days than the property assigned to agent Y. The problem isn’t the property or the agents, it’s that there is no automated scheduling feature that helps your agents schedule showings smartly. Usually, the properties and agents are hardwired to agents and it leads to these issues.

Solution: LetHub allows for various showing agents to be assigned to each unit or property in case one of your agents is booked elsewhere. No more working your way around your calendars and asking your admin to rearrange showings to evenly distribute showings amongst agents. LetHub will smartly schedule your showings for your properties

For example, if 3 agents are assigned to a high in demand unit using LetHub and a lead books a a showing for Monday 4 PM of that unit. Now, agent # 1 is already conducting another showing at that time, so LetHub will analyze if agent # 2 is free. If agent # 2 is also not free then agent # 3 will get booked in for that showing. It will also analyze take into account how many showings per day the agent has done and if the showing is within the agent’s working time.

You can assign all your properties with as many agents as you please or you can keep some properties assigned to only a specific agent. It’s totally customizable according to your team’s needs.

Result: Fair distribution + team coordination = balanced workload and maximized showing potential.  

This solves the main problems that arise from outsourcing showings to brokers or realtors and then splitting commissions. It ends up promoting fairness and equal opportunity among all those conducting showings.

7) Not able to keep an eye on your team’s schedules and showings?

Impact: Without a comprehensive overview, coordinating a team's schedules can feel like navigating a maze blindfolded, leading to missed opportunities and operational inefficiencies.  

Solution: LetHub's calendar provides a bird's-eye view of all team schedules, ensuring seamless coordination, preventing double bookings, and facilitating smoother operations across the board. The team lead/admin assigned can view the company’s calendar to check each team member’s schedule.

You have access to multiple calendars in just one window and can filter whoever's calendar you’d like to check out.

Result: Centralized scheduling oversight = streamlined operations and enhanced team productivity.  

Regional managers, owners, and team leaders gain unparalleled oversight, ensuring optimal deployment of resources.

8) Want to conduct open houses for custom durations?  

Impact: leasing agents set up open houses for their properties especially those that are in high demand. The problem is many agents have to set in only a set number of hours for each open house. Moreover, they have to find a workaround in their calendars to book themselves as busy if they want to do an open house for longer hours so they can avoid getting booked for showings for other properties.

Solution: LetHub addresses this dilemma with its dedicated open house feature, which allows agents to mark themselves as exclusively available for a group showing at a single property for custom duration. Be it 4 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, or 2 and LetHub blocks their calendar. This ensures the agent gets booked for no other showing during that duration.  This flexibility enables agents to tailor the length of each open house according to the specific demands of the property and the interest from potential renters.

Result: Customizable Open House Durations = Enhanced Open House Attendance + Increased Tenant Engagement

This approach benefits realtors, Property Managers, and real estate showing agents

9) Already Rented Properties Getting Booked for Showings Accidentally?

Impact: Accidentally scheduling showings for properties that have already been rented out leads to confusion, wastes time, and can frustrate both potential tenants and property managers. This happens when you forget to take your listing of the rented unit off of a website or forget that you are still running ads on recently rented units.

Solution: LetHub addresses this issue with a feature that automatically cancels scheduled showings for properties once they are marked as rented. This prevents any overlap and ensures that only available properties are shown.

Turn the ‘Cancel Rented Property Showings’ toggle on  

And now your already rented units won’t be getting accidentally booked for showings.

Bonus feature: LetHub will also provide an alternative property/unit to the prospect if the property they are interested in is already rented. This prevents the leads from dropping off from your listing site and ensures your marketing efforts do not go to waste

Result: Cancellation of rented property showings + focus on available listings = streamlined scheduling process and less angry prospects  

Property managers and leasing agents directly benefit from this feature as it streamlines the showing process, ensuring focus is only on available properties, thus saving time and avoiding potential embarrassment.

10) Accommodating Agents with Limited Availability or Odd Working Hours?

Impact: Scheduling showings can become complex when you have part-time showing agents with limited availability different from your company’s official timings. This can lead to missed opportunities and scheduling conflicts.

Solution: LetHub facilitates flexibility with date-specific showings, allowing part-time agents to set their availability according to their unique schedules. This feature ensures that showings are only booked when agents are available, thus maximizing their productive hours.

Result: Custom scheduling based on agent availability + efficient use of available time = maximized showing opportunities and agent productivity.

Part-time agents, freelancers, or those with other commitments benefit the most, as it allows them to efficiently manage their work around their availability, ensuring no opportunity for showings is missed.

11) Your team targets showings for high-traffic properties only on their busiest days?

Impact: Coordinating multiple showings for a single property at different times can be a logistical headache, leading to inefficiencies and increased chances of scheduling conflicts.

Solution: LetHub allows property managers the customizability of showings for property for a specific date and time dedicated. This approach helps onsite agents avoid getting no-shows or leads that will never convert. Hence, focusing on specific serious potential renters.

Result: property specific showings = reduced operational burden and enhanced engagement with potential tenants.

Onsite agents benefit significantly by consolidating efforts and maximizing engagement with potential tenants during each visit.

12) Need to Remind Current Residents Before Showings?

Impact: Ensuring current residents are reminded of upcoming showings is crucial to maintaining a respectful and smooth relationship between property managers and tenants. Failure to properly notify can lead to uncomfortable situations and a negative showing experience.

For example, if you were unable to notify current tenants of a showing they might be having a gathering, or the unit might be a mess. It will leave a sore taste in your lead’s mouth after seeing the unit in a bad condition.

Solution: LetHub's automated workflows have scheduling features specifically addresses this need by sending out reminders to current residents ahead of scheduled showings. This ensures residents are well-informed and can prepare accordingly, fostering a positive environment for both tenants and prospective renters.

Notifying a resident will not only ensure that they are informed but also prepare them in advance that they have to clean the property up and make it look as presentable as possible for your showing.

Result: Automated reminders + informed residents = no last-minute hassles

This feature benefits property managers by streamlining communication with current residents, ensuring compliance and cooperation during the showing process.  

13) Need a seasoned agent to be your default showing agent for all your properties as a contingency?

Impact: Spreading showings across multiple agents can lead to confusion and lessened focus on individual properties. Concentrating on assigning a property to one agent at a time can improve showing quality and availability.  

Solution: LetHub's default agent assignment feature allows for specific properties to be assigned to individual agents as defaults. This ensures that agents can focus on their assigned properties, offering better availability and a more detailed understanding of each listing.  

Result: Focused property assignment + expert knowledge = improved showing quality and availability.  

This feature directly benefits leasing agents by allowing them to specialize and become experts on their assigned properties, thereby improving the showing experience for prospects.  

14) Need more Flexibility to Manually Edit the Calendar?

Impact: The need for manual intervention in the calendar for adjustments and updates is a common requirement for dynamic property management operations.  

Solution: LetHub's calendar offers the flexibility for manual edits, allowing property managers and agents to make real-time adjustments on LetHub as needed. This feature ensures that the scheduling system remains up-to-date with the latest changes, accommodating unforeseen circumstances.

Result: Manual calendar edits + real-time adjustments = dynamic and responsive scheduling.  

Property managers and scheduling coordinators greatly benefit from this flexibility, ensuring that they can maintain accurate and effective showing schedules.  ‍

15) Alerts and Confirmations for Walk-Ins and Unexpected Showings?

Impact: Handling walk-ins and unexpected showings requires a system that can quickly adapt and provide immediate confirmations to capitalize on these opportunities.  

Solution: LetHub offers instant alerts and confirmation capabilities for walk-ins and unexpected showings, ensuring that these potential leads are not lost and can be accommodated efficiently.  

Result: Instant alerts + quick confirmations = maximized showing opportunities and increased flexibility.  

Leasing agents and brokers benefit by being able to quickly respond to and accommodate walk-ins, maximizing the opportunity for additional showings.  

16) Want Automated Rescheduling of Showings for Greater Convenience?

Impact: The need to re-schedule showings is a common occurrence, and the ease with which this can be done greatly affects the overall efficiency of the showing process.  

Solution: LetHub simplifies the rescheduling process, making it easy for both agents and prospects to adjust showing times as needed. Each lead is sent a follow-up as confirmation and has the option to reschedule. Another follow-up is also sent a day before showing to the lead with a rescheduling option on email.

Result: Simplified rescheduling process = increased showing flexibility + enhanced user experience.  

Both leasing agents and prospects benefit from this streamlined process, reducing the friction associated with rescheduling and improving the overall experience.  If you're convinced, embrace these cutting-edge property management software features and leverage automated scheduling with LetHub!