Moving multifamily residents, their guests and numerous food delivery personnel, package carriers and service providers seamlessly through a property has become increasingly complex. Residents are ordering takeout more often, and package deliveries have ballooned. At the same time, regular pet sitters, house cleaners and other providers must be able to access individual units. Managing this constant flow of traffic while keeping the building secure is a daily challenge for property managers and takes them away from their intended jobs.
Digital access control is the answer. Customizable access profiles, one-time access codes and the ability to remotely unlock the door give residents more control. It’s becoming a necessity, and in some cases a competing amenity, for high-end multifamily properties. Residents expect the frictionless service and efficiency a well-organized and unified access control platform offers, and properties can charge premiums for rent and support fees while giving residents a world-class experience.
Access tools that let residents seamlessly manage guest access also reduce operational burdens on on-site staff, allowing them to focus on resident experience and lease-ups rather than supporting service providers and guests. “Every opportunity we have to take work off of on-site property managers and operations teams is another minute in the day that they can do the things they are really held accountable for,” explains Tad Jenkins, VP and General Manager of Hardware Sales & Install at Luxer One. “We want them to be able to provide the absolute best resident experience possible, drive lease-ups and keep units fully occupied and not managing packages and the front door.”
Solve vendor fatigue with a single, unified ecosystem
Another major pain point for operators is “vendor fatigue,” when properties have multiple providers for different access needs. This requires property managers to learn systems, communicate with and reconcile invoices from numerous vendors. It’s not uncommon for a property to juggle up to six different vendors for every touchpoint within the access control ecosystem, including:
- Front door intercom
- Common door
- Unit doors
- Amenity doors
- Garage access
- Package management
- Cameras
And when those systems don’t all play nicely together…the headache compounds. Overcome vendor fatigue by working with a provider that offers a single, unified Access Control ecosystem with one point of contact and one invoice for all access touchpoints. This level of customer service reduces operational burdens and helps solve resident and property management issues more efficiently.
Customize access control to meet your property’s needs
Because every multifamily property is different, implementing property-wide access control is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Solutions require end-to-end project management tailored to each property’s distinct needs and challenges, including property layouts and specific rules and restrictions.
In most properties, the technology starts at the front door with a video intercom. The property manager or resident can verify who is at the front door trying to access the building. Then, one-way calling allows a guest or delivery person to call a resident’s cell phone from the intercom. The resident can see the caller, but they can’t see the resident, so they can voice or face verify. Intercoms that incorporate facial recognition can make access even easier for known residents, guests and service providers.
“After that it becomes an operational decision for how the property wants to manage visitor flow once they’re in the front door,” notes Jenkins. “Some properties may not allow outside delivery personnel to access resident floors, so the resident may need to come down to the front desk. Other properties have various access points throughout the building, such as elevator control, so the guest or courier can go all the way up to the unit.” Working with a vendor that offers this level of customization will set your property up for success.
Safe, secure access for all
The multifamily market is rapidly adopting smart access technology, but one company stands out. Luxer One provides a complete ecosystem, from front door access to package management, within a single platform. As part of the Assa Abloy family, the world's number-one security and lock technology company, Luxer One has access to global security technologies curated for multifamily residents and operators, not general commercial applications. The company also offers world-class support structures, using its high Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 87 for package management as the standard for its access control services.
Properties and residents will receive a superior end-to-end technology solution, delivered with the same support guarantee they’ve come to expect from package management. “Being able to move through a building securely goes hand-in-hand with Luxer One’s package management solutions, making access control a logical evolution for the company,” says Jenkins. With a presence in 12,000+ properties and over 600 million transactions, the Luxer One team brings a new, higher-value perspective to multifamily access control and management.
