Breaking Property News – 14/05/24
Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.
Proptech Parcel SafePlace wins new partnerships with student accommodation operators Collegiate UK & Fresh Student
Parcel SafePlace, a leading PropTech parcel logistics service that provides technology for secure and convenient deliveries for residents while enhancing operational efficiency for property managers, has announced the signing of two prominent Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) operators Collegiate UK and Fresh Student.
The deals will provide digital parcel amenities, implementing technology across 82 PBSA buildings and servicing an additional 28,500 beds in the UK.
Students during term time have some of the highest delivery volumes, from Sep-Nov 2023 PBSA properties received on average 4 times more parcels per unit than BTR buildings, for a 300 unit building that equates to 2,700 more deliveries to manage during this time period.
The partnerships will provide the technological infrastructure needed for these operators to effectively manage parcel volumes. By digitising the delivery path, a range of PropTech solutions which are modified for each building, streamline deliveries providing added security and 24/7 access for students.
Dustin Fjeld, CEO and Founder of Parcel SafePlace, commented: “As investment into PBSA continues to grow, it’s clear from the consumer demand, that parcel rooms are an essential amenity. We are thrilled to partner with Collegiate UK and Fresh Student to implement our PropTech services and expand our presence in the PBSA sector. Being appointed across these sites, highlights a significant milestone for Parcel SafePlace as we continue to revolutionise digital parcel management solutions for students nationwide.”
Neil Burton, Managing Director of Collegiate UK, said: “Our partnership with Parcel SafePlace fulfils the increasing demand for technologically advanced buildings that provide our students with best-in-class service. We recognise the importance of staying ahead of the curve by providing our residents with cutting-edge amenities and services that can continue to meet their evolving needs. With Parcel SafePlace we are confident we will enhance our building efficiencies and allocate resources more effectively to save our staff and students valuable time, so we remain at the forefront of modern student accommodation.”
Currently operational across 30% of the UK’s BTR units, with the addition of Collegiate, and Fresh Student to its roster of partners, Parcel SafePlace is also poised to solidify a position as a leader in parcel management solutions for the PBSA sector.
Estate Agents & Navigating the roller coaster of business ownership
This week, CEO of The Guild of Property Professionals, Iain McKenzie is joined by Wendy Peterman, Managing Director of Petermans Estate Agents on The Home Stretch podcast to discuss what it has been like to be in estate agency over the past five years, mental health and Wendy’s experience as a female leader in the sector.
Established over 65 years ago by her father, Peterman joined the family-run business 20 years ago. She notes that the past five years in the sector has been a roller coaster, when compared with the initial 15 years she has been involved with the business. “We had to deal with recessions in the past, however, comparatively I think these past five years have been more difficult. We were fortunate enough to be set up to work remotely during the pandemic, but there were challenges that we had to negotiate.
When we were allowed to go back out, the market boomed and we were extremely busy, which was great, but it also meant dealing with very high expectations from vendors who were eager to move and move quickly, especially when they were up against the clock to meet the stamp duty deadline. A lot of people were stressed and seemed to treat agents badly as a result.
I thought we would come out of Covid with a different mindset having all been through this terrible thing together, I thought people would be kinder to each other. However, it seems like the opposite has happened. People seem to be a lot angrier, which had a negative impact on our negotiators,” adds Peterman.
McKenzie responds, saying: “After the pandemic, we had the cost-of-living crisis and the aftermath of Trussonomics, which resulted in a tough market for the past 18 months. From a mindfulness perspective, how has that been?”
Peterman notes that as a business, they had to take a step back and reassess their direction of travel. “It has been a matter of going back to basics and back to the way we use to do things. Mentally, it is like you have to keep resetting, which is very unnerving. As a business owner it is important to have a vision in order to push the business forward, however, that is not always easy,” she comments.
Speaking about what it has been like as a leader in a business, Peterman says that the readjustment from the working environment during the pandemic to being fully back in the office has been challenging at times. “During the pandemic, it felt like many of the agents were working together to help and learn from each other. The Guild was an amazing resource during that time, and still is. When the world went back to normal, I found it very difficult to focus and keep my staff motivated,” she adds.
Peterman openly expands on her struggles, as well as the steps she took to overcome them through the help of organisations such as Agents Together. McKenzie and Peterman go on to speak about being a woman in estate agency, as well as what the next five years could possibly hold for the sector. To listen to the full episode visit The Home Stretch podcast.
Andrew Stanton Executive Editor – moving property and proptech forward. PropTech-X
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