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"Now they’re putting the package rooms and the locker spaces right next to the mail area, so it is not only during business hours, it’s 24 hours, and it’s fully self-service. That way the carriers can go straight in and the residents can go straight in, so the staff doesn’t have to deal with it. That’s the biggest change we are seeing from architects and developers in every single building."
Mindy Price and Chris Moreno open this episode by acknowledging how packages have become a hot topic for multifamily residents. Due to the pandemic, people started shipping items they had never shipped before, they order more frequently, and services like grocery delivery have grown exponentially. This has posed great challenges for communities that were not necessarily designed to store this volume of packages, and it put strain on the staff to manage it all.
Moreno offers advice for package overflow and emphasizes how communities are moving toward automated package rooms. Since people order in peaks and troughs, the number of packages coming in each day is inconsistent, so communities need to have a system that does not put more strain on the staff’s already heavy workload. Solutions for student communities will be different from those for multifamily communities, and companies will need to consider how to structure fees and rents to pay for this amenity.
Finally, Mindy asks Chris to share insights on what Luxer One considers to be the next challenge on the horizon for apartment communities and package solutions. He notes that almost all communities are developing package rooms and locker spaces that are fully self-service and accessible 24/7. Since perishable and grocery deliveries have skyrocketed, communities will need to have solutions for storing these items. Chris emphasizes how properties can immediately see an ROI when they have a system in place, as it raises customer service scores, and Mindy notes how Chris represents a side of the business that is truly a need.