Cloud-Based Video Intercoms For Your Apartments

If you work in real estate, you may have heard of cloud-based video intercom technology, a video intercom system linked to “the cloud.” But how does a video intercom work in the cloud, and what advantages does it provide to your workers, residents, and visitors? We’re here to help you sort things out.

The cloud is defined and explained in detail below. We’ll also explain what a cloud-based intercom is and go through the various advantages of cloud-based access control solutions for your multi-tenant building.

What exactly is a cloud?

The cloud, it turns out, is merely a fancy moniker for a network of off-site computers linked together. This may range from as few as two computers to thousands in massive data centers that use as much power as certain nations. According to experts, the whole cloud can hold around 1 exabyte of data – almost 1 trillion terabytes.

How does the cloud function?

Consider the cloud to be a farm of computers. Because all of these machines are linked to the internet, you can view their data from anywhere at any time. The cloud removes the need for huge personal hard drives as well as computational resources. Instead, you may take use of the combined storage and processing capability of all linked PCs.

Data passes at almost the speed of light between these computers, which are linked by cables that span the world (including the ocean bottom). As more cloud infrastructure is deployed, new potential for simplifying jobs and processes in unforeseen ways emerge. Cloud-based baby changing tables, toothbrushes, and tortilla machines are also available.

What’s the deal with everything being on the cloud?

If you spend a lot of time working on a computer, you may have realized that disc-based software is no longer available. You may not even be able to download software straight to your device in certain circumstances. A decade ago, purchasing a software package would have cost hundreds of dollars – but those days are long gone.

It is now simpler and more convenient to host software on the cloud, thanks to higher internet speeds, cheaper chip and storage costs, and mobile-first development. To access the software, users must first log in through a website.

Cloud-based technology helps consumers since hosting software in the cloud enables businesses to:

• Deliver better service
• Make ongoing improvements
• Improve accessibility and convenience

What is a cloud-based video intercom?

Tenants, property managers, and building owners alike all deal with the frustration of needing to provide property access to a visitor or delivery remotely. Now that most people have a smartphone in their pocket, remote access doesn’t have to be difficult.

One product of the cloud revolution that can solve this problem is the cloud-based apartment video intercom system. Thanks to the cloud, you can grant building access to a visitor even when you’re not physically there.

A cloud-based video intercom is an intercom that operates and stores data in the cloud. Rather than uploading data — that is, all the information about your tenants and your apartment building — directly into the intercom, you store it all conveniently in the cloud. Your multi-tenant intercom provider gives you access to a cloud-based platform (typically a website) where you can update your tenant directory, manage property access permissions, review entry logs, and more.

Benefits of cloud-based video intercoms

So what are the benefits of investing in a cloud-based intercom with a camera?

Cloud-based video intercoms offer time-saving and cost-cutting features that will improve your building access experience for visitors, residents, and even property staff.

The top four benefits of cloud-based intercoms include:

1. Added convenience
2. Improved building security
3. No wiring
4. Remote management

1. Convenient building access

The cloud brings unmatched convenience to your building for residents and property staff alike. A cloud intercom system allows tenants to video call guests and grant them remote entry into the building, no matter where they are when they get the call. That means they can open the door for themselves or their visitors anywhere in the world using a smartphone.

Good riddance to those long days spent waiting for the cable guy to show up within a four-hour window. You can also say goodbye to missing a package because the delivery driver couldn’t access the building. At long last, you can even leave the in-laws at home without worrying they’ll lock themselves out by accident.

2. Strengthen building security

As a solution for added building security, the cloud has revolutionized property access. With a cloud-based door entry system, you never have to worry about making duplicate building keys and having to track them down. With virtual keys, you can grant access to a visitor for a specified time, strengthening security and giving you more control over your multi-unit building. This is a great way to offer self-guided tours to prospective tenants.

Cloud-based access control systems also allow residents to set up PIN codes. Tenants can use their PIN to open the door for themselves — it’s like creating a unique lock where each entrant’s information is documented and stored.

The digital audit trail is perhaps the greatest safety feature of a cloud-based intercom. Cloud-based video intercoms take a photo every time someone accesses the building. Residents and staff can review these time- and date-stamped photos in their cloud-based dashboard anytime.

3. Eliminate wiring

Before the cloud, when wired intercom systems were the only option, you had to run wiring from the entryway hardware to every single unit in the building. The installation was expensive and if anything needed to be repaired, it meant cutting into the wall, replacing the wiring or hardware, and patching the wall once the work was done.

With an app-based intercom system, you don’t need hardware in every unit, so you don’t need to run expensive wiring throughout the apartment building. Wireless intercom systems save you money on the initial install and ongoing maintenance. Some systems even run on Power over Ethernet or PoE, which means you don’t need to provide a separate power source to your PoE video intercom.

4. Remote management

Traditional intercom systems require building staff to go onsite to change the tenant directory or make other updates. Even if the system offers software for remote management, it comes with the caveat of downloading that software to a single device, making it difficult for multiple admins to use it from anywhere.

Thanks to the cloud, property managers and owners no longer need to go onsite to manage their intercom systems. Cloud-based intercoms offer remote management capabilities, which means you can manage and update the system from anywhere. There’s no need to purchase hard copies or download software. Instead, you can sign in to your cloud-based property admin dashboard from your home, your office, or any other location.

Should you switch to a cloud video intercom system?

Some people are hesitant about switching to cloud-based services because they seem complex and hard to understand. But the cloud is simple. If you’ve ever used Facebook, Netflix, or Gmail, you’ve used the cloud.

You should switch to a cloud-based intercom because they are:

1. Easy to manage and update remotely
2. Secure, reliable, and always improving since the software can be corrected anytime
3. Simple and affordable to implement since you don’t have to install hardware in every unit or run wiring throughout the building

The cloud simplifies property access and makes your job easier as a property manager or owner. Plus, your residents will enjoy a cloud-based intercom’s safety and convenience.

The best features of cloud-based intercoms are:

• Smartphone-based property access
• Remote system management
• Virtual keys for visitors
• Tenant and delivery PINs
• Audit trail of door activity

With the cloud-based video intercom system, it’s finally easy to manage your apartment building and keep it secure. Now, do you see why everyone’s raving about the cloud?