By Amy Alexander

Published Oct 17, 2024

Updated Oct 17, 2024

Move-ins can often be a whirlwind of paperwork, key hand-offs, and logistical challenges. Carla Arizaga, Assistant General Manager at Bozzuto’s Riverbend District, understands these challenges all too well. Managing three communities—Cobalt Lofts, Steel Works, and The Wyldes—Carla’s team is constantly coordinating between properties, residents, leasing agents, and maintenance to ensure a smooth move-in process.

With 25 hours a week dedicated to managing move-ins, Carla’s team knew they needed a better solution to centralize tasks and improve efficiency. After adopting Updater Pro | Onboarding less than a year ago, her team has seen improvements in both organization and communication.

A step toward greater efficiency

Updater has helped streamline the move-in process by providing a centralized dashboard for all move-in tasks. “It has improved efficiency since most move-in tasks are in one central place,” Carla shares. Her team can now easily manage key items like pet records, utility verification, and renters insurance documents, all without the need to search through multiple systems.

One feature that Carla finds particularly beneficial is Updater’s move-in cost breakdown. This clear breakdown ensures that both residents and leasing teams know exactly what fees are associated with the move-in process, reducing confusion and enhancing transparency.

Motivating residents with checklists

One of the standout features that Carla’s residents appreciate is the easy back-and-forth with the team to ensure all tasks are completed. When a resident submits a task, it’s marked as pending until a member of Carla’s team approves it. She loves that residents want to see those approvals roll in. “Residents like to see all the approved steps until all tasks are check-marked,” Carla explains. The automated follow-ups from Updater keep residents on track, ensuring that they complete all necessary steps before move-in day.

This level of accountability has been especially useful for Carla’s team, who can now rest assured that residents complete their tasks, reducing last-minute surprises on move-in day.

First impressions matter

As Carla points out, the move-in experience is critical for setting the tone for a resident’s entire leasing journey. “Residents that did not have a smooth move-in are typically dissatisfied, which will result in them bringing negative feedback at the time of their renewal,” she explains. Ensuring that the first impression is a positive one is crucial for long-term satisfaction and resident retention.

Bozzuto’s “five-star walk” initiative was created to ensure residents have a great first impression, setting the tone for a positive resident experience. This includes paying attention to all five senses, like ensuring the property has a welcoming scent, and conducting daily walk-throughs to catch any pending maintenance issues or updates needed around the community. Updater complements this focus by handling the behind-the-scenes logistics—streamlining tasks and communications that contribute to a smooth, stress-free move-in, contributing to a resident’s first impression.

Looking ahead

For Carla and her team at Riverbend District, Updater has become a valuable part of day-to-day operations, improving both the resident experience and team productivity. By centralizing tasks and automating communications, they’ve been able to provide a more seamless move-in process for new residents. And for a company like Bozzuto, where first impressions matter, this enhanced organization ensures that every move-in is smoother and more enjoyable for everyone involved. As Jenna Miller, Senior Director, Marketing & Customer Experience at Bozzuto explains, “We know that the move-in is a make or break moment in the journey and there are real repercussions for someone who has a poor move-in experience. It has an impact on their possibility of renewing and it’s hard to recover from that.”

With Updater’s support, the Riverbend District team can continue delivering excellent service, reinforcing a positive resident experience from day one and building long-term relationships between residents and their community.

Amy Alexander

A Seattle transplant, Amy is passionate about B2B marketing, having led go-to-market strategies for both Fortune 500 companies and startups. Outside of work, Amy enjoys an active PNW lifestyle which includes kayaking and skiing, as well as exploring new exhibits at the Seattle Art Museum. She’s also a proud mom to her son, who is currently attending Oregon State University, go Beavs!