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Contents

1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction & Background

3. Industry Analysis

4. Research Analysis, Concierge Interviews & Resident Interviews
   4.1. Resident
   4.2. Concierge
   4.3. Conclusion

5. Case Study of Tea Trade Wharf

6. Analytics & Software

7. Shaping the future of your building
   

1.0 Executive Summary 

This report provides a comprehensive strategic analysis, followed by explaining the true functionality Aptly will provide and the key benefits for your building. The report begins by analysing why and how Aptly has been incorporated and identifying potential opportunities that confirm the effectiveness of the Mobile App and Desktop Portal. Subsequently, industry and segment analyses were conducted via primary research including interviews with Concierge teams as well as personnel of Board of Directors in leading London developments. 

This is followed by a company analysis, where we focus on the value of the technology on offer. Thereafter, the report details the current positions of the firm’s existence and prospective customer base to gain a better understanding of their needs, relative to their respective constraints. The combination of these key analyses will inform the final section of this report where we demonstrate how the management services we provide will enable vastly improved technological improvements related to how the concierge team interact with residents all within a centralised application (app). This app will reshape the digital landscape of your building.

Ultimately, this report will provide our potential future client with a comprehensive understanding of why Aptly Managed was established, thus enabling yourself to be well informed when considering Aptly within your building. 

2.0 Introduction & Background

Aptly Managed Limited is an SME based in the South of England, which offers support to the Concierge team with an easy to use system for all their building needs. Alongside the Desktop Portal which focuses heavily on making the building run efficiently, there is a Mobile App for Residents to use which connects directly with the Desktop Portal. Aptly Managed specialises in electronic engineering and computer-based systems which will improve performance dramatically. 

In Summer 2021, to exploit a growing market interest in Mobile App & Desktop solutions within Residential Property, Aptly Managed introduced their products and services. Aptly offer Parcel Tracking, Contractor & Visitor Notifications, Live Chat with Residents, Metre Readings and Online Tracking Diary to name a few of the features. With technology taking over the world, it is important we build a secure platform that will take into consideration GDPR as well as having the correct security in place. We focus heavily on the Concierge team, ensuring proactiveness and accurate records of what is happening at all times in your building and apartment.

3.0 Industry Analysis 

The initial research approach was to gather information relevant to Aptly Managed objectives for the project, through discussions with numerous buildings, which include Concierge teams and Board of Directors. Whilst the Concierge staff interviewed had a clear view and optimism for the project, we were encouraged to adopt a highly exploratory approach to the project with Board of Directors, to ensure we create a product that is used by all within a Residential Development. Facts and figures provided  helped shape the direction of the project and informed our project scope. A few figures are shown below.  

The second stage in our research approach included digging deeper into the macro-environmental factors impacting Aptly Managed, including political, economic, and technological factors, and developing trends that helped us create this product perfectly as well as correctly pricing this system. This external analysis furthered our understanding of the main opportunities and threats facing Aptly Managed, which were later supported by the primary research conducted.

Research shown that buildings reluctance to upgrade and focus on the correct software for their daily tasks has had a negative impact on the building in terms of productivity and effectiveness, ultimately leaving the building at times unmanned if they are on their parcel rounds or a number of documents to go through if someone requests times a contractor entered an apartment. The main requirement addressed by Board of Directors is for the Concierge Team to be able to retain accurate data as well as being able to be at the front desk of all times without any disruption to activities and tasks. 

The impacts of COVID-19 were a catalyst for residential developments to consider upgrading systems, mainly due to the amount of parcels and food deliveries arriving. The complete replacement of systems may not be needed depending on the state of current systems in buildings, however if there is not a system in place for your Concierge Team, the way the world has adapted, technology is essential in maintaining accurate records and helping the way Concierge Teams work.

4.0 Research Findings, Concierge Interviews & Resident Interviews 

4.1 Resident 

To gain a better understanding for the consumer demand we conducted semi-structured interview with 35 resident interviewees regarding what improvements could be made to traditional 24 hour concierge services. 33 out of 35 interviewees mentioned the need for a concierge digital service all in one place, as an alternative means of interacting with concierge staff members. Another typical response was a need for knowing when visitors clock in and clock out of the building. For instance, residents want to be able to track contracted workers movements if they are away from their residential home for security reasons in addition to making sure workers are keeping to their contracted hours. 

“If I am away from home, I still want to be able to track my parcels and who is coming and going from my apartment. Concierge services need to reflect the modern times, and this begins in the digital space.”

- Resident 

4.2 Concierge 

Additionally, we conducted a semi structured interview with 42 concierge staff members ranging across a host of residential developments in London. The objective of the interviews was to learn more about daily tasks conducted by the Concierge Team, and what improvements could be made to provide a better service for residents. From our research conducted, the interviewees expressed that a considerable amount of their time is occupied by preparing and delivering parcel notes to notify residents that they have a package which can often leave the concierge desk unmanned, with nobody there to assist enquiring residents. The AptlyManaged App eradicates this issue by enabling the concierge staff member to notify residents electronically through the app instead. This therefore saves the concierge team valuable time, meaning that they minimise the time spent away from the desk. Furthermore, concierge members can provide a better service by facilitating a more real-time method of communication for residents by merely clicking a button on their desktop portal which immediately notifies the resident app user.     

“The main issue nowadays is communication between resident and concierge staff, residents are busy people who require a new medium by which resident and concierge member can pass information instantaneously via a centralised app. This includes knowing when parcels have arrived, when visitors come or leave, or directly messaging concierge staff members and/or other residents.”

- Concierge staff member 

4.3 Conclusion 

The conclusion to our findings is that there is a significant demand for a digital space for concierge staff members and residents to interact with each other on, and the Aptly app satisfies many of these needs of both residents and concierge staff members, notably providing greater convenience for both parties, as well as delivering more choices to the residents in respect to tracking relevant data.

5.0 Case Study of Tea Trade Wharf 

Aptly Managed Ltd reached an agreement with the board of directors of Tea Trade Wharf (TTW) which was then approved by Hurford Salvi Carr for the accessibility and use of the AptlyManaged app to all residents back in March 2021. We also have enjoyed a good working relationship with  Pembroke Property Management, collaborating together to provide the best possible services for the residents.

Feedback from residents has been overwhelmingly positive, providing residents with the digital tools to effectively track when parcels are delivered to the building, as well as when they are collected. Residents also reported back their satisfaction in regards to security - the app enables residents to track visitors through the app, detailing when a visitor checks in and checks out, this will appear via notifications as well as through the app itself.

The success of the app and its implementation into the wider management services within Tea Trade Wharf is further evidenced by the commitment of the TTW board of directors to continue the AptlyManaged programme beyond its one year contract, and extend it into the future.

6.0 Analytics & Software 

Analytics are so important when defining a product within technology. We use Apple Developer Analytics for accurate information regarding the number of sessions and impressions our App has from the 85% Apple users. Google Analytics are used for the remaining 15%. Our technology is also able to calculate the number of parcels and contractors that are received and arriving within a building as well as the number of messages received via the live chat daily. We have produced a graph below from our Apple Developer Analytics which showcases Aptly and the uses for the first three months within Tea Trade Wharf. The building has 72 apartments, with 122 Residents being registered to use the Mobile App & 5 Concierge Staff using the Desktop Portal. 

The software we have used is Apple iOS & Google Play for the Mobile Apps. As an iOS developer, you can program in native languages such as Swift or Objective-C or build cross-platform native applications using React Native (JavaScript) or Xamarin (C# & F#). We have created our Mobile apps on the Cross Platform Native Application whilst also integrating Objective-C in modules. Javascript is essential in producing Android Apps and we have carried out intense testing to ensure the security and the reliability of our Mobile Apps. We currently have 0 crashes on our Apple Developer Analytics. 

Our Desktop Portal has been constructed in PHP Frameworks, HTML & CSS. A quick summary, HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language, CSS for Cascading Style Sheets, and PHP for PHP Hypertext Preprocessor. The 10-second explanation: HTML is the flesh and bones of a website, defining its structure. CSS is the clothing, allowing designers to make site-wide changes more easily while PHP assembles each piece of the website and prepares it for your viewing pleasure.

7.0 Shaping the future of your building 

How we at Aptly see the future concerns a renewed relationship between resident and concierge team, providing a digital concierge outlet through which residents can widen the utilities of the services provided, whether they are at home, or elsewhere.

Next generation updates for the Aptly app will focus around expanding our device ecosystem by developing a version for other smart ware devices, incl. Apple iWatch. This will enable customers to use the app and its functions in a multitude of different formats, spaces and contexts.