Smart Parcel Delivery in 2021

The onslaught of package delivery continues with month-over-month delivery volume up an astonishing 70% during the COVID 19 pandemic. The real news, however, for property managers is that package volume shows no signs of slowing down with ecommerce predictions indicating that online shopping will comprise $7 trillion (or 25%) of global retail sales by 2024¹. With Super Saturday foot store traffic plunging over 39% vs. one year ago, e-commerce has filled the shopping void resulting in even more packages delivered to residents at your property¹! 

 With a “carpe diem” mentality, installing a smart parcel delivery locker system positions your property to win new residents while successfully retaining current ones. After all, the “amenity wars” are even more intense now, with multifamily property managers fighting to attract and retain residents who are looking for safe, digital solutions to meet their rapidly changing needs during this pandemic. A smart parcel box makes it easy for a courier or delivery company to deliver mail to residents. Plus, the sturdy steel lockers protect resident packages 24/7, making it easy for residents to come pick up their deliveries at their convenience. 

Six Benefits of Smart Parcel Lockers

Here are six benefits of parcel delivery lockers:

1. Lockers Create a Competitive Advantage
2. Lockers Increase Community Safety
3. Lockers Reduce Theft
4. Lockers Lower Labor/Operational Costs
5. Lockers Boost Resident Loyalty & Satisfaction
6. Lockers Offer a Solid Return on Investment

Lockers as a Competitive Advantage

Both property managers and residents recognize that shopping habits have permanently shifted: orders for groceries, supplies, and medicines require a safe and secure parcel delivery system. Given the meteoric rise in online ordering and same-day delivery, residents report that smart lockers are their number one requested amenity.

To ensure the goods arrive safely at the renters’ unit, it’s essential to have a reliable package tracking system. Parcel Pending has a chain–of–custody reporting function providing complete visibility into where residents’ parcels are at all times. Our software also offers easy integration into existing property management software like RealPage, ResMan, Entrata, and more. Smart lockers can also automatically send residents reminder notices, saving staff time and lowering the rate of “stale” packages (packages that are not retrieved during the pickup window designated by the property). 

What does it mean when your order is in fulfillment? The fulfillment process is the process of goods and materials being shipped from one location and, eventually, arriving at the smart locker. 

Smart Lockers are a Smart Move for Safety

Smart lockers allow residents to retrieve packages without standing in line or too close together in the leasing office or community mailroom, thereby promoting social distancing. Moreover, with contactless entry, residents can pick up parcels without interacting with delivery company drivers, property staff, or even other residents. The smart parcel locker system sends recipients a unique access code and/or a barcode via text (SMS) or email, allowing for easy and safe package pickup without ever touching a keypad or signing a name to a paper tracking sheet.

Fighting Porch Pirates with Secure Parcel Delivery

You’ve likely seen videos of porch pirates, now here are the startling facts: one in five Americans fell victim to package theft during quarantine, and 40% of those thefts were reported in apartment communities. Further, 1.7 million packages are lost or stolen every single day in the United States. Most importantly, however, is that smart lockers virtually eliminate the “disappearing packages” problem.

But you don’t have to take our word for it. Trellis Fifth Avenue, an urban condominium property located in the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego, completely eliminated package theft at the property after installing a Parcel Pending smart locker system. You can read more about their experience with Parcel Pending here.

Increase Productivity and Lower Labor Costs with Smart Package Management

Tracking packages, signature validation, and resident notifications become tasks of the past with a smart mailbox. Experts estimate that property managers can shave up to 24 hours of package management labor off their staff’s plate each week. Lockers also allow for secure transfer of leasing documents, keys, and other access credentials.

Smart Lockers with a Mobile App Boost Resident Loyalty

With 38.7 million shoppers placing at least one online grocery order for delivery or pickup in November 2020, the demand for a secure, and refrigerator locker is palpable². Residents expect their perishable goods to be stored safely and securely if they cannot receive deliveries safely at their unit. Parcel Pending can help communities offer a modern apartment complex experience, with solutions like refrigerated lockers, which are an amenity that reduces liability while boosting safety and customer satisfaction. In fact, offering smart lockers can increase resident retention by 40%! 

Some residents may wonder about curbside meaning, but a curbside option is typically best for brick-and-mortar stores rather than apartment complexes. 

Further, Parcel Pending’s mobile app puts residents in control of their packages. Residents can sign up for the smartphone app, designate their address, select if they need a locker within disability accessibility height range, and complete the registration with their name, password, and PIN number. They are then automatically notified when they have a parcel pending, can see their parcel delivery history, and even set a vacation schedule so that packages are stored safely until their return – without accruing storage fees. In short, the mobile app makes residents happy.

Smart Lockers Offer a Positive Return on Investment

At first glance, lockers might seem like a large, upfront investment. However, automated lockers add a much-needed convenience that works to convert prospective tenants into residents, lowering your vacancy rate.

Don’t forget that Parcel Pending also offers many innovative pricing options including a “no money down” option, making it easy and affordable to install a package management system for apartments that meets your community’s budgetary needs. Of course, lockers are also available in many colors and configurations to meet your aesthetic and package management needs as well.

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The rental market might be uncertain in 2021. Meeting and exceeding renter expectations with smart lockers adds a key competitive advantage for properties looking to attract and retain residents in the current climate.

Adding amenities such as smart lockers can contribute to your property’s long-term success. Talk to a Parcel Pending representative today for a complimentary assessment of how multifamily smart lockers can fit your space and unique package management needs.

Sources:

1. Bruell, Alexandra. The Wall Street Journal. E-Commerce to Total a Quarter of Global Retail by 2024, GroupM Forecasts. (2020, December 16). https://www.wsj.com/articles/e-commerce-to-total-a-quarter-of-global-retail-by-2024-groupm-forecasts-11608116401.
2. Kapner, Suzanne & Ziobrio, Paul. The Wall Street Journal. U.S. Postal Service Struggles to Keep Up With Christmas Deliveries. (2020, December 22). https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-postal-service-struggles-to-keep-up-with-christmas-deliveries-11608647815.
3. Evans, Katie. Digital Commerce 360. Holidays and health concerns continue to drive online sales in December. (2020, December 22). https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/article/coronavirus-impact-online-retail/.