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An increase in multi-family community amenities has given way to the demand for on-site-inclusive services such as dry cleaning pickup, on-site car washes, and even communal gardens and co-working spaces. Apartment trash pickup and valet services are becoming more common as millennials take the stage in the housing market and enjoy the convenience of valet trash services. Aside from the apartment trash pickup that your company provides, which add-on services can you offer to boost revenue?
ISO Useful Amenities
With the influx of millennials into the rental scene in the last few years, the families recuperating from the housing market crash, and the combination of our double-income society, families, and individuals have less time to manage everyday tasks on their to-do lists than ever before. While there are multi-family communities that offer bonus services and luxury communities that offer every amenity, there is always an add-on service that your valet trash company can provide that someone will pay a little extra in their rent for.
Now, there are some amenities that apartment complexes offer that may not be worth the additional rent. Some features such as a billiards room, movie theater, and an indoor basketball court may rarely be used by residents. Realistically, how often will a resident opt to shoot a few rounds of pool before heading to bed and even if they did, he or she would have to book the room ahead of time. The same can go for the on-site movie theater. Residents will be more likely to watch a rental in their apartment in their pajamas before taking the time to use the community theater on a Friday night.
The best amenities or services to offer are those that require the demand of everyday use such as dog walking, doorstep trash removal, and house cleaning. If a resident can eliminate a block of time by utilizing a service amenity provided by the property management, chances are they will use it.
So, where does that leave you?
Offer Additional Services
Your apartment trash pickup company already has scheduled valet services five times a week. This means that your residential trash doorstep service valets are on-site for several hours a week walking the property. No other service provider is available and at every doorstep at every building like your company is.
There are easy add-on services that you can offer as a la carte options when meeting with the property management team. These additional jobs can be performed as few or as many days as a manager feels necessary and will be an attractive selling point for new residents of the community.
5 Useful Apartment Trash Pickup Add-Ons to Boost Revenue
#1 Pet Waste Stations
Pet waste stations are metal receptacles installed in the ground that have a dog waste bag dispenser with a metal trash bin below. Pet waste stations can be placed throughout the community walking areas and in the common areas or gardens and can easily be managed by your valets. A simple removal of the trash bag from the metal wastebasket and refilling of the pet waste bags will take only minutes extra per shift. Residents consider these stations a bonus and will appreciate the thought given to the ease of caring for their family pet in an apartment setting. The pet industry is a booming one and any pet owner enjoys when pets are made to be part of the fabric of their community.
#2 Common Area Cleaning
Another easy-to-manage add-on service for your valet waste company would be basic maintenance of common areas in the complex. Courtyards, quads, and elevator or stairs areas are locations that all residents of the community will use on a daily basis. Your trash valets walking past or through these locations gives them the ability to spend an extra 15-20 minutes per shift to sweep the grounds, clean up loose trash, and empty the recycling or trash receptacles in the area. Often, these communal areas provide residents with dual waste receptacles that contain both trash and recycling options. Your valet waste company can even provide these receptacles to the property for an additional fee.
#3 Natural Areas Assistance
Unfortunately, some apartment complexes have banned balcony wild bird feeding. The seed hulls and bird droppings falling below to the neighbor’s patio below aren’t a welcome situation. The concerns that may come with this are understandable, but for elderly residents who enjoy the small glimpse of nature at their apartment window, this can be disappointing.
Many multi-family communities have walking trails or natural gardens for their residents to enjoy throughout the year. These paths can be used for dog-walking or simply enjoying an afternoon stroll. The presence of a green space in apartment complexes creates a healthy environment for residents to enjoy.
Without replacing the landscaping or grounds crew responsibilities, your valets could take on the simple task of refilling birdseed or hummingbird food or refilling birdbaths or butterfly watering stations. Sweeping under the feeders will help keep the area clean and free from weeds. Benches along the trail can easily be brushed off and wiped down and trash cans in this area can be maintained by your valets as well. Since your valets typically arrive for the apartment trash pickup in the evening hours, the natural area maintenance can be performed as soon as they arrive on-site and can be done just a couple of times a week or even seasonally.
#4 Clean-Outs and Furniture Moving
After a tenant vacates a residence it must be prepared for the new renter. Often, a cleaning crew is hired to give the apartment or condo a thorough cleaning including fresh paint and carpet. For an additional fee, your valets could be hired through your company to arrive for a two to a three-hour window to perform a cleanout such as removing any furniture or garbage left behind and basic services such as moving appliances in preparation for the painting crew later.
Other options could be moving furniture for residents, especially those that cannot move the furniture themselves. For an additional per-item fee, residents can schedule your valets to arrive and move the furniture before they begin their trash removal shift. In university towns, college students will often leave behind pieces of furniture when moving out after the semester, leaving the property management to have to deal with the detritus.
Your trash valets can be the answer to the problem and remove the furniture and haul it to the dumpster or the local thrift store, allowing the property management and maintenance crew to focus on preparations for incoming residents.
#5 Notice Posting and Sign Hanging
Apartment complexes often have flyers that are posted in common areas or in locations such as near the pool or elevators. Sometimes, each unit or specific units will need to be given a certain notification such as complex-wide announcements or even postings about a rent payment. Since your valets are already visiting each doorstep daily, for an additional fee, your valets could flyer or post any unit or common area as needed. To ensure delivery, the valet could be responsible for taking a photo much as they would a violation report. During rental specials, some properties will hang banners in front of the community such as on the brick fencing or signage along the roadside or at the entrance. Upon arrival for the shift, your valets could assist the property managers with placing these banners where they are needed.
While these are just a few ideas for add-on services that your apartment trash pickup valets can provide, there are certain to be countless others- some that surely hasn’t been thought of before or may be specific to the community or communities that you work with.
Be aware of how the property functions or how the residents use the community, you may notice that there is an area that the property management could use some assistance with.
Formulate a plan that can benefit your valet waste company, the residents, and the property managers before approaching them with your proposal. Once you do, you may be surprised to learn that your company can provide the solutions the property managers and residents have been looking for!
