4 Ways Multifamily Managers are Dealing with the Influx of Tenant Deliveries

As if e-commerce really needed any more of a boost, online shopping is gaining the upper hand in today’s retail scene as COVID-19 impacts brick-and-mortar everything. As official stay-home ordinances and quarantine are limiting people from going out to get what they need, they’re finding it online instead.

It’s not only CRE’s retail sector that’s facing the impacts of the massive e-commerce flex during COVID-19. Multifamily managers are finding themselves with a lot on their hands as they are dealing with a massive influx of tenant deliveries.

Here are some smart strategies to help multifamily managers keep their community’s mail situation flowing, clean, and safe.

Prepare Your Team

This is a time where property management staff members are vital for success. However, team leaders need to make sure that all employees are abiding by the necessary precautions.

Since your team will be handling package deliveries, door-to-door drop-offs, and other mail-related tasks; they’ll need to be prepped in all areas.

Ensure that team members know the latest updates regarding the COVID-19 sanitation response. At this point in the game, managers should get them in gloves, masks, and any other safety equipment that may help them, and the community they interact with, out of harm’s way.

Invest in Sanitation

Sanitation is key for multifamily buildings to keep things safe and antiseptic.

Get your cleaning team on regular rounds of sanitation, focusing on front doors, building keypads, elevators, and other high-traffic areas. This will help mitigate the spread of germs coming from increased interactions with mail delivery personnel.

The latest studies show that COVID-19 germs have an unexpectedly long lifespan on paper materials, including boxes, and therefore all mail-related surfaces. It’s not a bad idea to consider lightly cleaning things off upon delivery using a gentle antibacterial cleanser to quickly wipe down boxes.

For teams that are not particularly interested in sanitizing the package exteriors, managers can always encourage building tenants to do so upon receiving the package.

Create a Package Alert System for Tenants

When package deliveries are happening all throughout the day, don’t let the mailroom or package delivery space get overcrowded with sitting boxes.

Multifamily managers can set up a text alert system that lets tenants know when a package has been delivered for them. This way, it will clear up space for the incoming volume of deliveries without over-stressing the building’s infrastructure.

Respect Social Distancing

Respecting social distancing can be as easy as following proper delivery procedures. When it comes to delivering packages to tenants’ doors, don’t wait around for them to open up and receive the package. Simply leave it at their front door, politely knock, and leave.

To limit the risks of an unsuccessful delivery, consider having team members snap a picture of the package at the door and record the date and time of delivery. This simple step can help navigate through the situation of a lost or missing package.

These 4 guidelines will help alleviate the delivery-related issues faced by multifamily properties during COVID-19’s spike in online orders.