Many landlords have thrown out expensive useless work order systems in favor of Shortpath’s online concierge and work order system. If you don’t already have a work order system, why not get an online concierge and work order system at no cost? Similar to the way many landlords provide concierge services to tenants, web-based building systems providers have found new ways to offer their services to landlords and tenants at no cost. If you are paying for concierge services or a “work order management program,” you shouldn’t be.
Formerly, only “high-end” buildings with the right tenants could afford concierge services and work order management programs. Now, with the costs of technology at an all-time low, delivering a no-cost online concierge system to all types of commercial buildings is possible.
Five reasons why buildings use online concierge and work order systems: One, additional services equal higher rents. Two, creating work efficiencies will lower operational costs. Three, monitoring building activity provides landlords and staff more control. Four, storing and maintaining data offsite protects building data in case of an emergency. Five, establishing an online community and aggregate buying opportunity will increase tenant retention among small to medium sized tenants.
Sometimes concierge services are a condition of a lease or a service that is expected, but usually only in commercial buildings with the highest rents. Not anymore. Because the Internet provides a tremendous low-cost distribution channel, concierge services can be delivered to any tenant at zero cost, in a facility-driven format, customized for each location.
Upon greeting the security guard and receiving a pre-printed building pass, potential tenants and brokers immediately know that your building provides additional services to tenants. These online work-order systems can be up and running in less than a week. Tenants enjoy working together to make their building run more efficiently and safer, so long as it’s fun and easy.
Our research indicated that in order to achieve 100% tenant usage throughout a building, the system must provide greater benefits then just online work orders. Bulky complicated work-order systems that tenants don’t use are worthless and really end up being more work for the staff. Instead of tenants placing work requests through the system, they are using the telephone. Engineers, security guards and handymen become typists and tenants are still waiting for service while the building staff is typing. That is not the way to run a building.
Some landlords have forced these expensive systems on both their staff and tenants and hurt their operating budget in the process. Quickly, property managers discover that less than half the tenants find the system useful, more staff is required to run the system and anytime they bring in a replacement, the replacements have no idea what to do. Moreover, the wireless functionality is unnecessary, susceptible to breakdown, doesn’t work everywhere and remains unnervingly expensive. Tenants don’t care who changed the light bulb and how fast, they only care that it gets changed.
Ask office managers whether they would rather have a building system that can place an order for a carpet shampoo or for discounted tickets to Hairspray, and ninety-nine times out of one hundred, they are going to request the tickets. I know. I did the survey. Funny, the person who didn’t want the tickets to Hairspray would have chosen tickets if it was for the Yankees.
How does a company provide an online work-order system and concierge at no cost? Our company has modeled our offering and the delivery of our product after the entertainment industry. We find a sponsor or a few sponsors to help us with the costs of running the system for each building. Office supply companies, messenger companies, car services, telecom providers, printing companies, and sometimes ticket brokers all sponsor Shortpath’s concierge system for each building, thereby providing a system at no cost to tenants or the landlord. With the advent of the combination online concierge and work order system, tenants can get the benefits of a work order system, something that is easy to use along with the amenity of tremendous savings and services. The work-order system should be able to run at no cost to the building.
