In today's urban life, with its hectic pace of life and widespread attention to personal security, multifamily apartment complexes are always on the search for new technology to enhance the quality of living of their tenants. The most valuable property technology (PropTech) most recent creation is the new video intercom system. So much more than simple audio buzzers, these sophisticated systems are transforming the way residents interact with the door to their residence, centuries' worth of concerns solved, and providing an enormous sense of security and reassurance. The article chronicles real stories and anecdotes of residents who have seen the worth of video intercom security firsthand.
Easing Tenant Anxiety: Newfound Peace of Mind
To the majority of city dwellers, the old-fashioned "buzz-in" machine outside a building has been the source of silent horror. A stranger from overseas on the doorbell summons a split second of uncertainty: "Who is it? Is it okay to open up?" This uncertainty in the more concentrated urban inner city can be a source of a consistent but covert vulnerability that makes individuals feel less safe at home and safety. Vision failure in visual identification of a visitor brings an element of uncertainty within the security perimeter of a building, causing tension when an unauthorized visitor arrives.
Existing video intercom systems tackle this fear directly by adding the significant feature of visual identification. Residents no longer have to speculate; they now have full certainty as to who is at their building door, whether a friend, delivery man, or intruder. This real-time visual recognition provides residents with the power to make judicious choices, greatly reducing the factor of fear associated with unseen guests. The fact of catching sight of an individual on television prior to admission already serves to reassure and control, converting an instant of terror into one of security.
The impact of this visual reassurance upon the peace of residents' minds is often quoted in residents' testimonies. Testimonials also dwindle on the degree to which availability and presence of such systems provide a sense of enhanced security. For instance, as one tenant described it, the system "makes the environment a lot more safer" (8), something that most can now attest to, with a newly found confidence at home as well. The tangible shift from insecurity to sight-based confidence is a cornerstone of the enhanced housing experience offered by video intercom technology.
The Power of Sight: Visual Verification for All
The advantage of video intercoms is how they give a visual confirmation, something that places them very far away from voice-activated systems. With the older systems, one must judge by voice, and though it seems easy, it is easy to get it wrong or misjudge and expose possible security loopholes. The inclusion of the high-definition camera on the entry panel provides a high-definition, real-time image of the visitor, eliminating guesswork and immensely enhancing the range to authenticate identity. Visual verification is particularly ideal for those residents who may have hearing challenges, thereby enabling them to screen visitors as well.
This vision feature empowers all residents with the capability to become an active security contributor without losing convenience. In or out, with a way to peek through an approaching visitor via a smart phone application on their phone, they can make the smart decision to open or not. It is that sort of vision of security that affords them the feeling of increased personal safety beyond the walls of their apartment to be able to feel certain that only the proper people are entering into their property. It's about giving renters the tools to make good decisions about who comes through their door.
And the fact that there is a video intercom system visible at all is an excellent deterrent to ill conduct. Suspicious unwanted intruders or ill-willed individuals are less apt to attempt to enter uninvited when they realize they're going to be noticed and recorded. Why break-ins are monitored and watched, and often time-stamped photo or video (6), makes a property significantly less of a crime or vandal target. Deterrent effect is byproduct gain to all residents, also providing an even more secure and safer communal area in which to live.
Everyday Assurance: Screening for Peace of Mind
In addition to deterring potential harm, video intercoms also provide invaluable daily confidence through their perfect screening feature. In the past, dealing with unwanted callers, unwanted guests, or even just lost guests was cumbersome or even a reason to worry. Tenants felt like they had to talk through a crack in the door or simply ignore an unknown buzz, and that left them feeling vulnerable. And now, being able to screen visually all of the guests at the front door, these interactions are made easier, allowing residents to have control over whom they meet, and in what context.
This remote screening is particularly beneficial to those who otherwise would be more at risk, for example, elderly residents or solo residents. They are able to see and speak with callers from the comfort of their apartment or even their mobile, deciding whether to let them in or not without issue at their apartment entrance. This also helps manage unexpected delivery calls from delivery operatives, who can be screened in advance before being buzzed into the development so only authorized couriers are permitted access.
Real-world uses of the system surface every day. Take a homeowner who is responding to a call from some stranger she doesn't know who represents himself as a salesman; with a video intercom, she can immediately ascertain if this is the case with the stranger who has arrived at her doorstep and decide to deny access without having to utter another word. Similarly, for future service workers like sitters or cleaners, residents can screen out who they are when they let them in, even if they are not present themselves. That level of authority over building visitors and the ease of remote control contribute significantly to residents' overall feeling of safety on a daily basis.
Secure Deliveries & Safe Arrivals: Daily Impact
E-commerce has introduced multifamily complexes to a new dilemma: necessitating epidemics of package theft. Doorsteps and lobbies are convenient places for porch pirates to operate, and residents are exasperated and out of cash to the detriment. Video intercom systems are a powerful answer to the pandemic problem by allowing authorized delivery personnel only into the building interior, allowing far safer drops to happen. If there is a delivery, people can open up to a video call on their phone, view the driver's face, and remote unlock for a safe delivery so packages are not exposed in the open outside (8). The feature makes the otherwise fraught process of package delivery into easy and safe transaction.
Aside from deliveries, video intercoms significantly enhance personal safety during evening visits. Coming home in the evening, especially in a big city, usually has the additional sense of sight or dread. Having the ability to see who comes to the hallway before entering a building, or at least that the lobby is vacant before entering, is an additional sense worth having of security. This visual protection, with the additional benefit of hands-free entry systems like mobile phone entry or facial recognition (8), allows residents to come into their building quickly and reassuringly without any potential perception of exposure.
The everyday impact also extends to unexpected situations. If a resident wishes to unlock his/her door late at night to let in a friend or relative one evening, he/she can remotely and in secure mode allow him/her guest in safely without rushing down to the door. This convenience, combined with the built-in security of visual verification, allows living on a daily basis more conveniently and securely. Residents are always commenting that "deliveries are much easier now," especially in doormen-less buildings or buildings that share someone else's mailroom (8), how far these systems succeed in eliminating the barrier of the physical world and really improve the convenience and security of life.
Direct from Tenants: Feeling Safer, Every Day
The most compelling advocacy for the effectiveness of video intercom systems comes from its residents, who use them every day. Response overall echoes again and again an exemplary harmony of increased security and unparalleled convenience. The systems themselves accurately qualify as "simple and secure" (32) to residents, who appreciate straightforward interfaces and the ease with which visitors can be managed. Things like remote unlock, which can allow in entry even if they're not on the premises, are most properly described as going beyond their expectations (32), and it is this that illustrates how these systems integrate into messy contemporary existence.
The most tangible effect, however, is the very feeling of additional security. Tenants actively highlight the fact that the system "makes the environment a lot more safer" (8). This's not theoretical advantage; this is life. Whether it's they're able to screen surprise guests, feel safe packages are being brought to them, or feel safe going into their building at night without apprehension, residents are empowered. They're empowered because they have more control over who is coming into their building and thus their private space.
Lastly, video intercom systems are not an extravagance; they're an enhancement to home living. They get rid of genuine pain points, from package theft to unwanted visitor stress, by way of the power of visual security and remote control. The continued resident positive feedback demonstrates that such systems have become an integral part to feeling safe, convenient, and literally at home on a daily basis.
The resident testimonial from multifamily communities speaks simply: new video intercom systems are not technology for technology's sake, but revolutionary systems with a dramatic impact on tenant security and reassurance. By substituting doubt with visual verification, these systems allow residents to make intelligent decisions regarding the admission of individuals into their building, actually preventing crime, streamlining deliveries, and enhancing personal security practices. For residents, it translates into instant satisfaction and retention, and video intercoms are a wise investment in residential living for the future. As technology progresses, the systems will keep abreast in making communities safer, smarter, and more sought after places to be for everyone.