The Rising Popularity of Flexible Workspaces

Flexible workspaces have become increasingly popular, driven by the rise of freelancing, startup culture, and flexible corporate policies. These spaces, including co-working areas, shared offices, and hybrid models, provide dynamic environments that cater to diverse professional needs and styles. By the end of 2024, it’s projected that there will be over 40,000 co-working spaces worldwide, serving about 5 million members, highlighting their growing appeal. These environments offer agile spaces equipped for productivity and collaboration, suitable for those who need quality facilities on a flexible basis.

This trend is further reflected in the rising demand for office amenities that enhance convenience, security, and personal space management. Smart Day Use Lockers fulfill the demand, providing secure storage and supporting the transient nature of modern work environments. The demand for such adaptable amenities is expected to increase, changing our expectations of the workplace. Let’s explore the advantages of Day Use Lockers in different workplaces.

Benefits of Day Use Lockers in Corporate Offices

Day use Lockers address several workplace needs—from security and privacy to efficiency and employee satisfaction, making them indispensable to modern office environments.

Increased Security for Personal Belongings

Day use Lockers provide a secure place for employees to store valuable items like laptops and personal documents, reducing concerns over theft and enabling better focus on work tasks.

Enhanced Privacy for Employees

These lockers ensure that personal and sensitive materials are kept confidential, especially in shared workspace settings. They safeguard employee privacy and prevent unauthorized access.

Space Efficiency and Clutter Reduction in the Workplace

Smart lockers help maintain a professional, organized workspace by minimizing desk clutter and optimizing the layout, which improves the overall environment without extensive renovations.

Impact on Employee Satisfaction and Workplace Culture

Providing Day use Lockers boosts employee satisfaction by creating a secure and stress-free work environment. This perceived commitment to employee needs helps attract and retain talent, fostering a culture of respect and professionalism.

Advantages of Day Use Lockers in Co-working Spaces

Co-working spaces thrive on being flexible and accommodating to diverse professionals, including freelancers and remote workers. Day use Lockers are crucial in enhancing these environments and making them more attractive and functional.

Attracting More Freelancers and Remote Workers

Co-working spaces attract freelancers and remote workers due to their flexibility and networking opportunities. Adding day use lockers increases these spaces’ appeal by providing secure storage for personal and professional items and allowing users to attend meetings or work in shared areas confidently.

Facilitation of a Community Environment

Smart lockers also promote a community atmosphere by offering a personal “home base” in a shared, transient setting. This personal space encourages longer commitments to the co-working space, helping to build a stable professional community.

Integration into Different Co-working Layouts

Co-working spaces, whether open-plan or segmented, can accommodate day use Lockers. These lockers fit seamlessly into any area and are available as compact units for smaller spaces or expansive, feature-rich options for larger areas. Their design and functionality are customizable to meet the aesthetic and practical needs of the space, boosting both utility and style.

Supporting Hybrid Work Environments

The shift towards hybrid work models has necessitated a rethink in how office spaces are structured. Day use lockers, particularly smart lockers, are pivotal in supporting these flexible work arrangements, streamlining operations, and ensuring security and privacy.

Streamlining Operations with Smart Lockers

Smart lockers offer digital access controls that facilitate seamless operations in hybrid environments. They can be assigned temporarily or permanently via an app, reducing administrative overhead and allowing easy access to employees on the days they work from the office. Additionally, these lockers can serve multiple users and purposes throughout the day, adapting to varied employee schedules and needs.

Flexibility and Space Management

In hybrid settings, the efficient use of space is crucial. Day use lockers help manage this by adapting to fluctuating in-office employee numbers. This flexibility supports a clean desk policy and maximizes the usable space, which is especially beneficial in offices where space is at a premium.

Security and Privacy

The importance of security and privacy escalates in hybrid work environments, where employees may not have fixed desks or may share workstations. Day use lockers provide a secure space, ensure confidentiality, and reduce the risk of data breaches or personal theft.

Smart lockers are highly beneficial to a modern working environment, especially Smiota’s range of lockers, which are designed to cater specifically to the needs of modern, flexible workspaces. Their ability to enhance and support flexible work arrangements makes them a key element in contemporary workplace design.

Smiota’s Day Use Lockers: Features and Benefits

Smiota offers advanced smart locker solutions tailored to the modern, hybrid workplace. They are designed with an acute understanding of corporate and co-working environments.

Key Features of Smiota’s Day Use Lockers

• User-Friendly Technology: Smiota’s lockers are integrated with their proprietary software, allowing users to operate them via a mobile app. This app-enabled access eliminates the need for physical keys or access cards, enhancing user convenience and security.
• Customization: One of the standout features of Smiota’s lockers is their high level of customization. Lockers can be tailored in size, number of compartments, and configuration to meet a facility’s specific needs. Additionally, the aesthetic aspect is not overlooked—Smiota offers customization options that include a range of finishes and colors to match the office’s design and brand style.
• Security Features: Enhanced security features ensure that belongings are safe. This includes robust construction, secure locking mechanisms, and sometimes even surveillance capabilities within the locker areas.

Benefits Across the Board

The benefits of implementing Smiota’s Day Use Lockers in a corporate, co-working, or hybrid environment extend beyond mere convenience:

• Aesthetic Enhancement: Customizable designs improve office aesthetics.
• Employee Satisfaction: Secure, flexible storage options boost morale and productivity.
• Space Optimization: Efficient use of space leads to cost savings, particularly in expensive markets.
• Environmental Impact: Promotes a shared-resource model, supporting sustainability efforts.

Installing Smiota’s lockers is straightforward. The company also helps choose the right configurations and locations for the installation and setup. Employees can reserve a locker via the mobile app, place their items inside, and lock it until they need to retrieve them. The lockers are designed for daily use, making them ideal for employees who do not have a permanent desk.

Smart solutions like Smiota’s Day Use Lockers streamline operations and enhance the work environment, making them perfect amenities for modern corporate offices and co-working spaces.

Conclusion

In an era where flexibility and security are paramount, Smiota’s day use lockers emerge as a stellar solution. With their robust features, ease of use, and customizable options, these lockers enhance operational efficiency, employee satisfaction, and space utilization, all while fitting seamlessly into the aesthetic of any workspace. As we embrace the evolving demands of modern workspaces, incorporating innovative solutions like Smiota’s lockers can significantly uplift the quality and functionality of office and co-working environments. This makes them not just an amenity but a necessity in today’s work culture.

The post Day Use Lockers: The Perfect Amenity for Corporate Offices and Co-working Spaces appeared first on Smiota.

But in all this change and transformation to a digital workplace, there’s a particular blind spot. That’s where we’re going to focus on today: packages and other deliverable goods. In many corporate examples, deliverable items are critical, high-value elements of a company’s workings. No matter how digitized our businesses become, there are still important physical exchanges. These take place every day. It is how an enterprise functions and thrives. 

This is where package lockers come in. Our files zip back and forth with increasing power, speed, and efficiency. So too do our locker systems need to upgrade to meet the needs of employees and customers. Today we’re going to look at how package lockers – smart lockers specifically – are overhauling corporate mailrooms. They’re doing so for the better – benefiting clerks, employees, and businesses as a whole. This is a big deal when looking at the reported stats for employee satisfaction and behavior in corporate America. The numbers need to improve. In doing so, will benefit our society as a whole. Smart lockers and improved mailroom systems are one small piece of the puzzle. 

Time Management

Time is money, and both are precious. This is true for the CEO of a company, and it’s true of the most recent hire in a company’s mailroom. When a business is at its best, all employees’ time is utilized and funneled into work that is efficient and beneficial. A big part of this is systems upgrades – making for optimal time management at every point in a chain and empowering each professional to conduct their work smoothly and to the best of their ability. 

For example, smart lockers can minimize mail room employees’ time regarding both organization and communication. Smart lockers are a straightforward system of organization that is easy to use and reliable. Communication-wise, smart locker systems will immediately notify recipients of their items. People will instantaneously know where and when to pick up their items – freeing up corporate mailroom workers to move on to the next task of their day with ease. The amount of time that staff will save over weeks, months, and years will add up over time for any company. 

Added Security

Smart lockers also provide an added element of security in corporate mailrooms. Smart lockers are safe and secure in a way that more traditional lockers are not. Through the smart locker systems, recipients and employees will have a specific password sent to their smartphone or tablet that will be inaccessible to any other people without explicitly-provided permission. 

This is especially important for larger companies where more personnel may be in-and-out of the mailroom, or in non-traditional corporate work settings such as co-working spaces or even multi-living buildings, which are increasingly a factor in our COVID-shifting societies. 

Compact, Customizable Lockers

Another big boost that plays into the ways in which package lockers are overhauling corporate mailrooms is their efficient aesthetic. These lockers are clean and sleek – just the thing to simplify and improve a space where vast amounts of communication and transfer of goods take place. Any added support in cleanliness and organization is a big boost, as any mailroom worker will strongly attest. 

Smart lockers land along a broad spectrum of sizes. They can be customized according to a corporation’s needs and the needs of a mailroom or building. They can be quite compact or vast and can be both depending on the design that best meets the needs of deliverable items and employee needs. 

An added bonus is that these lockers are customizable in locations and via color to fit right into the already existing aesthetic of a business and company. These small factors add up to a valuable, consistent working environment and should not be underestimated in the health, productivity, and efficiency of a growing corporation. 
 
 

The post How Package Lockers Are Overhauling Corporate Mailrooms appeared first on Smiota.

Literary greats live inside library shelves. There are research journals. Memoirs of eras long gone await discovery. These places are community hubs. Libraries provide needed access to computers and printers. Also, trained library technicians can work like superheroes for people. They might help a grade-schooler with a project and assist a person in writing their resume. Amazingly, this can take place in the same hour. It may not be glamorous, but the impacts are undeniable. 

Free and ongoing access to educational materials and information is a key component to any democratic society. They are integral to our understanding of ourselves and to our world. Afterschool programs, guest lectures, a chair to sit in and read – the impacts of a library space are difficult to overstate. 

Libraries also hold the line of technology access and empowerment. This is more important with each passing year. Tech literacy is a huge boon in our societies today. As such, these spaces must remain abreast of technological advances and opportunities. This reality can be applied to many areas of a library’s organization and daily operations.

Today, we are going to zone in on how smart lockers are a means of streamlining the return process at libraries. However, their impact can ripple out, too. These systems can and will create new, more efficient possibilities in the process. 

Smart Lockers In The Library

A well-functioning library depends on the talented professionals who make the building hum with learning and possibility. There are systems that can make or break this collaborative song in a space that entirely depends on functionality. Smart lockers are perfect in this situation. 

Smart lockers are accessible to anyone with a smartphone or access to the internet – which is often right there in the library. These lockers lend organizational support to any setting. This support is clean and customizable. It can be designed to fit right in or stand out. So while smart lockers may be a new addition to the space, additionally, they seamlessly fold into the needs and processes of materials transfers and technological exchange. 

What This Looks Like

We can use our imaginations to create a handful of scenarios where smart locker technology could be a big help in a library setting. Excitingly, those brainstorms can be put into practice with ease and efficiency to last. 

For example, when a person orders a book to be transferred from another library, smart lockers would be an ideal system for storing that transferred book until the person returns to retrieve it. The person would get an immediate notification that their items are ready, for instance. The amount of time that staff members would need to dedicate to the process could shrink from many minutes to seconds. It would be a quick and easy transfer at every point in the chain. 

There’s another set of examples to consider. Many libraries offer rental equipment. Items such as computers, cameras, projectors, and more are available. Therefore, people – who might not otherwise use the gear – have access to them. With smart lockers, visitors would be able to rent this gear with increased efficiency and security. Because smart lockers are able to prevent theft and are of various sizes. As a result, they are a perfect match for this scenario. 

Streamlined Library Returns

Let’s turn our attention to an age-old conundrum for library professionals and book borrowers alike: streamlining library returns. Again, smart lockers can be a big help. This is because these improved systems lead to more efficient handoffs. This is true on the front end. It is also the case in the return process. Above all, smart lockers improve the exchanges between the library and individuals. 

We’ve touched on how smart lockers minimize organizational labor hours. As a result, we know that the security of expensive tech is improved. All these factors add up. They save time and improve the functionality of the library as a whole. Each part is connected. More importantly, dedicated, passionate professionals can define a library’s learning space. Smart lockers empower these workers to do the work they love. And this systems upgrade will minimize the exhausting, thankless admin and organization tasks that goggle up precious hours The whole endeavor will flourish in new ways, better serving the community.  

In conclusion, all communities should be entitled to equitable means of learning. Smart lockers can help to cover the gaps. They improve the safety and security of the space. Moreover, smart lockers help with the important work of individuals, no matter their story. 
 

The post How Library Smart Lockers Streamline the Library Return Process appeared first on Smiota.

Decrease Package Loss and Theft

Aiming to protect the final yard of a delivery, smart locker platforms like Smiota prioritize security, traceability, and transparency in their mission. At every level from design to operation, smart lockers are secure. 

• Hardware: Made from heavy-gauge steel, the lockers keep packages safe until the recipient is ready to pick them up. 
• Software: The cloud-based software ensures that the mailroom has a full record of the chain of custody from delivery to pick up. 

Package thefts will be a thing of the past! Even accidental losses and mailroom mix-ups won’t be a problem. With the detailed tracking in the software, mailroom staff will always be able to provide a thorough answer to those dreaded “Where is my package?!” phone calls. 

Secure and Sensitive

This added security is ideal for the office mailroom. Your employees can be confident in mailing and receiving sensitive documents and materials. The tracking software will ensure that nothing ends up in the wrong hands.  Also, your employees will even be grateful to have the perk of receiving their own personal packages to the smart lockers. To avoid package theft at their own houses, many employees may order personal packages to their office. Giving employees personal access to the smart lockers will provide peace of mind and increase employee efficiency when they don’t need to worry about getting to the mailroom at a specific time.

Organize Deliveries By Recipient

 While chaotic mountains of packages have become the standard for office mailrooms (never mind the endless stream of paper mail), smart lockers create more physical storage space at the same time as they maintain a flawless organization system. Everything goes through the easily integrated software…No high tech required! All that’s needed is a smartphone or tablet. 

All It Takes Is an App

In addition to the simplicity of the physical lockers, the mailroom app simply increases the system’s efficiency and ease. From the moment the mailroom staff scans the package in, each article is itemized in the system. Loaded into an individual module through the back of the lockers, the recipient will then receive a notification that their package has arrived. With an easy swipe of a QR code, the respective locker will pop open and finally release the delivery from the system. This ensures that the mailroom has a record of the complete transaction. 

Fun Fact: If a single person receives more than one package, they will all be consolidated in the same locker, keeping everything as streamlined as possible.

Reduce Stress for All

While smart lockers provide seamless security and organization for office mailrooms, the system isn’t complicated. In fact, the Smiota app makes everything from registering deliveries to contactless pick-up easy to learn. You won’t need to put in hours of extra effort onboarding your office to the new system! For both mailroom staff and general office employees, integrating a smart locker into the mailroom will reduce everyone’s stress levels. 

In fact, smart lockers save mailroom employees valuable energy, by reducing the time managing deliveries by 75%. This frees up time for more engaged customer service and saves you money on manpower. 

General office culture will improve as well. Without long mailroom lines or package mix-ups, employees will be more in control of their time. They’ll get a notification when their package is ready, and then can pick it up when it works for their schedules. 

Contactless Pickup

Increasing office efficiency is a plus no matter how you slice it. But the COVID pandemic has emphasized the need for better sanitization practices and crowd reduction. In addition to reducing time in lines and crowded mailrooms, smart lockers systems prioritize cleanliness. Design your system with UV sanitization and antimicrobial materials to reduce the spread of pathogens. Additionally, because of the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, the locker door opens without the recipient even having to touch the kiosk. It’s a truly contactless pickup.

A Simple Solution

Cleaner, safer, and more organized? With a smart locker, your office mailroom will set a new standard of efficiency. If you’re ready to solve your office mailroom problems with a smart locker system and software, reach out to us today!

The post How to Solve Your Office Mailroom Problems With a Smart Locker appeared first on Smiota.

#1 Secure

Smart lockers give guests peace of mind. Heavy-duty, tamper-proof features and automatically-generated unique passcodes prevent unauthorized access, and the system keeps track of every transaction to ensure nothing gets lost or stolen. 

#2 Convenient

A simple, user-friendly workflow makes it a breeze for employees and visitors to reserve and use the lockers as needed. And it takes just seconds to drop off or pick up items on the way to their next destination.

#3 Contactless

Smart lockers are part of the new normal. They help corporations support social distancing by allowing employees and visitors to secure their items all on their own, without staff assistance. Also, they also reduce touchpoints — users can trigger the auto-open locker doors from a mobile app, so they don’t need to use a shared touchscreen. 

#4 Clean

To help minimize the spread of pathogens, admins can put lockers on hold for cleaning between uses. The lockers are easy to wipe down and disinfect, and optional add-ons like antimicrobial materials and UV sanitation help speed up the process. 

#5 Customized

With a wide variety of locker types, sizes, and configurations, smart lockers can handle almost anything. And they come in countless colors and materials to blend into a business’ brand or stand out with an eye-catching design.

#6 Space-saving

No need to set aside extra rooms for guest items. Smart lockers bring safe storage to shared spaces like lobbies and hallways so they’re easily accessible.

#7 Time-saving

Because of the self-serve nature of smart lockers, businesses won’t need to designate staff to manage and monitor belongings, saving time and cutting down on operational costs. 

#8 Tech-powered

Employees are always looking for technology that helps them accomplish more during the workday — and smart lockers deliver. The technology behind smart lockers supports integrations with other company systems, further boosting simplicity, convenience, and efficiency.

#9 Automated

From text and email notifications to package sensors to real-time analytics, one of the best benefits of lockers is that they include fully automated features that take all the guesswork out of temporary storage.  

#10 Flexible

The workplace is constantly changing to keep up with the trends. So while businesses might need day-use lockers today, they might be looking for a new solution tomorrow. 

The good news is smart lockers easily adapt to the ever-evolving workplace. Using the same platform, companies can manage package and food deliveries, facilitate the transfer of IT assets, help onboard employees, and so much more.

Smart lockers can also provide temporary storage for hotels, libraries, universities, and many other places. If you’re interested in learning more about using smart lockers for day use, contact us today.

The post 10 Benefits of Smart Lockers for Day-Use appeared first on Smiota.

#1 Smart Lockers Provide Safe, Contactless Delivery to Help Stop the Spread of Pathogens

With touchless features and an easy-to-sterilize design, smart lockers promote contact-free, convenient deliveries at various businesses and housing properties. Learn more about how smart locker technology prevents pathogen transmission and supports social distancing.
Read full article 

#2 10 Unconventional Ways to Use Package Lockers

Smart lockers may have gotten their start as part of a worry-free package management solution, but they’re versatile enough to handle transactions for a wide variety of industries. They protect items ranging from restaurant orders to pharmacy deliverables to orientation packages.
Read full article

#3 Implementing Contactless Library Book Checkouts and Returns

When libraries had to close their doors to the communities they serve, they sought creative ways to continue offering essential resources. Here are a few contactless solutions that help libraries keep their employees and patrons safe. 
Read full article

#4 Must-Have Multifamily Amenities for the New Normal

School closures, business limitations, and a shift to remote work led many multifamily residents to spend more time at home. As a result, these amenities rose to the top of their must-have list.
Read full article

#5 Cut Costs and Stretch Savings with Automated Smart Package Lockers

How much could you save with package lockers? We took staff hours, package security, and space limitations into consideration to provide a clearer picture of the potential benefits.
Read full article

The post Smiota’s Top 5 Articles of 2020 appeared first on Smiota.

Think about how many contact points employees encounter from car to cubicle — the doors they enter, the elevator trips, and the technology, appliances, and fixtures they use throughout the day. Well, the office of the future aims to make the workday as touchless as possible. 

Let’s look at a few common, high-traffic areas of the office that are quickly becoming touch-free with technology.

Doors and security

Entering the office is about to get safer and simpler. Instead of riffling through keys, cards, and fobs, employees can use various contactless technologies to access areas, typically with just a cell phone in hand. 

Here’s how the process might look:

• Facial recognition technology identifies the entrant, and credentials stored on that person’s mobile device confirm his clearance level. 
• Before entry, he must pass an automated temperature check, which goes on record along with his check-in time. 
• If he meets all requirements, the door automatically unlocks and opens. 
• He may again need to verify his identity for inner locked doors via a simple scan or cell phone activation. 
• Unlocked doors may be motion-activated or foot-operated, so he won’t have to touch door handles. 

Elevators

Since the pandemic began, elevators have become one of the most problematic areas for property managers. And for a while, it seemed like there was no reliable way to prevent the spread of disease in such a small, congested space.

To eliminate the need to touch elevator buttons, many tech innovators have employed gesturing technology. Employees can use motions to control their elevator ride, such as waving to call a car or pointing to floor numbers. Other technologies allow people to use voice commands or a cell phone app to summon elevators and choose floors.

In the near future, employees may not even have to do that much. Elevator systems will read information about where each user works and automatically bring them to the correct floor.

Shared rooms

There are certain areas of the office where employees frequently share controls, appliances, and technology. Touchless solutions are a promising alternative to restricting access to these spaces, and they also help reduce the need for cleaning between uses.

In conference rooms, everything from lights and temperature to audiovisual technology can sync with the room’s schedule. 

Take a company meeting for example. With technology synced, no one will have to come in early to turn on all the lights, set up equipment, and adjust the temperature — all of this happens automatically, just in time for the meeting to start. Later, as the meeting concludes and the room empties, everything powers down, and occupancy sensors trigger automated cleaning processes to begin. The result is reduced surface contamination, lower power consumption, and minimal maintenance. 

Companies can equip their break rooms with touchless technology, too. Manufacturers are making it possible to grab a snack from the vending machine, heat up a meal, or whip up a latte without touching buttons.

Package pickup

The end of each employee’s day might include a trip to the mailroom to pick up packages — but only if those employees are willing to wait in line and abide by social distancing protocols. 

Smart lockers eliminate the lines and take care of all the safety measures in a simple, contactless process: 

• Couriers deposit packages straight into lockers without staff assistance  — all they have to do is scan the package to open an empty locker. 
• The recipient automatically receives a delivery notification and instructions for picking up the package.
• The pickup process doesn’t require touching a kiosk. Employees only need to scan their QR code or use a cell phone app to unlock their items. 
• Closing the locker down is the only point of contact, and lockers are easy to wipe down as needed.

Smart lockers provide a touchless way to exchange other items between building occupants, too, such as company assets, technology, and onboarding materials.

This is a fertile time for innovation, and these technologies are already leading the office into a contactless future. Touchless technologies are not just safer — they’re faster and more efficient. And that’s something forward-thinking business leaders will want on their side. 

If you’d like to make smart lockers part of your company’s future, reach out to us today.

The post These Touchless Technologies Are Shaping the Office of Tomorrow appeared first on Smiota.

Below are a few ways office buildings can adapt to encourage social distancing and prevent the spread of pathogens.

Spaced seating and more barriers

To follow the six-foot guidelines, businesses may have to go above and beyond separating desks and workspaces. 

Reception areas, lobbies, open offices, and other high traffic areas may require limited entry policies, physical barriers, and spaced seating. But there’s no need to tarnish the visual appeal of these spaces in the process. Clear barriers limit pathogen travel without limiting visibility. And they’re easy to wipe down with disinfectant.

There may also be a need to limit the number of people in smaller shared areas like breakrooms and conference rooms. Alternatively, companies can add smaller break spaces and meeting spots throughout the office.  

Elevator policies

For many businesses, the most challenging place to enforce social distancing is in and around the building elevator. The small, enclosed space makes it difficult for employees to stay six feet apart and avoid spreading germs. Not to mention, they have to press a lot of buttons to reach the destination — although some companies are working on a solution for that.   

Until more permanent solutions develop, businesses can implement a few changes to help employees maintain their distance and safeguard their health:

• Encourage employees to use stairs when possible
• Limit the occupancy per car
• Add spaced floor markings inside the elevator
• Ask employees to avoid touching buttons, railings, and walls with their hands
• Place hand-sanitizing stations near the elevators

Touchless security

Whenever employees can avoid touching keypads and door handles, they help minimize the spread of disease and make it easier to practice social distancing. 

In the spirit of health and safety, businesses can adopt contactless means of access and entry. Doors that unlock via Bluetooth, keycards, or other touchless methods eliminate the need for keypads and manual locks. 

Better yet, if the doors open and close automatically, employees won’t even need to touch the door handles. And they can remotely let in clients, delivery personnel, and other guests — no need to come out to meet them. 

Telecommuting technology

In the past few months, many companies have shifted to remote work, and that shift may well continue for a while. Four out of five employees say they’d like to work outside of the office at least one day a week, even after the pandemic situation subsides.

To better support and accommodate these remote employees, businesses may have to consider some technology upgrades: 

• Reliable audiovisual equipment, internet speed, and phone service to enhance meetings and video conferences
• Software solutions for project management, administrative tasks, file sharing, and team communication  
• A network security solution that covers all computers and mobile devices inside and outside the office

The goal is to provide staff with easy-to-use tools, helping them stay seamlessly and securely connected with their clients and with each other, whether they’re at or away from the office.

Smart lockers

Smart package lockers are excellent for facilitating contactless package delivery at the office. But that’s not the only way they support social distancing. 

Businesses can use smart lockers to securely transfer all sorts of items  — from keycards and parking passes to private documents, eliminating the need for in-person transactions.

Smart lockers also assist with IT asset management by securely storing and transferring laptops, cellphones, and IT equipment. These assets often contain important company data, which is why delivering them in person is preferable. But with smart lockers, the items are only accessible by designated recipients, so they won’t fall into the wrong hands. 

Employees could also use the lockers to borrow and return devices. Administrators will then have a record of who has what equipment and when/if they returned it. 

Want to use smart package lockers to encourage social distancing in the office? Contact us to get started. 

The post 5 Office Modifications That Support Social Distancing appeared first on Smiota.

Thankfully, there are ways to overcome the struggle of package management and add more flexibility to commercial properties. Let’s take a look at how smart package lockers open up opportunities for businesses to do more with their space, time, and staff.

Clear out clutter and chaos

Piles of packages and disorganized mailrooms can be an eyesore in an otherwise pleasant environment. Such untidy sights can leave visitors with a bad impression of the company, especially if deliveries are kept in places like entryways and lobbies. 

Package lockers help businesses stay orderly and free from clutter. Deliveries housed in stay out of the mailroom and completely hidden from guests. Even better, companies can add specific colors, graphics, and designs to the lockers to make them an attractive addition to the workplace.  

With packages safe inside the lockers, businesses may even be able to free up enough space to redesign and repurpose their mailrooms and other areas packages frequently occupy. And since recipients can retrieve packages on their own, there’s no need to leave space at the front desk or mailroom for congested pickup lines. 

Operate outside of schedules

Sometimes employees can’t take time out of their busy schedules to pick up and drop off their mail. It can be difficult for them to work within limited mailroom hours, particularly if there’s a long line.

Businesses can solve this predicament by installing package lockers in a location that’s always accessible. Employees then have the flexibility to collect their deliveries when it’s most convenient. And if couriers also have 24/7 access to the lockers, they can seamlessly complete deliveries on weekends and during evening hours.

Rescue overburdened staff 

Without smart lockers, package management can be a time-consuming and demanding task. Mailroom workers are continuously being interrupted by delivery personnel, scanning and sorting packages, and distributing them to recipients. Some tasks can leave staff on their feet for long periods of the day, often carrying heavy boxes between rooms, floors, and buildings.

Entrusting some of these responsibilities to automation frees up staff, and smart lockers eliminate the most tedious part of the process — receiving and distributing packages. The lockers are self-service, so no staff assistance is necessary for couriers to deposit packages and recipients to pick them up. 

For businesses, that’s a lot of time and money saved that can be reallocated to other needs. Staff can devote time to other property management tasks, learn new skills, take on other roles, or even work remotely. They won’t have to be tied to a desk or mailroom and can be more versatile in their work.

If you’re curious about what smart package lockers can do for your company, contact us today. 

The post How Smart Lockers Provide More Flexibility for Businesses appeared first on Smiota.

On the other hand, a protected building fosters a more positive atmosphere — employees aren’t worried about their safety or that of their belongings. 

Several tools, actions, and protocols go into safeguarding staff and their possessions, so it can be easy to overlook package protection as part of a complete solution. Here are some of the ways that smart package lockers contribute to workplace security.

Stop theft and damage 

Employees won’t feel comfortable shipping orders to their workplace if their items end up lost, stolen, spoiled, or damaged. And accidents happen, even in the most organized mailrooms. Couriers may leave deliveries unattended and prone to theft, staff may drop or damage packages while sorting and moving them, and perishables may be left out too long without refrigeration.

Smart package lockers enable delivery personnel and mailroom staff to quickly and easily secure items in individual lockers, where only recipients can access them. Large packages have a place in oversized lockers, and temperature-sensitive items stay cool in refrigerated and freezer lockers. This gives employees peace of mind and assurance in the safety of their personal and work-related items.

Limit guests and visitors

With package lockers, couriers, mailroom staff, and other delivery personnel don’t need office access to drop off packages. They can deposit the items into the lockers, where they’ll stay safe until recipients have a few spare moments to retrieve them.

This system helps facility employees avoid interruptions throughout the day — plus, they don’t have to worry about monitoring as many visitors. 

Break the 9-5 mold

Smart lockers make the workday easier for busy employees. The last thing they want at the end of a long shift is to be unable to retrieve critical deliveries because the mailroom staff has left for the day.  

Businesses can offer 24/7 locker access, allowing couriers to deposit and employees to claim packages outside of scheduled mailroom hours. This means workers can receive time-sensitive, emergency, and rush deliveries, even during times when mailroom staff is unavailable.

Minimize person-to-person contact

The best way to protect employees from spreading diseases is to limit their face-to-face interactions with others and their contact with contaminated surfaces. But that’s quite a feat in busy mailrooms, cramped package pickup lines, and building-wide delivery trips. 

Package lockers are perfect for preventing pathogen transmission. They support contactless delivery and promote package separation to curb the circulation of bacteria and viruses. Employees don’t have to come into direct contact with couriers or mailroom staff, and their packages aren’t changing hands multiple times throughout the day. So companies can keep their workers healthy, avoiding sick leave and short-staffed shifts. 

If you’re ready to learn more about the protection and peace of mind package lockers provide, contact Smiota today.

The post Put Safety First with Package Lockers for Businesses appeared first on Smiota.