SECURITY
SMART LOCKS :
Amenity or Liability ?
By Carl Hanly , CAS
By 2025 , technology research group Omdia predicts nearly 40 % of all U . S . apartments will be considered smart properties . That includes quality-of-life luxuries like smart thermostats , smart appliances that communicate with staff about required maintenance , and smart locks — one of the most talked-about smart technologies in the industry .
But how do property management professionals feel about smart locks ( also called electronic locks or keyless entry )? Do they view them as an amenity or a liability ?
Our market research team at KeyTrak , which provides electronic key control systems , asked hundreds of multifamily property management professionals to share their thoughts . The results were recently released in a report called “ Smart Locks vs . Metal Keys : How are multifamily communities managing access control in 2022 and beyond ?” Here ’ s what they had to say .
Amenity ?
In our survey , 47 % of respondents said they use smart locks either exclusively or combined with traditional keys . Of those , nearly half ( 48 %) said they implemented electronic locks because they provide better security than traditional locks . The top three benefits respondents like about smart locks are :
• User-friendliness
• Convenience
• Tracking capabilities
They ’ re popular with some residents as well . One property manager said , “ When we asked the residents which they would prefer — traditional keys or keyless entry — 80-85 % of the residents opted for keyless entry .”
Liability ?
While smart locks are becoming more popular , not everyone is on board with them . In fact , only 28 % of total respondents said they believe smart locks are safer than traditional keys . Fifty-three percent still use physical keys exclusively , with 67 % of those saying they have no plans to implement smart locks . www . aamdhq . org JUNE 2022 TRENDS | 37