Streamline Property Management Workflows with the Latest Property Technology Solutions
Today, commercial real estate and property management firms are dealing with unprecedented complexity, playing a more active role in the creation and collection of renovation bids, the hiring and managing of various staff, the coordination of maintenance services, the overseeing of property security, in addition to a wide variety of other tasks. New computer and network technologies are key to helping companies manage this intimidating list of responsibilities. Not only are new technologies in the property technology or “PropTech” field helping companies do more with less, they’re also having a direct positive influence on their bottom line as well. Let’s take a look at how this new generation of technology is playing a valuable role in helping real estate companies become more efficient and save money.
Next-Generation VPN Solutions for Secure Collaboration
A good VPN connection is an important building block in your company’s network architecture, as it enables multiple office locations to communicate and share data securely. But building a reliable VPN architecture takes the careful coordination of hardware and software resources to ensure reliability and security. Is the VPN client software compatible with all your network devices? Are the VPN protocols configured to work properly with all endpoints (firewalls, routers, VPN concentrators, etc.)? These are just some of the questions you’ll need to ask when setting up your VPN.
The problems with VPN architecture become even more complex as the number of sites and users increases, as any changes that occur in one location could require that both ends of the VPN tunnel be reconfigured. This process involves a number of network variables — such as changing dynamic public IP addresses or authentication and encryption protocols — and can become a major time sink for IT staff. Failure to make those updates can result in unstable VPN connections that lead to service outages and lost productivity.
Astute Technology Management helps to alleviate these concerns with Cisco Meraki’s next-generation Auto VPN solution. Unlike older VPN technologies, Auto VPN uses the power of the cloud to configure, monitor, and maintain your VPN connections, preventing VPN tunnels from breaking even when configuration changes are made in your system. This new breed of VPN solution can save your IT staff the trouble of performing hours of tedious troubleshooting and maintenance, resulting in a company network that better facilitates business operations.
More Employee Flexibility with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
Another critical aspect of the property management business is ensuring your employees are in reliable contact with each other and with tenants. One of the most important technologies to helping you achieve optimal communication is Voice of Internet Protocol (VoIP), a new form of telephony that uses the same network that transmits your company data to transmit phone calls.
There are numerous important benefits that a VoIP solution can bring to a property management firm. VoIP can greatly reduce the usage fees and taxes associated with traditional phone systems, reducing cost-per-call fees down to almost zero. According to well-cited industry statistics, switching to a VoIP phone service saves businesses on average 45% each month when compared to traditional phone systems. Another important feature of VoIP is that it makes it possible for staff members to seamlessly transfer calls between locations and departments. The ability to transfer a call directly to the proper department — opposed to asking the user to call a different number — means better communication, faster support response times, and ultimately, happier tenants.
Astute Technology Management has been deploying VoIP systems for our clients in the real estate and property management industry since the technology first came into the mainstream. We work in partnership with VoIP leader Nextiva to provide feature-rich solutions that help our clients in the real estate industry work more efficiently. For example, our VoIP solution allows your staff to make calls from any devices while still appearing on Caller ID to be sitting at their desk. This not only hides your staff’s personal phone numbers for increased security, but also presents a unified image for your company that helps make phone communications more reliable.
Security Cameras to Reduce Crime and Improve Tenant Satisfaction
Another area where technology solutions from Astute Technology Management can play a decisive role in protecting your bottom line is in the field of security. According to a research reports, like this one from the University of North Carolina, a well-implemented security camera solution can help bring about a marked decrease in burglary attempts and other crimes. In addition, camera solutions can also help reduce liability for your company, and prevent unwelcome visitors from using parking lots or other property resources.
At the heart of Astute Technology Management’s security solution are Cisco’s Meraki MV line of security cameras. The Meraki solution is 100% cloud managed security camera solution, which provides a convenient cloud-based dashboard to monitor and manage of all your cameras. The dashboard is accessible through a standard web browser, so you can view and arrange video feeds for all your cameras — even cameras in multiple physical locations — from a single computer without the need for specialized software. The Meraki MV cameras can also be configured to provide motion and change detection alerts to help identify people and objects that have entered or exited a picture, and are well-known for their strength and durability.
A Solution Specialist with Deep Property Management Experience
The most compelling aspect of the new property technology industry is the almost endless possibilities that it presents for improving building operations. It’s easy for us to envision a time when everything in the property management industry can be measured and controlled, delivering a tenant experience that’s both personal and fully optimized.
To stay ahead of these new upgrades, it’s important to have a technology services provider who can deliver consistent expertise and service quality, like Astute Technology Management. From our initial consultation to the deployment of whatever new technology or solution you’re looking to adopt, we’ll use our deep experience in serving the real estate and property management industry to ensure that the installation and maintenance of your systems is transparent and worry-free.
Curious about how Astute Technology Management can help you optimize your business operations? Contact us anytime; we’re always happy to answer questions about how our next-generation technology solutions can help commercial real estate and property management companies work more efficiently and better serve their customers.