Managing Package Logistics  Continued From Page 15


Level 3: Smart Package Room


Smart package rooms act like one giant locker. All packages are tracked by the smart room software, but concierge teams are still responsible for a majority of labeling and sorting. The accuracy of package tracking depends on how well the concierge team has trained the package couriers to use the package reception technology. The majority of liability is shifted from the concierge team onto the package couriers and residents. However, there is less protection against package theft in this arrangement than lockers can provide. Typically, the room will be large enough to hold a refrigerator to store perishables. The average monthly cost for a smart package room is $310/month. The benefit is less staff time spent on package management.


There is less protection against package theft in this arrangement than lockers can provide.


Level 4: Package lockers and Smart Package Room


All packages are tracked by one package reception software, and the majority of labeling and sorting is handled by the software. Lockers add more tracking accuracy and more security against package theft. Overflow and large packages are tracked by the software in the package room instead of by the concierge team. The concierge team has the least amount of liability and interaction with the packages in this arrangement. Typically, the package room will have a fridge to store perishables.


How do concierge teams manage the chaos? With frequent audits, resident registration, and pick-up deadlines. Even with package reception technology, concierge teams should conduct audits to reduce technology and user errors. Couriers may accidently assign the wrong package to the wrong unit. Couriers may register one package then dump the rest of their haul into the same locker or smart package room, leaving several packages untracked. Property wi- fi outages or a software glitch can render technology temporarily unusable or result in missing data. In a smart package room, residents can pick up the wrong packages, or might not pick up all of their packages at once, which throws off tracking accuracy. Daily audits are the most effective way of catching these errors, as the more time that


16 Community Associations Journal | March 2023


passes between an error and its discovery, the more difficult it will be to resolve. Package reception software offers easy reports for the concierge team to pull, and makes the audit process more efficient.


Even with package reception technology, concierge teams should conduct audits to reduce user errors.


Perhaps the most important factor for package technology success is that residents have to use it correctly. It is critical that residents correctly register their accounts with the technology system in order for residents and the concierge team to reap the benefits of the streamlined system. Additionally, the package technology must be treated as a delivery facility not a long-term storage facility. Package facilities often hold more than the current day’s packages, so setting a deadline for package pick-up is essential for supporting optimal package management.


Package pick-up site must be treated as a delivery facility not a long-term storage facility.


An agreed-upon hold-time ensures enough space to handle the package volume and reduces the need for the concierge team to resort to manually tracking packages in overflow rooms. Fees are a strong incentive for compliance, which package reception technologies recognize, consequently most have a feature to charge a resident’s account if they do not pick up their packages on time. However, a smart balance has to be maintained because package pick-up fees may hinder residents from registering their accounts. If residents do not use the technology, then the concierge team becomes saddled with the time consuming task of package management once again.


One Size Fits All?


There may not be a one size fits all solution, but one thing is clear: package reception technology helps concierge teams focus less on package management, and more on serving the needs of residents.


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