Building Communication: What do tenants really want?

A recent survey of CRE tenants conducted by Alida, sheds light on their building communication preferences and warns of the potential downside of some of the most used methods of disseminating critical building information and updates.

Among those with digital screens in their building, when asked to rank their top 2 preferred methods of receiving office building communication, office tenants across North America had three clear choices.  Email (58%) emerged in the top spot; but only slightly ahead of app notifications/text messages (55%) and digital signage (53%). Living in a digital, more eco-friendly world, it was not surprising that posters or printed signage was the least preferred method. 

But does tenant preference align with property management practices? The answer is no. A similar study from Alida of CRE property managers in January 2024, shows that the building communication tactics PMs feel are most effective does not align with tenant preferences – at all.

	Property Management Top 2 Most Effective Ways To Communicate	CRE Tenants Top 2 Preferred Ways to Receive Building Communication
EMAIL	95%	58%
APP NOTIFICATIONS/TEXT MESSAGES	65%	55%
DIGITAL SIGNAGE	20%	53%
POSTERS	20%	34%

With research from both the CRE PMs and tenant perspectives, we’re able to understand clearly that property management is over-valuing email and app notifications/text messages while severely under-valuating digital signage. It’s important for properties to understand this disparity and readjust their strategy to better align with tenant preferences.

Let’s take a minute to explore the top building communication methods and most importantly – those that are most preferred by tenants:

EMAIL

For both tenants and properties, email is the leading mode of building communication – deemed most effective by PMs & slightly out-ranks apps/texts and digital signage for tenant preference. While it is a staple of a property’s communication toolbox, there are some drawbacks that can’t be ignored which mean it cannot be the only tool used – or over-used.

Deliverability is a key concern for any email effort. We can all agree that our email inboxes are overflowing and often important notices land in our junk folders. More than half (55%) of tenants with digital screens in their buildings report that they miss emails sent from their buildings. Properties must also contend with how their emails will be delivered to tenants – less than half (45%) of tenants receive emails directly from building management. Over half (52%) receive emails through their HR or Office Management – meaning properties must rely on their emails being forwarded along – leaving much to chance. 

More than 1 in 2 of tenants with digital screens in their buildings miss emails sent from their building

Time and resources are another drawback of emails. They require a lot of time and effort for the property management team to craft, build and disseminate emails. For the most essential notices, email is critical. However, there are likely other turnkey, less resource intensive tools in the tenant communication toolbox that can take the lead. Email is an important part of a building’s strategy – but shouldn’t be over-valued as it currently is & not over-used to the point where tenants who do receive building communication in their inbox choose to ignore it.

APP NOTIFICATIONS / TEXT MESSAGES

Our phones are personal, in our pockets and pinging with notifications all day. This makes it a great way to deliver building communications – especially for time sensitive or urgent notices.

While an effective method of delivering building messages, due to the personal nature of our devices it should not be over-used by CRE property managers to avoid having tenants opt-out from messages or app push notifications.

Another hurdle property managers face when relying on property app notifications is that nearly 1 in 2 tenants whose building has an app do not use it. Of the other half, nearly 20% of those state they only use it rarely. With low property app adoption, app notifications are likely not the best way to reach the masses.

DIGITAL SIGNAGE

The research confirms that tenant preferences for digital signage are comparable with email. Digital communication on elevator screens or lobby displays in busy common areas is an effective, highly visible method to communicate to the masses. 3 in 4 tenants like that their building uses digital lobby or elevator screens to communicate with them (among those buildings that do so).

3 in 4 tenants like that their building uses digital lobby or elevator screens to communicate with them

From the Property Manager perspective, digital signage is turnkey and a time saver for their teams. Industry leading digital signage solutions like Captivate provide ample training and creative templates to make message development & publishing a breeze. 95% of Property Managers agree that Captivate ScreenCenter™ cloud-based communication portal is an effective communication tool. With over 95% of Captivate viewers watching screens regularly – property messages on digital signage are effective and impactful.

Because digital signage is turnkey, it can and should play a leading role in any office property’s tenant communication strategy. It offers high visibility, ensuring that messages are seen by a large audience without being intrusive – serving as a great compliment to critical updates sent via email and/or text/app notifications.

With digital signage – you know tenants are watching, enjoy it & prefer it as a top method of building communication. By enhancing engagement and leveraging tenants’ preferences, you increase overall satisfaction and communication effectiveness.

Any Communication Is Good Communication – But Your Methods Matter

There are pros and cons to all tenant communication methods but one thing is for certain – building community and maintaining good communication with tenants is a critical component of your property’s success. Tenants value their relationship with the management team. Understanding your tenant’s building communication preferences and tailoring your strategy accordingly will lead to a winning strategy for achieving property goals.