Parcel Lockers have grown in popularity over the last few years and are becoming a necessity as more and more consumers purchase items online. In fact, online shopping has skyrocketed, and so too have the number of deliveries to multifamily, commercial, and university properties nationwide. It’s estimated that 39 percent of US homeowners receive a package at least once a month—and 26 percent receive a package at least once a week. Additionally, global e-commerce sales are expected to reach $4.5 trillion by 2021.
As a property manager (PM), you know firsthand how challenging and time-consuming package management can be.
In fact, concierge staff and property managers nationwide spend an estimated 15 hours each day facilitating deliveries for residents. This includes signing for, sorting, storing and tracking deliveries, as well as managing logistics when residents come to pick them up.
Today’s time-crunched PMs, like yourself, need a quick, easy and secure way to manage the growing influx of incoming deliveries. At the same time, today’s sophisticated renters demand and expect their apartments to offer tech savvy amenities that will make the online ordering and delivery process seamless.
This may raise the question, “What’s a parcel locker and how does it help with incoming deliveries?” In this guide, we will be explain the ins and out of parcel delivery lockers, defining what parcel delivery is, and highlighting how a delivery locker can help with your business.
Parcel Pending is a leader in the global package management industry offering customizable indoor, outdoor and refrigerated electronic, self-service parcel delivery lockers for multifamily communities nationwide. We simplify and secure the delivery and retrieval of packages for multifamily communities. Examples of the types of deliveries we manage include:
- Dry Cleaning
- Meals and/or meal kits
- Groceries
- Flowers/Gifts
- Wine/Beer/Spirits
- Prescriptions/Medications
- Parcel Packages
To find out more about how parcel lockers work, and how they can help improve package delivery for your property, read more below.
An electronic parcel locker is a safe, secure and convenient package delivery option and retrieval solution for multifamily communities, retail stores, commercial buildings and university campuses that eliminates missed deliveries and multiple delivery attempts from carriers and delivery services.
Smart lockers can accept deliveries from any courier with packages sent from friends, family, and online retailers. Additionally, recipients don’t need to worry about package theft or misplaced parcels, as electronic parcel lockers protect at the last mile of package delivery. Packages are safe and secure until they are picked up.
Parcel pick-up is quick and easy. After a notification is sent, a recipient uses a unique delivery code to retrieve their package whenever best suits their schedule. Additionally, Parcel Pending’s mobile app can be used to manage and retrieve packages. The app sends delivery notifications, opens lockers via bluetooth or a bar scan, and stores package history.
Parcel Pending offers various types of lockers. These include click-and-collect and refrigerated lockers, which help keep temperature-sensitive items fresh longer. Such items include meals or meal kits, groceries, flowers, gifts, wine and prescription medications without worry. Because these refrigerated parcel lockers keep temperature-sensitive items cool, recipients don’t need to rush home to prevent their package contents from spoiling.
Parcel Pending’s package lockers can be installed indoors and outdoors. Outdoor lockers are 100% weather-proof and can withstand the elements. They can also be customized with special colors and wraps to match the aesthetics or branding of any property.
Parcel Pending’s parcel lockers are unique in that they use smart electronic technology to ensure packages are safe and secure. So how exactly does that work? The entire process is broken up into just three simple steps:
Step 1: The parcel is delivered. Any courier can approach the parcel locker kiosk and enter their access code, which has been provided to them by the property manager. They select a recipient and place the package into an appropriately sized locker.
Step 2: The recipient is notified. Once the package is delivered, the recipient is instantly notified via text, email or mobile app. Recipients receive a unique code that is used to pick up their package.
Step 3: The recipient collects the package. The resident approaches the parcel locker kiosk and enters in their access code or scans the barcode. The corresponding locker opens, and the recipient collects their package.
Read more about the Parcel Pending Package Delivery mobile app to see how it simplifies this process even more.
The retail business is changing and becoming more complex. Retailers are facing changes in consumer demand, behavior and above all, technology and online shopping. In fact, nearly 80% of consumers now shop online and 62% of them are making online purchases every week.
With the rise in online shopping also comes the trend of consumers buying online and picking up in store (BOPIS). The reason for this is that consumers want the goods they order online to be available immediately, and the pick-up process to be quick and easy.
With that said, many retailers are rolling out a BOPIS model. In fact, by 2021, 91% of retailers will offer a BOPIS solution given the many benefits including:
- Enhancing the customer experience by making it quick, easy and convenient for customers to retrieve their online orders/goods.
- Boosting retail staff efficiencies by providing fewer distractions and streamlining inventory audits allowing retail staff to focus more on in-store customers and brand engagement.
- Allowing retailers to drive and track additional purchases.
Parcel Pending is a leading provider of Buy Online, Pick-up in Locker (BOPIL) with a smart locker solution designed to simplify the BOPIS (Buy Online Pick-up in Store), BORIS (Return in Store) and click-and-collect processes.
The way it works is simple. Once an online retail order is fulfilled – be it groceries, clothing, electronics, cosmetics and more – the items are placed into one of the Parcel Pending’s retail lockers located at the store. Customers are then instantly notified by text or email and provided with a unique numerical code that they can type or scan at the locker kiosk. They can then quickly and easily pick up their order at their convenience by going to the retail store and simply entering their personal code into the locker.
We offer refrigerated lockers to support the overwhelming growth of grocery click and collect orders and storage of perishable items such as foods, drinks, medicine, flowers, and meal kits. Additionally, our outdoor lockers allow for 24/7 pickup, which is an added convenience for customers.
Through BOPIL, items ordered online can be placed in secure parcel lockers, allowing retail shoppers to pick them up whenever best suits them. Lockers can be placed inside or outside of stores, and can be customized with the store’s logo and preferred colors.
Learn more about retail parcel lockers and BOPIL here.
For Property Managers, package delivery management can be challenging, no matter the size of the property. Receiving, sorting, and delivering packages is time-consuming, and because it doesn’t generate revenue for property management, it can be a waste of time. In fact, it’s estimated that every 15 packages received require one hour of a property manager’s time. That could cost the average property more than $4800 a month in office staff costs. And if you have a large property, that time and expense can add up very quickly.
So how can electronic parcel lockers streamline package delivery for your property?
Cut down on wasted time. On-site property management staff can spend hours sorting, organizing, and delivering packages to recipients. Your staff has many more property management responsibilities to attend to—package delivery shouldn’t interfere with that.
Focus on important tasks. All of this wasted time can greatly impact the management of your property. Because your staff are spending excess time on package deliveries, they’re not able to accomplish necessary daily tasks. Parcel lockers allow them to focus more of their valuable time on business-related functions.
Reduce package-related risks. If anything goes wrong with a package, the recipient is not going to be pleased. And because you and your staff are the ones processing and delivering these packages, you’ll most likely end up dealing with the consequences. Parcel lockers reduce company risk associated with accepting packages, as well as possible parcel misplacement.
Increase package pickup flexibility. Are you tired of needing to be constantly available for package pickups? Even though you’ve clearly stated property management office hours, residents still want you to make an exception so they can pick up their package. With parcel lockers, residents can pick up their packages whenever works for their schedule, whether that’s 6 a.m. or 6 p.m.
Securely deliver packages. With electronic parcel lockers, package recipients don’t need to worry about package theft, misplacement, or damage. Each package is safely and securely placed in the parcel locker by mail carriers, who require a special access code to do so. Residents are also notified immediately when their package is delivered, and it stays safely in the parcel locker until they’re able to retrieve it.
Parcel Pending’s parcel lockers can also be customized for your property to accommodate both small and large packages. This includes locker wrapping to showcase your logo or preferred colors.
Learn more about retail parcel lockers here.
Property management can be challenging. No matter what type of property you manage, you have to be responsible for maintenance, paperwork, resident requests, and even package delivery. With all of these responsibilities on your to-do list, what can you do to improve your efficiency?
- Prioritize your time. You have a lot on your plate, and your tenants are depending on you to take care of your responsibilities. An important thing to remember is that your time is valuable. Don’t overschedule yourself, and don’t promise that things like maintenance work will be done when you know you won’t be able to get to it. Take care of the most important tasks first, and then move on to the other tasks on your list.
- Staff properly. With all of your responsibilities, you shouldn’t have to go it alone. Make sure you’re staffing correctly from the beginning to avoid burnout and to ensure all tasks are being done.
- Cut down on unnecessary tasks. When you’re busy, it’s often helpful to cut down on tasks that don’t need to be done that very same day—or that someone else could help you accomplish. This includes package management, which can be taken care of by parcel lockers.
- Invest in smart locker technology. Technology is the way of the future, and there are many options out there that can improve efficiency in property management. One of those is electronic parcel lockers, which require minimal interaction on your part, but can seriously improve your residents’ delivery experience.
Learn more about how parcel lockers can improve efficiency on your property here.
As a PM, you’ve most likely heard of last-mile delivery. This is defined as moving goods—like packages—from local mail distribution centers to the final delivery destination. As e-commerce rises in popularity, last-mile delivery is more challenging than ever.
Mail carriers are doing their best to ensure that packages arrive at their destinations as quickly as possible. However, some miscommunications between property managers and couriers can slow this process. Couriers will often try to deliver packages straight to the recipient’s door instead of taking the package to the management office. If that recipient isn’t home, the courier might take the package back to the distribution center if it requires a signature.
But that’s not the biggest issue. When couriers bring packages to apartment complex management offices, multifamily communities, universities, etc., property management staff become the ones carrying out last-mile delivery.
This process takes time away from essential property management tasks. In fact, it’s estimated that every 15 packages take an hour of time to organize and distribute. Chances are, you don’t have the luxury of being able to spend this much time on package deliveries.
So what solutions do property managers have? One of the best solutions is parcel lockers. These smart devices do the work for you. In fact, in most cases, property managers won’t need to deal with packages at all.
How Do Parcel Lockers Improve Package Delivery?
- Couriers place packages into lockers themselves—so property managers don’t need to get involved.
- Package recipients are notified immediately when their packages are delivered, eliminating misplaced parcels or miscommunication.
- Property residents can pick up their packages whenever fits their schedule—even outside of management office hours.
Learn more about how parcel lockers improve property management here.
Over 23 million Americans a year have had a package stolen from their front porch or mailbox. This trend of front-porch package stealing involves “porch pirates” following mail trucks around, noting where packages are being delivered, and walking right up and taking them. This thievery is especially common during the holiday season, when more packages are delivered than any other time of the year.
Many homeowners have installed video surveillance cameras to see who is running off with their packages, but that system really only helps after the fact. Often all homeowners can do is post the videos and hope someone recognizes the porch pirate. And because 74 percent of packages are stolen during the day while homeowners are at work or out of the house, it seems like there is not much that can be done to prevent porch pirating.
According to this same study, 49 percent of package theft victims say they try to stay home when they know a package is going to be delivered. Others will have the package delivered to a neighbor’s or family member’s house, or even their workplace. Some will even leave work early to try to meet the mail carrier before the package is delivered to avoid parcel theft.
However, package deliveries are not expected to slow down. The global e-commerce industry is expected to be worth a staggering $4.5 trillion by 2021. Online shoppers and homeowners alike shouldn’t need to worry about having their packages stolen. The solution lies with electronic parcel lockers, which are safe, secure, and easy to use for couriers, package recipients, and property managers.
Electronic parcel lockers are the perfect way to ward off porch pirates. These smart package lockers accept delivery from couriers, and can only be opened by someone with a special locker access code. Even if a porch pirate was to see where a package was delivered, there’s no way they could get to it.
How Do Electronic Parcel Lockers Prevent Package Theft?
Lockers can only be opened by authorized personnel. This includes couriers, property managers, and package recipients.
Package recipients are sent special locker access codes. When a package is delivered, the recipient is automatically notified and sent a unique access code that will only work for them.
Lockers can be accessed 24/7. Most package theft happens while the recipient is at work or out of the house, but that’s not an issue with parcel lockers. Packages are securely stored in lockers until the recipient picks them up—whenever works best for them.
Read more about Parcel Pending’s parcel lockers here.
Would you like to know the exact moment that your package is delivered? Parcel Pending’s Package Delivery app does that and more, giving users complete transparency into the package delivery process.
The Package Delivery app is more comprehensive than email or text notifications alone, and makes package pickups simple. Instead of receiving a notification through email or text, package recipients are notified directly through the app. There’s no need for package recipients to search through their phones for delivery notifications—or even access codes.
With the Parcel Pending app, a user’s smartphone can communicate with the parcel locker system itself. Residents can simply tap a button on their phone, and the corresponding locker will open. Recipients are then free to collect their package and get on with their day.
How Does the Package Delivery App Work?
Step 1: The courier delivers the package into the electronic parcel locker using a unique access code provided by property management.
Step 2: Package recipients automatically receive an app notification that their package is ready to be picked up.
Step 3: The mail recipient approaches the electronic parcel locker to collect their package. The recipient doesn’t need an access code—they simply need to have their phone and the corresponding locker will open.
Step 4: The package recipient collects their package. That’s it!
Learn more about Parcel Pending’s Package Delivery app here.