Keyless access technology has become increasingly adopted by short-term rental managers and hosts. Technavio predicts that success of rental businesses will be correlated with the technology property managers and hosts are using to manage their units. A recent study estimates that “70% of vacation rental managers have installed a WiFi or electronic lock in their vacation rental properties”. An electronic lock is a great solution to help eliminate key exchanges and manage time but comes with its own time-consuming issues.
Does your key exchange process make the most of the many keyless access technologies available? Let’s take a look at the different types of keyless access technologies, and ways to automate managing them to bring the greatest benefit for your business.
What Keyless Access Systems are Available?
Electronic locks, smart locks, and apartment intercoms are types of keyless access systems offering an alternative entry solution that allow you to unlock and lock doors without using a key. They could be a knob/lever door lock, or a deadbolt lock with an attached electronic keypad. Keyless entry is commonly used on the front doors of short-term rental homes or apartment units to provide secure access without having to exchange a key. There are different types of keyless access systems on the market designed for hosts and property managers of vacation rentals. Electronic code locks and smart locks are commonly used keyless access systems for short-term rental managers.
Electronic Code Locks
- Replaces the deadbolt or current lock with an electronic lock
- Opens with a punch-in code
- Costs more than a lockbox
- Tedious to change lock/pin codes
- Typically battery powered with a battery life of approximately 1 year
- Key codes can be changed by the administrator when necessary
Smart Locks
Perform all of the same actions as a code lock, with features including:
- Electromechanical lock that grants entry using a smartphone through a wireless signal or pin code
- Allows management of who is authorized to enter
Apartment Buzzer/Intercom System
An apartment buzzer or intercom system is a keyless access tool to grant entry to a front door of an apartment building or condominium. Most of apartment intercom systems are simply connected to a telephone line and can call any programmed number.
- Operates with existing telephone and connects to phone line
- Requires a landline connection
- Requires someone to respond to the request for access (pressing a key on the dial pad)
- Most commonly configured to dial a single phone that is called when someone buzzes into the apartment
What is a Check-In Automation System?
A check-in automation system is a software solution for businesses that automates authorization of entrants to a large number of apartment buildings, apartments, and houses using intercom systems and smart locks. The system incorporates pre-existing data from booking calendars and cleaning schedules to automatically provide access, improve security, and standardize management of most doors and locks. This business solution differs from other keyless access systems (electronic locks, smart-locks, or intercoms) which primarily allow an individual to remotely control access to one door.
A business check-in automation system makes it easy and quick to deliver a smooth keyless check-in experience for guests and frees up your time to expand your business and add new properties or clients.
EveryDoor
- Standardizes access protocols by integrating with existing buzzer systems and door locks
- Improves security with different codes for all entrants, with instructions delivered automatically
- Reduces manual work by using your existing guest management system to automate locks and intercoms
- Simplifies access by synchronizing pin codes across locks and intercom systems
- Broadens compatibility of keyless entry by providing additional methods to access via intercom systems where pin codes are incompatible
- Controlled by desktop or mobile device for management from anywhere in the world by multiple staff members
- No app required to download or use, all mobile devices compatible with the mobile site
How EveryDoor Will Improve your Business
EveryDoor Services goes one step further to make keyless entry reliable for your guests and help save you time to grow your rental business. EveryDoor syncs with the vacation rental platform(s) or the property management system you use to automatically add all bookings and send entry instructions to your guests. This system can schedule independent keyless check-ins and cleaner visits, provide emergency on-demand access, and control your whole organization’s access operations — all from one place.
“The ability to program things on the fly, or route your maintenance, cleaners or even yourself into a property at a couple clicks is just amazing.”
We want to be your partner in ensuring check-in automation becomes an advantage for your business and your guests. Let’s chat! Email us at [email protected] or complete our contact form below.