SARASOTA, Fla. (Oct. 28, 2010) – In August 2010, local apartment communities managed by the Barrington Group began rewarding residents for contributing in and around their neighborhoods. The program, dubbed Resident Rewards, gives community members a reason to keep their lease up to date and their bills paid on time, with home upgrades and gift certificates offered in return for community involvement.
"When we realized our communities with high resident interaction had lower turnover rates, we decided to keep the trend going," says Ronda Gallehue, vice president, property management for the Barrington Group. "Resident Rewards is our solution to address turnover rates and to provide a completely unique living experience."
The program gives residents a list of tasks to earn points, such as turning rent in on time and organizing a welcoming committee to greet new neighbors. A community member earns points for referring a friend or for promoting the property with a custom bumper sticker.
These valuable points can be traded for a number of incentives. Residents can earn small items – gift certificates to the movies, coffee shops or book store – or larger ticket prizes including home upgrades, such as granite countertops or new carpeting. Residents can even pool their points and purchase upgrades for the property as a whole, like a new playground piece or a catered resident party.
Just passing the first-month mark, residents from the Barrington Group's properties across the nation have earned more than 12,000 points.
"The response from the first month has been resounding," says Gallehue. "We are incredibly impressed with the enthusiasm shown by our residents and are confident our communities will continue to recognize high occupancy rates."
For more information about the Barrington Group, please visit www.barringtonusa.com.
About The Barrington Group, Inc.
The Barrington Group, Inc. (BGI) is a professional property management company founded nearly 35 years ago in Ohio with a mission to maintain a portfolio of quality apartment communities. Today, BGI operates in 5 states and is always striving to provide excellent maintenance service, well-manicured grounds, spotless apartments and professional staff members while instilling a genuine care for the health, safety and well being of its residents. A strong belief in long-term relationships means BGI still manages many of the properties in its original portfolio. For more information on BGI, visit www.barringtonusa.com.