Get That New TV Installed Tomorrow

Looking for a reliable way to ensure that your residents don't gouge huge holes in the wall the next time they try to hang their new LCD TV on the wall?

Then check out a service called Zip Express. Zip Express typically partners with retail outlets (in-store and online) -- they provide nationwide next-day and five-day installation options for consumers, regardless of where they bought the goods. Depending on the item, the prices range from $199 for a standard Home Theater system to $399 for an on-the-wall TV installation package, which is very competitive when compared to the giants like Geek Squad.

One refreshing feature is that Zip Express guarantees the customer will be given a ONE HOUR window of time for the installer to arrive. It's easy to schedule online, and the installers take all the trash away with them. They can even show the customer how to program and use the new remote! (Of course, it's $149 for Universal Remote programming which includes reviewing the existing TV and A/V components to make sure that they are compatible with the remote control; programming primary commands for up to 8 devices; and training the customer.) No word on pricing to get rid of the flashing "12:00" for those of us who still have a VCR sitting next to our TiVo.


I could see a service like this working very well for apartment communities in some markets -- installation could be offered as part of technology concierge/move-in package:

"Hey new resident, not only do we have all these great technology amenities here, but we also understand that you'll be bringing a truckload of your own gear. Let us help you set it all up while you're getting settled in."

They get convenient setup on their schedule, you get a few bucks in your pocket. Reseller opportunities are available if you're interested.

Could this could work in apartment communities? Let me know what you think.

Multifamily Technology at the NAA Education Conference

I'm excited to be moderating a panel at this year's Education Conference, held at the end of the month here in Orlando. The session is titled "Tech-Savvy Residents Expect Tech-Savvy Homes."


My job will be easy, primarily because I'll be sitting next to some fantastic panelists: Henry Pye from JPI, Steve Sadler from Post Properties and Dave Hanchette from Russound. Henry and Steve are multifamily veterans that do nothing but eat, drink and sleep technology, and Dave is a home technology expert who brings great perspective from the electronics industry. These guys will cover the latest trends in apartment technology – focusing on real examples and strategies that will attract tech-savvy residents. Between the three of them, they've seen it all and will be able to share incredible opinions and insights that we all will learn from.

That said, I'm officially recruiting the help of the MT 360° community... If you have a question about all things technology that affect our industry, I want to hear it. Send me an email or a tweet, or just leave it in the comments below -- I'll give credit where it's due for any questions I'm able to use during the session. And if you'll be in Orlando for the event, please let me know -- it's always great to meet new folks and share ideas.

Now let's hear those questions!

Energy Management Options

Mike Brewer's post today on his Property Management blog inspired me to run through some of the other energy management options available on the market today.

The Home Joule (pictured) is a slick little device that ConsumerPowerline is offering in the New York area.

It analyzes energy price data from the utility company and usage data for each user, then provides a display to the user that changes color and provides other indicators that help determine if energy consumption needs to be adjusted. It all operates on a pager network. Just as messages to specific pagers go only to those users, so do the energy signals find their way to the right Joules.

Companies like Control4, HAI, Honeywell and others have thermostats that are not only programmable, but accessible via the Internet. That means they can be programmed and monitored from the leasing center or a corporate office, which could come in handy for vacant units. The ability to set temperature ranges -- and email/text alerts when things aren't as they should be -- could be a huge benefit for apartment operations teams.

The unit pictured below is from Proliphix -- it's actually an IP-addressable device, so it doesn't require any extra adapters or modules to get it connected to the network. The data can be accessed from an individual webpage, or can be ported to a custom management portal ... I could see this integrating with property management software programs. (Put a unit in 'Vacant' mode upon move-out.)

Most of these devices cost significantly more than regular programmable thermostats, which has prevented them from taking off in the multifamily industry. For example the cheapest I could find online for one of the Cent-a-Meters that Mike covered was $152 each.

However, as the price of energy rises and the prices of electronics continue to fall, these types of solutions will surely continue to gain traction. There's a real ROI case to be made here, not to mention a resident-empowering "be green... take control of your energy" message that marketers could certainly run with.

Do you have other energy control solutions that you're using in your community? Do prospects respond well to them? Do residents actually use them? What would it take for you to switch to a more manageable solution like this?

Thanks for getting the conversation started, Mike!

Poll: Would You Use a Multifamily Technology Network?

The Multifamily Technology Group on LinkedIn is growing fast, but there really is no good way for group members to communicate with each other to get questions answered or opinions about new technologies. Let's get the conversation started!

twiigs.com

Google Maps Add More Features

In addition to Wikipedia articles, Google Maps have now added photos through one of Google's photo sites, Panoramio.

On Google Maps, you’ll see there is now a “More” button next to “Street View”" and “Traffic.” If you click on it after getting a map, you will be given the options to select “Photos” or “Wikipedia.” Checking the first option populates the map with geotagged photos provided by Panoramio. The second gives you geocoded Wikipedia articles.

I searched a few cities... In Orlando, I didn't find any apartments communities, although I found entries for a Marriott, a local community college and other landmarks.

The more that Google can populate maps with data like this, the more useful they become. Another example is the relatively new feature that enables you to edit the details of your business listing, and you can even "claim your business" to provide even more information including images, website links and coupons.

I’d really like to see geotagged Flickr photos as an option -- Flickr is a much more popular photo sharing site than Panoramio. As TechCrunch suggests, Yelp reviews would also be cool.

How can apartment marketers use features like this to promote your community? Maybe a photo contest that asks residents to submit and vote on unique photos from around the property or the neighborhood... What else can apartment marketers do? What other useful features could Google add to make their maps to help you promote your business?

From this post:
Wikipedia
Google Maps
Panoramio
Flickr
Yelp

Plan for the View

Location is everything in the multifamily business.

So doesn't it stand to reason that as many details as possible should take location into consideration, even while the property is being designed?

Let's look at an example of what I mean by this.

Below is a building in design that will be built on the New Jersey waterfront, featuring beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline for the community's residents. The property owner realized very early during the design that they wanted this view to be the focal point of as many units as possible.

While the focal point of each unit changes, there are still only a small number of floorplan layouts. This means that two residents living in the same floorplan on opposite sides of the building (North and South in this case) will likely orient their furniture in different ways to take advantage of the best view afforded by their particular unit's location.

Let me show you what I mean... In the image below, the units along the left side of this building face away from the water, offering only a streetfront view: (Click on any of the images below to enlarge.)

The residents in these units are less likely to orient their furniture in one specific way -- the view isn't a primary consideration when determining where the TV, and TV outlet location, will be positioned in the unit. So, we choose the most likely TV location in the living room and locate the wallplate there (Outlet #3 in the middle of this image.):

Now let's consider the units on the opposite side of the building -- the side that offers the premium views of the waterfront and skyline.

The units with this particular floorplan (on Floors 3-8 in this case) are marked in black in the image below:

As you can see, the units are located on both the North and South sides of the building, so the units will feature varying views based on the specific locations throughout the building.

We still want each resident to enjoy the panoramas, both on the screen and out the window. In the plans below, we have identified where each unit is located in the building, considered where residents would locate their couch and other furniture to be able to see the skyline, then located the TV outlets to fit that view-oriented furniture layout. This prevents the resident from running ugly cables across the floor to connect their TV where they want it. You can see how the wiring diagram changes slightly based on where the unit is located in the building:

It's a subtle difference, but without it, residents might be frustrated by misplaced outlet locations that don't consider the context of the surroundings.

With some new mapping and modeling tools, designers are able to determine the approximate view from any unit in a residential building. The low-powered way to do it yourself is to use the 3D features in tools like Microsoft Virtual Earth or Google Earth.

This specific example obviously may not be a concern in many communities, but small details like this will likely save more than a few residents' headaches, regardless of your property's address. How else are you using your property's technologies to complement the community surroundings?

From this post:
Microsoft Virtual Earth
Google Earth

Sorry, I Need to Reboot the Treadmill...

Following on the heels of the Nike + Apple announcement yesterday, Samsung and Adidas have teamed up to announce a competitor, the miCoach system.

Nike and Apple originally announced their partnership to create the Nike+ technology more than a year ago -- it's a wireless system that allows some Nike shoes embedded with a sensor to communicate with an Apple iPod Nano.

Now Nike and Apple are making the iPod compatible with gym equipment.

The companies announced Tuesday that they are working with major gym equipment manufacturers, such as Life Fitness and Technogym, to allow users to plug their iPod Nano into cardio equipment to track workouts, set goals and upload the information to the Nike website. The new technology is expected to hit gyms this summer.

Adidas Enters the Race
In the Samsung/Adidas announcement, the miCoach phone is dubbed the "first true sports music mobile."

Just like the Nike+ system, miCoach collects and analyzes personal data and then customizes training plans based on a user's fitness level and specific goals, while offering real-time feedback during a workout using the phone.

A Battleground in Your Clubhouse
While the Samsung system will work over a cellular network, it appears that the Apple solution will communicate directly with the fitness equipment, which probably means that these machines will require an Internet connection in the very near future. Other systems, such as FitLinxx, aleady track users' progress online without the need for an iPod. Keep this in mind if you're designing a new fitness center or refurbishing an exercise room in an existing community.

And while I'm giving you more work ... make sure you review the TV service in these spaces as well. Most fitness equipment is not equipped to receive a secured digital signal, which will render all those treadmill screens dark if you don't install a mini-headend or otherwise address the problem with your video provider.

In any case, it's apparent that the fitness center is becoming a battleground for your health-conscious residents' eyes, ears and wallets. The multifamily industry is just lucky enough to be caught in the crossfire.

The Multifamily Social Media Toolkit: Part I

I had the opportunity to attend the inaugural NAA Student Housing Conference last week, and the first day of sessions went something like this:

"Millenials are different. Here's how to market to them..."
"Facebook."
"Here's a primer on development."
"MySpace."
"Let's talk operations."
"RealPage. Yardi."
"Facebook."
"Facebook."
"Facebook."

Don't get me wrong ... The conference was excellent, especially for a first-time event. But it struck me that, for all the talk about the largest of the social networking sites frequented by these students, much of the conversation was not incredibly accurate or useful for our marketing purposes.

I'm not going to dispute whether advertising on these sites is effective -- you have measurement tools to tell you that. But in general, I think our industry could use social media tools more effectively if we took some time to learn how other successful companies -- and our residents -- are using these sites.

Start by listening.

Before you jump into the deep end of social networks, you need to know where you stand. What are your residents and others saying about your community online?

Not every resident posts a review on Apartment Ratings. Do some exploring. Search for your property name and neighborhood on Technorati and Google Blogsearch. Set up a search engine alert so you'll be notified anytime another website mentions your community.

Don't do anything yet if you find a negative post ... we'll get to that soon. For now, just listen. Spend some time understanding how your property is perceived online.

While you're getting a handle on your community's web presence, you can also observe others. Find an RSS reader that you like (Google Reader, Bloglines, Sage for Firefox, etc.), and start subscribing to interesting blogs and websites. See how others shape their online story. Every blog has its own persona ... here are a few for you to get started:

Apartment Marketing Blog
MultifamilyPro
The Ground Floor
Seth Godin
Duct Tape Marketing

Pick a few you like, see how others do it, and start to develop a style in your mind that will work for you, your staff and your community. In Part II, we'll start managing your web presence by creating an online voice for your property.

From This Post:
Apartment Ratings
Technorati
Google Blogsearch
Google Alerts
Google Reader
Bloglines
Sage Firefox Plug-in