The current sentiment is that smart home technology is becoming a commodity in multifamily. And maybe it is. Residents expect it and are willing to pay for it. Multifamily owners/operators are rapidly looking to engage a supplier partner who can either retrofit a current community or can take their new development to the next level.
We believe smart home technology is more than a commodity when it is combined with forward-thinking, multifamily-centric SaaS powering the hardware. When software is developed specifically for the multifamily industry (and by those who know the industry) it delivers a unique ability to effectively address pain points and challenges faced by our teams.
Here are the top considerations to keep in mind to make sure your smart home tech is next level.
Seek suppliers who develop open APIs. We know the name of the game is integration, but only open APIs offer the greatest ability to align all of your systems into a best-in-breed technology stack.
Seek suppliers who understand the user experience. App fatigue is real, as is dashboard fatigue for on-site teams. Smart home technology software should make life easier for all users, not just be another app or dashboard they have to log into.
Seek suppliers who engage in integrated, strategic partnerships. As smart home technology hardware changes at a breakneck pace, work with suppliers that have strategic software partnerships in place to ensure your hardware doesn’t become obsolete (think the classic iPod docking stations).
Seek suppliers who know multifamily. Not all software is created equal, and there is a significant intrinsic value in software developed by those who know multifamily.