This week, we're doing something a little different on the Zuma blog. 👀

Instead of our property management insights, we wanted to give you a peek under the hood at the technology that powers our AI leasing agent, Kelsey.

A few weeks ago, our Head of Machine Learning, Sid Ramesh, shared an article on Medium sharing the challenges and lessons learned while deploying large language models (LLMs) in an enterprise setting. 

We thought this would be a perfect opportunity to share his expertise with our community and provide a deeper understanding of how Zuma's technology works!

In "The Reality of Deploying LLMs in Enterprise: 3 Lessons from the Field," Sid breaks down the critical insights we've gained about transparency, evaluation metrics, and retrieval strategies. 

These lessons have shaped how we build trustworthy, efficient AI systems that deliver real value to property management teams.

What makes Zuma unique is our Human + AI Hybrid Approach. We're the only platform combining AI and human expertise for 24/7 lead conversion, which helps ensure all interactions with Kelsey are great and reduces handoffs to property management teams. 

This hybrid approach is built on the technological foundation that Sid discusses in his article.

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Introduction

At Zuma, our mission is to revolutionize property management by automating mundane tasks in leasing operations, enabling teams to focus on building meaningful in-person relationships with residents. Our AI leasing agent, Kelsey, interacts with prospective renters — answering questions, providing quotes, booking tours, and generally streamlining the leasing process. As Head of ML, my role is to ensure Kelsey is not only intelligent but also trustworthy, efficient, and scalable.

In late 2023, we re-architected Kelsey with a large language model (LLM) architecture, aiming to improve recall and deliver more natural, human-like interactions. Within weeks of launching to real customers in early 2024, we encountered a wave of escalations, exposing several hard truths about running LLMs in production. Our ability to move this fast wasn’t just by design — it was the advantage of being a lean, agile startup, where time to production is measured in days, not months. This rapid deployment forced us to rethink our approaches to transparency, evaluation, and retrieval strategies. Through this journey, we uncovered three pivotal lessons that reshaped how we build AI-powered workflows.

1. Transparency Matters — In enterprise AI, trust is paramount. Every piece of information must be traceable to its source, necessitating a robust data infrastructure that inherently supports transparency.
2. LLM Evaluations Are Domain-Specific — Conventional NLP metrics like precision and recall fail to capture business risks adequately. While misidentifying flooring is one concern, quoting an incorrect rent price is a far graver issue. Evaluations must reflect real-world stakes.
3. RAG Is Overrated — Although retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) assists with long-tail queries, we found that structured data and clean APIs were far more effective for common questions. Implementing small, dynamic prompts outperformed more complex retrieval systems.

These insights have fundamentally reshaped our approach to building AI-powered workflows at Zuma. In this post, I will delve into each lesson — exploring its significance and offering guidance to teams deploying LLMs in enterprise settings to avoid similar challenges.

Let’s dive in.

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Lesson 1: Transparency Matters

When deploying an LLM in an enterprise setting, transparency isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a requirement. The standard of accuracy is 95%! Trust is everything, and customers expect AI-driven workflows to provide clear, verifiable answers, not just confident-sounding responses. In property management, where lease terms, pricing, and policies impact real financial decisions, even a slight ambiguity can lead to frustration, lost deals, or legal liability.

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The Challenge: LLMs as Black Boxes

One of the first issues we encountered after launching our LLM-powered Kelsey was that it wasn’t always clear where the AI was pulling its information from. If a customer asked, “What’s the pet policy?” or “What’s the rent for a 2-bedroom?”, the AI would generate a response — but how could we guarantee it was accurate? More importantly, how could we prove to our customers where that answer came from?

LLMs are notorious for hallucinating information, which meant that even when Kelsey gave a confident response, we needed a way to trace every piece of information back to its source. Without this, leasing teams couldn’t trust the AI, and customers had no reason to trust it either.

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The Solution: Data Infrastructure Built for Traceability

To solve this, we redesigned our data pipeline to prioritize transparent sourcing at every step. This meant:

1. Structured Data First — Instead of relying on the LLM to generate free-form answers, we structured as much of our data as possible through clean APIs that pulled directly from property management systems. This ensured that key details — like pricing, availability, and policies — were always grounded in authoritative sources. There were challenges because the systems we pulled directly themselves did not have clean data, so we invested resources into allowing our platform to make it easy to curate clean data for our AI to use .
2. Citations in Responses — Whenever Kelsey provided an answer, we include a reference to where that information came from. This could be a specific unit, or the internal tool the LLM understood (eg: pet-policy-question).
3. Hybrid Retrieval Approaches — While Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) can be useful, we found that simpler approaches — like structured lookups and well-defined data schemas — outperformed RAG for transparency. When structured data wasn’t enough, we leveraged RAG only for long-tail, unstructured queries, keeping the core experience as deterministic as possible. We then worked on a clean UX to continually add to the long tail of knowledge.

The Takeaway: Trust Comes From Traceability

Transparency isn’t just about what the AI says — it’s about being able to prove why it said it. In enterprise AI deployments, trust is earned, not assumed, and that trust is built on clear, verifiable data pipelines.

For any team deploying LLMs in high-stakes business settings, ask yourself:
✅ Can I trace every AI-generated response back to a source?
✅ Does my data infrastructure support transparency by design?
✅ Am I using LLMs where they make sense, or am I overcomplicating retrieval?

By designing AI workflows that prioritize traceability, structured data, and clear sourcing, we turned Kelsey from an AI that sounded smart into one that leasing teams could actually trust.

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Lesson 2: LLM Evaluations Are Domain-Specific

One of the biggest misconceptions about deploying LLMs in enterprise settings is that standard NLP evaluation metrics — like precision, recall, and BLEU scores — are enough to measure performance. The reality? These metrics fail to capture real-world business risks.

In property management, not all mistakes carry the same weight. If Kelsey misidentifies the type of flooring in a unit, it’s an inconvenience. But if Kelsey quotes the wrong rent price, it’s a potential legal and financial disaster.

This meant that evaluating our LLM’s performance wasn’t just about accuracy — it was about impact. We had to rethink how we measured success in a way that aligned with business priorities.

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The Challenge: Standard NLP Metrics Don’t Capture Business Risk

Initially, we evaluated Kelsey’s performance using traditional NLP benchmarks — precision, recall, F1 score, and even embedding similarity for retrieval-based answers. However, we quickly ran into a major issue:

🔹 A 90% accuracy score meant nothing if the 10% error rate included critical mistakes.
🔹 A perfect response in an academic NLP benchmark could still be useless to a leasing agent.
🔹 Some mistakes were negligible, while others had serious consequences — but our metrics treated them the same.

For example, Kelsey might:
✔️ Correctly retrieve a unit’s square footage (low business risk)
✔️ Correctly retrieve the building’s pet policy (moderate business risk)
❌ Quote the wrong rent price (high business risk)

From a model evaluation perspective, all three responses were just “correct” or “incorrect.” But from a business perspective, one of those mistakes was exponentially worse than the others.

That’s when we realized: our evaluation metrics needed to reflect the real-world stakes of each mistake.

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The Solution: Risk-Weighted Evaluations

To build an evaluation system that aligned with business risk, we designed a custom risk-weighted framework that categorized model outputs into three tiers:

🔹 Low-Risk Mistakes (Minor inaccuracies, non-critical details)

• Example: Misstating flooring type
• Impact: Mild inconvenience
• Evaluation Handling: Standard NLP metrics were fine here.

🔸 Medium-Risk Mistakes (Important but non-fatal errors)

• Example: Incorrectly stating pet fees or existence of in-unit washer-dryers
• Impact: Potential friction but fixable
• Evaluation Handling: Flagged for human review in post-processing.

🔴 High-Risk Mistakes (Critical errors that affect pricing, lease terms, or legal policies)

• Example: Quoting an incorrect rent price
• Impact: Financial or legal liability
• Evaluation Handling: Automated hard constraints — Kelsey could NOT answer without structured data.

By assigning different weights to different mistake types, we ensured that our evaluation metrics didn’t just measure correctness — they measured business-critical correctness.

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Key Adjustments We Made

1️⃣ Confidence Scoring for Every Response
Rather than blindly trusting the model’s output, we had Kelsey generate a confidence score for each response. This allowed us to dynamically assess whether the AI was certain enough to respond autonomously or if additional validation was needed.

2️⃣ Requiring the Model to Output Reasoning
Every response wasn’t just an answer — it included an explanation of how the model arrived at that conclusion. This reasoning exposed which data sources the model used and the logical steps it took, making it easier to debug errors and ensure alignment with real-world policies.

3️⃣ Post-Processing Validation for Critical Responses
For high-risk outputs (like rent prices and lease terms), we didn’t rely solely on the LLM’s response. Before sending an answer, we cross-checked it against our existing property data. If the generated answer didn’t match the authoritative source, it was either corrected or discarded.

4️⃣ Human-in-the-Loop for Uncertain Responses
When the AI determined that an answer wasn’t reliable enough to send, it didn’t guess. Instead, it flagged the response for human review, ensuring that uncertain or high-impact queries were handled correctly without unnecessary automation risks.

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The Takeaway: Evaluations Must Reflect Real-World Impact

If you’re deploying an LLM in high-stakes enterprise applications, ask yourself:

✅ Are you treating all errors equally, or are you weighing high-risk mistakes more heavily?
✅ Do your evaluation metrics align with actual business impact?
✅ Are you using traditional NLP benchmarks without considering real-world consequences?

At Zuma, redefining our evaluation strategy wasn’t just about improving accuracy — it was about minimizing business risk.

By building a risk-aware evaluation framework, we ensured that Kelsey doesn’t just perform well in benchmarks — it performs well where it actually matters.

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Lesson 3: RAG Is Overrated — Until It’s Not

When we first deployed Kelsey, we leaned heavily on Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) for everything except pricing. Our assumption was that RAG would allow Kelsey to dynamically pull from leasing policies, FAQs, internal documentation, and web sources, ensuring accurate and flexible responses.

But in practice, over-relying on RAG introduced more problems than it solved:

1️⃣ Conflicting sources created inconsistent answers.

• A manually entered document might list one pet policy, while a web-scraped version said something slightly different.
• If a leasing team uploaded a document yesterday, but the website hadn’t been updated for months, which one should Kelsey trust?

2️⃣ Thresholding answers wasn’t universal.

• We initially tried to filter out low-confidence RAG responses, but confidence scores weren’t normalized across different customer datasets.
• Some customers had clean, structured knowledge bases, while others had incomplete or messy data — making confidence scores unreliable.

3️⃣ Retrieval lacked interpretability, making debugging harder.

• When Kelsey fetched structured data, we could immediately see what went wrong in a lookup.
• But when Kelsey retrieved a chunk of text from RAG, debugging was more difficult — was the problem in retrieval, document quality, or LLM interpretation?

We realized that RAG, while useful, was not the best tool for handling frequent, structured questions — we needed a hybrid approach.

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The Solution: Hybrid Retrieval with Structured Lookups

To solve these challenges, we re-architected our retrieval strategy to prioritize accuracy, consistency, and interpretability by separating structured lookups and RAG.

✅ Structured Lookups as the Primary Source of Truth

For high-frequency, structured questions (e.g., pet policies, parking, lease terms), we stopped using RAG and built structured API lookups instead. This improved:

✔️ Speed — Lookups are direct, eliminating unnecessary retrieval steps.
✔️ Accuracy — Structured queries pull from a single authoritative source instead of guessing.
✔️ Consistency — Responses don’t vary depending on retrieval success.

✅ RAG Only Uses Manual Sources

To prevent conflicts and unpredictability, we limited RAG to manual sources only.

• RAG does not retrieve from automated sources (PMS integration, web scrapes, etc.).
• Customers must upload documents manually for them to be used in RAG retrieval.
• No reconciliation is performed on RAG outputs — it pulls from a single manual document.

This prevented RAG from returning inconsistent or outdated data and ensured that manual retrieval remained clear, predictable, and controllable.

✅ Exposing Metadata for Leasing Teams

• While prospects only see the final answer, leasing teams can view:
• Which source was used (manual document, PMS, or web scrape).
• Last update timestamp of the data.
• Confidence score & retrieval details.
• This helps teams debug responses and manually override them when needed.

✅ Making Retrieval More Interpretable

✔️ Structured lookups are easier to debug — Failed API queries are binary (success/fail).
✔️ RAG responses remain transparent — Leasing teams can see what documents were retrieved to understand why the AI responded a certain way.

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Why This Works

🔹 Lookups are deterministic — If conflicts exist, we handle them systematically.
🔹 RAG remains predictable — Since it only retrieves from a single manual source, it never pulls contradictory data.
🔹 Customers control automation — They can override automated responses or manually select trusted sources.

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Conclusion: Building Practical, Trustworthy AI for Enterprise

Deploying LLMs in enterprise settings is not just a technical challenge — it’s a trust challenge. At Zuma, our journey of re-architecting Kelsey taught us that accuracy alone is not enough. AI must be transparent, aligned with business risk, and backed by a solid retrieval strategy.

Our key takeaways:

✅ Transparency is essential — AI-generated responses must be traceable, ensuring that both customers and internal teams understand the source of truth.
✅ Evaluations must reflect business risk — Not all mistakes are equal. High-impact errors require domain-specific evaluation metrics, not just standard NLP benchmarks.
✅ RAG is a tool, not a default — For high-frequency, structured queries, structured lookups outperform RAG in speed, reliability, and interpretability.

Looking ahead, we believe that enterprise AI must be built with flexibility — allowing teams to balance automation with human oversight, structured data with retrieval, and scalability with trust.

If you’re deploying LLM-powered systems in an enterprise setting, we’d love to hear your experiences. How are you tackling transparency, evaluation, and retrieval in your AI workflows?

Centralization in property management isn't just about cost savings - it's about specialization, consistency, and control. 

At Zuma, we've seen how centralizing key functions like collections and move-outs can transform operations. 

But here's the catch: you need the right AI tools to make it work. I'll explain why, and share what we've learned from working with companies who are already doing this successfully.

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The Real Benefits of Centralization

When people talk about centralization, they usually focus on cost savings. But having worked with many property management companies, I've seen three major benefits that matter even more:

1. Specialization of Talent
   
   • Instead of having one person juggling collections, leasing, and maintenance requests, you can have dedicated experts.
   • Think about it: Would you want your best salesperson doing detailed collections work? Or your detail-oriented collections specialist trying to close leases?
   • We've seen properties struggle to find people who are good at everything - because those people don't exist.
2. Process Consistency
   
   • One of our clients told us, "Some sites say they don't do walkthrough notices." The reality? They should, but they've gone rogue.
   • With 80 people running collections across different sites, you get 80 different ways of doing things.
   • Centralize it to 6 specialized people in one office, and suddenly you have control and visibility.
3. Control and Compliance
   
   • One time I was onsite with a client and a resident came in and handed me an envelope with 500$ for rent... That's what happens with scattered operations.
   • Centralization with the right technology gives you visibility into every transaction.
   • No more "sneaky business" - every action is tracked and accountable.

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What Successful Centralization Looks Like

Let me give you a real example. Zuma’s AI automation platform has allowed one of our partners, who manages 90+ communities across the United States to successfully centralize several key functions:

• Floating leasing agents for geographically nearby communities 
• 7 people handling rent collections
• 6 people handling move-out collections 
• A small specialized team focusing solely on renewals

The result? Better performance, millions in labor cost savings, and more consistent operations.

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The AI Factor: Why It Matters

Here's something crucial that most people miss: centralization without AI is like trying to run a marathon in dress shoes. You can do it, but why would you?

With AI-powered centralization, you could run the same operations with 8 people while actually improving performance. Here's why:

• AI handles the repetitive processes consistently
• It gives you visibility into every interaction
• It scales without adding complexity
• It maintains operational insights while reducing manual work

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The Real Risks (and why they're worth it)

Let's be honest about the risks:

• You become dependent on automation and need a strong AI provider
• It requires significant operational changes, and lots of site-team training is required throughout the process
• Your investors will ask tough questions; you need robust data to prove centralization works
• If something goes wrong, you need a backup plan

But here's the reality: the biggest risk isn't centralization - it's falling behind while your competitors do it successfully.

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How to Start (without blowing things up)

There are two approaches to centralization:

1. The Natural Approach: Don't backfill positions as people leave, gradually transitioning to centralized operations
2. The Direct Approach: Make a clean break and restructure operations

Both can work, but here's what I recommend:

1. Start with the easiest functions to centralize:
   
   • Leasing
   • Collections (Rent + Move Out)
   • Renewals
2. Partner with an AI provider who understands property management
   
   • They should help with the transition
   • They should have experience with similar properties
   • They should understand your compliance requirements
3. Build a clear change management plan
   
   • Document everything
   • Train extensively
   • Have backup processes ready

→ We wrote a blog about choosing the right AI tool for Multifamily, here!

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Looking Ahead

In the next few years, we're going to see a major shift in how properties operate. The companies that embrace centralization and AI now will have a massive advantage. Those that don't will struggle to compete on efficiency and consistency.

This isn't about replacing humans - it's about letting them specialize and excel at what they do best. Your leasing agents should be closing deals, not drowning in paperwork. Your collections specialists should be focused on collections, not juggling five other responsibilities.

The future of property management is specialized, centralized, and AI-enhanced. The only question is: will you be leading the change or trying to catch up?

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Kendrick Bradley is the Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Zuma. Before founding Zuma, he worked in property management where he experienced firsthand the challenges of decentralized operations.

As we celebrate Women's History Month, we're inspired by the countless women shaping the multifamily industry with their vision, leadership, and grit.

At Zuma, we're proud that our AI solutions are helping property management teams (many led by incredible women!) save time on routine tasks so they can focus on what truly matters: building relationships and growing their businesses. 💪

Be sure to check out the two amazing podcast episodes with women multifamily leaders we've linked at the bottom of this newsletter! Their stories of innovation and resilience might just be the inspiration you need this spring! 🪷

Now, let's jump into all the exciting updates happening at Zuma this month!

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Zuma’s New Look 

We've given the Zuma website a complete makeover, and we're excited for you to see it! 

The fresh new design better showcases our solutions:

💙 Leasing AI: Kelsey, your rockstar leasing agent, continues to transform prospect engagement with 53% faster response rates and 2.4x higher lead-to-visit conversions!

→ Check out the Leasing AI page

💜  Collections AI: Now officially launched as our newest product, Collections AI turns chaos into cash flow with automated rent and move-out collections. On-site teams have already seen an 85% reduction in collection workload!

→ Check out the Collections AI page 

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New Rent Collection Dashboard: Full Transparency, Real-Time Insights

Say goodbye to data silos and guesswork in your collections process! 

Zuma’s Rent Collection Delinquency Dashboard gives you real-time visibility into rent payments, outstanding balances, and resident payment behavior across your entire portfolio.

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🔹 Track rent collection progress daily, by community or portfolio-wide

🔹 Monitor resident payment status – see who’s paid, who’s overdue, and promised payments

🔹 Get detailed insights on individual residents, including past due balances, late fees, and interactions 

🔹 AI-powered automation – know when Kelsey or on-site teams engage and track every conversation

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With live data updates, you can quickly identify properties that need attention, spot trends, and take action before delinquency escalates.

📊 Now live! Experience full transparency in your collections process – no more spreadsheets, just actionable intelligence.

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Contact sales@getzuma.com to get a demo now and take control of your collections! 🚀

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Zuma’s Chatbot: The 24/7 Leasing Assistant That Never Misses a Lead

Did you know that 50% of calls to leasing offices go unanswered daily? We've been working to change that, but not by reinventing leasing—by enhancing what your teams already do best.

Today’s renters expect instant responses, and Zuma’s chatbot is built to deliver just that. Whether it’s answering questions, booking tours, or capturing leads, our chatbot is fully customizable to fit your leasing needs.

🔹 Smart, Instant Answers – Responds to pricing, availability, pet policies, and seamlessly schedules tours directly through chat.

🔹 Customizable Widgets & Branded Experience – Control what renters see and customize colors, greetings, and visibility settings through the client portal.

🔹 Effortless Integration – Deploy with a simple script without development work and seamlessly track interactions in Google Tag Manager & Google Analytics.

Want to see it in action? Contact sales@getzuma.com for a demo today!

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What Else is New?

The Zuma RV Tour Stops by The Multifamily Social Media Summit!

Shiv and the RV crew embarked on a 50-hour road trip to get to Napa, and they’re parked outside the conference to chat with attendees about the future of Multifamily (and raffle off a pair of Airpods Max!!). Go to Shiv’s Linkedin page for more info and updates! 

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💗 Women of Multifamily 

This week, we highlight two recent (and inspiring) women-led episodes of the Humans of Multifamily podcast! 

The first is Jill Hinton, president of GoldOller, who shared her journey from military kid to multifamily leader.

Born in Iceland and moving every two years until age 12, Jill developed adaptability and people skills that would serve her throughout her career. This episode is packed with great advice for current and future leaders. → Find this episode on the HOMF homepage!

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The second episode is a very special one, with mother-daughter duo Melanie and Sarah Stiles! 

Their refreshingly honest perspectives on the "we're family" workplace culture, the universal experience of "faking it until you make it," and the delicate balance of maintaining authentic connections in a business environment offer wisdom for industry professionals at every career stage. → Find this episode on the HOMF homepage!

See you next month! 👋

At Zuma, we’re proptech experts, but when it comes to leasing, our clients are the real pros. 

Property managers have spent decades perfecting the art of leasing—handling calls, nurturing leads, and running communities. Our job isn’t to reinvent leasing, it’s to build AI-driven technology that enhances what leasing teams already do best.

Over the past four months, we’ve made five trips to Tulsa, working closely with our design partners at Case & Associates. We sat in leasing offices, observed call flows, and learned firsthand where AI could provide the most value. We also pulled insights from our existing call-to-text clients to ensure that Voice AI fits the diverse needs of communities big and small.

The result? A highly adaptable AI-powered call-handling system built for the realities of property management. Because we know that things can change fast—staffing fluctuates, peak season brings unpredictable call volumes, and leasing teams need technology that works with them, not against them.

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AI That Adapts to Your Leasing Office, Not the Other Way Around

Leasing teams operate in fast-paced, ever-changing environments. 

Some thrive on warm, conversational interactions, while others prioritize efficiency. Some handle a flood of daily calls, others see sporadic inquiries. No two communities are alike, so why should their call-handling solution be one-size-fits-all?

Voice AI flexes to fit your team’s needs. Whether you want AI to take charge—answering calls, providing leasing details, and scheduling tours—or prefer a lighter touch with call-to-text, where missed calls convert into text conversations, Voice AI gives you the control to decide what works best.

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And because setup should be seamless, communities can integrate Voice AI without overhauling their existing systems. 

Whether you replace your public-facing numbers with Zuma-managed numbers or keep your existing Yardi, Entrata, or Knock tracking numbers, Voice AI ensures a frictionless transition.

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Always-on Support for a Fast-Paced Industry

In a leasing office, every call matters. But with teams juggling multiple responsibilities, answering every inquiry isn’t always possible. Voice AI works alongside your team, ensuring no lead is ever left behind.

• Need AI to handle every call? Voice AI answers first, capturing inquiries instantly and minimizing missed opportunities.
• Want your leasing team to take priority? Voice AI only steps in when calls go unanswered, ensuring agents have the first chance to engage.

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Because no two offices operate the same way, Voice AI adapts to your existing workflows. 

Some teams route calls directly to agents during business hours and switch to AI after hours. Others rely on 24/7 AI message collection, ensuring that every prospect gets a response—no matter when they call.

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First Impressions Matter, Make Them Count

A leasing call is often a prospect’s first interaction with your community. Voice AI ensures it’s a great one. Customize the experience by:

• Crafting personalized audio greetings tailored specifically to your community’s unique voice and tone.
• Choosing from 8 distinct, natural-sounding AI voices that perfectly reflect your brand’s personality, setting the right tone from the very first call.

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A Smarter, More Resilient Leasing Office

The property management industry is fast-moving. 

Leasing teams face high turnover, seasonal demand fluctuations, and ever-changing call volumes. Some communities rely on call centers to supplement their teams, while others need AI to ensure every message is received and followed up on quickly.

Whatever your setup, Voice AI isn’t here to replace leasing teams—it’s here to empower them. By combining decades of leasing expertise with cutting-edge AI, we’ve built a solution that truly works for property managers.

Because we know tech, and you know leasing. Let’s make it work together! 

Uncover our Leasing AI solution →

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In a recent conversation with Demetri Themelis, co-founder of Knock, I was struck by how many parallels existed between our entrepreneurial journeys. From similar motivations to start a business to the challenges of finding product-market fit, Demetri's story offers valuable insights for multifamily leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs alike.

So, I’ve decided to write up some of the lessons I took from that conversation, which you can listen to in full here:

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When Financial Insecurity Becomes Fuel

Like many entrepreneurs, Demetri's drive wasn't born from privilege but from witnessing financial stress firsthand. "I have very early memories of waking up and hearing my parents fighting about money," he shared. 

This experience created a powerful motivation to build financial security—something that resonated deeply with me as I had similar experiences growing up.

What's fascinating is how these early experiences shape our relationship with risk. 

They don't necessarily make us risk-averse – instead, they can propel us toward calculated risks with the determination to create something better than what we knew growing up.

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The Institutional Credibility Gap

One of the most enlightening parts of our conversation was Demetri's realization about institutional credibility.

In his previous role at UBS, he could make a quick call recommending stock trades, and clients would move millions based on his word. Yet when he stepped out to build Knock, that same credibility vanished overnight.

"I remember telling Tom, my co-founder, I'm going to be able to raise us millions of dollars, just a few phone calls," Demetri recalled. "I was so wrong about that."

For multifamily and tech entrepreneurs, this highlights an important truth: breaking into the industry isn't just about having a great product—it's about building trust in a space where decisions aren't made lightly. 

Your solution might be revolutionary, but without established credibility, the journey to your first customer will be hard.

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The Three-Year Journey to the First Check

Perhaps the most powerful story Demetri shared was about receiving Knock's first customer check: $75 from Connecticut Realty Trust in March 2016—nearly three years after he and Tom Petry quit their jobs to pursue their vision.

"The feeling of holding that check and being both incredibly excited because it was the validation of everything that we'd been through... Three years worth of problem solving, challenges, fundraising, like every problem, you name it."

This perfectly captures the pre-revenue phase that most tech startups face. 

It's a jungle where validation is scarce, and faith must sustain you. 

For property management leaders considering developing their own solutions or entrepreneurs entering this space: be prepared for a marathon, not a sprint.

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When the Customer Reshapes Your Vision

Demetri and Tom started with a simple concept: create an "OpenTable for apartments"—a straightforward scheduling tool. What they didn't anticipate was how deeply they'd need to understand the multifamily industry's workflows.

When one customer sent a list of 63 feature requests, it caused a moment of crisis. As Demetri put it, "Will we ever have a business if it's going to take 63 custom feature requests to build one customer?"

They built all 63 features and converted that pilot into a paying customer. 

The lesson? In multifamily tech, flexibility and customer-centricity aren't just nice-to-haves—they're survival requirements. 

The product that achieves market fit rarely resembles the founder's original vision.

My Co-Founder, Kendrick Bradley, actually wrote about how we have taken on this mindset at Zuma and worked with our customers to shape our products. You can read it here. 

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Finding Balance in Leadership

Demetri's partnership with Tom offers a masterclass in complementary leadership. 

"In the Venn diagram of strengths that two people could have coming to the table, we had very different sets of strengths," he explained. 

Demetri excelled at sales, marketing, and customer-facing functions, while Tom's analytical mind and attention to detail made him perfect for product development and technical challenges.

For multifamily leaders building teams, this highlights the importance of surrounding yourself with people whose strengths differ from yours. The strongest organizations aren't built on uniformity but on complementary capabilities.

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Life After Exit: The New Challenge

Two years after Knock's acquisition by RealPage, Demetri shared an unexpected insight about life post-exit: The financial security he worked decades to achieve brought its own challenges.

"It's like you're partying in a basement techno party for two decades, then you step out into a jazz bar and everything feels weird," he explained. Finding motivation beyond the all-consuming startup journey requires intentional effort.

What struck me was how Demetri described the psychological adjustment: "There's a mantle of pressure on you that I don't think can be replicated if you're not an entrepreneur. I've never experienced anything like that." 

Having that pressure suddenly lifted created a void that was both freeing and disorienting.

His coach offered two powerful frameworks: "You've proven you can run, now you have to prove you can jog," and the idea that he had been "drinking from one bucket to energize himself" when there are many sources of purpose and meaning.

For Demetri, this meant exploring new avenues: starting a family, buying a house, volunteering at church, reconnecting with friends, and pursuing hobbies that were impossible during the all-consuming founder journey. 

This perspective is invaluable for any leader who has tied their identity tightly to their professional role. 

The skills that make you successful as a founder—intense focus, high-stress tolerance, single-minded drive—may need to be balanced with different capabilities in the next chapter. Perhaps most importantly, Demetri reminded me that true success means being present with family and friends in a way that the founder journey rarely allows.

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Final thoughts

Conversations like these remind me why I started this podcast. 

Behind every multifamily tech solution are founders who navigated uncertainty, faced rejection, and transformed their vision countless times before creating something of lasting value. 

Whether you're leading a property management company, developing new technology, or just starting your entrepreneurial journey, I hope Demetri's story provides both inspiration and practical insights for your own path forward.

You can check out all episodes of Humans of Multifamily here! 

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Property Tech is a crowded space. 

Everyone claims to understand property management's challenges. But here's the truth: most PropTech solutions are built by people who've never spent a day in a leasing office. 

I know this because I've been on both sides - first as a property manager and now as the Co-founder and CPO of Zuma.

At Zuma, we discovered that building truly effective property management solutions for multifamily requires being on-site with our customers. 

By spending time in leasing offices, we’ve uncovered critical needs that most PropTech companies miss - like flexible rent collection processes, legally compliant notice systems, and the need for human backup.  

This approach has led us to build features that property teams actually use, not just ones that look good in demos. 

Today, I’ll share some of those lessons and how they’re shaping our product. 

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Reality Check: What We Learned On-Site

When we first started building our Collections AI, we thought we had it figured out. "It's just a rent reminder system." Simple, right?

Then, we spent time with property teams.

We discovered that every community rent collection process is unique:

• Some must follow CARES programs with specific compliance requirements, such as a mandatory 30-day eviction notice.
• There were various different programs residents could be a part of such as autopay, FLEX, and government assistance programs. 
• Every PMC ad community has various state-specific legal procedures they must follow.
• Most juggle multiple payment methods and resident preferences.
• Site teams needed to manually update delinquency trackers daily and schedule walkthrough notices for residents if they were not communicative to see if they skipped town.

This wasn't just about building a better reminder system - it was about creating a solution that could adapt to the complex reality of modern property management.

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From Insight to Innovation

Our most successful features came directly from watching property teams work. 

Take our walkthrough notice system - now one of our most popular features. We didn't dream this up in a conference room. We saw property managers struggling with the time-consuming process of creating and tracking these residents who had been ghosting collections efforts. 

We also learned that there are real safety concerns when it comes to rent collections and move-out comms, and automating the more sensitive parts of this process was actually providing a safer experience to leasing agents. 

Here's what we built based on real property needs:

1. Flexible Rent Collection
   
   • Supports multiple payment programs
   • Adapts to state-specific requirements
   • Handles various resident payment preferences
   • Maintains tracker for compliance documentation
2. Smart Notice System
   
   • Automates walkthrough notices
   • Ensures legal compliance
   • Tracks notice delivery
   • Maintains audit trails
3. Collections Insights
   
   • Resident risk assessment
   • Real-time collections dashboard
   • Payment status across communities
   • Legal status breakdown

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The Human Side of Property Tech

Being on-site showed us something crucial: property management isn't just about processing payments or sending notices. It's about people managing complex relationships and legal requirements while trying to run a profitable business.

That's why we built our AI solution with a hybrid approach. 

Having been property managers ourselves, we knew that purely automated solutions often fail at the crucial moment. Nobody leases without touring, so dropping the ball on a lead means losing real revenue.

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What's Next for Property Teams

Our close relationship with property teams continues to shape our roadmap. We're currently working on:

• Expanding to handle processing move-outs and move-out collections
• Collections analytics and insights dashboards
• AI residents risks scores to help the team make smarter rental and renewal decisions

Every feature we build comes from real conversations and observations. It's not about building what we think properties need - it's about solving the problems we've seen firsthand.

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The Zuma Difference

What sets us apart isn't just our technology - it's our understanding of property operations. We don't build generic solutions and try to force them into property workflows. Instead, we:

• Start with real property processes
• Build solutions that match existing workflows
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements
• Focus on driving actual business outcomes

This approach means our solutions work in the real world, not just in sales demos.

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‍

Looking Forward

As we continue growing, we're doubling down on our commitment to working closely with property teams. 

We believe the future of PropTech isn't about forcing properties to adopt new processes - it's about building technology that makes their existing processes more efficient and effective.

If you're managing properties and tired of solutions that don't reflect your reality, we'd love to show you what property technology looks like when it's built based on real property management experience.

Kendrick Bradley is the Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Zuma. Before co-founding Zuma, he worked as a leasing agent, giving him firsthand experience with the challenges property teams face daily.

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Every property manager knows the drill: the first two weeks of each month get consumed by chasing late payments, coordinating move-outs, juggling resident communications across multiple channels, and carefully navigating compliance requirements. 

It's time-consuming, inefficient, and often frustrating.

Today, we're changing that with the launch of Collections AI. ✨

‍

The Same Kelsey You Trust, Now Handling Collections

You already know Kelsey as your trusted AI leasing assistant.

Now, she's bringing that same efficiency and reliability to your rent collection and move-out processes, helping you recover more revenue while maintaining resident satisfaction.

‍

End-to-End Automation

Kelsey handles your entire collections workflow, from initial rent reminders to final move-out coordination. Her intelligent automation system manages communication across all channels while maintaining complete compliance across jurisdictions.

‍

Key features:

🔔 Smart rent reminders and late fee notifications via text, email, and voice

✅ Automated promise-to-pay tracking with intelligent follow-ups

💰 Seamless move-out coordination and deposit handling

‍

‍

Unmatched Configurability

Every property is unique, and Kelsey adapts to your specific needs. Set up custom workflows, compliance rules, and communication templates without any technical expertise required.

‍

Key features:

🎨 Property-specific workflows and timelines

🧑‍⚖️ Jurisdiction-specific compliance settings

👌 Flexible message templates and late fee rules

‍

Since implementing Kelsey, we've seen a dramatic reduction in late payments. The automated follow-ups and walkthrough notifications really get residents' attention and drive action.

‍

Intelligent Resident Engagement

Our AI-powered system learns from every interaction, optimizing communication timing and channels for maximum effectiveness. Kelsey maintains persistent engagement with late-paying residents while tracking payment patterns to identify potential issues early.

‍

Key features:

💬 Multi-channel communication optimization

🤓 Smart promise-to-pay tracking with automated follow-ups

📊 Comprehensive payment history and risk analysis

At one of our properties, we were 100% collected the first month we rolled out Kelsey. That had never happened before.

‍

Actionable Analytics

Get real-time insights into your property's collection performance with detailed analytics and reporting. Track promise-to-pay fulfillment, analyze delinquency trends, and generate investor-ready reports with ease.

‍

Key features:

💸 Real-time collections dashboard

📈 Delinquency trend analysis

✨ Comprehensive performance metrics

‍

We usually file on two to three people a month. The first month with Kelsey, we didn't have to file on anyone at all. The second month, it was only one person—and they ended up paying before our actual rent collection deadline!

‍

Chrome Widget: Your New Browser Assistant

Access resident and prospect information directly from your browser with these powerful features:

📅 Tours Tab Never miss a prospect visit again! Stay informed on upcoming tours, track prospect preferences, and easily update tour statuses with detailed notes - all from your browser.

🚨Action Required Your complete command center: get access to all your to-dos at a glance, quickly check on resident profiles, and manage communications through Kelsey, all in one place.

🔍Search: Quick search by resident name or unit number keeps your resident and prospect information at your fingertips.

‍

Real Results from Day One

Properties using Kelsey are seeing remarkable improvements in collections and team efficiency:

‍

‍

Ready to Transform Your Collections Process?

Book a demo today to see how Collection AI’s industry-leading features can revolutionize your rent and move-out collections while improving resident satisfaction and reducing team workload.

‍

4 hours. 

That's how much time the average leasing agent spends on rent and move-out collections each day. 

Chasing rent payments, manually entering data into multiple systems, scanning stacks of lease documents, and responding to the same maintenance questions over and over - that’s the rest of their day. 

Meanwhile, valuable time for building relationships with new and existing residents slips away.

As the property management industry evolves, innovative AI solutions promise to eliminate these administrative burdens, but here’s a surprising stat: 54% of property management professionals have no immediate plans for full AI adoption. 

→ Successful multifamily property management companies are implementing AI solutions selectively, focusing on areas where they can achieve the most immediate impact while minimizing disruption to existing operations. 

Why? Because they've recognized something crucial: in this deeply personal business, technology must enhance rather than replace the human element.

Today we’ll explore:

• The real impact of routine tasks on your team's potential
• Why leading properties are selectively implementing AI
• How AI is transforming property teams from task-doers to strategic thinkers
• The irreplaceable human skills that drive property success

Let’s dive in! 

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The hidden cost of routine tasks

AI brings remarkable capabilities to property management - from instant responses and data analysis to intelligent automation and predictive insights. 

When combined with the inherently people-focused nature of property management, the results are transformative. ✨

One property manager recently shared with us: "Now that we're not running rent collections, I finally have time to train my team on the manager reports and strategic planning that will help them advance their careers."

This insight cuts to the heart of AI's true potential: it's not about replacement, it's about elevation.

‍

Time lost to admin

Consider these numbers from our recent customer conversations:

• Rent collections consumed up to 50% of leasing agents' daily time
• Teams were maintaining manual collection binders tracking hundreds of resident interactions
• Property managers spent hours generating reports instead of analyzing insights
• Staff had limited time for professional development and career growth

The true cost isn't just in the hours lost—it's in the untapped potential of your team. 

When property professionals spend their days buried in administrative work, their ability to drive property value through relationship building, strategic thinking, and community development remains largely unexplored.

‍

What AI can (and cannot) do:

When AI handles routine tasks, something remarkable happens. 

• Leasing teams focus on building genuine resident relationships
• Managers spend more time on strategic property improvements
• Staff develop new skills that advance their careers
• Teams have space to innovate and solve complex problems

While AI can handle routine communications and data processing, certain skills remain uniquely human, such as:

• Reading emotional cues in resident interactions
• Negotiating complex lease terms
• Building community through events and engagement
• Making nuanced judgments about resident situations
• Creating innovative solutions to unprecedented problems

As one property manager told us: "The girls are asking me 'What can I do to help?' because they finally have time. Now I can train them on things they wouldn't have had time to learn before."

By elevating teams from day-to-day task management to strategic thinking, we're not just changing job descriptions—we're transforming the entire property management experience. 

Teams are becoming more engaged, residents are receiving better service, and properties are seeing improved results. This is what happens when we let humans focus on being human.

‍

The Path Forward: AI + Human Collaboration

The most successful properties in 2025 won't be those that replaced humans with AI – they'll be the ones that used AI to unleash their team's full potential. This means:

• Letting AI handle routine tasks so humans can focus on relationship-building
• Using AI insights to make better strategic decisions
• Leveraging automation to create space for professional development
• Maintaining the human touch in critical resident interactions

Experience has shown that purely automated solutions often fall short in crucial moments. 

Whether it's handling sensitive resident situations, navigating complex lease negotiations, or ensuring legal compliance, having human expertise readily available is essential. 

The most effective approach (ehem, Zuma’s approach) combines AI efficiency with human judgment – letting technology handle the routine while keeping experienced team members available for complex issues that require a nuanced, personal touch.

This hybrid approach isn't just about having a backup plan – it's about creating a more robust, reliable system that can handle both everyday tasks and unexpected challenges. 

When AI and human expertise work in tandem, properties can deliver the speed and efficiency of automation while maintaining the high-touch, personalized service that residents expect.

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The Bottom Line

The future of property management isn't about AI replacing humans – it's about AI elevating humans to do what they do best. When routine tasks are automated, teams can focus on the complex, nuanced, relationship-driven work that truly drives property success.

As one property manager put it: "We're not doing less work – we're doing better work." And that's exactly what AI should enable: not the replacement of human potential but its elevation to new heights.

Ready to learn more about balancing AI and human touch in property management? Check out our guide on property management metrics and picking AI Leasing tools!

‍

After four decades in multifamily real estate, starting as a weekend leasing agent and rising to CEO of RR Living, Melanie French has seen it all. 

In a recent episode of Humans of Multifamily, Melanie sat down with Shiv Gettu and shared profound insights from her 40-year journey in multifamily real estate. 

What began as a weekend job while in college transformed into a lifelong mission of improving people's lives through housing. 

Her story reveals crucial lessons about leadership, service, and the human side of property management that often go overlooked.

‍

How AI Changed Property Management 

While AI has transformed many aspects of property management over the past four decades, Melanie notes that some fundamentals haven't changed. 

The staffing ratio of roughly one person per 100 units remains largely consistent. What has really changed is the complexity of the work.

AI has streamlined many processes but also created new demands. 

Property teams now handle more reporting, faster communication expectations, and increasingly complex resident needs. Yet the human element remains irreplaceable, especially in maintenance and resident services.

‍

Multifamily Property Management is a People Business

"Everything we do, when you touch housing, you realize that we touch people's lives. We are managing homes where they are raising their families, where some of the best times in somebody's lives and some of the hardest happen in those walls."

Melanie’s perspective fundamentally changes how we should think about property management. 

When you manage a 300-unit community, you're not just maintaining buildings – you're essentially running a small city with 1,200 to 1,500 residents. 

Every maintenance issue, every community decision, and every interaction matters because it directly impacts people's daily lives.

One of the most pressing challenges French identifies is in maintenance and service:

• These positions are increasingly difficult to fill
• The work is physically demanding
• Costs have risen dramatically
• Innovation in this area lags behind other aspects of property management

Four Leadership Principles That Actually WorkFrench's approach to leadership offers valuable lessons for anyone in the industry:

1. Take Calculated Risks: Don't let fear hold you back from new opportunities. As Melanie says, "If the worst thing that ever happens to me in life is that I fail at something, so be it."
2. Learn Continuously: "I try my best to learn something new every day and to learn from the people who work with me and for me," Melanie shares. This openness to learning has been crucial to her success.
3. Develop Future Leaders: Focus on helping others discover their potential. Melanie describes the joy of watching someone realize capabilities they didn't know they had.
4. Be Authentic and Transparent: Whether communicating up or down the organizational hierarchy, authenticity and transparency build trust and foster better relationships.

‍

Why Mission Matters More Than Money

‍Perhaps the most important lesson from Melanie’s experience is the power of being mission-driven. She emphasizes that success in multifamily requires more than just operational excellence – it requires a genuine commitment to improving people's lives.

‍This shows up in various ways:

• Ensuring every resident, regardless of income level, has a home they're proud of
• Creating communities where people can build relationships and find stability
• Taking responsibility for residents' wellbeing seriously
• Understanding that maintenance issues can be life-critical

‍

The Future: Why Human Connection Still Wins

‍As the industry continues to evolve, Melanie believes the key to success will be balancing technological innovation with the human element that makes multifamily unique. 

While AI and automation will play increasing roles, the fundamental mission remains unchanged: providing homes where people can build their lives and create lasting memories.

Melanie’s journey from weekend leasing agent to CEO demonstrates the unique opportunities available in multifamily real estate. But more importantly, it shows how a mission-driven approach to property management can create value for residents, employees, and companies alike.

‍"We have the potential as humans to make a difference," Melanie reminds us.

In multifamily, that difference shows up in the daily lives of thousands of residents who call our properties home. It's a responsibility worth taking seriously and a mission worth pursuing with passion.

Watch Melanie French’s full episode of Humans of Multifamily here! 👇

We're starting 2025 with a bang! 🍾

‍We heard your call for better resident engagement tools, so we're thrilled to announce a new solution that's already helping properties achieve 100% rent collection rates.

We've also launched a brand new Humans of Multifamily Hub on the website, so you can catch up on all the episodes right here, on Zuma.

Curious? Let's dive in! 🏊

‍

Introducing Zuma for Rent Collections

We're taking a bold step beyond lead engagement into the resident experience with our newest innovation: CollectionsAI!

Building on the foundation of Kelsey AI, our trusted leasing assistant, Rent Collections, transforms how property teams interact with residents.

‍

‍

What makes Zuma's CollectionsAI special?

🎨 Unmatched Customization: Configure workflows, messaging templates, and schedules directly in your dashboard—no support tickets needed!

👀 Total Transparency: Know exactly what's being sent, when, and why. No more uncertainty about resident communications.

⚡ Easy Operations: Manage rent-related tasks, from follow-ups to walkthrough notices, all in one intuitive place.

⚠️ Understand Resident Risk: Get instant, detailed resident risk scoring to protect your investments and confidently make renewal decisions.

‍

‍

CollectionsAI Success Stories

We’ve been working on Rent Collections behind the scenes for a few months, and our design partners are already seeing incredible results.

Find out how Case & Associates and Cascada increased their promise-to-pay commitment rates, decreased their court filings (to zero), and collected 100% of rent on their first month using Zuma's Rent Collections:

‍

‍

What Else is New?

Humans of Multifamily Podcast

You can now watch and listen to all episodes of Humans of Multifamily right here, on the Zuma website! 

Make sure to check out our latest episode, with Devin Shurtleff, CEO of Opiniion. In this emotional episode, Devin shares how he's dealing with losing his co-founder, Justin Bingham, keeping his team strong, and how the multifamily industry has rallied around him during the darkest moments.

‍

‍

Ready to Transform Your Resident Experience? 🚀

Contact sales@getzuma.com today to learn about Rent Collections or book a call here to learn how you can help your leasing teams focus on what they do best: building resident relationships.  

‍Here's to getting more leases in 2025! ♥️

Best, The Zuma Team

Selecting the wrong tech tools costs properties thousands in lost revenue annually. 

When it comes to AI leasing tools, the stakes are even higher – your choice directly impacts prospect experience, team efficiency, and, ultimately, your occupancy rates.

To help you navigate this decision, we sat down with Hannah Bailey, Senior Marketing Manager at Raintree Partners, who has extensive experience evaluating and implementing property technology solutions. 

Before joining Raintree Partners, Hannah worked at Greystar, giving her unique insights into tech implementation at both large and mid-sized property management/ownership groups.

Having recently worked through the process of selecting the right AI leasing solution for Raintree’s portfolio, Hannah understands the challenges firsthand.

Vendor partners need to understand that this is a significant decision for marketing and sales leaders. After experiencing challenges with previous integration promises, I've learned to be more systematic in evaluating new potential technology partners.

Let's dive into the five essential questions that will help you make a confident, informed decision about your AI leasing tools! 

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‍

1. How solid are the integration capabilities?

For Hannah, this is the absolute deal-breaker.

‍If you don't have set, proven integration with our PMS system, there is no reason to waste both party's time.

Your AI tool needs to:

• Demonstrate proven integration with your property management software
• Show clean data flow in your CRM
• Have real-time pricing and availability updates
• Work seamlessly with your existing systems

Pro tip: Ask for a demo using your specific PMS/CRM combination. Watch how the integration handles real-world scenarios like price changes or tour scheduling.

‍

2. What's the quality of Account Management and Support?

While features and functionality are crucial, the success of your AI leasing implementation often hinges on the quality of support you receive. 

A dedicated account manager who understands both the technology and multifamily industry can make the difference between a smooth rollout and a challenging transition.

Look for:

• Ability to meet your account manager before purchase
• Dedicated support contact
• Clear communication with on-site teams
• Proven track record of successful implementations

After our great experience with Zuma's customer success team, I recommend asking all potential vendor partners to meet who you will be working with on that team. Your customer success representative has to be good, or else the rollout will likely be rocky.

‍

3. How user-friendly is the system?

For property teams juggling multiple responsibilities, a complex system can hurt more than help.

When evaluating user-friendliness, involve your on-site teams in the process. Their day-to-day experience with the system will ultimately determine its success in driving results for your property.

Key considerations include:

• Clean, intuitive interface
• Clear visibility of all prospect interactions
• Easy access to conversation histories
• Simple tour scheduling process
• Minimal training requirements
• Quick access to key features and information

If I don't understand the program, as someone who is specifically searching for this solution, how can we expect the personnel on-site to work with it and buy in?

‍

4. How does it handle prospect communication?

Today's renters expect instant, personalized communication that meets them where they are. 

The traditional approach of bulk emails and delayed responses no longer aligns with modern consumer expectations. With data showing that prospects are 28% less likely to respond after just 18 minutes, the method and timing of communication can make or break your leasing success.

The multifamily industry needs to evolve beyond mass emails and generic follow-ups. Modern renters, myself included, prefer quick, personalized interactions that respect their time and communication preferences.

Make sure you look for:

• Quick response and 24/7 Coverage
• Customization based on your brand and prospect interests
• Multi-language support
• Ability to share media and floor plans in conversation
• Seamless hand-offs between AI and human team

The best AI solutions strike a balance between efficiency and personalization. 

They should handle high volumes of inquiries while maintaining the natural, conversational tone that builds trust with prospects. Remember, every interaction is an opportunity to showcase your property's commitment to resident satisfaction.

Learn more about maximizing your prospect communication in our guide to doubling response rates with SMS.

As Hannah notes from her experience with Zuma:

‍I love how fast it is, it's real-time and so simple. The responses are accurate because of the knowledge base system, and Kelsey takes the facts and makes them more conversational.

‍

5. What evidence supports your ROI?

When investing in AI leasing technology, you need both historical proof of success and a clear path to measuring future performance. The best decisions are backed by data, not promises.

Before committing, ensure you:

1. Validate Past Performance:

• Speak with existing customers about their experiences
• Review case studies and success metrics
• Understand implementation timelines

2. Define Success Metrics:

• Occupancy rates
• Lead-to-tour conversion rates
• Tour show rates 
• Response time improvements
• Team time savings
• Marketing spend efficiency

3. Establish Clear ROI Measurements:

• Cost per lease
• Staff productivity gains
• Occupancy impact
• Revenue growth

Properties successfully implementing AI leasing tools typically see 20-30% improvements in lead-to-tour conversion rates and significant reductions in response times. 

The key is running a focused pilot program with clear success metrics. This allows you to gather actionable data about the solution's impact on your specific portfolio before making a broader commitment.

‍

Making Your Decision

Take your time evaluating options. As Hannah advises:

I'm not piloting numerous new products at once. If I'm going to pilot something, I want it to be manageable and thoughtful so I can actually measure the results.

Track these key metrics during your evaluation:

• Response times (learn more about the importance of quick responses)
• Lead-to-tour conversion rates
• Tour show rates
• Team satisfaction
• Prospect feedback

Want to learn more about how AI and humans work together in property management? Let's explore how the right AI leasing solution can transform your leasing operations.

When it comes to Multifamily Lead-to-Lease conversions, there’s no silver bullet. 

But there is an arsenal of tools & tricks that can get more tenants through the door.

After analyzing over 100,000 multifamily units and millions of prospect interactions, we've uncovered five powerful strategies that can transform your conversion rates – without increasing your marketing spend.

If you're a property manager or marketing director looking to maximize your marketing ROI, this one’s for you. 

‍

The Power of Data-Driven Decisions

Before sharing these game-changing strategies, let's look at what we analyzed:

• Response patterns from 100,000+ units
• Millions of prospect conversations
• Conversion data across every major ILS
• Tour completion rates from thousands of properties

The result? We identified five specific strategies that consistently deliver outstanding results. Best of all? You won’t have to increase your marketing budget.

‍

1. Engage with your leads faster, 24/7

Here's a powerful discovery: Properties that respond within 5-18 minutes capture twice as many conversions as those that don't. We've documented this effect across thousands of properties – it's remarkably consistent.

The winning strategy is to implement automation, so you can achieve sub-5-minute response times, every time. The data shows this single change can double your conversion rates.

‍

Tour scheduling timing also matters: Properties scheduling tours within 3 days see 85% show rates. Beyond 10 days? That drops to 40%.

→ Quick win: Optimize your touring calendar to prioritize the 72-hour window. One property implementing this doubled their show rates in just two weeks! 

Start implementing these response time best practices today, and you'll see the impact on your conversion rates almost immediately.

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2. Optimize your channel strategy

Top performers have cracked the communication code. Here's what the data shows:

• SMS response rate: 62%
• Email response rate: 12-18%

That's right – your prospects are 5x more likely to engage via text.

Leading properties are using AI to optimize their communication mix. They're seeing 30% higher engagement rates without adding staff.

The message is clear: prioritize SMS in your communication strategy while maintaining a strategic email presence for longer-form content and follow-ups. This balanced approach is key to maximizing your reach and response rates.

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3. Diversify your lead sources

Speaking of having a balanced approach, our analysis of lead sources across thousands of units shows dramatic differences in conversion rates - from as low as 7% to as high as 46%. 

For example, we’ve seen Zillow leads convert at 46.2% for some properties, while other sources show varying performance. 

The key takeaway here is to diversify your lead sources. This will allow you to analyze the data and invest your marketing dollars in the sources that are converting more leads. Remember to focus on conversion rates, not only on the number of leads coming in. 

Want to master your metrics? Check out our guide on the three essential metrics every property manager should know →

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4. Improve your messaging style and language

We've identified the messaging patterns that consistently drive higher conversion rates by analyzing millions of conversations. 

Here are three big takeaways: 

1. Timing is crucial: Messages sent mid-morning (10 AM) or mid-afternoon (2-3 PM) on Tuesdays and Thursdays typically receive the highest engagement rates, avoiding Monday's crowded inboxes and Friday's weekend mindset.
2. Messages should include clear, specific calls-to-action (like "Reply SHOW for photos and pricing") and appropriate seasonal emojis to boost engagement, though emoji usage should be moderate and contextually relevant.
3. Creating genuine urgency through specific, believable deadlines (e.g., "$1,000 move-in special expires tomorrow at noon") is effective, especially when aligned with natural decision points like month-end or lease renewals.

And here’s our complete guide to SMS messaging for Multifamily Properties → 

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5. Balance AI with Human touch

Smart automation is revolutionizing multifamily leasing.

Properties leveraging AI-powered tools are:

• Saving 200+ hours annually on routine tasks
• Capturing 51% more after-hours inquiries
• Achieving 2.4x higher conversion rates The strategy? Combining AI efficiency with human touch. 

Properties using this approach see:

• 2-minute average response times
• 44.8% higher lead-to-lease conversion rates
• Enhanced prospect experience

We like to think of AI as an "Iron Man suit" for your leasing team – it doesn't replace them, it amplifies their capabilities. 

When AI handles routine inquiries and repetitive tasks, your team can focus on what they do best: building meaningful relationships, providing personalized tours, and creating exceptional resident experiences. 

This balanced approach isn't just about efficiency – it's about elevating the entire leasing experience to meet modern resident expectations for both speed and personal connection.

The data is clear: properties that embrace this human-AI partnership are setting new standards for resident experience and will continue to extend their competitive advantage in the years ahead.

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Ready to Transform Your Conversion Rates?

Join the ranks of top-performing properties using these proven strategies. Our team has helped properties across the nation double their conversion rates. 

Let’s elevate your property's performance with AI →

POV: Your marketing team just spent $50k on a campaign that brought in 100 qualified leads over the weekend. Sadly, by Monday morning, half of those leads have already booked tours on your competitor's property. 

Why? 

Because in the age of instant gratification, "call back during office hours" might as well be saying, "go lease somewhere else."

When your team takes longer than 90 minutes to respond to a prospect, you lose 50% of your potential leads. For a typical luxury property spending $600,000 annually on marketing, that's $300,000 essentially thrown away due to delayed responses.

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New [better] POV: Your leasing team arrives Monday morning to find every weekend lead already pre-qualified, tours scheduled, and not a single prospect lost to a competitor. 

This isn't a property manager's daydream – it's the reality for multifamily teams using AI in 2025. 

Learn how you can:

• Respond to prospects in 2 minutes
• Convert 2x more leads into tours
• Save your team years of manual work so they can focus on what matters most

Keep reading to uncover the five game-changing ways AI is transforming property management in 2025.

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Challenges & Solutions for Multifamily Property Management in 2025 

Meet Sarah, marketing director for a luxury apartment community in Dallas. 

Her Monday mornings represent the three biggest challenges facing multifamily teams today:

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1) The Operational Efficiency Gap

Sarah’s team is trapped in an endless cycle of manual and mundane tasks while valuable relationship-building time slips away.

⭐ Solution: Implement AI-powered automation tools to streamline repetitive tasks like data entry, reporting, and communication. 

One property using Zuma's AI assistant saved their team 21.9 years' worth of time in 2024 alone by automating routine leasing tasks. This frees up the team to focus on high-value activities that drive resident satisfaction and retention.

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2) New Resident Expectations

The era of "call back during office hours" is over. In a world of instant everything, residents expect seamless digital experiences throughout their entire rental journey. 

⭐ Solution: Adopt a mobile-first resident engagement portal that allows renters to get answers on vacancies, schedule tours, apply for units, pay rent, submit maintenance requests, reserve amenities, and communicate with staff 24/7. 

With Zuma's AI assistant Kelsey, properties have seen a 53% improvement in overall responsiveness by providing instant, personalized attention across voice, text, and email in multiple languages.

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3) Inefficient Lead-to-lease Conversion Rates

Marketing brings in leads, but delayed responses and inconsistent follow-ups allow them to slip away as they move on to faster-responding properties.

⭐ Solution: Use AI-powered lead nurturing campaigns to engage prospects instantly and use a centralized CRM to track all interactions – so you can gain data-driven insights on marketing performance and optimize, optimize, optimize!  

With Kelsey, properties have reached 2-4 minute average response times, 44.8% higher lead-to-lease conversion rates, and a 30% increase in lead-to-tour conversions.

Dig deeper into the metrics every multifamily property manager should track!

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AI + Humans: The Dynamic Duo of Property Management

While AI is revolutionizing property management operations, its true potential lies in transforming the roles of on-site teams. Rather than replacing humans, AI empowers property staff to focus on higher-value activities that drive resident satisfaction and asset performance.

When AI handles routine tasks, teams focus on:

• Building meaningful resident relationships
• Handling complex situations requiring judgment
• Creating community experiences
• Making strategic decisions based on AI insights

The most successful properties in 2025 will be those that embrace AI not as a human replacement but as a tool to elevate their people. 

By marrying artificial intelligence with human judgment, multifamily operators can create a new paradigm of property management that delivers unprecedented value to residents, investors, and staff alike.

Success Story: The Power of AI in Action

Hannah Bailey, Senior Marketing Manager at Raintree Partners, reports: "Zuma helped us increase our response rates by 30% and improve lead-to-tour conversions by 20-30%. But the real transformation was in how our team operates."

Read our case study with Raintree Partners here!

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Key Takeaways for 2025

1. The multifamily industry is changing rapidly, and resident expectations aren't going back to the old way of doing things.
2. AI isn't about replacing your team – it's about empowering them to do more meaningful work.
3. The properties that adapt now will have a significant competitive advantage in the years to come.

Ready to see what 2025-level performance looks like for your property? Schedule a demo to learn how AI can transform your:

• Operational efficiency
• Resident satisfaction
• Marketing ROI
• Team performance

Let’s chat! 

Double Your Response Rates: 5 SMS Tips for Multifamily Property Managers

The modern renter doesn't want to play phone tag or wait days for an email response. They want instant, clear communication about their potential new home. 

And the numbers don't lie - SMS is crushing email when it comes to engagement rates. Our data shows SMS achieves 62% engagement (vs email's 12-18%). 

But here's the problem: most properties are doing SMS marketing completely wrong. They're sending short stories instead of notes, using confusing (or zero) calls-to-action, and wondering why their conversion rates are stuck in the mud.

So, here are 5 easy things you can do to change that. ✅

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1. Keep It Short and Sweet

Nobody wants to read a novel on their phone. Our highest-performing messages all share one trait: they deliver clear information in under 160 characters.

For example: "Brand new units at The Madison now available! Virtual tours starting at $1,850/month!" It’s concise and includes the main entry points of information a lead is looking for: Price & Location. 

If the person is interested, they will follow up with more questions, and you can keep the ball rolling while always keeping it concise. 

Want to learn more about tracking your marketing performance? Check out our guide on The 3 Metrics Every Multifamily Property Manager Should Track in 2025.

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2. Add Clear Calls-to-Action

Make it dead simple for prospects to take the next step. Instead of vague "contact us" messages, give them a specific action to take.

Winner: "Want to see our available units? Reply SHOW to get photos and pricing."

Calls to action are a great way to keep engagement up, making it easier for leads to flow along the rental customer journey. 

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3. Use Themed Emojis (But Don't Overdo It)

Visual elements boost engagement, but context is key. Match your emojis to your message theme and season.

An example that works: "❄️ Baby, it's cold outside! Stay cozy in our newly renovated apartments featuring in-unit fireplaces. Tour today and warm up with complimentary hot cocoa! ⛄"

The takeaway here is to use the same language as your leads. Emojis are a key element of texting, so don’t be afraid to use them! 

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4. Time Your Messages Right

Ok, so you crafted some short, snappy text with a simple CTA and a dash of emojis - but your message means nothing if it lands at the wrong time. Our data shows Tuesdays and Thursdays get the highest engagement rates. Why? Monday inboxes are too crowded, and Friday minds are already in weekend mode.

Pro tip: Mid-morning (around 10 am) or mid-afternoon (2-3 pm) typically perform best.

Speaking of timing…

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5. Create Urgency with Clear Deadlines

Nothing motivates action like a deadline. But here's the key: make it specific and believable.

Good example: "$1,000 move-in special expires tomorrow at noon. Lock in your rate before then! 📞"

Remember to follow through on stated deadlines to maintain trust and try to align promotions with natural decision points like month-end or lease renewals. This creates genuine urgency while ensuring your team can handle response volumes.

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⭐ A Bonus Tip That Changes Everything

Here's what nobody talks about: response time matters more than anything else. 

Our data shows leads are 28% less likely to respond after just 18 minutes (read the full case study on response times here). 

This means that if set up instant responses to common questions and watch your conversion rates soar.

Remember: The best SMS marketing feels like a helpful conversation, not a sales pitch. Keep it human, keep it relevant, and most importantly, keep it brief.

Ready to transform your leasing operations? Learn more about how Kelsey, our AI leasing assistant, can handle your prospect communications 24/7, boost conversion rates, and maintain a consistent brand voice across all channels. Learn more about AI Leasing here!

As we close out 2024, we hope you’re staying warm, and we're excited to share some updates that will (literally) brighten your day. ☀️

From a fresh, light-mode customer portal to a supercharged website chatbot, we've been working hard to improve Zuma.

Plus, we've got some exciting stories to share about our journey and partnerships!

Let’s dive in. 🏊

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🏡 A New Era of Website Engagement

We've reimagined our website chatbot to create a seamless, integrated experience that turns every visit into a meaningful connection, with:

💬 24/7 Personalized Conversations: Your prospects get their exact questions answered anytime, anywhere.

📥 Seamless Multi-Channel Experience: From website to SMS to email, conversations flow naturally across all channels.

✅ Smart Lead Qualification: Turns website impressions into high-intent prospects through meaningful dialogue.

🌍 Language Without Limits: Now speaking 50+ languages fluently.

♥️ Your Brand, Your Voice: Fully customizable to match your website's look and feel.

The best part? It's fully integrated with our core leasing service, ensuring your prospects get the same delightful experience no matter where they first reach out.

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Goodbye, Dark Mode! Let There Be Light 💡

Say goodbye to dark mode!

Your Zuma customer portal just got a makeover with a clean, bright interface that makes managing your data and customers a breeze. Clearer navigation, better readability, and a fresh look that'll make your daily tasks feel lighter. 🪶

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Zuma’s New “About Us” Page

Seven years ago, Shiv Gettu and Kendrick Bradley met at USC and bonded over their family history in real estate. A couple of years later, they became leasing agents/entrepreneurs and experienced firsthand the mundane tasks that keep on-site teams from what matters most 👉 building resident relationships. ❤️

Today, Zuma is proud to power some of the largest property management companies in the US, helping you automate lead-to-lease cycles so their on-site teams can focus on meaningful connections (and closing deals 🔑 !!)

READ THE FULL STORY 

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On the Ground with Our Customers

Speaking of connections, we've been out in the field learning from Case & Associates! 💪

As Jordan Case recently shared:

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We consider ourselves lucky to be able to spend time with you guys, learning from your day-to-day, building solutions together, and sharing horror stories from the multifamily trenches. 😬

As Jordan writes in her post, "lots of measurable results!" - and that (and the people) is what we care about at the end of the day! ♥️

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Humans of Multifamily: Latest Episode 🎙️

Don't miss the latest episode of Humans of Multifamily featuring Jenny Schoellhorn, Regional VP at Entrata! She brings fresh perspectives on the industry and shares some incredible insights about building genuine connections in multifamily.

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On This Cold, Cold December, Step Into The Light! ⛱️

Ready to see Zuma’s updates in action? Visit our demo property at Casa West and check out your new dashboard and knowledge base!

Here's to building stronger connections, one conversation at a time! ♥️

Best, The Zuma Team

Are you still guessing what's causing your occupancy rate fluctuations? Time to switch gears. 

In multifamily property management, the difference between thriving and struggling communities often comes down to tracking just three key metrics. 

While your competitors drown in spreadsheets, you're about to learn exactly which metrics actually matter for your bottom line and how to impact them. 

TL;DR: Focus on occupancy rate (it’s not about hitting 100%), track your entire leasing funnel (with specific conversion benchmarks), and monitor renewal rates (target 65%+). 

Property managers who master these three metrics consistently outperform their peers in occupancy and revenue. Surprisingly, many still focus on vanity metrics that don't drive real results. 

Let's change that.

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1. Occupancy Rate: Your Property's North Star

Think of occupancy rate as your property's pulse – it tells you immediately if something's wrong. 

However, the optimal occupancy rate isn't always about hitting the highest possible number. At Zuma, we call this race towards full occupancy the “98% fever” because it’s not always a good thing.

Here's why: A strategic vacancy rate of 2-3% actually gives you room to test the market and optimize your pricing. Counter-intuitively, running at 100% occupancy might signal you're leaving money on the table with your pricing strategy. 

The sweet spot allows you to:

• Test different price points in the market
• Maintain pricing leverage
• Optimize renewal rates effectively
• Respond to seasonal demand fluctuations

But back to optimal rates – here's what most people miss: occupancy rate is a "lagging" indicator. This means that by the time you see occupancy rates dropping unexpectedly, the underlying issues have already taken root. 🌱 And this is why you have to keep a close eye on the factors that influence occupancy before problems arise.

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2. Prospect to Lease Conversion Rate: Your Leasing Funnel Deep Dive 

To figure out how you can maintain a healthy occupancy, you need to watch out for crucial conversion points throughout your leasing funnel and analyze the leads that didn’t convert.

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Conversion Points in Your Leasing Funnel

Prospect Lead Volume: Are you generating enough leads through advertising channels like ILS listings, website traffic, and drive-by inquiries? A decline here might signal the need for better marketing strategies.

Prospect-to-Tour Conversion Rate: How well are your leads converting into scheduled tours? This reflects your initial communication effectiveness and property marketing.

Tour-to-Application Rate: Are prospects who tour submitting applications? Low rates here could indicate issues with pricing, amenities, or overall appeal.

Application-to-Lease Rate: Are applications converting to leases? Bottlenecks might reveal issues with background checks, unclear processes, or leasing team delays.

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Lost Lead Analysis: Learning from the Ones That Got Away

Understanding why prospects don't convert is pure gold. 

👇 Track these key areas:

• Pricing concerns
• Competitor offerings
• Amenity preferences

👉 So you can optimize:

• Pricing strategy to match market expectations
• Sales team training for common objections
• Marketing focus on priority features

By identifying where prospects drop off and why they don't convert, property managers can make data-driven improvements that directly impact occupancy rates. 

But getting new residents is only half the battle – keeping them is equally crucial for maintaining healthy occupancy.

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3. Renewal Rates: Your Resident Retention Foundation 

Renewal rates represent the percentage of existing residents who choose to renew their leases. 

High renewal rates = resident satisfaction, community stability, reduced turnover costs, and low vacancy rates.

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What Drives Renewal Decisions?

🥰️ Resident Satisfaction: Quick maintenance response and professional management‍

💸 Pricing Sensitivity: Fair renewal rates relative to market and property quality

💬 Community Engagement: Events and amenities that build belonging

🏡 Unit Condition: Well-maintained and improved units over time

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What To Track:

🔎 Advance Notice Trends: Early renewal intentions vs. last-minute decisions

🔎 Non-Renewal Reasons: Track specific causes (relocation, pricing, amenities)

🔎 Resident Tenure Patterns: Monitor average tenancy duration for improvement insights

By focusing on these renewal factors and tracking key indicators, property managers can spot potential issues before they lead to move-outs. 

While the industry average renewal rate is 50-55%, top properties hit 65% or higher by staying ahead of resident needs. 

Remember: every renewal isn't just saved turnover costs – it's a resident choosing your community as their home.

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How Do We Measure at Zuma?

At Zuma, we provide property managers with advanced tools to measure and analyze occupancy and renewal rates along with their key inputs. Our AI leasing assistant, Kelsey, helps property managers act on real-time data and make informed decisions to drive better outcomes.

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Key Features of Zuma's Metrics Tracking:

• Funnel Analytics Dashboard: A visual dashboard breaks down each step in the leasing funnel—from lead generation to lease signing. This allows property managers to identify exactly where prospects are dropping off and why.
• Lost Lead Reporting: Zuma categorizes and visualizes lost lead reasons, helping property managers adjust pricing, marketing, or operational strategies.
• Customizable Reporting: Property managers can generate reports on conversion rates, lead sources, and more to benchmark their performance over time or across properties.

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The Impact of Targeting the Right Metrics

Magnolia Capital, which manages over 7,000 units, saw a 25% reduction in available units within just 11 weeks of implementing Zuma. 

The key? Engaging prospects when they're most active - which, surprisingly, is often after office hours. In fact, 60% of prospect engagement happens outside traditional business hours.

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Success Starts with the Right Focus

In today's competitive multifamily market, success isn't about tracking every possible metric – it's about mastering the ones that truly matter. 

By focusing on occupancy rate as your north star, understanding your leasing funnel's conversion points, and nurturing your renewal rates, you create a powerful framework for sustainable property performance.

Remember: These aren't just numbers on a spreadsheet. They're indicators of your community's health, your team's effectiveness, and your residents' satisfaction. When you get these three metrics right, everything else tends to fall into place.

Are you ready to transform your property's performance? Start by auditing these three essential metrics today. Your future occupancy rates will thank you.

Let's chat about how you can put these metrics to work for your community.