If you live in a gated community, you’ve likely witnessed cars stacking at your gate. Car stacking is when there’s a backup of cars waiting to access the property. This backup often results in cars spilling out onto the main road. Read on to learn how you can reduce wait times to enter your gated community with a gate access control system like ButterflyMX.
This guide covers:
- Why you need to reduce wait times to enter your gated community
- 4 ways to reduce wait times with a gate entry system
Why you need to reduce wait times to enter your gated community
In many gated communities, a physical attendant acts as the gatekeeper. They must take each visitor’s information, call the resident, and then let them in. At best, it can take several minutes for the attendant to let the guest in — even if the process is seamless. At worst, if the resident doesn’t answer and the attendant has to call several times, it can take longer.
On top of that, many communities require that visitors present a form of identification to maintain security on the property. This adds time as the visitor digs through their wallet and the attendant reviews their credentials. Now imagine this multiplied by 10+ cars.
Plus, car stacking isn’t just an inconvenience. It can also create legal issues for property owners and operators.
Reducing gated community wait times benefits:
Residents
Even if residents have a separate fobbed or automated entrance, they likely enter via the same driveway as visitors. If that’s the case, they could still get stuck in a traffic jam.
Additionally, if they were expecting a visitor or service provider at 8 a.m., it could be frustrating to wait an extra 15 minutes for the visitor’s arrival because of the delays getting through the property gate — especially if they’re trying to run out the door to get to work or an appointment.
Visitors
No one likes waiting in line. Of course, car stacking isn’t just an inconvenience for guests — it can also throw a wrench in their plans.
Guests who have tight schedules or are visiting for appointments can be thrown off schedule. Delivery people, Uber drivers, and other service providers whose work is timely are also negatively impacted. Imagine how much a car stacking jam could set them back.
Overall, reducing wait times at your gated community creates a better visitor experience.
Property managers & staff
Possibly the most pronounced pain point is for property managers, who have to mitigate the frustrations of residents and visitors. Additionally, if cars spill out onto the main road, the town or city might threaten the property with fines. The city could even require the property to redesign its driveway to prevent cars from spilling onto the street. This process is not only frustrating but also expensive.
To solve these issues, some residents opt to pre-register their guests, hoping to reduce car stacking. Unfortunately, this still takes time as the guest must speak to the front gate attendant, wait for the attendant to look them up in their system, and then proceed through. Plus, if a visitor in front is not pre-registered, anyone behind them must wait while the attendant verifies access.
The best way to reduce or eliminate wait times at a gated community is to invest in a gate entry system like ButterflyMX.
Four ways to reduce wait times with a gate entry system
Installing a keyless gate entry solution is one of the simplest and best ways to reduce wait times into your gated community.
Here are a few solutions to help reduce wait times:
1. Vehicle access control
ButterflyMX’s vehicle access control system can be used at any gate or garage you would like to provide access to, allowing residents to drive through the gate hands-free.
How it works
Install the ButterflyMX vehicle access reader at your gate. When a vehicle with our windshield tag drives up, the reader scans the windshield tag and opens the gate or garage.
This enables residents to move quickly through the gate without having to click a remote, scan a fob, exit their vehicles, or even roll down their windows to access the property. As a result, this prevents cars from stacking up behind them while they search around their car for their clicker or fob.
2. Video intercom
As mentioned above, even if you have a gate attendant, it can still take a while for the attendant to let the guest in. The gate attendant might be on a bathroom break, they might have to verify the visitor’s identity, or the resident might not answer their call — all of which will cause cars to stack up.
But all of these variables can be eliminated by installing a video intercom at your gate.
How it works
With the ButterflyMX video intercom, when a guest arrives at your property, they can call your resident, who then verifies the visitor’s identity and grants them access.
And unlike with a gate attendant — where a resident has to physically answer the call to give permission to grant access — the resident doesn’t have to do that with the video intercom system. If they have the ButterflyMX mobile app, residents can open the door with the push of a button, so even if they’re on a call or in a meeting, they can still grant access.
3. Mobile app
When choosing a gate entry system for your community, install one with a mobile app. Mobile-based access significantly improves the flow of traffic and reduces wait times at gated properties.
Once residents download the ButterflyMX mobile app to their smartphone, they can open the gate for a visitor from wherever they are when the visitor arrives. This ensures that even when residents aren’t in their homes — perhaps they’re outside gardening or at the community pool — or if they can’t physically answer a call, they can still grant quick access to the visitor without causing a delay. Residents can even use the mobile app to provide access for themselves.
How it works:
There are various ways to grant entry with the ButterflyMX mobile app, all of which are quick and simple.
- Swipe to open right from the mobile app. Even if the resident is in a car without a windshield tag, they can still easily open the gate without having to reach around their car to find a fob. They can use their smartphone, which is likely already in their console or mounted in their phone holster. Simply open the app and swipe to open the gate quickly. They can even use 3D or haptic touch on their iPhone to open the gate without having to open the app.
- Use voice commands. ButterflyMX connects to Siri- and Alexa-enabled devices. This lets residents open the gate by telling Siri or Alexa to do it.
- Grant access during a video call. When your guest arrives at the front gate, they can let the resident know they’ve arrived by making a video call that goes right to their smartphone. Whether they’re home or not, they can confirm who it is through a live video feed and open the gate directly from this video call.
Watch how to open the gate with ButterflyMX:
4. Virtual keys
Virtual keys allow residents to preschedule a guest’s visit. Residents can send guests a QR code, similar to what you use to board an airplane. These virtual keys enable managed access and can be administered or revoked at any time.
How it works:
The resident issues a virtual key to a guest or service provider through the ButterflyMX mobile app. Virtual keys can be sent to guests via email or text message.
When the visitor arrives at the front entrance, they simply select ‘virtual keys’ on the ButterflyMX video intercom and then hold up their QR code. When they scan the virtual key at the intercom, the gate opens. As a security measure, our video intercom takes a time- and date-stamped photo of the visitor that is stored for 365 days.
Residents can issue virtual keys to guests for specific days and times. For example, if they have a dog walker who comes on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., they can issue a virtual key that works just during that period of time.
Benefits of a ButterflyMX gate entry system include:
- Reduces wait times at your gated community: There’s no need for property staff to call the resident and verify access.
- Cuts down staff hours: You won’t need an attendant at the entry gate 24/7 to check credentials.
- Eliminates spillover: Visitors will get through the gate faster, reducing the likelihood that cars end up on the main road.
- Increases security: The ButterflyMX intercom takes a time-and date-stamped photo of all entries. Residents and property management can view the audit trail at any time.
- Provides seamless gate access for visitors: This creates a great first impression for guests and prospective residents.
And best of all, ButterflyMX devices are cloud-based and work together to provide a complete gate access control system. Manage access from anywhere, review entry logs, and more from our powerful online dashboard.
