To text or not to text?

Question

I constantly am texting with my tenants. It seems like they prefer it over phone calls or emails. How do you handle managing all the texts??? And, then if there's an issue, I'm constantly texting back and forth between the vendors and the tenants. Doing it all on my phone is painful. What tips do y'all have?

Account Closed · Answer

Yeah, although I prefer it, less process overhead than sending an email, plus I have all the conversations right there in a nice dated format.  Definitely like it better than phone calls.

Downside is it can somehow be a little more emotional, I have learned I need to be more careful with tone and managing the conversation.

Account Closed · Answer

Same, but I'm not usually in an office so it works for me. Are you in an office and would prefer to do it by computer? Google voice may have a desktop client, just have to switch tenants over to that number.

Also I have grown to totally dread the text message noise, since only tenants text me and thus its always some issue!

Roochita P. · Answer

Account Closed - Do you also end up sending notices via text message, too? (e.g. I sent some COVID-related notices required by the state via text message (images) and asked them to acknowledge with a response). Was thinking if I could also use it for getting digital signatures.

Roochita P. · Answer

Account Closed thanks for the thoughts! I just think it'd be easier to type long things out or to send a text to all the tenants in one building if I could quickly copy/paste from a computer. I'll check out Google Voice. And, LOL, about dreading the noise - I know exactly what you mean. I have a separate phone for my apartments and every time I hear it ring, it sends a shiver up my spine. Do you find all your tenants prefer text, too? I find that most of mine don't have or regularly use email addresses.