With every new academic year, another influx of students bursts onto the scene, full of energy and excited about the prospects that lie ahead. And every year, there’s also a lot of staff working in purpose-built student accommodation bracing themselves for the onslaught that comes with their arrival.

You have a lot of responsibilities as a residential operator, and finding ways to improve building management is almost always at the top of the list.

The modern way of life has severely impacted the planet. While it might not seem much, the effect of greenhouse gases has raised Earth’s temperature by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit, which has disrupted the delicate balance of nature. If left unchecked, this will lead to more extreme weather patterns, the melting of the polar ice caps and a great number of animals becoming extinct.

Shopping as we know it has changed for good. Back in the 1990s, the idea of doing all your shopping on something called “the internet” would have been a pipedream. Nowadays, it’s the done thing.

Accepting parcel deliveries for your residents is an extra service that most of them will appreciate. After all, if residents aren’t around to take the delivery themselves, you and your team save them a trip to the sorting office.

Costs. They’re one of the few things every business would be happy to see drop right down to zero. In reality, that’s not going to happen. There’s always some expenditure to pay.But a significant reduction in costs is still a huge win, and finding ways to reduce expenditure while also improving the life of your staff and residents is a major coup.

Parcel management in residential buildings can be a pain for staff. It feels like every five minutes, concierges and receptionists need to stop what they’re doing to handle a delivery or help a resident find their package.

How often do your receptionists and concierge staff end up handling packages for tenants? With hundreds of residents ordering items from the internet on a regular basis, we know it takes up a lot of time. Not only is parcel management time-consuming, it also makes reception areas look more like post offices.

Differentiating your PBSA development from the competition is the key to coming out on top. Students expect a wide range of amenities, some of which are more common than others such as social spaces and dedicated study areas. What students don’t see every day, though, is a comprehensive parcel management system.