By: Sean Lennon, Senior Director-Beltway Individual Sales, Xfinity Communities
Multifamily residents are demanding more from their communities today than ever before. Customer experience is fast becoming the differentiator when selecting a residence or deciding to renew a lease. Property managers, owners and developers are continuously seeking innovative methods to improve the resident experience and technology-based amenities are rising to the top of their lists. According to the 2020 NMHC/Kingsley Apartment Resident Preferences Report, residents expect seamless connectivity throughout their communities whether through high-speed internet, pre-installed Wi-Fi or community Wi-Fi. Communities that offer a high-speed network will not only ensure the present-day happiness of their residents, but set the foundation for offering greater and more distinctive amenities.
Today’s residents are connecting multiple devices to a network to stream entertainment choices and to control their living environment. According to Xfinity Communities’ research on “The State of Smart Technology in the Multifamily Housing Industry,” however, smart home and smart building technologies are quickly becoming the amenity of choice that provides residents – and property managers – with increased efficiency and convenience. From smart locks to thermostats, lighting and even leak detection, these intelligent devices provide value to both the resident experience and the owners’ and operators’ bottom lines. Having a strong network to handle the new devices and expectations of residents will be essential for every community.
Finding a true technology partner for supplying the reliable, fast internet bandwidth needed for smart home technologies, streaming of content and online access is critical. Property managers need a teammate in addressing any challenges, one that can offer specialized customer service that will lead to a property’s success in maximizing the resident’s experience. Xfinity Communities has distinguished itself as a preferred partner in both its product offerings and customer service. For instance, Xfinity Communities’ community account representatives (CARs) provide around-the-clock support for properties as well as hands-on assistance during the move-in process and throughout a resident’s stay. CARs partner with property managers to understand the unique needs for a community to find the better network, service and entertainment options in both common areas and individual units – whether residents opt to stream their TV and music content over Wi-Fi connections, apps like Xfinity Stream or through the Xfinity X1 interactive entertainment service.
Finding the right partner, such as Xfinity Communities, to provide high-quality network services is essential to ensuring a great resident experience now and well into the future.