Page 26 - Project Acanthus_Mainstay

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Mainstay: Response to Tender | Project Acanthus - Part Two
25. Briefly tell us how you structure reception, security and concierge services in multi- building environments? Please provide an example of where centralisation has worked and where it hasn’t.
Where possible, we separate the concierge and estate management office. The main reason for this is it limits the flow of contractors to the customer desk. Channelling all traffic to one destination can cause problems with residents having to wait behind contractors to speak to a concierge. We realise that, although space is a premium, having a hotel-style reception area for the residents can improve their experience of using this service.
This means that a well-designed layout is essential. Another factor is ensuring that parcel storage is commensurate with the size of development. It is important that it is also within the same location as the concierge desk.
The design also needs to consider welfare facilities for staff, such as lockers, breakout areas, shower/changing facility, kitchen, etc. The concierge team also needs an ergonomic front desk with sufficient space behind it.
The Whitehouse Apartments, London, is a good example of where centralisation works. It has separate areas for concierge, estate management, parcels/mail, and welfare facilities. This means that contractor traffic does not impede residents from using the concierge or retrieving packages.
A development where the centralised system has historically proved ineffective is Chelsea Creek, London. Here, all visitors needed to attend the concierge. This can cause delays for residents. In order to improve customers’ experience, Mainstay has taken the following steps to ease congestion and help customers:
» Installed iPads and implemented a virtual concierge
» Centralised functions, such as security, at head office where
it is handled by a dedicated Property Service Administrator
» Agreed for a second doorway to be added to give access directly to the Estate Management office, which is currently only accessible via the reception area
For large sites, we also recommend increasing the number of concierge / reception areas. This significantly reduces the amount of travel time that customers experience, reducing the stress they feel to complete a simple visit.