AmeniSync

An amenity booking app for residents and amenity usage tracker for property manager in a community

COMPANY

Zentra

ROLE

UX Designer

YEAR

2023

Project description

The modern residential living experience has evolved, with tenants and property managers seeking more efficient, secure, and user-friendly ways to manage and utilize property amenities. AmeniSync was developed as a solution to this evolving need, focusing on enhancing the management and experience of property amenities through a smart, intuitive app and website. The primary goal of AmeniSync is to streamline the booking and management of property amenities for both residents and property managers. The project aims to create a user-centric platform that ensures easy booking of amenities, transparent management, and a cohesive community experience, while also providing property managers with detailed insights and control over facility usage and maintenance.

Timeline :

8 Weeks

Tools :

Figma, Miro

Project Partner

Zentra's solution suite enhances property management by offering a unified system for complete property access, including mobile authentication and real-time cloud-supported perimeter management. Its capabilities extend beyond access control with API integrations for various property technologies and easy upgrades from mechanical to smart locks. Additionally, Zentra ensures customer satisfaction with a dedicated customer success team.

Problem Statement

"As a property manager, When faced with manual amenity management and scheduling, I want to address inefficiencies and enhance resident satisfaction while maintaining a reliable record of entries, So I can optimize ameity usage and improve operational processes. But current methods result in amenity downtime and potential resident dissatisfaction”

Mobile app for residents

The app offers a straightforward amenity booking feature for residents, enabling them to reserve the amenities like Laundry, Swimming pool, Gym, Clubhouse, etc. and invite guests directly from their smartphones. It provides instant visibility of availability and includes alert notifications for full slots to improve usage and inform managers of demand trends.

Solutions

Mobile app for residents

Mobile app for residents

Mobile app for residents

Website for property managers

Website for property managers

Website for property managers

The property manager dashboard helps the property manager view the amenity usage, booking trends, resident and guests review and issues raised, contacting the maintenance and reporting regarding the issues, etc.

Why Is It Worth It

Amenity Valuation: Amenities contribute 5% to rent, up to 9% in high-rises.
Optimized Revenue: Amenities management solution crucial for revenue management for overall optimization.
Increased monthly rent: Well-managed amenities add value, justifying higher rents and increasing revenue.
Analysis and Improvement: Data on maintenance activities, costs over time, highlights improvement areas, optimizes processes.
Preventive Maintenance: Predictive maintenance (PdM) cuts planning time by 20-50%, boosts equipment uptime by 10-20%, lowers maintenance costs by 5-10%.

Amenity Valuation: Amenities contribute 5% to rent, up to 9% in high-rises.
Optimized Revenue: Amenities management solution crucial for revenue management for overall optimization.
Increased monthly rent: Well-managed amenities add value, justifying higher rents and increasing revenue.
Analysis and Improvement: Data on maintenance activities, costs over time, highlights improvement areas, optimizes processes.
Preventive Maintenance: Predictive maintenance (PdM) cuts planning time by 20-50%, boosts equipment uptime by 10-20%, lowers maintenance costs by 5-10%.

Amenity Valuation: Amenities contribute 5% to rent, up to 9% in high-rises.
Optimized Revenue: Amenities management solution crucial for revenue management for overall optimization.
Increased monthly rent: Well-managed amenities add value, justifying higher rents and increasing revenue.
Analysis and Improvement: Data on maintenance activities, costs over time, highlights improvement areas, optimizes processes.
Preventive Maintenance: Predictive maintenance (PdM) cuts planning time by 20-50%, boosts equipment uptime by 10-20%, lowers maintenance costs by 5-10%.

The Process

Empathize

Define

Ideate

Prototype

Test

Empathize

Define

Prototype

Test

Ideate

Empathize

Test

Define

Ideate

Prototype

Research

We have conducted comprehensive surveys and interviews with property managers and residents to deeply understand the current landscape of amenity management and scheduling within residential communities. We conducted In-Person interviews with 8 residents and 4 property managers: Our major finding from the surveys and interviews are:

of the resident in a multifamily apartment complex utilize the amenities at least once a week.

85%

70%

of residents felt the current booking system was inefficient.

60%

showed a slight preference emerged for a mobile app over a web portal.

3/4

Multifamily property managers find the ability of smart door locks to minimize key replacement costs “very appealing.”

1/3

Multifamily property managers report that their residents are demanding the ability to enable remote access to apartment units.

85%

of the residents in a multifamily apartment complex utilize the amenities at least once a week.

70%

of residents felt the current booking system was inefficient.

60%

showed a slight preference emerged for a mobile app over a web portal.

3/4

Multifamily property managers find the ability of smart door locks to minimize key replacement costs “very appealing.”

1/3

Multifamily property managers report that their residents are demanding the ability to enable remote access to apartment units.

Affinity Mapping

Wants/Needs

Frustrations

Property Manager

Resident

Wants/Needs

Frustrations

Insights

Property Manager

Demand for Streamlined Operations: There's a clear need for a system that simplifies and streamlines the monitoring and management of amenities, indicating that ease of use and efficient functionality are paramount.

Security and Accountability are Central: Maintaining accurate records of amenity usage for security purposes is a top priority, highlighting the importance of reliable tracking features.

Resident

Privacy and Security Concerns: Concerns about privacy and data security are prominent, suggesting that these should be key considerations in the system's development.

Flexibility in Booking is a Must: The need for flexible booking options, including easy cancellation and rescheduling, is important for residents, emphasizing the need for a user-centric design approach.

Wants/Needs

Frustrations

Property Manager

Resident

Wants/Needs

Frustrations

Resident

Privacy and Security Concerns: Concerns about privacy and data security are prominent, suggesting that these should be key considerations in the system's development.

Property Manager

Security and Accountability are Central: Maintaining accurate records of amenity usage for security purposes is a top priority, highlighting the importance of reliable tracking features.

User Personas

ABOUT

Julian places a high value on the safety and security of the property and its residents. Seeks efficient solutions that streamline administration and access control processes. He pays close attention to every detail, especially in matters concerning security and access management and values technology but exercises caution, prioritizing security over rapid adoption.

Julian

“I need a system that not only tracks amenity usage but also makes my job easier by automating routine tasks and providing insightful data. It's all about enhancing efficiency and security without overwhelming our team.”

RESPONSIBLE

HANDS ON

RELIABLE

EXPERIENCED

AGE

JOB TITLE

Property Manager

STATUS

Married

LOCATION

Indianapolis, IN

Needs

A reliable and easy-to-use system for managing amenity reservations and access.

Technology to minimize costs associated with physical key replacements.

Solutions that enable remote access for residents to their apartment units.

Tools to track amenity usage and maintain a clear record of bookings and entries.

Goals

To optimize the usage of amenities and reduce downtime.

To enhance resident satisfaction by improving the booking system.

To introduce efficient operational processes that save time and reduce manual tasks.

To implement a technology solution that aligns with the preferences of a majority of the residents for mobile app interaction.

Pain Points

Manual amenity management and scheduling are time-consuming and error-prone, leading to inefficiencies.

Current amenity booking systems are seen as inefficient by a significant portion of residents.

Managing physical keys for apartments and amenities is costly due to replacements.

Challenges in accommodating the residents' demand for remote access to apartment units.

Balancing the need for a reliable record of entries with the residents’ satisfaction.

Storyboarding

User Flows

Resident App

Notifications

Clubhouse

Select slot availability

Choose Washers/Dryers based on availability

Select date & time

Laundry

Swimming Pool

Select date and time

Check Availability

Gym

Select Slot

Amenities

Profile

Add Guest

Enter Contact Details

Select payment method

Add payment method

Make payment

Confirm Booking

Property Manager Dashboard

Amenities

Clubhouse

Booking Trend Charts

Laundry

Reviews

Usage Chart

Gym

Swimming Pool

Maintenance

Report

Contact

Settings

Logout

Resident

Management

Dashboard

Low Fidelity Screens

Resident App

We conducted usability testing involving four residents and two property managers.

Evaluation and Validation

Learnings From Usability Testing With Residents

Real-time availability check was highly valued by users, enhancing their booking experience and we tried to bring that in focus when the first land on the page.
The calendar being on the screen all the time made the user feel overwhelmed with choices and left them confused in our first prototype. We also notice that the calendar was priority feature as only few of them wanted to access it.
`
Users found the booking process cumbersome or confusing, which was indicating a need for simplification or clearer instructions.
In our laundry usage screen while doing the usability testing; user were more interested in the current active cycles and when certain machines would be free. So that they could plan their laundry accordingly

Real-time availability check was highly valued by users, enhancing their booking experience and we tried to bring that in focus when the first land on the page.
The calendar being on the screen all the time made the user feel overwhelmed with choices and left them confused in our first prototype. We also notice that the calendar was priority feature as only few of them wanted to access it.
`
Users found the booking process cumbersome or confusing, which was indicating a need for simplification or clearer instructions.
In our laundry usage screen while doing the usability testing; user were more interested in the current active cycles and when certain machines would be free. So that they could plan their laundry accordingly

Learnings From Usability Testing With Property Manager

Property managers desired a streamlined way to receive, process, and act upon feedback from residents regarding amenity bookings through the dashboard.
Property managers wanted to see how many people users are using the amenity out of the total number of residents rather than the popularity of the amenity .
The ability to schedule maintenance and indicate when amenities are unavailable could be seen as a vital feature for efficient operations but the manager found it as a hinderance when given on the dashboard directly.

Property managers desired a streamlined way to receive, process, and act upon feedback from residents regarding amenity bookings through the dashboard.
Property managers wanted to see how many people users are using the amenity out of the total number of residents rather than the popularity of the amenity .
The ability to schedule maintenance and indicate when amenities are unavailable could be seen as a vital feature for efficient operations but the manager found it as a hinderance when given on the dashboard directly.

Property Manager Dashboard

Residents have the flexibility to book community amenities based on their schedule and the amenities availability.
Residents can pre-pay for amenity usage where applicable.
Residents can monitor their remaining amenity usage time, such as checking the time left for laundry cycles.
Residents can grant amenity access to guests, simplifying usage tracking for property managers and supervisors.

Residents have the flexibility to book community amenities based on their schedule and the amenities availability.
Residents can pre-pay for amenity usage where applicable.
Residents can monitor their remaining amenity usage time, such as checking the time left for laundry cycles.
Residents can grant amenity access to guests, simplifying usage tracking for property managers and supervisors.

Features

Property managers can monitor amenity usage by both residents and guests.
Property managers have the ability to modify and announce available amenity time slots.
Property managers can access and review feedback on amenities provided by residents and guests.

Property managers can monitor amenity usage by both residents and guests.
Property managers have the ability to modify and announce available amenity time slots.
Property managers can access and review feedback on amenities provided by residents and guests.

Features

We conducted usability testing involving four residents and two property managers.

Evaluation and Validation

Learnings From Usability Testing With Residents

Real-time availability check was highly valued by users, enhancing their booking experience and we tried to bring that in focus when the first land on the page.
The calendar being on the screen all the time made the user feel overwhelmed with choices and left them confused in our first prototype. We also notice that the calendar was priority feature as only few of them wanted to access it.
`
Users found the booking process cumbersome or confusing, which was indicating a need for simplification or clearer instructions.
In our laundry usage screen while doing the usability testing; user were more interested in the current active cycles and when certain machines would be free. So that they could plan their laundry accordingly

Learnings From Usability Testing With Property Manager

Property managers desired a streamlined way to receive, process, and act upon feedback from residents regarding amenity bookings through the dashboard.
Property managers wanted to see how many people users are using the amenity out of the total number of residents rather than the popularity of the amenity .
The ability to schedule maintenance and indicate when amenities are unavailable could be seen as a vital feature for efficient operations but the manager found it as a hinderance when given on the dashboard directly.

Final Designs

Next Steps

Test the product in few more properties
Gather feedback and understand the users needs
Iterate and improve based on the feedback

Test the product in few more properties
Gather feedback and understand the users needs
Iterate and improve based on the feedback

Resident App

Thanks for scrolling 🙏

We conducted usability testing involving four residents and two property managers.

Evaluation and Validation

Learnings From Usability Testing With Residents

Real-time availability check was highly valued by users, enhancing their booking experience and we tried to bring that in focus when the first land on the page.
The calendar being on the screen all the time made the user feel overwhelmed with choices and left them confused in our first prototype. We also notice that the calendar was priority feature as only few of them wanted to access it.
`
Users found the booking process cumbersome or confusing, which was indicating a need for simplification or clearer instructions.
In our laundry usage screen while doing the usability testing; user were more interested in the current active cycles and when certain machines would be free. So that they could plan their laundry accordingly

Real-time availability check was highly valued by users, enhancing their booking experience and we tried to bring that in focus when the first land on the page.
The calendar being on the screen all the time made the user feel overwhelmed with choices and left them confused in our first prototype. We also notice that the calendar was priority feature as only few of them wanted to access it.
`
Users found the booking process cumbersome or confusing, which was indicating a need for simplification or clearer instructions.
In our laundry usage screen while doing the usability testing; user were more interested in the current active cycles and when certain machines would be free. So that they could plan their laundry accordingly

Learnings From Usability Testing With Property Manager

Property managers desired a streamlined way to receive, process, and act upon feedback from residents regarding amenity bookings through the dashboard.
Property managers wanted to see how many people users are using the amenity out of the total number of residents rather than the popularity of the amenity .
The ability to schedule maintenance and indicate when amenities are unavailable could be seen as a vital feature for efficient operations but the manager found it as a hinderance when given on the dashboard directly.

Property managers desired a streamlined way to receive, process, and act upon feedback from residents regarding amenity bookings through the dashboard.
Property managers wanted to see how many people users are using the amenity out of the total number of residents rather than the popularity of the amenity .
The ability to schedule maintenance and indicate when amenities are unavailable could be seen as a vital feature for efficient operations but the manager found it as a hinderance when given on the dashboard directly.

Residents have the flexibility to book community amenities based on their schedule and the amenities availability.
Residents can pre-pay for amenity usage where applicable.
Residents can monitor their remaining amenity usage time, such as checking the time left for laundry cycles.
Residents can grant amenity access to guests, simplifying usage tracking for property managers and supervisors.

Residents have the flexibility to book community amenities based on their schedule and the amenities availability.
Residents can pre-pay for amenity usage where applicable.
Residents can monitor their remaining amenity usage time, such as checking the time left for laundry cycles.
Residents can grant amenity access to guests, simplifying usage tracking for property managers and supervisors.

Features

Property Manager Dashboard

Next Steps

Test the product in few more properties
Gather feedback and understand the users needs
Iterate and improve based on the feedback

Test the product in few more properties
Gather feedback and understand the users needs
Iterate and improve based on the feedback

Thanks for scrolling 🙏

Property managers can monitor amenity usage by both residents and guests.
Property managers have the ability to modify and announce available amenity time slots.
Property managers can access and review feedback on amenities provided by residents and guests.

Property managers can monitor amenity usage by both residents and guests.
Property managers have the ability to modify and announce available amenity time slots.
Property managers can access and review feedback on amenities provided by residents and guests.