Good communication skills are essential in every line of work and it is no different in the leasing sector. Luckily, meeting and interacting with others is effortless for Lynn Foo.
We sat down with Lynn, the leasing executive at Anchorpoint to find out more about what she does and how she does it.
Face to face
Upon meeting Lynn, it was immediately apparent that she is an engaging person who makes you feel right at home with her candour.
For those unfamiliar with the responsibilities of a leasing executive, it involves overseeing all aspects of leasing within the shopping mall, as well as building rapport with current and potential tenants to ensure a smooth-sailing relationship.
Let’s face it, technology, emails, texting and voice messages have made it extremely easy to communicate with everyone and deal with routine issues efficiently.
Lynn however, still prefers face to face interactions with her tenants. “I love meeting and interacting with other people. That is still the most enjoyable part of my job.” Having been a leasing executive at Anchorpoint for many years, she has learned a lot and worn many hats, working closely with her tight-knit team to keep the mall running smoothly.
Putting the pieces together
After starting her career in the hospitality industry, Lynn decided to challenge herself and explore her options in the retail management industry.
Anchorpoint is quite the hidden gem. Situated away from Singapore’s bustling city centre, the shopping mall is well-known by local savvy shoppers, providing a comfortable and pleasurable shopping experience. Anchorpoint was the first mall to introduce the concept of having a cluster of premium brand name boutique outlet stores in Singapore such as Charles & Keith, Giordano, and Cotton On.
Bringing in unique tenants to the shopping mall is another highlight of her job scope. One of the latest tenant additions Lynn has helped to bring into the mall is the upcoming Little Dance Academy, the first school in Singapore teaching the Russian Vaganova method.
Yet, attracting tenants is only one piece of the puzzle. “Ultimately, the strong relationship we have with our tenants is what drives them to stay with us.”
Lynn and her team
Apart from working together with her colleague in the leasing department, Lynn also constantly collaborates with her colleagues in operations and advertising & promotion.
“Once we bring in prospective tenants, the team will look at the different ways we can help to promote the tenant, and how we can generate some buzz before their opening. I work closely with my advertising & promotion team on this.”
Creating harmony
Although there are many moving parts to her role, you get the sense that Lynn will be able to handle things with ease. She prides herself on constantly learning, whether it’s the nuances of tenancy law, digital marketing or emotional intelligence.
This drive to learn also extends to her personal life: singing is one of her favourite hobbies, and she even improved her Mandarin because she wanted to connect with friends over karaoke. “Through karaoke, I improved my Chinese. I wanted to sing Chinese songs with my friends, so I made it a point to memorise the words. I haven’t gone for a long time, but I really like to sing to Jay Chou songs!”