Suitable for
Any Block

Site requirements:
A Landlord broadband point in the common parts

Ringley infrastructure:
Provide a plasma screen for installation Host web based controllers

What's on TV:

Virtual Concierge
  • Friendly neighbour schemes
    • # to let people know you'll lend them some coffee, or
    # let others know your email address
  • Day books, ie, lift failure OTIS on way
  • News & meetings
  • Ambience film of the development
  • Whose working on the site today
  • Community events
  • Things people don't tell their tenants,
    ie, rubbish day!
  • Photos of Committee, Agent.....
  • Service committements
Virtual Concierge
with HR Management
  • Holidays, sick, shift, timesheets
  • Learning tools & competency tests
  • Building manuals
  • Webcam to take photos of contractors on site
  • or anything your block requires
  • Updated instantly

Around 23% of apartment blocks in central London boast a concierge, and at the moment there are pretty much just two types of blocks of flats, those that have concierge and those that don't. The future, says Mary-Anne Bowring, MD of the Ringley Group, is three types of blocks;

Those with
a Concierge
those with concierge
Those with
a Virtual Concierge
those with a Virtual Concierge
Those with
None
those with none

Ringley's Virtual Concierge product was conceived as a result of a complete re-think about how you could add value to a block; this meant a study of some hotel features and trying to capture some essence or spirit of the block and to keep this alive. Perhaps a little like the way a hotel does when it reminds you just how fine their dining and their facilities are and why every penny you are about to spend is well spent.

Then, we set out to capture a little of the neighbourly society that David Cameron keeps harking on about. We had to think about how we could reach out to those people who pass us by in the lift but don't really ever say hello, or who would feel awkward borrowing tea or coffee; those people who want a personal trainer or yoga in the garden but don't know there is a yoga instructor living in the block!

So what is a Virtual Concierge? Put simply, it is a Ringley hosted web driven plasma screen that is put in high traffic common parts areas. It can complement employed concierge and bring concierge services to blocks that perhaps would otherwise have none. Contributors to virtual Concierge will be the managing agent, any employed concierge, the directors/committee members and any leaseholders in the block.

View Demo as a


Virtual Concierge

Virtual Concierge is designed for blocks that have no on-site concierge.
The plasma screen is usually ceiling hung and connects to the product via a broadband line. If there is a lift in reception with a phone, the easiest possibility is to convert this to a broadband line. Before the product is installed Ringley send their film crew to shoot an 'ambience video' to capture and enhance the lifestyle the development offers; river views, Japanese gardens etc. This film footage is combined with the web hosted components to build the lifestyle.

Then the slides are tailored to the block, i.e., photos of the committee members, contact details, photos of the regular cleaners and gardeners, together with days they attend, photos of the managing agents team and other relevant persons to personalize the role of running a quality development.

Other slides communicate community events via news boards: committee news, concierge news, managing agents' news.

Group email addresses for the block can be communicated, volunteers sought and those rules that letting agents just seem to forget to tell new renters can be stated for all to see; for example, the rubbish arrangements/rubbish days, the pets clause in the lease etc.

Block community activities can be encouraged, yoga in the garden, the annual summer event.

Any owner in the development can post news so long as it abides with the 'appropriate news rules' stated on the post news page.

All leaseholders or owners can log into the Virtual Concierge through the Ringley Gateway™ and are reminded how to do so on every service charge demand.

Coffee BeanLeaseholders can become 'friendly neighbours' by clicking on the smiling coffee pot. This signals to other owners who log in that they don't mind lending coffee.

Individuals can input their email address or telephone number for others in the block to see. "It would be nice to think that owners might get together for a dinner party or feel easy about asking to borrow some milk," says Mary-Anne, Ringley's MD.

Apartment owners who don't use their parking space can offer spare car parking spaces to others in the block*, and advertise their property to rent or to sell on the Virtual Concierge*.

The way to get answers to the most commonly asked questions are signposted. also.

Virtual Concierge Premium

Virtual Concierge with HR module offers all the usual features and extras to enhance the existing concierge i.e, includes HR management (shift rotas, timesheets, holidays/absence reporting).

There are also learning tools: these are known as competency tests. The learning materials for each competency tests are also on-line and the tests are multi-guess, which are instantly marked. Once the user gets more than 70% they are awarded a 'competency certificate' that sits on their home page every time they log on.

There is also a standard 'building manual' that the concierge is encouraged to adapt and evolve to fit their building. For example, this could include the emergency lift release procedure and decision trees on what to do for all the usual problems.

When Virtual Concierge Premium is installed a webcam is added to the concierge PC enabling contractors on-site to be captured for security reasons. Visitors can then see 'Dave - Abseiler on site today' and a picture of Dave, which naturally enhances security.

Sample

Note for developers

The Ringley Group claims that the product adds up to 1% to the sales prices because it enhances the development specification. All developers sell the dream of the show flat and their customers buy the perceived lifestyle. The products clearly enhance this lifestyle and instead of the 'ambience film footage' developers 3D models can be used in the early days for the launch.

What does it cost?

The price to install depends upon the commitment. Ringley don't really recommend the product where there are less than 30 flats/apartments on a single entrance. For appropriate blocks for both block management clients and developers the first 32" plasma installation is FREE. All the client needs to do is provide the broadband line. For cost price of the equipment, Ringley will upgrade the plasma screen to 42" or 50" and is happy to talk to clients where there are a number of entrances they would like covered. Ringley has not ruled out putting the system into smaller luxury blocks and, for example, has just been commissioned to set up a system for a quality church development of only 17 flats in Highgate. For smaller sites the client will need to contribute towards the filming and installation costs*.