In today’s competitive rental market, high-quality amenities are a key differentiator. A state-of-the-art fitness center, a sparkling pool, a stylish clubhouse, or a rooftop lounge can be the deciding factor for prospective tenants. But for property managers, these valuable assets also present a significant operational challenge: How do you keep these spaces secure, enforce rules, and provide a great tenant experience without hiring additional staff to monitor them?
The answer doesn’t lie in more payroll hours, but in smarter technology. Modern access control systems provide a powerful solution, allowing you to automate, manage, and secure your entire portfolio of amenities with precision—all from a single, centralized platform.
The Old Way vs. The Smart Way
Traditionally, managing amenities meant relying on staff to manually lock and unlock doors, monitor usage, and hope that rules were being followed after hours. This approach is not only expensive and inefficient but also prone to human error, leaving your property vulnerable to unauthorized use, vandalism, and increased liability.
A modern, integrated access control system transforms this dynamic, putting you in complete control.
Automate Your Operations with Scheduled Access
Imagine your fitness center doors automatically unlocking at 5:00 AM and securing themselves at 10:00 PM, every single day, without fail. Imagine the pool gate only allowing access during designated operational hours. This is the power of scheduled access.
You can set specific schedules for each amenity area, and tenant credentials—whether a key card, fob, or mobile phone—will only grant entry during those pre-defined times. This simple feature:
- Ensures After-Hours Lockdown: Drastically reduces the risk of unauthorized after-hours parties or accidents in areas like pools and rooftops, significantly lowering your liability
- Eliminates Staffing Needs: Removes the need for an employee to be physically present to open or close facilities, freeing up your staff for more important tasks
- Provides Consistency: Rules are enforced automatically and consistently for every resident, eliminating confusion and disputes
Secure Your Most Valuable Common Areas
Different amenities have different security needs. A modern system allows you to create customized rules for each space.
Fitness Centers, Clubhouses, and Rooftops: These high-value areas are often targets for misuse or damage. With access control, you have a complete audit trail of who entered and when. If damage occurs, you can quickly identify who was in the area, moving from a costly mystery to a clear resolution. It also prevents non-residents from gaining access and overcrowding these exclusive spaces.
Package Rooms: With the explosion of e-commerce, package rooms have become a hotbed for theft. An access control system can secure the room so that only residents with active credentials can enter, creating a more secure environment than an unlocked lobby. When integrated with video surveillance, it provides a nearly foolproof system for protecting tenant deliveries.
Improve the Tenant Experience While Reducing Costs
A smart access control system is more than a security tool—it’s an amenity in itself.
Seamless Convenience: Tenants appreciate the simplicity of using a single credential—or even their own smartphone—to access their apartment, the gym, the pool, and the package room. It’s a modern, premium experience.
Enhanced Safety and Fairness: When tenants know that amenities are secure and access is controlled, they feel safer. They also appreciate that the rules are being applied fairly to everyone, preventing overcrowding and ensuring the spaces are available for authorized residents to enjoy.
Occupancy Management: While not a replacement for real-time counting, access control is the first step in managing occupancy. By preventing unauthorized entry, you can better control the number of people using a space at any given time, ensuring a more pleasant and safer experience for everyone.
The Bottom Line: A Clear Return on Your Investment
The ROI of an amenity access control system is clear and compelling. The reduction in staffing costs required to monitor and manage these common areas often pays for the system itself in a surprisingly short time. Add in the reduced liability from preventing after-hours accidents, the lower costs associated with vandalism and damage, and the increased tenant retention from a better overall experience, and the investment becomes one of the smartest a property manager can make.
Don’t let the challenge of managing your amenities diminish their value. It’s time to work smarter, not harder.
Secure Your Amenities and Reduce Operational Costs
Ready to automate your amenity management and reduce your operational costs? Contact Systems Integrations today at (866) 417-3787 for a free consultation. We’ll show you how a modern access control solution can secure your property and delight your tenants.