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Introduction to Apartment Pilot Software |
Apartment Pilot offers a collection of web-based software tools that assist residents and managers to enhance the living experience. Our intuitive and easy to learn software is a revolutionary way for building residents and building management to communicate with each other. Over the internet, through a web site as secure as your bank’s, one can perform a number of building management related tasks quickly and easily. Residents can log on to create a variety of requests, make suggestions, post to our online bulletin board, and even make reservations for any building amenities. Management can perform a number of tasks related to the day-to-day operation of their building, assign tasks to building staff and write reports on activities in their building or buildings. We provide the tools to improve your building’s communication whether you are a tenant, suite owner, building manager, property manager, or condominium board. Check out some of the benefits here.
Our History
Apartment Pilot Limited was founded in 1999. The company was formed on the principle that there had to be a better way for residents and managers to communicate. If residents and managers could communicate more effectively, not only would the building run smoother, residents would be happier and more loyal. Building and property managers, building owners and condominium developments were seeking more sophisticated tools to help them improve their operations and stand out from their competitors. They wanted to provide a better product and improved services for their residents and tenants.
Our first product, simply called Apartment Pilot, was designed to do just that – improve a building’s service delivery model. The rental building industry had never seen a tool quite like Apartment Pilot before. It offered a simple easy way to collect, store and retrieve all the information necessary to manage a rental building from day to day.The web-based nature of the software meant there was no software to install, no costly computer upgrades, and it was accessible from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. Now called Rent Pilot, it still contains most of its original features and all of its ease of use. Rounding out the software offerings is Resident Pilot and Strata Pilot. Resident Pilot was launched in 2005 and is designed for non-rental residential buildings, and gated communities. Strata Pilot was launched shortly after in 2006 and is designed specifically for Condominium developments. We continue to develop new and exciting features and products, we never say no to a good idea!
Company philosophy
Our company was founded on the belief that there should be simple ways to solve complicated problems, especially utilizing today’s technology. Perhaps our mission statement says it best:
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Apartment Pilot Limited strives to provide innovative software for residential building management. Our team will thoughtfully provide sophisticated, technological solutions, which are easy to use. It is our belief that involved personnel, focused on client needs, will consistently deliver superior products. |
We truly believe that your experience with Apartment Pilot should be easy and stress-free. You should expect our products to be thoughtfully designed and well planned. You should expect our personnel to be polite, courteous and focused on your needs. Simply put, the Apartment Pilot experience should always be pleasant and leave you with a smile!
Benefits of Apartment Pilot Software
Apartment Pilot software is Web-based:
Web based software sets you free. You are not tied down to one computer with software installed on it. You are free to access the software from any computer with internet access – even from the table of your favorite internet cafe.
You will not be asked to install anything on your computer. You will not have to buy a new computer to run Apartment Pilot software. Because our software is web-based, and there is never anything to install on your computer, any computer that can browse the internet can “run” our software. There is no frustrating, overly complicated installation procedure to follow – simply browse to our secure web site, enter your user name and password and you are “running” Apartment Pilot software! There are never any CD’s to store or any serial numbers to keep track of.
If your computer crashes, your Apartment Pilot data is safe, since it was never on your computer to begin with. Our redundant server farm is backed up every day, protecting your valuable data.
You can feel secure using Apartment Pilot software. Our web site is protected in the same secure way that your bank’s web site is protected. If your computer is lost or stolen, your Apartment Pilot data cannot be compromised or fall into the wrong hands – the data is on our servers – not your computer.
With Apartment Pilot software, you can make requests online:
Making requests online virtually eliminates memory loss. All requests are recorded and tracked within the software, and once entered cannot be deleted. Only the status of requests can be changed. There are no scraps of paper to misfile, lose, or keep track of. Requests rarely “fall through the cracks” when using Apartment Pilot software.
Requests are addressed more efficiently in a building using Apartment Pilot software than one without – giving that building a distinct advantage over the competition. People will want to live in a building using Apartment Pilot software, because they know their requests will be handled in a timely fashion.
Management and residents have full visibility to the progress of requests in their building or property. With just a few mouse clicks, you can be updated on the status of your request, and review previous steps to this point. Optional email alerts enable you to stay informed, even when you are not logged into the software.
Reporting features allow management to identify problem areas in their buildings. For example, you can check to see how many light fixtures had to be replaced in a given time period, and this might illuminate a potentially larger electrical problem. In this way, management is able to stay on top of problems in the building and can work towards minimizing future cost and resident inconvenience.
Document libraries and directories:
With Apartment Pilot’s online document library system, managers and residents know exactly where to find the information they need. Management has complete control over the content of the document library, and therefore residents and staff know that the information is accurate. Documentation can include just about anything management desires: emergency procedures, building bylaws, upcoming event notices, etc. The document library can save time, money and unnecessary frustration.
Apartment Pilot software allows you to create an unlimited number of customizable categories or headings under which to store your documents. This makes it easy for both staff and residents to lay their hands on the document they need, right away. Combine this with the ability to upload virtually any number of documents and you have a very valuable resource tool.
In the case of a Strata Corporation or Condominium board, printing costs can be saved by providing electronic versions of things like bylaws, meeting minutes and agendas and even newsletters. In today’s hot real estate market, it is increasingly important that owners have quick, reliable access to this kind of information.
The neighborhood directory is a listing of businesses and services in the immediate area of the building or property and it allows residents to become familiar with their new neighborhood more quickly. Because it reinforces the feeling of being part of a community, it ultimately makes them longer-term, more loyal residents. It’s like having your own custom, personalized yellow pages!
The trades directory is a way for management to suggest who should be called when dealing with property repairs, maintenance and improvements. The trades directory can be rolled out as a pre-approved list of contractors for staff and/or residents. For the resident, the feeling of community is further reinforced, increasing their level of satisfaction. For management, they know that work will be performed by management approved, competent contractors.
No more pushpins! The online bulletin board is a way for residents to communicate with each other about things they might have for sale, or services they can offer (ride share, babysitting, etc.) All bulletin board items need to be approved by management before posting, and can be de-activated at any time by management. Management maintains control and can make sure bulletin board posting meet established building protocols.
To ensure only the most up to date information is displayed, bulletin board items can be assigned expiry dates. Expired posting will automatically be deleted from active viewing, eliminating the need to police the postings on your pin-up board. The area where your bulletin board is now, will become much neater and less of an eyesore, making your building more attractive.
The bulletin board is easy to use. Residents can upload photos or documents in conjunction with the bulletin board posting, making it more useful. Residents will use the bulletin board because it is so convenient, increasing the value of the software and elevating the status of your building.
Online PTE (permission to enter) forms:
Creating Permission to Enter (PTE) forms online is secure. Residents must provide proof of identity when completing a PTE form online meaning only those people authorized to generate a PTE form is able to. PTE form options can include signature requirements and/or proof of identity requirements for those entering, ensuring the right person is admitted. PTE forms can also include a photograph of the person authorized to enter, offering another layer of confidence that only authorized people are admitted onto the property.
PTE forms are also time specific. PTE forms are assigned expiry dates and management has the option to limit the amount of time a PTE form remains active, further enhancing their usability and security. A PTE is even flexible enough to admit people only during the hours you specify (i.e. during lunchtime only).
Creating PTE forms online is also very convenient. Residents have the option of filling out their own PTE forms from the comfort of their own computer. Management or staff can also be authorized to create PTE’s on a resident’s behalf. Making it is easy to use PTE forms means more people will make use of them, ultimately making your property more secure. Designated management and staff members are immediately notified via the web site or optional email alerts with the most up to date information. This means everyone is always working from the same information – the right hand always knows what the left hand is doing when it comes to PTE forms.
PTE forms are all stored in one, easy to access place. Staff and management are not left fumbling when someone requests access. Front line staff is not left fumbling to look for a lost scrap of paper, or to rifle through a poorly organized file. Instantly your property is made more professional and polished and confidence in management is increased.
Apartment Pilot software maintains a convenient, easy to use database of all pertinent contact information for your building or property. Contact information for residents, staff (if applicable), management and even contractors is all stored online in one, easy to access place. Unnecessary frustration and wasted time are both reduced because everyone knows where to look for the contact. In addition, no one is left scrambling for information in an emergency. The safety and security of your property is instantly improved.
Digital photos can be included as a part of the contact information. Being able to recognize people in the hallway or parking lot makes your property a friendlier place. Who wouldn’t want to live in a friendlier place?
Apartment Pilot strives to make its software intuitive and easy to use and the contact information area is no exception. Information can be updated at any time, from anywhere the internet is available, making it convenient to use. If people find it both easy and convenient, it is more likely the information is up to date and accurate.
Using a familiar calendar based interface, users can log onto Apartment Pilot software and make reservations for amenities in your building. These can include, but are not limited to things like guest suites, party rooms, gym equipment, and even service elevators.
All booking information is recorded online. The booking information is always up to date and no one will be left wondering if the guest suite is available for this weekend. No one is left to rely on requests slipped under the manager’s door or a hand-written note posted on 
a bulletin board above the mailboxes. If you need the amenity, simply log on to the Apartment Pilot web site and with a few mouse clicks, you can check an easy to read calendar that clearly indicates when the resource is available.
Bookings can be set to require management or building staff approval. Bookings can also be set to an auto-confirm mode that requires no approval by building staff. Once a booking request for the amenity is generated by a resident, its calendar is instantly updated for all to see. Overlapping bookings are eliminated.
Using the included customized alerts and disclaimers feature, amenities can be clearly described and booking procedures plainly defined. Everyone can understand when the amenity is available and what procedures need to be followed. This reduces the frustration factor for residents (and management!). If an amenity is set to require approval, it will also ensure compliance with building guidelines or bylaws (think damage deposits, cleaning fees and the like).
The time it takes to receive and process a reservation request is greatly reduced. No one has to wait until the person responsible for managing the reservations is home. The request can be made and processed at any time. Management does not even need to be in the building to approve the booking. By simply logging on to the software from any internet-enabled computer, the request can be dealt with in a timely, efficient manner.
Apartment Pilot software is secure:
Apartment Pilot software features a pyramid-like hierarchical structure of access and user rights. It sounds complicated, but it makes the software very flexible. We make it easy to assign the correct access rights to the right people. Using an easy to understand grid of options, you can simply check off the rights to which each person is entitled.
Scalability is built in with Apartment Pilot software. You can create as many resident or staff user accounts as you need, there is no limit! You pay for the software depending on how many doors your property has, not by how many users there are accessing the software. What this really means is that the software is equally useful for both large corporations and small buildings.
As you would expect, users can see only the information to which they have access. For example, residents cannot see other resident’s information or requests. In addition, building staff can be assigned visibility only to the things that pertain directly to their specific job. For example, elevator repair people would not have access to a resident’s private information. Privacy is assured.
With newer, more stringent privacy laws being enacted all over North America, Apartment Pilot software helps your building comply. Private records are secured from un-authorized access within your building and protected against attack from outside the building. Our web site is secured using the same 128-bit encryption your bank uses to secure your financial data. Web site access is secured via user names and passwords. Not even building management or Apartment Pilot staff can access a user’s password once it is set. If a password is lost or forgotten, an automated password and user name recovery system is available. If the recovery system fails, the only thing building management or Apartment Pilot staff can do is reset the account with a new, randomly generated password. You can rest assured that only those people authorized to access your building’s most sensitive data, are able to do so.
Customizable alerts and disclaimers:
At several place in the software the resident will be presented with either an alert or a disclaimer. For example, when a resident fills out a Permission to Enter form, they are presented with a disclaimer intended to absolve the management of the building of the risk they take allowing someone to enter a suite. When booking the guest suite they may be presented with an alert to remind of a security deposit required. Apartment Pilot software allows building management to customize these alerts and disclaimers.
Being able to customize these alerts and disclaimers allows your building to deliver messages and information consistent with your company’s guidelines and even government or industry regulations, minimizing your legal risk.
The alerts and disclaimers are useful for residents making sure they are informed about building procedures and processes every step of the way. They will appreciate knowing what it is they need to do in order to complete tasks within the software; it is part of the intuitiveness of Apartment Pilot software.
Every time you request maintenance online, create a permission to enter form, or even post to the bulletin board, you can feel good about helping the environment. When you perform any of these actions online, you save a piece of paper. If you save just a few pieces of paper, soon you will have saved a tree. Save a tree and we all breathe a little easier. Every time you de-activate an account or delete a document online, its one less piece of paper in the waste stream - our pixels and bytes are 100% recyclable! When you use Apartment Pilot software, it’s only natural to feel a little green.
Apartment Pilot software offers a comprehensive add-on system to track deliveries in and out of your building. The system records and manages all incoming and outgoing parcels, packages, and deliveries for each resident. Every parcel is automatically assigned a unique tracking code and linked to the resident and their unit for fast, easy lookup and retrieval. Packages are also assigned a customizable location tag when in management’s care so packages are harder to lose or misplace. Residents can track their own deliveries online, anytime day or night. Coupled with our electronic signature capture device, bar code scanner, and mailroom monitor you will have all your bases covered!
With the ability to track their parcels and packages online, residents will feel less frustrated about the process. Turn around time is reduced, and packages are not left waiting for an eternity in your mailroom waiting for pickup.
The ability for management to deliver pick up notification via email or an alert on a resident’s home page allows staff and management to process deliveries much more effectively, freeing their time for more productive activities. Just receive the package into the software assign it to a resident, and it will automatically display an alert on the resident’s home page the next time they log onto the software. The delivery notification can also be displayed on our mailroom monitor, so residents can be informed about a delivery as soon as they enter the building. The mailroom monitor is a large LCD screen, which displays color-coded information about the status of deliveries by unit. It is similar to the flight information boards you see at the airport.
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Apartment Pilot software gives you the ability to maintain a list of all operating equipment, service intervals, contracts, and maintenance requirements. Assign personnel to perform and track maintenance and its associated time and cost. Full maintenance history reporting and alerts to indicate when maintenance is due, over-due or cannot be completed as scheduled. Keeps you compliant with warranty requirements and allows you to solve maintenance problems before they become annoyances for your residents.
| "Enhancing the living experience" | Copyright © 2002
- 2009 Apartment Pilot Ltd. |