With the busy life of the current multifamily dwelling, the initial impression is all that counts. Your building's front door is not merely an entrance; it's an entrance into people's homes, a vital security point, and simply a representation of your property's relevance within today's time period and resident ownership status. Too many properties are functioning with outdated entry systems, ignoring the discreet signals that cry out for an overhaul. Neglecting these signs can lead to unfriendly tenants, security issues, and unwanted operating issues. This article will help property managers identify three surefire signs that your building's entry system is in the dark ages and sorely in need of a new tune-up.
Outdated Entry? Time for a Modern Upgrade
Your entrance door is not just an entry; it's your building's welcoming smile and protection of your tenants. A clunky, out-of-style entry system not only presents poorly; it actually does harm to the resident experience and sends the message out there that your building could be old. In today's competitive rental environment, where tenants want safety, convenience, and technology, the entry system is an increasingly important component of perceived value and desirability for a property.
Today's tenants are entirely different. They don't want a roof over their head; they want a smart, secure, and convenient lifestyle. That means technology that naturally becomes a part of the life of the occupant, providing peace of mind and convenience in their hand. Audio-only intercoms or old-fashioned mechanical locks just can't provide these evolving requirements, making occupants less secure and more frustrated.
If your building's front-door system is more hassle than it's worth, or simply doesn't cut it, it's time to know that the time to replace it has arrived. The effects of not doing so reach far beyond the world of looks and affect everything from package security to resident satisfaction and your bottom line. Determining the less-than-obvious and slightly more subtle indicators that a system is old is the first process of making your property an actually modern and desirable home.
Package Theft: A Sign Your Entry Needs an Upgrade
The revolution in online shopping has created unrivaled convenience but a new rampant problem for multifamily communities: package theft. Porch pirates and opportunistic criminals consistently target structures with vulnerable entry points, where packages are accessible or can be accessed with little effort without rightful authentication. In addition to the bottom-line expense to your residents, this new problem generates intangible aggravation and robs them of their perception of security in their home.
Old-fashioned entry systems are also frequently a solution's add-on. Lacking visual identification capability, they force residents to rely on voice alone for identifying callers, and impostors may talk their way into buildings. Inside, such impostors can stroll lobbies and corridors, pilfering deliveries not kept secure. With no video capture logs or access, property management is generally unable to investigate incidents or deter future actions, leaving tenants open and forgotten.
Package theft is actively thwarted off by existing video intercom systems. With visible authentication, tenants are able to personally determine exactly who's on the door, so only legitimate delivery personnel gain entry. Features like mobile app remote unlocking allow residents to grant secure access for couriers to deliver packages to the building, hopefully in a safe package room. Even some systems offer one-time, single-use PINs for large carriers, making delivery easier and significantly stopping the widespread issue of package theft, adding an extra layer of protection for residents and property.
Resident Frustration: Time for Seamless Access
One of the most surefire indications of an obsolete entry system is the residents' chorus of complaint that they are inconveniently locked out. The day-to-day frustration caused by cumbersome entry procedures – whether it's digging for physical keys, wiggling crooked buzzers, or waiting for someone to let them in – wears on resident satisfaction. This frustration is readily funneled into negative reviews, more calls to management, and ultimately, a higher tenant turnover rate.
Common frustrations range from the annoying lockout scenario, normally resulting in expensive after-hours visits from locksmiths or building staff, creating unwanted expense and inconvenience to residents and management. In addition to this, older systems do not usually provide the convenience of residents allowing remote entry to visitors, family members, or service providers like pet sitters or housekeepers. This necessitates that residents be physically present on the premises to grant entry, greatly hindering their mobility and convenience. Testimony from buildings that have upgraded as a matter of course speaks of tenant gratitude for the ease of use and convenience of new systems.
Contemporary video intercoms address these concerns squarely by offering easy access and unparalleled convenience. With capabilities like mobile app integration, the residents can take video calls from guests and even unlock the door remotely from any point connected to the internet, without necessarily being present. Different credentials like key fobs, PINs, mobile credentials, and even facial recognition provide hassle-free and secure ways of entry, leading to far fewer lockouts and simple day-to-day living. This allows individuals to be in greater control of their own space and their visitors, significantly upgrading their living conditions.
High Maintenance Costs Indicate Outdated Systems
Beyond the clear inconvenience and security threat, a further not-so-obvious but no less significant sign that your building requires a refurb is an increasing expense of maintaining an outdated entry system in working order. Older intercom systems and access control units are also more prone to failure, require specialized, costly repairs, and finding replacement parts is a maddening, time-consuming scavenger hunt. This constant drain on your capital is clear evidence that the system has reached the end of its useful life and is no longer a good investment.
They're not all about the expense of the repair itself. They involve the non-apparent expense of manpower time to debug issues, install repairs, and have to deal with resident complaints because of unstable access. Every lockout, every defective buzzer, and every failure of security in the form of a faulty system contributes to direct and indirect costs. While the initial cost of a new system seems astronomical, total leakage of running an older one quite easily outdoes it over the long run.
Deprivation of a new video intercom system can go a long way toward saving such operating expenses and yielding quantifiable returns. These systems are created to be durable, often containing sturdy, weather-proofed hardware that can withstand continuous exposure outdoors. Much more valuable, cloud-managed systems leverage automated software updates, remote diagnosis, and proactive maintenance notifications, sharply reducing the cost of costly on-site service visits. Property managers credit huge amounts of time and effort savings with the convenience of remote management features and efficient turn tenant processes, transforming a cash drain into a strategic business advantage.
Elevate Your Property’s Value and Resident Lives
Not only a repair that your building requires, upgrading its entry system is a smart investment strategy that significantly adds to your property value and deeply enhances your tenants' lives. In today's highly competitive rental market, amenities are the determining factors. A new video intercom system with heightened security and unparalleled convenience redefines your property from just another building to a luxurious, state-of-the-art living home that attracts and retains quality renters.
It is real and practical to the residents. The feeling of safety that visual recognition and secure entry produce with it is a tangible sense of well-being. The ease of being able to manage visitors and deliveries remotely, with worry-free, multiple points of entry, simplifies life and hassle-free. This convergence of luxury amenities, convenience, and improved security directly translates into greater total tenant satisfaction, providing a palatable living environment that supports long-term tenancy.
For property managers and landlords, these resident amenities provide dramatic strategic advantages. Greater tenant satisfaction has a direct correlation to improved retention rates, translating into lower turnover costs such as vacancy time, advertising, and unit preparation. First, a modern video intercom system enhances the attractiveness of your property, allowing you to optimally command top rental prices and acquire a high-tech client base. Finally, replacing your entry system is an evolutionary investment that safeguards your property, simplifies your operations, and provides a new level of living for the future.
The writing is on the wall: if package theft is anchoring your building, ongoing resident grumbling about access, or rising maintenance expenses on its entry system, it's not only inconvenient—hear me out, it's a red flashing beacon of an upgrade that's well overdue. Video intercom systems are no longer an extra amenity but a required amenity of a competitive, secure, and desirable multifamily community. By recognizing these leading indicators and actively investing in advanced access solutions, property managers are able to upgrade their buildings, increase security, simplify complexity, and ultimately generate a successful, contented resident community, safeguarding the value of their property for years to come.