As E-Commerce Booms, Building Owners Need Package Solutions Fast

During the coronavirus pandemic, time normally spent browsing malls and outlets was spent clicking through online stores and add-to-cart pages. As a result, e-commerce is booming. In 2020, the sales from online shopping reached $4.28 trillion globally and are expected to continue increasing. In multifamily buildings, where packages can arrive for hundreds of residents each day, building owners and staff have now found themselves inundated with piling up deliveries. 

“In buildings without an automated package management solution, the staff are finding that it is taking five minutes per package to manually accept, log, store, notify and deliver the package to the resident,” said Donna Logback, head of marketing for package solutions company Package Concierge. “With the average building receiving 75 or more packages a day, multiplied by five minutes per package, that time can quickly add up to a full-time job for staff.”

Building owners need to have a streamlined approach for processing and storing these packages, Logback said, not only to avoid confusion and clutter but to help tenants know that their deliveries are safe and secure.  

At Package Concierge, Logback works to address how systems and processes can be put into place that allow for the safe storage of packages. In a conversation with Bisnow, Logback shares the impact of package increases on building operations as well as how building managers can find hassle-free approaches to package management.

Bisnow: What sorts of challenges do building owners face when it comes to the rising number of packages coming into buildings? 

Logback: The time and process spent processing packages takes away from other responsibilities the staff could be taking care of, which ultimately affects the ROI of the property. 

This tsunami of daily package deliveries also means that numerous delivery drivers will enter the property throughout the day, which can have an impact on the property’s security plan and processes. 

Also, having a potential new renter navigate the delivery carrier, their package cart and the stacks of packages left in the lobby does not help with forming good first impressions of the property.

Bisnow: In your experience, how important is package management to multifamily residents?  

Logback: Very important. Package Concierge conducted a survey recently and found that of 2,000 multifamily residents, 1 in 5 listed package management as one of the most important amenities. An additional 20% stated they were not happy with the way their current property handled package management.

What was really telling was that 91% of respondents who were actively searching for a new apartment stated that a property’s package management solution would play a factor in their decision for where they live.

Bisnow: As Americans return to the office, how can building owners ensure that their residents' packages are safe while they are at work? 

Logback: By having smart package lockers and access-controlled package rooms installed, building owners can store the delivered package securely until the resident scans their unique barcode to retrieve it. These systems can log both the delivery and retrieval while also taking a photo of each system user for added security.

These systems also provide added convenience for residents and staff alike because often, the management office is closed when residents want to retrieve their packages when they return home from work.

Bisnow: Given that the holidays are a few months away, how can owners better manage the influx of packages that may come into buildings? 

Logback: Access-controlled package rooms provide a seamless, low-contact solution that can be rolled out quickly and accommodate the rush. To prepare for the holidays, building owners can provide delivery carrier-only parking near the entrance to their property, have clear signage directing drivers to the appropriate package drop-off location, and send multiple pickup reminders for residents. This helps to keep the flow of packages from becoming a traffic jam. 

Asking the delivery drivers what they like and don’t like about other properties' package management systems can also help owners make smart changes. And, of course, owners can reach out to Package Concierge to help with developing a package management strategy.

This article was produced in collaboration between Package Concierge and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.