With the busiest shipping season of the year in full force, here are a few tips to help property managers prepare
The holidays mean one thing is on every property manager’s mind: managing the package delivery chaos. UPS estimated it delivered 800 million packages between Thanksgiving and Christmas 2018 and that number is sure to rise this year. For the week of December 2 alone this year, Package Concierge had over 716,000 package transactions – that’s a 42% increase from the week prior. As more and more Americans do their retail shopping online, multifamily properties will need solutions that can help manage the madness during the holidays and beyond.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed by holiday package management, but with a little advanced planning and the he addition of ever-increasing available property technology, managers can face the busy season head-on. With the busiest shipping season of the year in full force, here are a few tips to help property managers prepare:
1. Supplement Staffing
With fewer shipping days in the 2019 holiday season, be prepared to efficiently handle the late spike in deliveries by ensuring enough staff and/or automated solutions are on hand to manage it all. Consider hiring seasonal employees and adding automated lockers and package rooms to help fill in the gaps. Investing in the right tech can pay serious long term dividends.
2. Make it Secure
Carriers are staffing up for the holidays too, which means new faces may be added on your route. Tighten up security for delivery personnel and all the added packages by reviewing your building’s entry procedures and access points for package drop-off and pick-up. Determine if seasonal staff, automated locks, extra security cameras and/or entry codes need to be adjusted or added to ensure residents and packages remain safe and secure.
3. Clearly Communicate
Whether the property management office will have extended holiday hours or be closed for entire portions of the holiday season, make sure both your residents and delivery carriers are well informed ahead of time – especially since this short season will be extremely busy. This is also the time to outline your property’s policies for return packages, package pick-up procedures, guest check-ins and any policies related to number of guests, noise, etc.
4. Plan the Parking Lot
The increase in visitors and delivery vehicles during this busy time may place a strain on parking for your residents. Make sure visitor parking policies are clearly communicated and that proper signage is in place. Consider temporarily designating package delivery drop-off locations that are close to entrances and provide enough space for package carts without blocking traffic.
5. Keep it Clean
Adding extra building cleanings will not only ensure it has a seasonal sparkle but will also help keep everyone healthy; especially since all the extra foot traffic, boxes and waste create more dust and clutter. Have cleaning crews pay extra special attention to high-traffic common areas, sanitizing doors and handles from the front lobby entrance to the mail and package room.
A bit of extra planning now, will help finish this year’s shortened holiday season with ease. It’s never too early or too late to enhance your property with technology solutions that increase efficiency for the holiday season and beyond.
