Nearly three-fourths of residents somewhat or strongly agree that advanced technology can sway their decision-making when it comes time for choosing their next rental unit. According to a new resident experience survey from Capterra, 48% of residents also reported not having access to tech at their community, including online payment and documentation portals, smart locks and online maintenance requests, among other proptech.
Online payment portals were the most offered tech feature, reported by a quarter of respondents. An online document portal was the second-most offered digital tool at 20%. And while the rise of tech has grown exponentially during the past several years, just 5% of residents prefer online portal communication with property managers rather than by phone, email or text.
The reasons behind the use of technology are convenience, improved efficiency and improved security. Flexibility was also among the top vote-getters with over 30%. Unfortunately, technology is great until it isn't. Over 40% reported tech issues or glitches as the top concern while using tech. Security and privacy was a close second at 35%, while limited customer support ranked third at 29%.