Elevating the Resident Experience with Best-in-Class Training
Part 2: HOW TEAM TRAINING AT THE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE LEADS TO MORE SATISFIED RESIDENTS
At Avenue Living, growth brings innovation, but also the challenge of managing change. To stay ahead, we focus on clarity, collaboration, and continuous improvement. As we upgrade our systems and processes, our teams must stay agile. That’s where training comes in. Well-prepared teams deliver consistent, high-quality service — a key factor in our ability to stand out in a competitive rental market.
To support this, we created the Avenue Living Centre of Excellence (CoE) — a dedicated training hub for our residential teams. It provides consistent, high-impact training to new and existing team members across our 500+ properties.
Bringing everyone through the CoE ensures shared knowledge and tools.“Strong training builds confidence and consistency in decision-making,” says Trent Schaber, Director of Operational Training. “When teams are supported, residents benefit.”
Developing the Skills That Directly Impact Resident Satisfaction
CoE training teaches practical problem-solving skills, including de-escalation, active listening, and solution-focused communication. “When residents have concerns, we want our team members equipped to resolve the issue thoroughly and quickly,” says Schaber.
Time and calendar management are also key. “We teach team members to plan their time carefully so they can stay responsive to maintenance, inspections, and resident needs,” says Schaber. Teams are trained to be present in buildings, spot issues early, and maintain consistent service standards — all of which create a seamless resident experience.
Resident Retention and Community-Building
Resident retention and community building are core pillars of the Centre of Excellence’s mission. Training helps team members understand their role and access the tools they need to solve resident concerns more effectively. Schaber adds, “We’re not just reacting, we’re preparing property managers to be proactive, informed leaders.”
With training in technology, communication, and time management, team members can anticipate needs, respond faster, and set clear expectations. The result? Residents feel heard and valued and are more likely to stay.
The CoE also supports community engagement, giving Resident Managers ideas and frameworks for organizing memorable events that help residents connect with each other — and with the Avenue Living team. More importantly, we reinforce how field and head office teams can work together to streamline communication and coordination.
Measuring Success and Plans for Future Growth
As the Centre of Excellence matures, we will continue to refine our processes and KPIs to support overall compliance and track improvements in key areas like occupancy, rent collection, and service response times. We’re also focused on softer skills like leadership, communication, listening, and receiving feedback.
Our long-term vision for the Centre of Excellence is to open a second location capable of hosting larger groups and to roll out a Regional Training Partner program that supports ongoing training in the field. Participants of this regional program will receive specialized facilitator training and development through the CoE that will enhance their personal skill set and empower them to provide additional peer-to-peer support during periods of large-scale transition.
In a competitive rental landscape, operational excellence is a key differentiator. The Centre of Excellence positions Avenue Living to deliver on that — now and into the future.
This commentary and the information contained herein are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities in any jurisdiction, and do not and are not intended to constitute financial or legal advice. This article may contain forward-looking information and past results may not be indicative of future results. Neither Avenue Living Asset Management Ltd. or Tract Farmland Partners LP, or any of their respective affiliates, has any obligation to update, or any liability in respect of, the information contained herein. Readers should speak to their own financial advisors about any investment decisions and the associated risks.
