Multi Housing News April 2012 : Page 37
mobile phone, it’s a mobile website—and it’s not. A mobile website has about 75 percent of the ef-ficiency of a typical website. It has four or five large buttons on the main page [and] is very easy to navi-gate, and typically you don’t have to zoom or really scroll. You want to talk to your web designer about responsive web design, which means the site rec-ognizes what device is accessing it and presents the appropriate screen to that device.” Tablets in leasing Many companies are building leasing-specific ap-plications for tablets considering that it’s far easier to display information on such a device. Thus, tab-lets are a better choice for entering information on guest cards or displaying a video, says Whaling. Tablets bring greater effi ciency to the leasing process, he adds. Agents can bring up property voice by hand, says Bhattacharya, whose mobile payment app allows property managers to produce paper invoices enabled with a Zipmark QR code. “With this application, you know for sure the resident has received that rent invoice,” he says. “Residents receive a push notifi cation. When they click on the notifi cation, it takes them into the Zipmark application. They’re presented with all the line items of the invoice and then can authorize electronic payment.” Bhattacharya goes on to highlight what sets Zip-mark’s system apart from the competition. “What’s different is we authorize the payment in real time, instantly making sure there’s sufficient funds for the payment. We can settle payments to the property manager overnight, as opposed to the typical two to four days.” The outcome of this is a treasury income oppor-❝If a prospective resident is already conducting a search for an apartment on a mobile device, he or she is likely much further along in the purchasing process.❞ —Mike Whaling, 30 Lines management software on their tablets, set up photo slideshows, host videos and show fl oor plans as they move about a property. However, there are concerns connected to this leasing capability. One is the need to ensure leasing agents are well trained in using the devices. “Property management companies I hear from say they don’t want iPads walking off the property in the possession of leasing agents or prospects,” Whaling adds. “That may be another concern.” Overall, however, the advantages of using tablets in leasing far outweigh the negatives, Trosien says. “If you’re using the right property management software, you can have [prospects] lease apartments right there, when their buying temperature is high-est,” she remarks. “You can seize that moment and opportunity. You can do it at poolside, in a model apartment or in the vacant apartment home itself.” Paying rent with mobile phones Use of mobile phones by residents to pay rent is another promising area. This advance helps address low adoption on tenant portals and the uncertainty as to whether residents have received a paper in-tunity for larger property management firms and a cash management tool for smaller landlords. In addition, this solution contributes to increasingly paperless offi ces. After the fi rst time the paper bill is scanned by the smart phone, all subsequent bills come directly to the phone, streamlining both pay-ment and communication. Future tense As mobile technology evolves, opportunity will grow to present renters with more self-service tools. Once prospects enter an apartment, for instance, there may be a chance to show them a video or send them to a community blog or resident portal to offer a sense of the lifestyle of that community, says Whaling. “Or you could have a poster at a bus stop with a QR code saying, ‘Scan this to fi nd out more about your next apartment’,” he suggests. “That content can be specifi c to the bus stop where the prospect is standing. That’s the power of mobile.” MHN To comment on this story, e-mail Diana Mosher at dmosher@multi-housingnews.com. www.multi-housingnews.com | April 2012 37 IT’S DIGITAL! SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Don’t miss an issue of the most widely read publication in the multi-housing industry available online www.multi-housingnews.com It’s Digital! Multi-Housing News reaches more than 20,000 readers with every issue. Visit our web site today and start your free digital subscription now! www.multi-housingnews.com
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