Category: Blog

Learn what tenants and landlords can expect from these inspections

Rental property inspections often happen when a tenant is moving in or moving out of a unit. A move-in and move-out inspection looks at the state of the rental unit and notes any damages or needed repairs.

Move in and move out inspections benefit both the landlord and the tenant as they hold everyone accountable for the damages and the maintenance the unit may need.

Continue reading to learn more about these inspections and why they’re important.

What is a move-in inspection? 

Prior to a tenant moving in, both landlords (or property managers) and tenants should perform a move-in inspection. These inspections create a record of the state of the rental property as the tenant received it.

Both tenants and landlords should take note of any existing wear and tear that the previous tenant may have caused. It’s also a good idea to take pictures along with notes of the damages, that way there is a written and visual record. Some important things to look for in a move-in inspection include previous damages, broken appliances, and working fire and security alarms.

What is a move-out inspection?

When a tenant’s lease is over and they are moving out of a rental unit, landlords (or property managers) will schedule a move-out inspection with the tenant where they will walk through the unit looking for any new damages or unapproved changes.

While tenants are not required to be present at move-out inspections, it’s usually a good idea that they are. When tenants are not present, it becomes a case of one person’s word against another. Ideally, a move-out inspection should be a streamlined and efficient process where everyone is in agreement at the end.

Landlords (or property managers) will have the move-in inspection form with them, so that they can compare the condition of the unit prior to move-in with its current state. This allows both the landlord and tenant to be sure which damages were caused during the current tenant’s lease.

Pre-Move-Out Inspections (and Why You Should Care)

Yes, you still need to do a Move-Out Inspection as well. A lot can change between ‘someone’s home’ and ‘no one’s home!’

One of the more annoying aspects of property management is the need to perform inspections when the tenant is still living in the home. Sometimes, it’s easy — but more often than not, the tenants don’t cooperate with the desire to inspect. That means coming in to do an inspection is always a gamble, even if you give warning that you’re coming: no one wants to take the time to actually have an inspection performed. No one likes an interruption! But the benefits of consistently doing pre-move-out inspections outweigh the risk by a solid margin.

What Is a Pre-Move-Out Inspection?
Hopefully, everyone reading this knows what a move-out inspection is: it’s what you do after the tenant is gone, to figure out what all needs to be done before the next tenant can move in. A pre-move-out inspection is actually remarkably similar — but you do it while the tenant is still there.
Your inspector, with or without the tenant (more on that in a moment), goes through the house and notes everything they can find that would cost the tenant a part of their security deposit. They compare that list to the list of problems that existed when the tenant moved in — you did perform a move-in inspection, right? — and cross all of those pre-existing conditions off of their new list.

The Second Reason for Pre-Move-Out Inspections
That new list gets turned over to the tenant so that they can fix up everything they care to fix up (so as to get back as much of their deposit as possible). This saves the owner time and money on fixing easy problems, and makes the tenant happy to get more cash in their pocket. But that’s only the second reason.

The Main Reason for Pre-Move-Out Inspections
The main benefit is that the inspection will tell you the condition of the property, which reduces turnaround time when the tenant moves out. If the place is a mess, showings aren’t an option, which means advertising isn’t an option. On the other hand, you know you need to line up contractors for maintenance, and you can arrange them to start the day after move-out (or as close as possible). On the other hand, if the place is nice enough to show, you can start advertising as soon as you have the ability, which will also help reduce vacant time.

Tenant’s Option
We mentioned above that you can end up doing a pre-move-out inspection with or without the tenant on hand. This isn’t up to you! You are legally obligated to give the tenant the opportunity to walk through alongside your inspector (which means you must adapt to the tenant’s schedule as far as is reasonable). If they choose to let you inspect without them present, that’s fine — but in our experience, few of them will.

It’s a Trap!
There is one major legal trap you have to beware of when you send an inspector out to a property for a pre-move-out inspection. Many times, a tenant will try their hardest to get your inspector to make any sort of statement to the effect of “here’s what you need to fix up in order to get your deposit back.” It is 100% mission-critical that your inspector not say anything of the sort.
The reason why should be obvious: you don’t want to give the tenant a leg to stand on should they decide to try to take you to court because they didn’t get their security deposit back in full. It’s ridiculous to think that a pre-move-out inspection could possibly catch every single issue that might require you to withhold a portion of the security deposit — heck many post-move-out inspections don’t do that!

So leave the tenant with some official documentation that specifies that these lists will help them get their rental up to snuff before they leave, but in no way constitute an agreement that you will be returning any portion of their security deposit. Avoid that one trap, and getting pre-move-out inspections done regularly will help your owners minimize the downtime on their properties, and your tenants will appreciate your efforts as well

As people get older they’re less capable of managing daily tasks, such as grocery shopping, picking up prescription medicine, and more. Senior citizens often hire errand runners to do the tasks they no longer can, or want to, do. Errand businesses typically charge between $20 and $35 an hour, with a national average of about $30 an hour. As an errand runner you stand to make a nice profit. So what are the steps to getting started?

1. Legal Structure

First you need to decide on the legal structure of your business. Is it a sole proprietorship, partnership, or limited liability corporation? Whichever you choose will affect what taxes you pay and what your liability will be. Also, while you’re doing this, make sure you license your business based on whatever your state’s procedures are. You’ll also need to get a federal tax identification number.

2. Name Your Business

Now you’re ready to name your errand service business. Think of something catchy and memorable. Consider putting your city name in it, or even your own name. Make sure no one else is using your name and that it hasn’t been trademarked already.

3. Insurance

You must have insurance. It can protect you in the case of a lawsuit or claim. Check with your state about auto insurance. Some require it if you are using your car for commercial purposes. There are other insurances you might need, such as if you’ll be transporting seniors, driving one of your customer’s cars, or house and pet sitting. It’s best to check with your insurance company to learn what is required.

4. Gather Supplies

An errand business is great, because you won’t need a lot of supplies. In fact, most you probably have already. You’ll need a reliable car to get you to and from your customers and wherever the errands take you. You should also have a cell phone and computer as a way to be contacted. After this you should consider purchasing business cards as a great way to get your name and contact information to prospective customers. And don’t forget a day planner or other way to stay organized. You need some way to keep track of all your appointments and customers.

5. Choose Services

It’s a good idea to make a list of what services you offer. You should also put something that says, “If you don’t see the service you need – just call and ask if we offer it!” There are many errands you could consider offering: bank and car errands, dog walking, dry cleaning, grocery shopping, and many, many more.

6. Set Your Prices

Most errand runners charge by the hour, not the task. If the task involves a lot of driving, you might want to charge for mileage. You should also charge differently if you’re being asked to work outside your normal business hours or on a holiday. Consider offering package deals as a way to get customers. If they’re only using your services for grocery shopping, pick a special rate for that. Experiment and find out what works best for you.

Starting an errand service business is quite easy. In just six easy steps you could be up and running errands before you know it!

We understand that the failure of shipping companies to meet their on-time delivery promises is a common and unfortunate occurrence especially during peak shipping periods like the holidays and when supply chains experience difficulties. Let’s discuss in this article how to handle unexpected delivery issues.

Being an online merchant, it is essential to consider the potential effects of delivery delays

• During the holidays, up to 10% of packages may arrive late.
• After merely one instance of late delivery, over half of customers (45%) say they will not order from the business again.
• Customers who have their holiday orders delayed may vent their wrath on social media, discouraging potential new customers.

However, businesses aren’t always able to guarantee timely deliveries. And if you ignore customers’ questions and complaints about the delay, the situation will only get worse. So always to handle unexpected delivery issues wisely.

Shipping Delays—Why?

Delays can ruin an eCommerce store’s brand and lose clients’ trust. Online merchants hate delayed delivery, but they happen. Below are some of common causes.

International versus Domestic Shipping

Airport congestion and severe weather are major delays in international shipment. It’s crucial to fill out foreign customs paperwork accurately to avoid delays.

Traffic, construction, big bottlenecks and diversions, and accidents hurt domestic shipping more. Failed delivery attempts, large volumes (particularly during holidays and peak periods),

Holidays:

eCommerce peaks over holidays. This entails a large increase in shipping volumes that can rapidly surpass couriers’ capacities, especially if they don’t have a good delivery network or system. This can delay packages when customers need them most.

Supply Chain Logistics issues cause most delivery delays:

During holidays, peak eCommerce times, and significant sales, a lack of capacity to process orders or store items causes most supply chain limitations. If your shipping partners don’t have enough cars and workers, they can happen on the last mile to the customer’s door.

Customs International shipment requires customs clearance:

Customs may keep your package indefinitely or until the necessary documentation are attached and filled out.

Reliable courier services monitoring customs documents can avoid customs delays. Easy ship may automatically create customs paperwork for your shipments to minimize customs delays.

Address Mistake

The delivery provider may not have adequate information to deliver an item if a customer submits a misspelled or incorrect address or the shop doesn’t properly document the order. This may delay or prevent delivery.

How Do Shipping Delays can Damage Businesses?

When the customer receives their order, an eCommerce sale is final. Delays may ruin the eCommerce retail business. These indicators can help you understand the cost of late deliveries. So, always handle unexpected delivery issues professionally.

If their order doesn’t arrive in two days, 69% of customers won’t return. After one late delivery, 17% of purchasers will stop buying with an eCommerce retailer, and 55% will stop after two to three.

New customers pay five to 25 times more than current ones. A 5% client retention increase can enhance your earnings by 25% to 95%, and loyal customers are worth 10 times their first purchase.

Here are four ways to handle unexpected delivery issues and make amends with consumers who have experienced a late delivery and yet hope to do business with you in the future.

Recognize and Accept Your Limitations

• Don’t overextend your company’s delivery capabilities to the point where late deliveries are the norm.
• Give customers accurate shipping estimates, even if it means they may receive their orders from a competitor sooner.
• Customers appreciate fast shipping times, but they value knowing their items will arrive on time much more.
• Tell customers the truth about the estimated time of delivery. If you can’t make your delivery on schedule, it could hurt your relationship with them.

Communicate any delays openly

• The one important thing that you need to handle unexpected delivery issues is if the late delivery is caused not by you (for example that is due to weather or any other eternal factors), still contact the customers, inform them and apologize.
• Customers are more understanding when they are informed of the circumstances surrounding the delay and given updated shipping estimates.
• No one appreciates a late shipment, but customers do realize that natural disasters and supply chain issues can be to blame.

Be Generous With Your Time or Money

• A recent study of internet shoppers found that 90% of those who had a late delivery or other delivery issue publicly or privately complained about it.
• Social media criticism isn’t always a bad thing for business. When brands engage with consumers in the face of criticism, they earn good perceptions. If people are reading your comments and evaluations, you have a chance to get them to return as clients.
• Express gratitude to the dissatisfied consumers, assure them that their business is appreciated, and promise to do all possible to prevent future late delivery.
• When businesses invite dissatisfied customers to contact them personally, it’s often because they want to make up for the trouble they’ve caused.
• Customers will know you appreciate their business when you compensate them for delivery delays with store credit, shipping refunds, or freebies. Customers who might not have returned otherwise may be persuaded to do so by such seemingly insignificant actions.
• Take Initiative to Mitigate the Effects of a Delayed Shipment
• Delivery is always late. What if you could stop them from affecting your clients?
• Real-time tracking, predictive notifications, and marking late packages across many carriers and locations. If you contact customer service in advance, they can fix the issue before the client notices.
• Send customized, automated messages to your customers when bad weather delays their orders to keep them calm and informed.
• Even if the issue isn’t fixed, being proactive can improve customer relations and delivery.
• Customers whose orders are delayed might be kept by keeping them informed.
• Taking a customer-first approach to shipping might help you keep clients even if there are delays or problems.
• When shipments are late, your business may lose consumers.
• Your chances of retaining consumers who have had a negative delivery experience can be greatly improved via open, honest communication.
• Clutch is a B2B research, ratings, and reviews platform, and Riley Panko is the Marketing Communications Manager there. With the information provided by Clutch, company buyers are better able to choose a reliable business services or technology solutions partner.

 What do you say when a client complains that you were late with a shipment?

Here are some tips to handle unexpected delivery issues.

• Always tell customers the truth regarding the fastest shipping option available to you.
• Customers must be informed immediately of the shipping delay and given updated delivery estimates.
• Customers who have been affected by shipping delays should receive an apology letter and coupons for future discounts.
• Maintain your consumers’ confidence by keeping them apprised of the status of their packages via regular, individualized alerts that are tailored to the scenario.

To which consumers should you extend an apology for the wait?

Customers should be informed of the reason for the delay, given a choice of solutions, and offered savings like free shipping or discounted rates on their next order, in addition to other incentives.

Why do shipments of goods sometimes arrive late?

Common causes of delivery delays include miscommunications in transit, failed deliveries, inefficient warehouse management, a lack of communication between parties, problems clearing customs (in the case of international shipments), acts of nature, etc. Shipping companies often push their limits over the holidays, which might cause delays.

Every firm wants to build great customer-client relationships. Loyalty programs, incentives, great customer service, and high-quality products may help build consumer confidence. Same-day delivery is one way to boost sales.

Small businesses should be aware that same-day delivery can help them keep customers and attract new ones. Opportunities are not limited to huge companies. 65% of Amazon shoppers would buy elsewhere if the other store offered their chosen shipping option.

Same-day delivery is when a customer orders an item that arrives at their door within 24 hours. This service is available most days except holidays.

Same-day delivery equals happy customers, fewer shipping and inventory expenses, more customers, higher profits and business opportunities, and a competitive edge.

Modern times require expedited shipping. No matter what industry you are in, you will always encounter consumers who demand the quickest possible delivery time. Customers anticipate receiving their products and services no later than the estimated delivery time and date. As an e-commerce business, you are aware of how important time is to your consumers, to the extent that a late package could result in a refund or cancellation.

The same principle holds true for services. The client has every right to file a complaint or request a refund if the results are unsatisfactory and late.

E-Commerce Same-Day Delivery:

• Because of Amazon Prime, more e-commerce companies are offering next-day delivery. Internet retailers are now offering same-day delivery, cutting order-to-delivery time.
• Same-day delivery remains unknown to consumers and businesses. E-commerce has been greatly impacted by faster delivery.
• Professionals found that 6 of 10 organizations want same-day delivery in 2019. Other data reveal considerable demand for this service. 48% of buyers favour same-day delivery.

What are benefits of Same-Day Delivery?

Let’s discover in detail that what the benefits when customers get their parcel on same day.

Higher Customer Satisfaction:

Same-day delivery helps clients who can’t wait or get to the store. Customers would be happier if they may buy or return on the same day. Customers are happier with streamlined service.

Establish Trust:

• Happy customers make a successful firm. Same-day delivery lets you achieve this. Express delivery boosts your credibility.
• Customers see how much you value their purchases and time. They are flattered and tell their social and commercial networks.
• Repeat and referral customers result.

Easier Purchase Decision:

• After-delivery delays are e-commerce’s biggest problem. Same-day delivery helps.
• Thus, immediacy boosts internet purchases. Same-day delivery also reduces cart abandonment.

Reduce Inventory Costs:

• Companies can maintain less daily inventory with same-day delivery.
• Due to stock process efficiency, stock enters and leaves the warehouse swiftly. With more orders, designing automatic sorting systems is easier. Simplifying charges will lower your long-term costs.

Faster Performance:

• You’ll get things done when you realize your team must finish and leave for the day. Conventional delivery services presuppose that workers will sort tomorrow’s inventory but leave the job before their shifts end.
• Due of same-day delivery, they will realize they must ship items quickly. Performance-based financial incentives can ensure this.

Stay Ahead:

• With so many companies promising next-day delivery and other benefits, it’s important to stand out.
• You may compete with local small businesses and persuade customers.

Increase Margins:

Same-day courier service can boost profit margins. If your customers need your items instantly, you can charge anything you want, within reason. Timely delivery is all that matters to a rushed client.

Boosting Conversions:

If you’ve bought online, you know that sometimes you put something to your cart, read the shipping date, and can’t wait. If you’re in a rush, Google for a competitor that sells the same things but delivers faster.

Convenient for Your Business:

• Business owners know convenience is important. Same-day delivery is convenient. If you can provide a product to your staff before closing, you can get work done and keep things operating smoothly.
• Large companies need convenience even more. Your organization will need speedy deliveries to feed and care for more personnel. Same-day delivery is easy.

It helps institution relaying on same day delivery:

• You work at a hospital, class, or other institution that relies on deliveries. You probably know that shipping corporations will control you. You may struggle to keep up with lengthy tasks.
• Same-day delivery solves that. To stay on track, you can have things delivered to your door. Any institution needs this service, so use it.
• Same-Day Shipping Restricted and Prevented Lost Packages
• Long-term storage in a warehouse poses the problem of frequent misplacement. Let’s suppose that there are too many products in your stock and your staff is unable to manage and keep the record, then there is chance that you might lose a few of your orders.
• When a company implements same-day delivery services, the risk is reduced. Including this procedure in a business model ensures that shipments do not remain on the premises for more than 24 hours. Reducing loss is essential, particularly if you, as a business proprietor, want to avoid customer complaints regarding the cancellation and loss of their ordered items.

Same-Day Shipping Services Enhances Productivity and Profitability

• You will never have to fret about sales being insufficient. Now-a-days, word-of-mouth marketing is considered to be more reliable and getting more popular due to influencers on social media. Getting positive feedback about anything can help any business to grow than ever before.
• Imagine that word spreads that your company can deliver any item ordered the same day. Consequently, you will likely be able to attract more prospects and paying customers to your platform. Consequently, it may be sufficient to elevate your brand above the competition.

Conclusion

If you want speedier deliveries and a successful business, provide same-day delivery. It’s ideal for online businesses and those in industries that require regular shipping.

Same day delivery services are an innovation that a business may employ to increase its market share. It may not be simple to execute, but it is doable and manageable with the proper perspective and attitude.

Same-day delivery has the potential to reduce your inventory costs, limit or prevent parcel loss, and boost your productivity and profits. This type of delivery service will ensure that your target audience receives nothing but the highest quality service.

Guest service representatives, also known as guest service agents, are specialists in the hospitality industry. Generally, these agents are employed in hotels, spa units, or in places where guests need service or information for better accommodation. They multitask in the industry to provide outstanding service to guests. Building good relationships with customers is paramount to their job as they help promote a friendly environment. Their primary aim is to make their customers happy and satisfied with any service they offer.

GUEST SERVICES RESPONSIBILITIES

For your protection and benefit your landlord must give you the opportunity for an initial move-out inspection, to be held not earlier than two weeks before your departure date. At the inspection, the landlord should make a list of the intended security deposit deductions (for damage or excessive wear and tear). The tenant may remedy the problems, keeping in mind any repair restrictions in the lease or rental agreement. Landlords can then deduct for unremedied problems. Landlords can also deduct for deficiencies that were not apparent during the inspection due to the presence of the tenant’s possessions and for deficiencies that appear after the inspection.

Due to the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for delivery services has remained on the higher side. Furthermore, due to the rapid rise of e-commerce, many people are buying things online, and there is a lot of demand for the delivery of items/services. Therefore, starting a pickup and delivery business in 2022 is a wise decision, but let’s understand the most profitable pickup and delivery businesses and their advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages of entering a pickup and delivery business

Simplicity

The pickup and delivery businesses are quite straightforward. There is just one objective: to get the parcel to the consumer as quickly as possible. This simple nature of the delivery business appeals to several business people who do not want to get involved in complex business structures.

Flexibility

The diversity involved in a delivery business model provides much flexibility to you as a business owner. You may begin the business in one sector and switch or expand to another later.

Scalability

The delivery business is extremely scalable. You may make a small beginning by keeping low overhead costs and lower investment to judge the prospects. Then you can later scale the operations to make more money.

Easy control

The delivery business is ideal when looking for a manageable business that will allow you to keep a good oversight. In the beginning, you can drive and make the delivery yourself. Later, when you scale the business, you can use tools for operating the teams.

Better independence

This business provides a lot of freedom to you. There is no need to work for the usual 9 to 5 hours hunched on a desk. The line allows you to be your boss.

The most profitable pickup and delivery business ideas for 2022

1. Milk delivery business

Milk distribution/delivery is profitable due to the huge demand-supply gap in the market. With the “near me” concept popular among consumers, hyperlocal business models are expected to grow exponentially using technology. The milk delivery market generated nearly $60,000 million in revenue in 2021.

Want milk delivered? Just App it: Utilizing technology, startups now allow customers to order milk online, specify the quantity, track routes and get notified in real-time. This can be extended to delivering other dairy products like cheese, butter, cream and paneer.

2. Laundry delivery business

It has become a fast-paced world these days, and with several tasks piling up each day, you can get a rising demand for laundry delivery services. This industry is projected to become a $113 billion marketplace by 2027. However, to ensure that the business venture is successful, you need to take into account the challenges, optimize the business by using technology, have competitive pricing, and market the business locally.

The laundry business has a low cost of entry, and can be started from home. It is a flourishing business, and several opportunities exist to differentiate your business from others.

You can enhance the laundry delivery service by using optimization software or app to decrease tech barriers while starting a laundry delivery business. This will ensure that the new business is quickly profitable.

Using a software presents the opportunity to schedule the deliveries easily and ahead of time. Maximizing daily deliveries by combining pickups and drop-offs on the same route is possible. You can provide a better delivery experience to the users and even price the laundry service competitively.

3. Garbage pickup business

On-demand businesses have become extremely popular due to the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur looking to enter the pickup & delivery space, there may be a hidden gem in the garbage pickup business.

Although the trash pickup business may sound uninitiated and offbeat, several big players are working on it. Some huge names such as SoulCycle and WeWork are working in the field.

Some of the essential items required for the garbage pickup business include selecting the garbage truck, getting the equipment ready, and getting the necessary licenses.

There is a massive potential involved in the scrap metal pickup and delivery business.

There are some solid benefits you can get from the business, but, it is a good idea to use technology for this purpose. You can promote the business in the market activity to find out the real potential of the market quickly. When you are ready with other arrangements, be sure to get the necessary technical assistance from experts. A proper delivery management software platform will allow you to track your truck arrangements and optimize the suitable route.

4. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and egg delivery

Vegetables and fresh fruit are consumed by people on daily basis. They are classified as consumable items or goods. There is one thing you need to remember before starting a fruit and vegetable delivery business. It is that these are perishable items, and have a short storage period.

Therefore, for establishing a solid sourcing and delivery network you need to do well in the business. Eggs are one of the convenient animal protein items used in many household kitchens. Not only that, they are nutritious and tasty. But carrying them can be tough and risky as they are fragile.

It is easily possible to start a delivery business for these items in your local area. You can serve both domestic and commercial customers such as snack bars and restaurants by using this business. Using the online delivery business model for this purpose can be extremely challenging. Many renowned companies are operating in this space such as BigBasket and Amazon. They are not only working in the metros but also in smaller cities and towns. You need to have proper technological assistance for developing an app for this purpose. You can create an application that is suitable for your business.

Conclusion

In the past few years, the pickup and delivery business sector has seen rapid growth. The business will keep on growing at a quick rate. This is due to the shift in consumer preferences after the pandemic pandemic as we can see growth in the delivery business sales. This growth is likely to continue in the upcoming months. If you are looking to develop your online business platform for your pickup and delivery business.