Reinventing Package Management: Selecting a Vendor

This is part four of a multi-part blog series on package management vendor selection. To read the previous part of the series, click here: Determining Your Budget.

Selecting the right package management vendor is a critical decision that impacts resident recruitment, satisfaction, and retention, as well as operational efficiency and your property’s competitive position. With the explosion of e-commerce deliveries and rising resident expectations, choosing a solution that meets your community’s specific needs while delivering long-term value requires a strategic approach.

In this blog, we take a deep dive into how to select a vendor, including potential questions to ask vendors to help reach a decision. This concludes our 4-part series on reinventing package management, which covered identifying property needs, gaining stakeholder buy-in, and determining your budget.

Developing Your Requirements Framework

The foundation of successful vendor selection begins with creating a comprehensive requirement list based on the specific needs you’ve identified for your property. This documented framework not only guides your evaluation process but also helps you formulate targeted questions during vendor discussions. Consider factors such as package volumes, resident demographics, available space, existing technology infrastructure, and any unique challenges your property faces. If your company has established procurement processes such as RFPs or required evaluation criteria, incorporate these requirements early to ensure compliance and streamline the approval process.

Establish a Decision Timeline

Establishing a realistic decision timeline is essential for successful implementation. Allow sufficient time for stakeholder review and approval processes while considering your property’s operational calendar. Pay particular attention to peak package periods, such as holiday seasons or high move-in periods, when package volumes surge dramatically. Installing and implementing your locker system well in advance of these busy periods ensures that both property teams and residents have adequate time to register, learn the technology, and develop comfortable usage patterns before demand peaks.

Evaluating Vendor Capabilities

When researching potential solutions and scheduling sales calls or demonstrations, focus your evaluation on four critical areas that directly impact long-term success.

Customization Capabilities

Visual harmony is paramount in multifamily design, making customization a crucial factor in vendor selection. Assess whether vendors can adapt their offerings to your property’s unique requirements by asking these essential questions:

• Can you provide customized configurations that accommodate our specific space constraints and package volumes?
• Do you offer custom wraps and branding options that can match our property’s visual identity and architectural theme?
• Can your system handle oversized parcels that traditional lockers cannot accommodate?
• Do you provide refrigeration options for perishable deliveries?
• Is your solution future-proof, allowing easy reconfiguration as our package volumes and resident preferences evolve?
• Does your system integrate seamlessly with our existing property management software?

The right vendor will be able to deliver on customizations that meet all your community’s needs. For instance, Parcel Pending provides extensive customization options that allow our locker systems to complement your vision. Through color and detailed custom wrap options, we can transform functional components into design elements that enhance your community. Whether your property embodies a tropical oasis theme, embraces a desert-inspired aesthetic, or channels old Hollywood glamour, our team works to create locker solutions that reflect and reinforce the property’s unique character.

We partnered with Venterra Realty, for example, to install custom lockers and wrap designs. Each system has a customized wrap that reflects the unique city/community to provide a further sense of home for residents. At 300 East 17^th Street in Denver, Colorado, its vibrant logo is replicated across its lockers, reinforcing a youthful vibe.

Service and Support Excellence

Product features alone don’t determine success; accessible, quality support is crucial for long-term satisfaction. Evaluate potential vendors’ service capabilities by asking these targeted questions:

• What types of support do you provide, and when is it available?
• Is your technical team in-house or contracted through third parties?
• Do you offer comprehensive resident support, including live chat, email, and text options?
• Is your support team US-based and what are their operating hours?
• How much experience does your support team have specifically with multifamily properties?
• Do you provide white-glove installation services, and what training do you offer to property teams?

As the leading smart locker provider in North America, Parcel Pending understands the importance of delivering an exceptional experience for residents. Many of our team members come to us from the leasing office, which means all our solutions are supported with multifamily communities in mind. Our live resident support team is US-based and available for residents 7 days per week. We also offer comprehensive property support from installation to implementation and beyond, including white glove installation, training for your staff, and locker support.

Financial Considerations and Investment Options

Understanding pricing structures ensures the solution aligns with your budget while maximizing long-term value. When evaluating vendors, ask these critical financial questions:

• What financing options do you offer beyond traditional purchase agreements?
• Do you provide subscription models that allow for predictable monthly expenses to be spread over a set time period?
• Is leasing available, and what terms do you offer?
• What exactly is included in your pricing?
• Does the price cover maintenance, service, and ongoing support?
• Are there opportunities for cost recovery through resident bill-back programs or revenue-sharing arrangements?

For instance: in addition to traditional purchase options, Parcel Pending offers a subscription plan that lets you lease our smart locker solutions now for a low, all-inclusive monthly fee over a 60-month term without any up-front costs. This fixed monthly rate covers all expenses, including maintenance, service, and shipping.

Return on Investment and Performance Measurement

The ultimate measure of vendor selection success lies in its return on investment and problem-solving capability. Revisit your original needs assessment and pose these performance-focused questions:

• How do you measure and report on resident satisfaction with your system?
• Do you offer additional security features like cameras to deter package theft and building security issues?
• Can you demonstrate quantifiable improvements in staff efficiency and time savings?
• Do you have detailed case studies and testimonials from similar properties that address challenges like ours?
• Can you help generate revenue opportunities that contribute to our property’s bottom line?
• What metrics do you track to prove ongoing value and system performance?

A vendor with extensive multifamily experience, like Parcel Pending, brings invaluable insights to the implementation process. Look for providers whose teams understand your community’s unique operational challenges and have designed their products with both property managers and residents in mind. The best vendors combine a superior product with white-glove installation, ongoing training and support, and accessible customer service.

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Ready to find out how Parcel Pending can deliver MORE for you and your residents? Contact one of our package management experts today for more information.