ATLANTA – HelloPackage, the newly-launched and sophisticated package management system technology, today announces its partnership with Gables Residential. HelloPackage is designed to reduce staff time spent on packages and bring new levels of convenience to Gables residents. HelloPackage is installed in three Gables communities in the Atlanta area – Gables Montclair, Gables Rock Springs, and Gables Midtown.
Gables leasing staff, like many other leasing staff members at apartment communities across the country, spend three to four hours per day handling residents’ packages equating to over 800 hours per year in lost leasing time per community. This problem is particularly acute from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM each day as prospective residents are coming in after work to lease an apartment, which is the same time that current residents are retrieving their packages.
“Gables was excited to partner with HelloPackage and Georgia Tech in the development of this state-of-the-art technology solution,” says Cristina F. Sullivan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Gables Residential. “As owners and operators of apartment homes around the nation, we understand the growing importance of finding solutions to accommodate the rapidly increasing volume of packages delivered to our residents. The HelloPackage innovation has reduced the amount of space that is needed to accommodate packages and the amount of time required of the on-site teams to assist residents with packages. As a part of delivering great customer service, we focus on being able to give our customers what they want and 24-hour access to their packages is high on their list.”
As more and more Americans move their shopping online, they want higher and higher levels of convenience. Convenience that is provided by a sophisticated, specifically designed solution for getting and returning packages. U.S. consumers will spend an estimated $561 billion online annually by 2020, meaning the highest package volume days now will become the new normal in the future. ECommerce is currently about 10 percent of overall retail sales and is growing at over 12 percent per year. This creates a pressing issue for apartment owners that is likely to continue to consume valuable staff time. If done right, it also creates an opportunity to provide residents with a valuable new amenity. A new solution to the package problem is needed.
“ECommerce is expected to grow over 40 percent in the next four years. Both major carriers, UPS and FedEx, have announced that they will permanently deliver on weekends. The volume, size, weight, and shapes of packages coming to apartment communities is predicted to increase dramatically in the future,” states James D. Grady, Founder and CEO of Package Solutions, Inc., the makers of HelloPackage. “For the past two years, we have developed HelloPackage with Gables Residential as our build/test partner. We have created a state-of-the-art, sophisticated and convenient solution to the package problem that delivers three to five times the package density of package locker systems. The HelloPackage system maximizes the number of packages in the precious, limited package space available at apartment communities. The system allows residents to do eCommerce returns right in the community, which delights residents. We have written 25 million lines of software to integrate carriers, retailers, apartment owners, and residents into a seamless system that makes sure Gables leasing staff can focus on leasing, not handling packages.”
HelloPackage is a software-driven solution to the package problem at apartment communities that employs an open-shelf hardware system using advanced sensors, computer vision, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to provide maximum package density, very fast carrier delivery, 24/7 resident package retrieval, and strong package and people security. The system automates the entire experience and does not use any form of inefficient 100-year-old lockers. HelloPackage provides a high level of convenience for residents, while it gets carriers (UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc.) in and out of the package room quickly so their carts full of packages do not block the room for residents. Some communities are seeing eight to ten carrier deliveries per day as more and more demand economy carriers start delivering.
The HelloPackage solution was developed in conjunction with the Flashpoint startup engineering program at Georgia Tech. For more information, visit www.hellopackage.com.
About Gables Residential (Gables): Gables Residential is an award-winning, vertically integrated, real estate company and privately held REIT specializing in the development, construction, ownership, acquisition, financing and management of multifamily and mixed-use communities. Gables Residential owns, develops and manages communities in high-growth U.S. markets such as Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Houston, South Florida, Southern California and metropolitan Washington, D.C. Gables also provides third party management services in the New York, Baltimore, Frederick, Tampa, Phoenix, Seattle, Charlotte, Central and North Florida markets.
Gables manages over 30,000 apartment homes and approximately 430,000 square feet of retail space and has received national recognition for excellence in development, construction, management, sales, marketing, learning and development, benefits and corporate accommodations. These achievements reflect the impact of our experienced and dedicated team members, our superior knowledge of the markets served, and our expertise in development and management.
About HelloPackage: HelloPackage is a patent pending sophisticated package management system technology, bringing an innovative, locker-less package solution that proves less expensive and more efficient than any other product currently in the market. HelloPackage was developed by Package Solutions, Inc. To learn more about HelloPackage, visit www.hellopackage.com.