Prior to the virus, effective package management solutions were already transitioning from being a ‘nice to have’ amenity to simply an expectation; but now, providing a contactless package management solution has become a definitive ‘must have’ for multifamily and student housing.
BOSTON (PRWEB) August 04, 2020
Today, Package Concierge® is releasing new data surrounding the state of multifamily housing, along with tips for helping properties make the most of this turbulent time. The trusted provider of automated package management solutions found that over 62 percent of surveyed properties said their occupancy levels for the first half of this year were the same or higher than they were last year. Further, 36 percent said they plan to increase their investment in technology solutions such as smart home features, keyless entry and automated smart lockers due to the pandemic.
“Advances in Proptech, such as smart package lockers, are playing a role in making life easier on both property staff and residents alike - especially since the package volume has been sustained at holiday levels for the past four months,” said Donna Logback, Marketing Director for Package Concierge. “Prior to the virus, effective package management solutions were already transitioning from being a ‘nice to have’ amenity to simply an expectation; but now, providing a contactless package management solution has become a definitive ‘must have’ for multifamily and student housing.”
The survey also found that of those who self-identified as student housing properties, 38 percent said they have fewer leases signed for this coming school year than they did for last year despite 50 percent acknowledging they will be providing some form of leniency due to Coronavirus. Student housing faces unique challenges as many students are still learning whether they will be returning to on-campus learning for the Fall semester while also concerned about future university shutdowns leading to quarantine away from their college housing.
Whether during the typically busy summer moving season or grappling with student leases, Package Concierge is sharing its top tips for property managers to put their best foot forward in the face of COVID-19:
Amenity Reservations: Seventy six percent of properties participating in the Package Concierge survey cited that they have reopened their on-site amenities such as pools, gyms, etc. with social distancing restrictions and/or a reservation system in place. Others have simply signed out the gym equipment to residents – loaning spin bikes and free weights for instance. While getting a treadmill to the higher floors may be difficult, it could go a long way to resident satisfaction – and sanity!
Self-serve Maintenance: Continue to triage maintenance requests, providing do-it-yourself kits for easy repairs; for instance, simply provide new water filters for resident refrigerators or batteries for smoke detectors instead of sending a team member into the apartment to complete, or record simple how-to videos from the model unit with your smart phone on how to unclog a garbage disposal.
Increase Recycling Centers: With package delivery levels rivaling a typical holiday shipping season, chances are your property is overwhelmed with leftover resident cardboard and packing materials. Adding recycling containers in your mail and package center will help reduce shipping material remnants throughout the property and provide a convenient location for residents to discard their unwanted packing materials.
Prep for Package Abandonment: Even if your region isn’t being hit as hard as others, be prepared for residents to have abnormal schedules and be gone for longer stretches of time. Create an additional storage space for deliveries that are unclaimed within a couple of days to ensure the lobby remains clear of clutter or your package lockers continue to have space for new deliveries. Think of the storage room as long-term parking for packages.
Bundle Package Management Solutions: Even if residents’ schedules weren’t so abnormal, the increased package volume may warrant expanding your current package management solution. Secure access-controlled package rooms are the quickest and easiest additions to your existing solution; and when paired with smart package lockers, can accept 100% of resident deliveries.
Package Concierge smart lockers and package rooms are being used at over 2,000 properties nationwide and boasts more than half of a million users. For more details about Package Concierge, please visit https://www.packageconcierge.com.
About Package Concierge®
Package Concierge® is the trusted provider of automated locker solutions. With 68+ million package transactions, Package Concierge combines expertise and technology to seamlessly automate processes for multifamily and student housing, retail, and corporate environments. As the only vertically integrated solution, Package Concierge® products are built in the USA and powered by proprietary software to deliver on security, design and functionality. By collaborating with customers to understand and address their evolving needs, Package Concierge® delivers the highest quality solutions to optimize operations and enhance user experiences. Learn how smart lockers and package rooms can easily integrate with your systems to transform your package management at http://www.packageconcierge.com.