By – Mr. Jai Kishan Challa, CEO, and Founder of Curated Living
The COVID-19 pandemic has revolutionized the housing sector. In the new normal, better lifestyle and enhanced living spaces are taking precedence for most professionals. Since a majority of the younger generation either engage in a remote or hybrid work culture, more housing spaces are integrating cutting-edge technologies to redefine living experiences.
The pandemic has spurred the new digital nomad lifestyle where most millennials look for an interplay of personal space with well-equipped facilities. A majority of housing spaces are undergoing significant transformations to stay relevant and offer best-in-class solutions in the post-pandemic world. The housing industry’s whole value proposition has shifted to designing spaces that proffer socially positive, safe, convenient, and collaborative experiences. As technology enables the sector to recuperate from the COVID-19 disruptions, it brings to the fore a plethora of high-tech housing opportunities.
Ensuring safety and hygiene
Health and hygiene have become a priority in the post-pandemic world. By using advanced technology and organized hospitality, the housing sector paves the way for an enhanced living experience without compromising hygiene or safety. For instance, using an AI-powered thermal camera facilitates easy detection of those with high-temperature while zeroing down people not wearing masks. It reduces the risk of exposure while curating a protected living experience. More organized players in the housing sector are gradually shifting to high-tech facilities that will prove to be a gamechanger in the foreseeable future.
Digitized processes for seamless customer experience
With mobile and web apps, almost all aspects of housing have gradually digitized. A sector that always relied on face-to-face interactions has gone virtual, with people getting familiar with the transition steadily. From finding a place to booking it, the tech-enabled platforms have indeed added a layer of transparency and ease to the entire rental process. Furthermore, most rental accommodations have even made the complete move-in and move-out process digital. Catering to the burgeoning needs of the end-consumer, the housing sector is investing in new-age technologies like AI and ML to deliver better and customized services.
Service applications for guests and tenants
Convenience has become the key aspect in the housing segment. Some of the significant players in the sector provide guest service apps to the tenants and the guests. They facilitate seamless communication with the tenants while assuring on-time fulfilment of immediate requests. Additionally, the residents can log complaints, request room service, laundry service, and even raise room change requests. More housing operator companies are turning to mobile apps to enable smoother communication with tenants while improving their living experience.
Curating community experiences digitally
While pandemic blues brought a grinding halt to people’s social lives, digital tools are gradually bringing back wholesome community experiences. Social in-person interactions have shifted to online meets. Many housing spaces have even been organizing online events to enhance value-based interactive sessions. Simultaneously, more people are embracing mixed living with co-living spaces. Around 90% of the millennials staying in co-living spaces prefer it over unorganized rental spaces. As a result, tech-enabled building designs and processes have empowered the sector to enrich the residents’ experience. New-age solutions like thermal cameras, cloud-based surveillance systems, and touchless entrances can further ensure residents’ safety.
Final Note
With more tech-driven companies entering the market, the housing sector is witnessing a tectonic shift to well-equipped living spaces. Introducing new digital solutions and services has further increased the competition while ensuring an enhanced customer experience. The housing industry’s remarkable resilience, coupled with the gradual technological adoption, is set to thrive further in the post-pandemic world.