Apartmentalize 2025: How Amazon, Apple, and Airbnb Can Transform Multifamily

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The most successful consumer brands didn't achieve 35% revenue growth through cross-selling (Amazon), 92% retention rates (Apple), or seamless customer experiences (Airbnb) by accident. In this engaging panel discussion at Apartmentalize 2025, industry leaders Ariel Baranauckas, VP of Marketing at Carter-Haston Real Estate, Christie Bennett, VP of Systems Operations at Willow Bridge, and Andrew Halverson, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at Venn broke down how multifamily operators can adapt these proven buyer lifecycle strategies to drive revenue and improve resident satisfaction.

The Amazon Approach: Dynamic Bundling That Residents Actually Want

Turn Fee Transparency Into Revenue Opportunity

Amazon attributes approximately 35% of its sales to cross-selling strategies. Instead of presenting residents with a long list of separate fees that feel punitive, successful properties are creating lifestyle bundles that residents actively choose.

Traditional approach: Pet rent + storage fee + carport fee = frustrated residents.

‍Amazon-inspired approach: "Pet Parent Package" including dog park access, washroom amenity, monthly pet treats, and move-in water bowl

The Psychology of Choice Architecture

Think about your own subscription habits. Most people subscribe to multiple streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Paramount+) without thinking twice because each feels valuable and chosen. Properties can create this same mindset by:

• Letting residents build their lease like a subscription service
• Presenting options as lifestyle enhancements, not mandatory fees
• Using "frequently bundled together" suggestions like Amazon's shopping recommendations

A/B Testing Your Bundle Strategy

Don't guess what works—test it systematically:

• Property A: Traditional separate fees with basic descriptions
• Property B: Lifestyle packages with benefits clearly outlined
• Track conversion rates, resident satisfaction, and total ancillary revenue

Pro tip: Ask your leasing team for insights. They'll quickly tell you which presentation style generates more excitement and fewer objections.

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The Apple Effect: Retention by Deisgn

Seamless Integration Over Shiny Objects

Apple's 92% retention rate in the United States comes from ecosystem thinking, not individual product features. When you open an Apple product, everything feels clean, intuitive, and connected. The same principle should ally to property management technology.

The mistake: Adding every new PropTech tool without considering integration

‍The Apple way: Ensuring every resident touchpoint feels seamless and consistent no matter what device they're on.

Hidden Complexity, Beautiful Experience

Apple stores hide all the wires and technical complexity while presenting a premium, clean experience. Your residents shouldn't see the chaos behind the scenes—they should only experience:

• Consistent messaging across all platforms
• Same colors, logos, and tone throughout their journey
• Personalized communication that feels intentional, not automated

Data-Driven Personalization

Apple products feel personal because they learn from user behavior. Properties can capture data during the application process to create personalized experiences throughout residency:

• Welcome messages that reference specific amenities they showed interest in
• Maintenance follow-ups that feel human, not robotic
• Renewal conversations based on their actual community usage patterns

The Airbnb Method: Mapping Every Emotional Touchpoint

The Snow White Sessions

Airbnb identified 45 distinct moments in a guest journey from initial search to post-stay reflection. They tied specific emotions to each touchpoint, asking: "What should someone be feeling at this exact moment?"

For multifamily properties, this means mapping:

• First website visit → Excitement about possibilities
• Application process → Confidence in their choice
• Move-in day → Welcome and belonging
• Maintenance requests → Trust and care
• Renewal time → Satisfaction and loyalty

The Operator Experience Matters Too

Airbnb succeeds because they optimize for both guests AND hosts. Your on-site team are the hosts of your community. If they're overwhelmed with systems and administrative tasks, they can't create magical resident experiences.

Key insight: One team member had a maintenance emergency on a Monday morning, but the property manager refused to come out of her office because "she had reports to do." How can overwhelmed operators be hospitable hosts?

Automation Enables Human Connection

Smart automation removes repetitive tasks so your team can focus on relationship-building moments:

• Automated welcome sequences handle basic information
• System reminders ensure no revenue opportunities are missed
• Data tracking shows which residents need personal attention

This frees up staff for the moments that truly matter—like personally addressing maintenance concerns or celebrating resident milestones.

Three Core Implementation Strategies

1. Start Small, Track Everything

You don't need to revolutionize your entire operation overnight. Pick one area:

• Application process consistency: stop making residents enter information multiple times
• Move-in experience optimization: create a tech-enabled welcome sequence
• Maintenance follow-up automation: systematic satisfaction tracking

Track ROI, adoption rates, and resident satisfaction for each change.

2. Cross-Selling for Community Building

When residents don't qualify for your property, don't lose them entirely. Amazon-style cross-selling in multifamily means:

• Referring to sister properties or portfolio communities
• Maintaining positive brand relationships even when saying no
• Creating a network effect across your entire portfolio

Remember: "People forget what you say, they forget what you do, but they never forget how you make them feel."

3. Technology Integration Planning

Before adding new tech platforms, ask:

• Does this enhance our existing workflow or complicate it?
• Is the intigration seamless or will it add more friction?
• Can we maintain consistent messaging across all touchpoints?

The goal is Apple-level integration: residents shouldn't care whether you use one platform or ten, as long as their experience flows naturally from start to finish.

Key Takeaways for Immediate Action

Bundle your amenities and fees into lifestyle packages that residents choose rather than fees they have to pay. Test different presentations and track which generates higher satisfaction and revenue.

Map your complete resident journey from first touchpoint to move-out, identifying specific emotions you want to create at each stage. Focus on consistency across all platforms and communications.

Invest in your on-site team's experience as much as your residents'. Automate repetitive tasks so your team can focus on building relationships and creating community.

Start with one improvement rather than attempting a complete overhaul. Track results, build momentum, and expand your efforts based on what actually works.

The companies that dominate their industries understand that great experiences aren't accidents—they're systematically designed, consistently delivered, and continuously improved. Your residents are already trained by Amazon, Apple, and Airbnb to expect seamless, personalized, valuable experiences. The question is: are you ready to deliver them?

Ready to transform your resident experience? Learn how to leverage data for personalized experiences, create seamless operations, and introduce new revenue streams by applying the strategies that made Amazon, Apple, and Airbnb industry leaders.

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