Proptech: the perfect opportunity for property managers to improve their tenants’ experience.
The COVID pandemic has exacerbated the trend in online shopping. Before March 2020, this was already a growing sector, but once people were forced into isolation at home, the online sales market went through the roof.
Many well-known chains have disappeared from the High Street. However the online retailers have never had it so good. Amazon, for example, became the default retailer for millions of customers throughout the pandemic, with people shopping for essentials as well as for fun items and fitness gear to take away the boredom.
In the USA alone, this flood for orders led to Amazon experiencing record sales and taking on thousands of new staff members to cope with demand. Amazon was one of the few companies hiring throughout this period.
Overall, online shopping increased by 74% in March 2020 when compared with March 2019. And although this rise was due to the pandemic it led to a change in shopping behaviour which has not gone away. The truth is that we have all becomeaccustomed to the convenience and ease of ordering online. Industry experts call this is a sticky change meaning that the online shopping boom is here to stay.
So how have delivery companies coped with extra volume?
With the high demand for parcel deliveries, the online delivery companies have faced a challenging albeit profitable time. DHL saw parcel delivery increase from 5.3 to 9 million a day, reaching Christmas levels. And across the world all the delivery services such as Deutsche Post have taken on extra staff to cope with the volume.
From China to the UK, the demand for parcel delivery has increased and although this is good news for all delivery companies, the sheer volume of traffic is presenting many issues that could not have been predicted when it comes to last mile logistics.
Last Yard logistics causes added problems for property managers
The issue for all delivery companies comes at the end of the parcel’s journey, known as the last-mile logistics. This is where the parcel is finally handed over to the customer and this is the part of the journey that causes the greatest problems for the delivery company and the customer alike. Usual issues include the customer not being at home, not finding a safe place to leave the package and the risk of theft if a package is left unattended on the door step.
When parcels are delivered to multi occupancy buildings such as an office block or an apartment complex, this part of the journey is called last yard delivery. The delivery company will simply drop off the parcel at the building’s reception and the “last yard “will be handled by whoever signs for the package, usually the building manager. Parcel Management is an important receptionist skill as it brings such value add to any property.
It is thisshort distance that poses the problem. Upwards of 100 parcels a day could be delivered to an apartment complex. All these packages need to be logged at the reception, signed for and stored in a safe place.
Finally the tenants need to be notified by the building manager that their parcel is ready to collect. It is time consuming and leads to issues such as the customer not receiving notifications or being unable to collect their parcels at a time when the mailroom is unlocked.
In general, late delivery of parcels causes bad feeling in most apartment complexes and usually it is the property manager who is blamed by the tenantsfor any delays in delivery.
So what is Proptech and how can it help parcel delivery?
Proptech is technology associated with the property and real estate industry. It can be anything from the ability to take real estate clients on virtual viewings, to smart doorbells that enable the homeowner or resident to see who is at the door for security reasons.Proptech can be classified as any smart technology that is related to property and is designed to make life easier.
For property managers, Proptech offers a fantastic solution to a growing problem. Currently all these packages need to be signed for, logged and the recipient contacted in a process that is extremely time-consuming. Often a parcel will stay in the mailroom or reception area for days because of missed communications, frustrating the customer and the property manager alike.
Proptech can help the property manager manage the receipt of parcels in an easy and elegant solution that takes the hard work out of parcel delivery to multi occupancy buildings.
What is Mailroom Management Software?
Mailroom management software is a form ofProptech that addresses “last yard” parcel delivery.
In the logisticsbusiness, the handling of parcels is known as “last yard delivery” when parcels are handled within buildings and have to be delivered to individual customers within the same address. More importantly,this Proptech app makes parcel delivery more streamlined and easier for the customer and the property manager alike.
How does Proptech and mailroom management software help?
Once a package is delivered to the reception/mailroom area, it is scanned with an app and recorded automatically. The recipient is contacted immediately via email/sms, so they know that it is now their responsibility to come and collect it, rather than relying on the property manager to contact them.
Once the tenant arrives at reception, the parcel can be collected in seconds.
Mailroom Management Software improves your tenants’ experience
The adoption of Proptech and mailroom management software is a great way to improve your tenant’s experience. Instead of complaining about late delivery and blaming the property manager, now your tenants will feel happy at the great service.
Every time your tenant receives something they have ordered online, it creates a “Christmas Effect” feeling. This is where the good feeling you get from a gift is associated with the person who hands it over. In this case, it will be the property manager who is now covered with glory!
Mailroom management software takes away the worry of not receiving your parcel through the post. And although all delivery companies send notifications that a parcel may have been delivered, in many cases this just adds to worry of where the package is now actually located. In many cases, a tenant will phone and ask the property manager, thus causing additional strain on his or her time.
Proptech is the perfectopportunity for property managers to improve their tenants’ experience.
Your tenants will appreciate getting their parcels on time and be thankful for the great service provided by your property manager and your company. Your property management team will thank you too. Now they can focus on their jobs rather than spending valuable working time asunpaid couriers for online shopping companies.
Article by Parcel Tracker,
Creators of the AI Powered Mailroom Management Software
