Student Housing Business

JAN-FEB 2017

Student Housing Business is the voice of the student housing industry.

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SMARTER OPERATIONS January/February 2017 StudentHousingBusiness.com 74 and developed for multi-housing use are easy ways to create a solid foundation for a security and access system. One thing to keep in mind during the vetting process is the maintenance and customer ser- vice options available for the products and services. In the rap- idly changing world of technol- ogy, it's crucial to keep hardware and software up-to-date to ensure security and longevity and avoid offline issues or hacking con- cerns. From updating software programs to maintaining physi- cal locks and cameras, having a maintenance plan in place from the start ensures a more successful security and access program and one that will evolve and adapt as needs and technologies change. Success in the Numbers Many properties and opera- tors have seen success with using electronic locks and technologies across student housing facilities. Allegion helped Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi, reduce the cost of replacement locks and keys while increasing security at the college's Smith Hall. The school selected a system that included the Schlage AD-400 wireless electronic locks on interior doors and NDE Series electronic locks with ENGAGE technology on exterior doors. With this system, the school could view who had access to specific doors via ENGAGE, the cloud- based mobile application, and gather data and information in case any incidents arose. With the new system, the col- lege can easily enroll students, as well as update and monitor room access. Additionally, since the installation of the electronic locks, there have been no thefts reported for the Smith Hall resi- dents. In the previous two years, the college spent approximately $500 to $1,000 per incident to investigate five reported thefts. As well, the school saved on replace- ments keys, which cost approxi- mately $150 per key in labor and materials. Campus Advantage has ret- rofitted more than 10 proper- ties over the past two years with Kaba SafeLock Deadbolts with great results, explains Hanley. Residents can easily obtain a replacement key/credential that works immediately and deletes previous credentials in the lock's memory automatically upon first use. "This means you have abso- lute positive control of access, and dealing with move-outs and move-ins during turn is much easier," says Hanley. "The mainte- nance staff does not need to rotate locks to ensure security; the locks take care of themselves." By retrofitting the lock systems, Campus Advantage has saved hundreds of hours of manpower and ensured that residents have a much better experience if they lose or misplace a key. Beyond offering enhanced security and convenience to stu- dents, electronic locks and mobile technology can be a perk in the lease-up cycle for student housing properties as well. A studio apartment prop- erty that caters to students in Copenhagen, Denmark, CPH Studio Hotel implemented ASSA ABLOY Hospitality Mobile Access after recognizing that many students preferred to stay at a mobile-enabled residence ver- sus a non-enabled one. The facility operators under- stood that mobile-enabled apart- ments offered more than just con- venience for residents, notes Wu. The system allows for freedom to access and exit the property at any time and demonstrated the man- agement team's commitment to the residents' mobile-oriented life- styles and personal preferences. Whether retrofitting or devel- oping a new property, embrac- ing electronic technologies for access and security systems can have a huge impact on a prop- erty's bottom line when it comes to costs associated with turn-over, lost keys and theft. Additionally, catering to the mobile-centric life of millennials and younger gen- erations can be a big draw for ini- tial lease-up and yearly retention numbers. SHB MICHAEL HANLEY Senior Vice President, Campus Advantage With seven-nights-per-week or seven-days-per-week doorstep trash and recycling collection by Valet Waste, student housing communities have an amenity their residents can enjoy and a service that helps control the excessive trash normally associated with student housing. An aesthetically pleasing and clean property also keeps management and maintenance team personnel focused on the jobs they were hired to do. No one enjoys taking out trash and having to visit a dumpster or community compactor, which is why student housing communities today think it's the brightest idea in student housing. 877.5.PICK.UP (1.877.574.2587) www.valetwaste.com The Brightest Idea in Student Housing Booth # 109 Visit Us at: February 14-15, 2017 Hyatt Regency | Chicago

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