Door Industry Journal - Winter 2018

Now, consider just how much time we waste on keys? The management of them. The special places we’ll hide them, so someone can access our home. The travel associated with getting a key from person to person. There’s a lot of time and big business in keys. This is where we started with Klevio. We wanted to find a way to better manage access and keys, to create a new user experience that meets the demands of the world today. Our focus has always been on what the end-user wants and needs. All of this is helping to reshape our relationship with the cut-up bits of metal in our pocket and moving access to the device we use the most - our smartphone. PropTech Done Well Across the property technology (PropTech) space in which we operate, there are offerings for managing agents and private landlords wanting to replace the norm with overly high-tech solutions. These often forget to take into account the lives of the most important person - the end user. I believe in a balance of new and old. Technology is here, but those of us in the business of doors know that people are reluctant to shy away from normality. Finding solutions that do not detract from people’s comfort zones whilst adding functionality tend to work better than an extreme reimagining. For instance, look at Apple Pay, you can use your phone to make a payment, but you still keep your physical credit card. Skype is another good example. When it launched over a decade ago, we were all very used to speaking on a phone but the idea of talking into a laptop via camera was odd. While it’s now common place to do so, for Skype to disrupt the habit, it had to give away free headsets so that users still had a similar experience to making a phone call. The Changing Face of Tenant Driven Need The property market has changed a lot over the past decade and it’s not slowing down. The younger generations are likely to rent for life, and with that modern architects and developers are seeing increasing demand for something more. A rental home needs to be more than just a place for people to sleep and eat in until they can afford something better, A rental home needs to provide the end user with more perks and advantages in order to retain the tenant for longer. Buildings are becoming hyper-managed with all the trimmings, from shops and spas to bars and gyms. While these bigger perks can help draw a new tenant to the building, over time, it will be the smaller perks and details that shift the end-user experience. This tech-savvy generation are growing up in an ‘on-demand’ world. Switching on Netflix or Amazon Prime they can watch what they want. A few taps on a phone and they can get a car from A to B. Another few taps and dinner is ordered and delivered. A few typed words via a Whatsapp group and they’re in touch with their close friends. So, shouldn’t their home be a part of their phone? If property developers can create a welcoming environment that offers a blend of personality and friendliness through the management with technology that enables little moments of ease though the day, they will create happy, longer lasting tenants. The full-service developments and agencies providing the best service-for- money are going to shine through in an age of letting fee bans and rogue landlords. Our customers might not need the retinal scanning magic of an FBI building to enter their home, but they do sometimes want the luxury of being able to unlock the door remotely from the bus to let the cleaner in. www.klevio.com 123 THE door industry journal winter 2018 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk Locks & Building Hardware