Apartment Reception: Should You Hire A Front Desk Attendee?

 

 

Hiring an apartment receptionist is one of the best ways to transform your multifamily property into a luxury apartment building. In addition to enhancing your building’s front desk experience, apartment reception adds a host of other benefits.

In this post, we’ll review an apartment receptionist’s job description, the benefits of apartment reception, and an overview of useful access control technology that complements receptionists and makes their jobs easier.

This post covers:

• What does a receptionist do in an apartment?
• 4 benefits of apartment reception
• Apartment reception ideas
• What technology pairs well with an apartment receptionist?

 

 

What does a receptionist do in an apartment?

A receptionist is the first person a resident or visitor sees upon entering your property. As the front-facing person, they have a number of hospitality management and administrative responsibilities.

An apartment receptionist will do most of the following:

• Greet residents when they enter the building.
• Answer questions that residents may have.
• Call elevators for residents.
• Contact residents when they have a visitor.
• Direct visitors to the correct floor and apartment.
• Receive and securely store packages and deliveries.
• Deter unwanted trespassers.
• Answer calls to the building.
• Monitor live security camera footage.
• Manage rental payments and lease renewals.
• Schedule maintenance.

As you can see, an apartment receptionist can take on a number of different property management tasks in addition to monitoring the main entranceway of your property.

 

What does building reception mean?

Building reception often refers to both a receptionist and the space a receptionist occupies. Building reception often includes a number of couches and tables for guests and residents to make themselves comfortable.

 

What do you call a front desk person at an apartment?

A front desk person at an apartment is commonly called an apartment receptionist. A front desk person may also be called an apartment doorman.

 

What is an apartment receptionist’s salary?

An apartment receptionist’s salary typically ranges from $34,000 to $48,000 annually. Remember that you will likely need to hire up to three receptionists to account for days off, vacation days, and sick days. As a result, apartment reception can be a rather costly addition to your property. It’s important to crunch the numbers beforehand to see if a receptionist is a worthwhile investment.

 

4 benefits of apartment reception

And just how is an apartment receptionist a worthwhile investment?

The benefits of apartment reception include:

1. A luxury feel
2. Increased security
3. Package safety
4. Visitor management

 

1. A luxury feel

Hiring a receptionist and delegating an apartment reception area can help classify your property as a luxury apartment complex. This is largely because many apartment buildings don’t have any present staff at the front of the building. Furthermore, many buildings have little in the way of a front entry lounge or reception area.

A receptionist who greets residents and visitors and addresses any questions or concerns is much more convenient than having residents or visitors text or call property staff. A receptionist (who may or may not be in uniform) helps give your property an identity.

Additionally, an apartment reception area is an opportunity to create a lavish setup with couches, swivel chairs, tables, and fancy carpets. In this sense, your reception area can feature elements of a lounge, another luxury building amenity. Residents can wait for visitors in the apartment reception area, or visitors can wait for residents in the apartment reception area. Residents can use the apartment reception as a workplace if their building offers public WiFi.

 

 

2. Increased security

A human at the front of your building will increase overall security. After all, thieves and trespassers don’t want to be witnessed. An apartment receptionist will make trespassers think twice about entering your property. However, most receptionist’s don’t work 24/7. So, it’s important to pair receptionists with other security technology, such as CCTV cameras and video intercom systems.

 

3. Package safety

People are ordering more packages than ever in a post-COVID world. As a result, package theft is on a steady rise. An apartment receptionist is the perfect solution as they can personally receive every package at your building. The receptionist can then store the packages in a secure space, such as a package room, or contact residents directly. Residents can also ask the receptionist to contact them if they are expecting a highly important package to arrive within a certain time frame.

 

4. Visitor management

A receptionist can help manage the flow of visitors in your apartment building. Visitors can get lost pretty easily in an unfamiliar building. Consequently, visitors may disturb residents. An apartment receptionist can help guide visitors to the resident whom they are hoping to visit. Receptionists can also verify a visitor’s identity by checking their ID.

 

Apartment reception ideas

Your apartment reception is more than just a receptionist and their desk. Ideally, it’s the front entry to your building, which means it will be many residents’ and visitors’ first impression of your property. We recommend creating an inviting design for your apartment’s reception area. Furthermore, you can enhance your reception with lounge elements, making it a space where visitors and residents can relax.

Design elements for your apartment reception to consider include:

• Numerous cozy couches and chairs.
• Both coffee tables and sitting tables.
• A refreshment corner with free coffee, water, and snacks.
• Carpets.
• Pictures along the walls.
• Umbrella dropoff stations.

Additionally, you’ll want your apartment reception area to have a cohesive color scheme. For additional ideas, you can always look at a hotel lobby.

 

Discover more about the front desk station:

 

What technology pairs well with an apartment receptionist?

When it comes to receptionist alternatives and pairings, you have a few excellent options. ButterflyMX offers a video intercom system that pairs well with front desk station software. Different technologies can make your apartment receptionist’s job a lot easier. Access control technology also enhances your building’s luxury.

Features of the ButterflyMX video intercom include:

• Keyless entry. Residents can enter a property by tapping a button on their mobile device with the ButterflyMX app.
• Remote visitor management. Residents can remotely let guests into the building or send them temporary QR codes for independent access.
• Face-to-face communication. Residents can communicate with visitors via two-way video calling. Thanks to a wide-angle camera, residents can also see who else is with a visitor.
• Date- and time-stamped entry events. Every entry event is recorded and stored in the cloud. Property staff and receptionists can retrieve this footage at any time for security purposes.
• Authorized access. Only residents registered with your property may enter the building, which keeps receptionists from having to worry about unauthorized trespassers.

The front desk station software does not require any additional hardware and pairs with the ButterflyMX video intercom.

Features of the ButterflyMX front desk station software include:

• Remote management. Staff can assign and manage access credentials for both residents and visitors directly from the intercom.
• Video streaming. Your receptionist can stream live video from the video intercom to see who is requesting access, enhancing your property’s security.
• Communication. Management can communicate with residents and visitors directly through the intercom if they encounter any accessibility issues.