Behind the Front Desk: How to Prepare for Package Season with BuildingLink

As crisper air signals the beginning of autumn, another season is already on the horizon: package season! 

For those outside of the world of property management, package season is really the holiday season, and for many, this time of year is synonymous with festive decorations, cheerful gatherings, and gift-giving. But for property managers, the unsung heroes of the real estate world, this marks the start of a challenging and intense package season. This time of year sees a dramatic rise in online shopping and deliveries, leading to a substantial increase in front desk workload. Meanwhile, property managers are tasked with ensuring that operations remain as efficient as possible. 

In this post, we shed light on the challenges for property managers this season and provide insight into how the right tools can make this process seamless.

The Challenges of Package Season

As the package season swings into full gear, high-rise condos and luxury apartment residences grapple with a set of distinct challenges that require effective solutions:

• Volume Surge: One of the biggest challenges is the sheer volume of packages. From holiday gifts to online shopping hauls, the inflow of packages can be overwhelming. Just imagine a concierge trying to assist residents with maintenance requests while also managing a long line of residents trying to collect their deliveries. 
• Security Concerns: With the increase in deliveries, ensuring the security of each package becomes crucial. We’ve all seen those viral videos of package thieves or “porch pirates.” Misplaced or stolen packages can lead to unhappy residents.
• Space Limitations: Storage space for packages is often limited, leading to cluttered lobbies or mailrooms. Frequently, hallways are used as makeshift storage areas, creating unsightly messes and posing risks of accidents, such as employees tripping over packages. 

Embracing the Right Tools for Package Season

October is the ideal time for property managers to assess past package seasons, understand the challenges, and implement changes. Look for a solution like BulidingLink’s dedicated Staff App that will help you process packages 80% faster than other package tracking solutions. 

Here’s how it works:

1. Simply click ImageR (the Staff App’s scanning tool), scan the recipient information, confirm it’s correct, and click submit. 
2. The app instantly captures the recipient details and triggers an automated notification to the recipient based on their preferred notification method—choose from in-app,  SMS, email, or even a phone call!
3. This lets you scan packages virtually anywhere with your Android or iOS device, making manual entry of packages, dry cleaning, and flowers a thing of the past.
4. The result: 80% reduction in processing time, less stressed concierge staff, faster package pickups, less crowded mailrooms, and, of course, a happy property manager!
   
   For property managers eying a more hands-off solution, parcel locker systems may be the answer. BuildingLink integrates with leading locker providers, ensuring seamless updating of the locker system. 

Partner with BuildingLink

Prepare for the package season with BuildingLink’s dedicated Staff App that helps you process packages 80% faster than other package tracking solutions. When you’re ready to run your community better, smarter, and faster, book your BuildingLink demo today.

About BuildingLink: Trusted by HOAs, co-ops, condominiums, and multifamily properties around the globe, BuildingLink helps property managers deliver superior resident experiences while streamlining maintenance and operations. We offer tools that will simplify your record-keeping and administration, communications, maintenance, and front desk staff operations.