Tricks Of The Trade: Winning Welcome Letters

By James C. Elledge, IFMA Fellow, CFM, FMA, RPA, RIAQM
Published in the July 2010 issue of Today’s Facility Manager

Q How do I write a welcome memo to a new tenant informing him or her of the following: services provided, contact addresses, and phone numbers? Along with this information, I would like to encourage the new tenant to tell me how I can provide the best services.

Mr. Fiqi
Aceweb Ventures
Africa

A One You nearly had the answer when you e-mailed me your question! In terms of setting up a model, think about the last time you stayed at a hotel while traveling. Did you see and look over the ever present welcome booklet which explained the services and features offered by the hotel? You can copy the same type of format to create a new tenant letter.

Most important, your letter should include essential information like standard operating hours, special services (ATMs, overtime HVAC, etc.), contact numbers for repairs or emergencies, and any other features which set your facility apart from competitors. If well crafted, this letter can be a very helpful, informative marketing piece.

Elledge,facility/office services manager for Dallas, TX-based Summit AllianceCompanies, is the recipient of the Distinguished Author Award from theInternational Facility Management Association (IFMA), is an IFMA Fellow, and isa member of TFM’sEditorial Advisory Board. All questions have been submitted via the “Ask TheExpert” portion of the magazine’s Web site. To pose a question, visit this link.