As summer approaches, apartment communities across the country are getting ready to open their swimming pools and other seasonal amenities.
At the same time, a rapidly growing number of people are vaccinated against COVID-19, or plan to be.
Restrictions on gatherings and masking are easing in different parts of the country, and apartment residents—especially ones who live alone—are ready to return to pre-pandemic life.
But there are some practices that started during the pandemic that appear to be here to stay, like working from home. Another is amenity scheduling.
Last year, apartment amenity reservation platforms became a crucial tool for property managers who needed a way to balance amenity use and social distancing.
Now, amenity scheduling tools have been absorbed into everyday life for a growing number of apartment communities, and their usage goes beyond booking blocks of time for the community fitness center.
In this post, we’ll examine why an apartment amenity reservation booking system is a long-term play that can address additional pain points for property managers along the way.
An amenity scheduling system can track usage data.
Over the last few years, the so-called “amenity wars” have pitted apartment communities against each other in a race to attract residents with new, unique lifestyle features.
Rooftop terraces, yoga studios, private wine lockers, and concierge services are some examples of the premium amenities we’ve been seeing, but how does an apartment operator know if these amenities are worth keeping?
A good amenity booking platform can monitor how many residents have used an amenity during any given time – data a property manager can use to make decisions around which amenities to hold onto and which ones to leave behind.
Communities can also involve residents in amenity decisions using amenity usage information. Residents can be surveyed about why they like or dislike certain amenities and what other options or improvements they’d like to see.
An amenity scheduler can prevent overcrowding at popular apartment amenities.
When the weather heats up, the pool will be the place to be, but what do you do when everyone feels this way?
There can be some drama around well-loved amenities like the pool or barbecue areas, with some residents spending hours stationed in the center of all of the action while others wait for space to become available.
An apartment amenity scheduling tool can provide structure to how residents use amenities and prevent overcrowding. It ensures that everyone has a turn, which can help keep the peace.
Guest parking can be a struggle, but an amenity scheduler can help.
A common complaint among apartment residents is a lack of parking for guests. If you spend a few minutes reading apartment reviews, you’ll see that some residents have found this to have hampered their social lives and caused relationship tension.
Some residents won’t remain in a community that makes it difficult for them to have friends or family over, and can you blame them?
With an amenity booking system, residents can reserve a parking spot for guests and designate when they’ll arrive and leave. This will prevent the vehicle from being towed or ticketed, and it could even save a relationship or two!
Outdoor events can be managed with an amenity scheduler.
Apartment communities that offer group workouts outdoors or other kinds of outdoor events can use an amenity reservation tool to help things run smoothly.
This summer is expected to be busier than last year as many parts of the country are lifting their COVID-19 mask mandates and social distancing requirements. Residents want to get outside, and an amenity scheduler can act as an RSVP system, ensuring that property managers know how many people to expect for activities and events so they can plan accordingly.
Conclusion: Amenity schedulers are a long-term play for apartment communities.
Apartment amenity reservations became necessary during the height of the pandemic to prevent groups of people from interacting. But it’s proven to be just as helpful, if not more, when it comes to everyday amenity use.
Amenity scheduling can keep things equitable and organized, ensuring that every resident who wants to use an amenity is able to do so. This can prevent residents from feeling unfairly treated because everyone has equal access. A good amenity booking platform will also provide valuable data to help management improve existing amenities as well as add or remove amenities based on resident demand and preferences.
Respage’s Resident Amenity Scheduler is the most robust amenity scheduling tool in Multifamily. It also comes with our A.I. Chatbot included! If you think this technology could help your community, contact Respage for a demo.
