Welcome to the first-ever episode of the Feedback Fatigue podcast. In Season 1 Episode 1, we sit down with Faith Barker, Marketing Manager at Trilogy Real Estate Group, to discuss the transformative role of customer feedback.
Faith shares her team’s approach to turning feedback into actionable strategies that fuel both operational efficiency and marketing success. From improving business processes to boosting customer satisfaction, this episode explores how Trilogy keeps feedback at the heart of their growth strategy. Dive in as we break down practical insights you can apply to your own business.
Faith views feedback proactively. She says, “I look at feedback as not just a reflection of what has already been done but as kind of a roadmap for how we can operate moving forward.”
She emphasizes that every piece of feedback, good or bad, is critical to shaping decisions and ensuring that every property under Trilogy’s management continues to improve.
"We don’t take it as something you get and either agree or disagree with,” she says. “It’s their truth." By analyzing feedback without personal bias, Faith and her team are able to make informed decisions that resonate with residents and make a difference.
Faith’s approach to positive feedback is about celebrating success while also guiding marketing strategies. She explains: “We want to take [positive feedback] and see how we can make sure this really good review is something that everybody sees and is aware of.” She often turns glowing resident reviews into content for social media, email campaigns, and video reels.
“If someone talks about how beautiful our grounds are,” she says. “We’ll show a little video of how beautiful the grounds are.” This not only highlights the strengths of the property but enhances its authenticity and relatability, which prospective residents appreciate. Faith creates a stronger connection between current and prospective residents by visually showcasing positive feedback.
While positive reviews are great for marketing, Faith is just as dedicated to resolving negative feedback. She says, “If it’s negative, we take it in and say, ‘Okay, let’s get everyone’s side of this.’” Faith believes in getting to the root of the issue and finding ways to repair any broken relationships with residents.
She shares an example from her time at a property with few amenities, where feedback about the maintenance team became a key marketing point. “We didn’t have a ton of amenities, but we had an amazing maintenance tech. In fact, our residents said he was the best one, and that became a selling point.” By focusing on what residents valued most, Faith was able to make this property stand out to potential residents.
Faith is a firm believer in building strong relationships with on-site teams, especially the maintenance crew, who often play a pivotal role in the resident experience. “Anytime I work with a new property or we get a new maintenance tech on, I always want to be best friends with them because they do so much for the properties,” she says.
She emphasizes the importance of marketing properties based on their true qualities, rather than relying solely on glamorous amenities. Faith explains how she leverages feedback and on-the-ground insights to maintain transparency in marketing: “I think it’s really important to market what’s really happening at your property, just keeping it as real as possible.”
In addition to feedback, Faith is also experimenting with AI tools to elevate Trilogy’s marketing efforts. “We play a lot with AI at Trilogy,” she says, highlighting a tool called Copy AI that allows her team to rewrite copy in the voice of different brands. This approach ensures that each property’s marketing resonates with local audiences, while still aligning with Trilogy’s broader brand identity.
She shares an example of using AI to customize messaging: “You can take a paragraph of copy and have it rewritten in the voice of, say, Campbell’s Soup. It lets us communicate the same message but in a way that aligns better with the audience.”
When occupancy falls at a property, Faith turns to feedback for answers. “If a property is struggling, whether it’s low occupancy rates or we’re just needing to increase concessions, I think it’s important to look at the reviews we’ve been getting,” she says.
Feedback provides context that goes beyond the numbers, helping the team diagnose issues that may not show up in standard reports. Faith says, “If multiple residents are mentioning the same issue with noise or the same staff member, it can tell you where you need to focus and where improvements can be made.”
Faith doesn’t just stop at gathering feedback—she takes it a step further by identifying key residents who can serve as informal ambassadors for the property. “Sometimes those reviews can help us identify who are good people we should reach out to that are willing to give us feedback and say, ‘Hey, we’ve made this change, have you noticed a difference?’” she states. These ambassadors help Trilogy maintain open lines of communication and continue improving the resident experience.
Faith Barker’s approach to customer feedback demonstrates how businesses can harness the power of reviews to improve operations and enhance marketing strategies.
By taking feedback seriously and incorporating it into both day-to-day management and long-term strategy, Faith ensures that Trilogy’s properties are continuously evolving to meet resident expectations.
As Faith herself puts it, “Every chance is an opportunity to get a little better.” By using feedback as a roadmap, she and her team are building stronger relationships with residents, improving operational efficiency, and creating authentic marketing content that resonates with current and prospective tenants alike.
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