You are crazy to waste real estate space! - guests told my parents

#DaddyJimLessons #CustomerExperience #CustomerFirst #CX1

#ONETeam #SNAPS #SageandNotableAdvisesfromPatrickSalazar

In the mid-1980s, my parents had a property blessing event for their first Commercial Appartments.

In the event, I heard several guests of my parents tell them.. “Why did you setback your apartment towards the middle of the property and leave valuable space in front? The properties here in Quezon City are very expensive. You are crazy to waste valuable real estate space like that!”

I recall my dad's reply to his guests: “I want to attract quality tenants. Their customers will need parking space; and that’s the reason why I set the building back for Customer Parking”

Our guests disapproved of my dad’s reason during the party. As a young boy, I later asked my dad to explain more. He said:

“Anak, our tenants are our customers. These are businessmen who’s mind is always FIRST and foremost about their CUSTOMERS. We must be able to see from the eyes of our customers what they need, what they want, and what else can help them become successful. If the business of our tenants (customers) is successful, they will pay their rent on time. This is why we need to help them become successful”

Fast forward to year 2020, my eldest daughter, Nina Gabrielle, is now the one in-charge of the Appartments in Kamias Road QC. During the global Covid-19 pandemic, she offered more months of free rent to our tenants than what the government mandated. She also gave huge discounted rent until the end of 2020 to her tenants plus free repairs of the usual wear and tear items in the appartments.

I asked my daughter why. She said “Dad, our tenants’ need help with their business. I want rent & repairs to be the least of their problems. They have been our tenants for a very long time already. They should just focus on rebuilding their business and their CUSTOMERS FIRST.” Result: ALL her tenants’ businesses went back in action and are paying their rent on time.

My dad is no longer with us… so hearing this from my daughter gave me happy tears coz it was just like my dad mentoring me when I was a little boy back in grade school. Now, I realize... the lesson my Dad gave as early as the mid-1980s was about CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE FIRST (CX1). --> Dad, I miss you!

*About the photo

This is my eldest daughter and my father during one of their mentorFUN sessions. They usually do their mentorship sessions while having fun, singing, eating and more eating... (did I say eating already?)

My parents gifted the Kamias Rd QC Apartments to my eldest daughter a couple of years ago. When my daughter enrolled in her Masters Degree (MBA), my dad turned over the management of the Appartments to her.