4 Reasons Apartment Managers Love Smart Lockers

According to the U.S. census report, there are over 140 million apartment rentals in the United States alone. Even before the pandemic, the expectations of how packages are delivered to these apartments have increased in recent years. Managing all the parcels delivered to apartment tenants is no walk in the park.

People’s lives are shifting rapidly. Tenants today demand security and convenience for their on-the-go lifestyle. Buildings without a dedicated parcel solution are quickly learning today’s tenants will actively seek out residences that do. Not addressing an apartment building’s ability to safely and efficiently handle deliveries may result in fewer renewed leases and losing out to competitors with a sound parcel solution.

What is a Residential Parcel Locker?

One solution gaining traction in apartment buildings and complexes is the Residential Parcel Locker. It is an electronic locker with an onboard host computer connected to the cloud and a set of parcel slots. Couriers with deliveries select their company from the host computer touch screen, scan their parcel’s barcode, and choose an appropriate slot size. Then, a slot door automatically opens, and the courier deposits the parcel and closes the slot door.

Sensors inside the locker slot automatically identify a deposited parcel and notifies the resident via SMS text and email. The notification contains a barcode that the resident scans at the locker. Once scanned, the slot door opens, and the parcel is retrieved. After the resident closes the slot door, the sensor recognizes the slot is empty and makes it available for the next delivery.

The Status Quo

For decades, how parcel deliveries are handled was commonly an afterthought. Instead, amenities such as exercise rooms, laundry facilities, and open spaces have taken priority. However, with the acceleration of eCommerce, one-day deliveries, and the compounding effect of the pandemic, residents are actively seeking residences that have ditched the traditional methods of parcel management.

Unit Delivery: A few buildings allow couriers to enter and deliver parcels to each unit. This approach can make tenants uncomfortable as the number of couriers visiting each day has steadily increased. Additionally, tenants who are not home will find deliveries sitting at their front door. Although this allows fellow residents to see where or who you are ordering products from, and leaves deliveries are ripe for theft.

Mail Room: Buildings with dedicated mail rooms only offer secure storage for U.S. or Canadian Post packages. Parcels delivered by private couriers such as UPS, FedEx, Purolator, and others leave parcels on open shelves or on the floor, creating similar concerns as unit delivery.

Concierge: Buildings offering concierge services provide a secure way to receive packages on behalf of tenants. However, as parcel deliveries increase, the staff find themselves with less time to handle their normal duties. Further, few buildings offer 24-hour concierge, limiting when tenants may pick up their deliveries.

Traditional solutions may offer security or convenience, but not both. Residential parcel lockers offer a cost-effective solution to secure incoming deliveries while delivering the ultimate convenience for residents.

Benefits Of Residential Parcel Locker

Apartment building owners and managers who have installed Residential parcel lockers see an immediate appreciation from their tenants. Not only are Residential parcel lockers secure and convenient, but they also provide apartment managers and owners additional benefits beyond increasing tenant satisfaction.

#1 Security – Residential Parcel Locker reduce the number of lost and stolen packages. To ensure safe delivery, tenants no longer need to worry about missing deliveries or being home when a package arrives. Instead, Residential parcel lockers are nearly impossible to break into and can be equipped with security cameras to deter tampering further.

#2 Additional Revenue – Residential Parcel can also provide an additional source of revenue for apartment building owners. For example, many packages are left unattended for days or weeks. Not only will a Residential parcel locker securely store the packages, it can also charge a late pick-up fee. Residential parcel lockers can also sell advertising space on the host touchscreen, display panels, or the locker themselves. Additionally, the apartment can sell items using excess capacity in a Smart Locker to generate even more revenue.

#3 No Unnecessary Trespassing – Residential Parcel Locker allow you to send couriers to a specified location of the apartment building. The need for couriers to roam the halls of an apartment building is eliminated. This is especially ideal for apartment complexes with exterior corridors. Residential parcel lockers can be placed inside smart pad equipped rooms, lobbies, or even outside to completely remove the need for delivery drivers to enter the building.

#4 Add More Value – They are a great way to add value to your rental property as they are becoming a “must-have” amenity for today’s technology-driven tenant. But accepting deliveries is only the beginning. Residential parcel lockers can securely store items such as ping pong paddles, billiard balls, workout equipment, movies, or other small amenities which can be retrieved using a resident’s keycard or mobile phone app.

The competition among apartment buildings and complexes only continues to intensify. Residential parcel lockers are one way for apartment managers to stay ahead and attract your most desired tenants.

Signifi is working with property managers to implement the Signifi's Smart Residential Lockers in their apartments. Contact us to find out more about how it could help you.