As an installer, your job is to guide your clients towards the latest and most efficient technology. Undoubtedly, more and more multifamily property developers and managers are looking for smart apartment technology to entice increasingly tech-savvy residents. So which smart devices are your multifamily clients looking for?
In this post, we review the top five smart devices for apartments, and why you should recommend them to your residential clients. In addition, we give each device a quick overview and explain its benefits.
The top 5 smart apartment devices you should recommend to multifamily clients are:
Watch and learn about the top 5 smart apartment gadgets:
1. Smart locks
Technology is revolutionizing every aspect of apartment living, starting with smart locks at apartment doors. These internet-connected locks allow residents to use their smartphones to open their doors. As a result, residents can lock and unlock their doors remotely and can configure their doors to automatically lock or unlock at certain times.
Smart lock installation is often very simple. Some battery-powered smart locks are entirely wireless. Meaning, that all you have to do is attach it to the doorknob itself, and not have to deal with any complicated wiring.
2. Keypads
Undoubtedly, your clients will have different access control needs for different areas of their buildings. For interior doors and secondary entrances where convenience is a higher priority, recommend keypads. Instead of depending on a physical security credential, keypad users input a PIN number to gain access into a secured space.
Smart keypads amplify the convenience of keyless entry. The best smart keypads come with features like one-time PIN codes that a resident can easily issue to guests through a smartphone app. Residents can set these PINs to expire if they’re temporarily granting access to a one-time visitor like a dog walker or house cleaner, giving them greater flexibility.
Pro tip: Recommend keypads with a built-in camera. That way, the keypad can take a photo every time someone opens the door. Your clients can review the photo audit trail anytime.
3. Video intercoms
Smart locks, keypads, and other tech-forward access solutions are perfect for different areas of a building. But you can’t forget about the front door or gate.
By and large, residents have grown accustomed to the fact that every apartment unit should have its own way to talk to a visitor at an entryway and grant property access. And these are two crucial functions that you can simplify with a smart video intercom.
Watch how ButterflyMX’s smart video intercom works:
Recommend a smart video intercom that offers features like:
- A virtual key system for recurring visitors
- An audit trail of time- and date-stamped photos that ensures security
- Video calling via residents’ smartphones
- A mobile app to open doors and manage access on the go
- Delivery access solutions that enable couriers to enter the building around the clock
While giving your clients and their residents this level of functionality is always the goal, the best intercom providers simplify access for everybody — installers included. So, look for a video intercom that’s easy to install. The ButterflyMX video intercom, for example, only requires three connections: internet, power, and door strike.
4. Package rooms
Residents and staff alike count on technology to simplify the delivery process at their buildings. You can address their needs by recommending a technology-powered package room that keeps automatic logs of deliveries and controls access for couriers.
In truth, it’s much easier to install a package room than it is to install a comparable delivery solution, like a package locker. Package lockers have rigid, predetermined containers that won’t fit every parcel. They also take up valuable space that your client could instead use for another amenity.
Additionally, delivery couriers will often choose to leave a package with a front desk — or even just leave it out in the lobby — if a package locker is too time-consuming to use. In contrast, all a delivery courier has to do to deliver parcels to a package room is walk inside.
5. Smart thermostats
Technology helps with every aspect of building maintenance and management. Incorporating smart home devices in your design for smart apartments, like smart thermostats, benefit both residents and owners.
A smart thermostat is a type of thermostat that users can control and adjust from their smartphones. Indeed, smart thermostats are convenient because they can be controlled remotely, and can change the temperature of a room on their own.
If an apartment is sitting empty, for example, a smart thermostat can automatically adjust the temperature and ensure that the building doesn’t waste money heating or cooling an unoccupied room.
Additionally, residents occupying a unit with a smart thermostat can save money on their utility bills. By setting their smart thermostat accordingly, residents can avoid running any heating or cooling systems when they’re not home. Then, they can use their smartphone to adjust the thermostat before they get home so the temperature is perfect when they arrive.
Takeaways
To sum up, the best smart apartment devices solve longstanding issues related to living in and managing apartments. Help your clients simplify and automate essential processes, like letting in a delivery person or granting entry to a guest. Smart apartment buildings are the next big trend in multifamily — and the future is bright for knowledgeable installers who have a smart upgrade for any fixtures their clients have in mind.
