The importance of security in the minds of urban co-op and condo residents cannot be overestimated. While safety remains a primary concern for apartment dwellers and building owners alike, the cost to maintain a round-the-clock doorman in New York City comes with a steep price tag. At a minimum of $300,000 per year, a traditional doorman is not always feasible for small and mid-size residential properties. Remote doorman services can provide the same level of comfort, convenience and safety at a fraction of the cost.
Entrusting your building's security is serious business. While the benefits of a remote doorman service are many, no two providers are alike. Research your options upfront and choose a partner that is committed to collaboration. A good remote doorman service will help building managers, superintendents and concierges to better do their jobs by using advanced technologies to provide a safer environment for residents.
Front Door Protection
In this day and age, key cards alone are not always enough to adequately protect your building. Multiple layers of security will help ensure no one gets through the front door that doesn't belong inside. An effective remote doorman service will, at a minimum, verify credentials before granting access, but may also utilize photographs and other screening methods to facilitate visual verification prior to building entry. With Virtual Doorman, any resident attempting to access the building is screened with our patent pending Web Portal and positively identified by a highly trained operator that uses our specialized software. If the company you're considering doesn't offer these options, seek out one who does.
Emerging Technologies
In this continually evolving field, even the most cutting-edge technology can quickly become obsolete. Look for a company committed to keeping your building secure using the latest technology. State-of-the-art systems also translate into added conveniences for residents. The latest generation of our Virtual Doorman service includes our Gen 4 interactive web-portal that enables residents to communicate far more efficiently, accurately and rapidly by streamlining the information exchange. Residents can simply use the new Virtual Doorman mobile app or visit our web portal online to add or remove guests from the system, for example. Guests are greeted by a remote operator, and once their credentials are verified, they are promptly granted access.
Handling Third Parties
One problem often faced by those residing in a non-doorman building is the difficulty of receiving packages when not at home. A remote doorman service should provide for this with a convenient, secure solution that doesn't compromise the building's safety. If a UPS delivery arrives, how will it be handled? With Virtual Doorman, the delivery person is only granted access to the building's package room and monitored the entire way by a remote operator to ensure they don't stray en route. Our unique relationship with FedEx UPS and DHL allows us to use our Signature Manifest Release ensuring you receive packages that need a signature. Our reception management system also positively identifies packages, leading to fewer lost packages and more efficient delivery. Resident's automatically receive an email notification when a package arrives in their name.
Like a traditional doorman, the remote service you select should also be equipped to handle many of the building management and maintenance functions (i.e. granting access for "meter readers") without disrupting the building's superintendent to unlock the door. Secure access could be granted on a monthly or quarterly basis, for example, as specified by building management. This convenience also translates into an added savings since the superintendent and even the property manager need not be called to handle matters that are easily handled by the remote doorman.
Choosing Your Doorman
Before committing to a specific remote doorman service, ask for references and review client testimonials. How long has the company been in existence? How many and what types of buildings does it service? In addition to being a major selling point, a Virtual Doorman service provides managers, board members/shareholders, and unit owners with what they seek most - a safe haven for residents and their families.
Colin Foster is partner and vice president of sales for Virtual Service, New York, N.Y. Tags: