RealPage's Rob Franklin on Reshaping the Multifamily Resident Experience

Rob Franklin, Senior Vice President of Resident Solutions at RealPage®, shares insights into how the LOFT™ platform is transforming the multifamily resident experience. Based on findings from RealPage's 2024 National Renter Study, which highlighted changing renter preferences, RealPage launched LOFT to address these shifts. Early users of the beta version are already reporting significant improvements in both resident satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Q: Rob, you've had an interesting career in bringing B2C products to market... can you tell us about your background and what excited you about joining RealPage to lead the Resident Experience initiative?

A: I was in San Diego at the NMHC Apartment Strategies Conference in January 2024, and leaders from UDR, Camden and others were talking about how dramatically challenges have grown around acquiring and retaining residents. So much has changed in the last five years with flat rents, more supply, increased cost to run buildings, and increased concessions-all putting more pressure on site teams. And they needed our help!

My career has been all about scaling B2C e-commerce businesses, including time at Amazon, Ticketmaster and most recently Warby Parker which really gave me some amazing exposure to the technology that people now just expect in a buying experience.

What excited me most about joining the team here at RealPage is the opportunity to bring the kind of tech innovations I've seen in B2C, like AI and mobile apps, to the industry. We're at a pivotal moment, and RealPage is well-positioned to help our clients navigate it successfully as their partner.

Q: Can you tell us why RealPage chose to invest in building technology to the Resident Experience?

A: I have met with over 30 customers in the past three months, and they have expressed three key problems:

1. The need for increased cost savings, increased efficiency to operate and new revenue streams.
2. Online resident app features to drive resident engagement and retention.
3. An integrated end-to-end resident solution: No more points solutions that get between the management company and their customer, and limit data sharing and customer insights.

LOFT addresses these by offering an integrated, end-to-end resident experience that point solutions just can't match. We can truly deliver an interconnected, end-to-end resident experience while expanding for our customers.

Q: Can you give us an overview of what LOFT offers?

A: LOFT was designed to provide a seamless resident journey from leasing through the renewal process. It integrates everything from leasing workflows and move-in services to payment solutions and loyalty rewards. By consolidating these features into one platform, LOFT delivers not just convenience but real competitive advantages-better conversion rates, lower operational costs, and full integration with RealPage's property management system, OneSite^®. It's a refreshingly simple experience for residents and site teams.

Q: Let's zoom in on LOFT Moving. What are some of the primary challenges you see with today's moving process and onboarding residents?

A: The gap between leasing and living is one of the biggest friction points in the resident experience and it marks the transition from someone who is considered a prospect to a full-time resident which is so important to go smoothly. That process involves numerous tasks, emails, phone calls, text messages, and just complexities that can frustrate both residents and property management teams. Our vision is to simplify the move-in process for both of those teams. We created a checklist that outlines the key steps, integrates with vendors and passes information back to a OneSite dashboard for management companies to track progress. We are reducing the frustration for residents and streamlining operations for property management companies' front office staff.

Q: What types of automation can be used to save time in the moving process without sacrificing personal touch?

A: Things that really don't require a leasing agent to handle. Collecting data missed during the application process, connecting residents with services that deliver a great onboarding experience, and providing AI chatbot technology to answer questions 24/7 allows new residents to complete their move-in steps on a schedule that works for them.

Q: What additional revenue streams are created in LOFT Moving and how can customers benefit?

A: LOFT Moving will allow management companies to introduce residents to vendors who can help them complete their move-in process. From setting up internet to reserving a local moving company to receiving an offer to stock up on pet food, LOFT gives management companies the ability to introduce the right offers to the resident. And when RealPage earns a commission from these value-added vendors, that's shared with the management company as a revenue share.

Q: What strategies can property managers use to ensure a smooth transition for residents from move-in to being fully engaged with their new community?

A: Great question! Honestly the #1 thing an operator can do to ensure a smooth onboarding process in their community is to configure the move-in checklist with the key steps they need a resident to complete and invite them to setup their LOFT account on Day 1. Getting new residents early access and starting to engage them within the LOFT app before move-in will help make sure that all the important steps are completed before a resident arrives to pick up the keys on move-in day.

Q: Looking ahead, what do you think will have the biggest impact on the moving and onboarding process in the next couple of years?

A: I really believe that the biggest shift will come from early engagement with residents. The tools we're developing will drive long-term efficiency for site teams so they can spend less time chasing residents at the last minute for details for things like car registration and more time focusing on resident satisfaction once they've moved in.

Learn more about LOFT resident portal software.

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