These days, everything is going contactless. From shopping and deliveries to payments and even car-buying, there’s hardly a reason to interact with anything anymore! Of course, most of this trend has been fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, but many people also enjoy the added convenience.
Unit complexes are no exception. Many property owners are switching to unit complex intercom systems that are contactless and touchless for entry into their buildings. This prevents the spread of germs and limits face-to-face interaction between residents, visitors, and staff for a safer living and work environment. Here’s what you need to know about contactless and touchless unit complex intercom systems.
Contactless vs. Touchless Entry
While they’re often used interchangeably, there is a difference between contactless and touchless:
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Contactless entry – no interaction with other people.
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Touchless entry – users don’t have to physically touch anything.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more unit complex intercoms are becoming touchless and contactless. They provide tenants, staff, visitors, and deliveries to enter and exit the building without interacting with another person or touching possibly germy buttons or doors. Not only does this help create a safer living and work environment, but it also saves a lot of work on sanitizing.
Touchless Intercom Triggers
While the unit complex intercom systems of yesteryear were covered with buttons that users had to physically touch, new systems can provide features like voice activation and motion sensors to trigger the intercom without user interaction.
Voice Activation
For voice-activated unit complex intercoms systems, visitors simply have to walk up to the intercom unit at the main entrance and start talking. The intercom will pick up the voice and buzz someone inside.
A budget-friendly option is setting up a direct link between the exterior intercom unit and your building’s front desk. When someone speaks into the exterior unit, it alerts the staff member at the front desk, who can then verify the visitor’s identity and give them access to the building.
More advanced voice-activated systems have automated attendants that can understand specific commands. A visitor can approach the intercom unit and say the name or unit number of the person they want to visit. The automated attendant then patches them through to the resident, who can then choose to let them inside the building. These systems are a bit more expensive and technical, but they offer more convenience and eliminate the need to hire a full-time front desk attendant.
Motion Sensor Activation
Instead of using voice, some touchless unit complex intercom systems use proximity or motion sensors to activate the intercom.
When a visitor approaches the exterior intercom unit, it picks up on the movement and sends an alert to an interior unit. Since there’s no user input, motion-activated intercoms can’t ring individual residents in multi-unit apartment complexes. They’re best for alerting the front desk attendant, who can then forward the call or validate the visitor themselves.
Manual Front Desk Activation
If you want a budget-friendly touchless, contactless unit complex intercom entry option, manual front desk activation is a great alternative to more high-tech systems. For this system, just have a front desk attendant who can see outside to the front of the building—either with a window, a standard video intercom system, or a CCTV system.
When the attendant sees a visitor approach the door, they can manually activate the intercom and speak to them. This prevents the visitor from having to touch any buttons to. Paired with automatic door openers, and you have unit complex intercom systems with an inexpensive, touchless, contactless entry solution.
Automatic Door Openers
What good is a touchless intercom option if visitors have to physically open the building door anyway? To make a truly touchless entry experience for apartment visitors and residents, you’ll need to install an automatic door opener as well.
Automatic door openers do just that: They automatically open the door. You can integrate your intercom system with an automatic door opener to let people inside the building without needing to touch anything.
For residents, all they need to do is enter their credentials—whether it’s a swipe card, PIN, or even mobile app—and the door opens for them. Residents or front desk attendants can also open the door for visitors with the push of a button.
Get a Touchless Intercom Entry Option for Your Unit Complex
Touchless and contactless intercom entry options are a great addition to any unit complex, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. To provide a convenient and safe environment for your residents and staff, trust the experts at Four Walls Security to help you find the right touchless and contactless security options for your Sydney or Brisbane property. Contact us to answer any questions or to get a quote today.
