In just three weeks, college and university campuses will come alive for the fall semester. The collective goal is to provide a safe and healthy environment for both students and faculty. Social distancing is still needed in many areas.
The Covid pandemic has caused major growth in the e-commerce industry. The growing e-commerce industry is propelling the parcel delivery companies to adopt advanced smart technologies to enhance customer satisfaction by providing reliable and secure parcel services. Additionally, offerings such as free delivery and no shipping charges is leading to the rising post and parcel industry across the globe. Package delivery to college campuses and apartments is increasing. The growing adoption of smart technology such as smart cooling lockers across the food and beverage sector to preserve and provide fresh food products is another factor that is likely to boost the global smart parcel locker market growth in the forthcoming years. Fresh food could be delivered to college campuses.
College students operate on a very different schedule than the rest of the world. A post office operates from 8 am – 5 pm Monday through Friday. However, college students typically operate on a different schedule. That means a large, concentrated population is trying to accomplish a day’s worth of activities after normal business hours. This can mean long lines at the student post office waiting for mail and packages.
Many college students do not have many reasons to check their mailboxes but a few times a year. Providing a mailbox for every single person on campus takes up a large amount of space. The valuable square footage can be better utilized for something other than empty mailboxes.
Universities are not the only institutions that experience the same difficulties with package management and wasted space. Residential apartments are also in need of a solution. Most residents prefer to pick up their packages after work when the main office is generally closed. And designating a locker for every unit, when in reality it might only be used a few times each year, clearly eats up valuable square footage.
TZ has developed smart lockers – a mailbox that operates like a temporary locker. A package agent or facility staff member puts a parcel into the box and alerts the server that a package has arrived for an individual. The server then sends an email to the individual with instructions for pick up. The temporary nature of the boxes eliminates the need for one box per student or resident.
The locker systems are very easy to plan. We rely on staff feedback to select an appropriate “users to boxes” ratio. The lockers are standard size. The unit can be configured with assorted size boxes, x-small, small, medium, and large.
The monitor must be mounted according to ADA regulations. The university or facility needs a data outlet nearby or wireless access. Finishes are available in metal or laminate.
The result is a simple, intuitive, easy-to-use solution for providing mailbox access to more people in less space. And for us space planners, that is a beautiful concept! Next time you are designing space for students or residents, consider this one of our most simple space saving solutions. Call us today for your needs.
