All posts by Paromita Datta

Pay Rent by Credit Card & Earn Rewards With ApnaComplex Rent Pay
Paromita Datta
October 29, 2022

Missing out on Earning Credit Card Rewards when Paying Rent? Here’s Your Chance

Most tenants pay their rent through cash or bank transfers with credit cards rarely seen as an option. When used wisely, credit card payments can have multiple benefits. However, a general reluctance to use credit cards, plus the lack of a relevant digital infrastructure has resulted in tenants failing to leverage the hidden saving potential in their rental transactions. This has been a major gap when it comes to personal and rental industry finances. 

ApnaComplex resolves these challenges with an easy-to-access Rent Pay module. Available on its app, it allows tenants to use their credit card for rent payments. As a common and reliable platform for tenants and landlords, it smoothens the monthly cycle of rent payments. There are other benefits that can be accrued through credit card-based rent payments. 

Why pay rent by credit card?

Credit card usage is still fairly low in India. Most Indians, more inclined towards savings, tend to use them only for bigger purchases. The lack of a suitable infrastructure to support peer-to-peer credit card transactions has further hampered their usage for rent payments. 

Overuse of credit cards can be of concern in tracking purchases. However, regular expenses are relatively easy to track, minimising any chances of running up debt. On the other hand, by avoiding card payments you may actually lose out on the opportunity to increase your earnings.

Earn rewards: Every credit card issuer today offers rewards to cardholders in the form of points, gifts, freebies, discounts, and other deals. Since rents today mean a fairly high spending on a monthly basis, you stand to rack up a substantial number of points or rewards in a short span. You can use these for rewards like air miles, gift vouchers, merchandise, and more.

Cashback: Check if your credit card has a cashback offer. These are generally offered on specific amounts. The cashback is credited directly to your account. This means that you actually stand to get back part of your rent!

Pay when you want: With a typical 45-day credit period, you have the freedom to make the actual payment at a later date. Just make the initial payment via your credit card and pay the bill within the credit period. You can free up your cash for any other urgent requirements or emergencies and pay when you want. 

Pay on time: The 45-day credit period is especially useful when you have an irregular income or when your rent payment falls before your salary cycle. Pay the rent via your card, making your credit card payment whenever you get your salary. 

Using ApnaComplex Rent Pay

ApnaComplex offers a reliable, trustworthy, and safe rental payment gateway where you can pay rent via credit cards. There are also other benefits that you accrue, which include:

Timely reminders: Avoid missing any payment when paying through ApnaComplex Rent Pay. Get timely alerts whenever your payment is due.

Instant receipt: You don’t have to wait for the landlord’s acknowledgment with Rent Pay. Get an instant receipt whenever you make your payment. Now you don’t have to wait for filing your tax returns or HRA benefits. 

Get value-added services: With ApnaComplex you also get access to home services to meet your every need, from painting to cleaning and pest control. 

Complete rental platform

The PropTech platform offers a one-stop solution for tenants with ApnaComplex Rentals. As the largest repository of verified landlords and tenants, it offers a wide network of options in the best housing complexes in your city. With a dedicated Estate Portfolio Manager, you can also avoid dealing with multiple brokers. Other than assured supply, you can benefit from move-out / move-in assistance, lease agreement support, and more. 

If you want to know more about Rent Pay, get in touch with us at support@apnacomeplex. For ApnaComplex Rentals, call us at 0120 71173344 or write to us at rentals@apnacomplex.com.

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ApnaComplex Payment Gateway Convenience at your fingertips
Paromita Datta
October 26, 2022

Why ApnaComplex Payment Gateway is the Collection Solution You were Waiting for

The core function of a society or gated community’s Management Committee (MC) or Resident Welfare Association (RWA) lies in the general upkeep of the premises. Their biggest task under this is the repair and maintenance of infrastructure. Other tasks can include handling communications, ensuring security, managing facilities, and addressing resident complaints and concerns.

The successful execution of these tasks depends on all the residents paying maintenance charges on time, especially given that an MC or RWA has only limited options in raising funds. However, despite its importance, the timely collection of these charges remains one of the biggest hurdles for many MCs and RWAs. 

This makes user-friendly and efficient solutions like Payment Gateways all the more important. With an easy payment process and attractive rates, the ApnaComplex Payment Gateway not only encourages residents to pay on time it also offers substantial benefits for the MC, particularly in ensuring efficiency. With a recent slash in convenience charges, the platform now offers upto 40% savings when compared to market rates. 

Importance of Maintenance Charges

Managing any residential complex typically involves multiple expenses. Maintenance charges are levied by the MC or RWA to meet these expenses. Its calculation can depend on multiple factors and can differ from one residential complex to another. It can be calculated according to per square feet of a unit or may be the same for every flat / villa / house. It typically covers, but is not limited to areas like: 

  • Common areas electricity and water charges
  • Insurance and taxes
  • Sinking or reserve fund
  • Parking charges
  • Society election fund
  • Service charges
  • Non-occupancy charges
  • Repairs and general maintenance
  • Staff salaries 

To know more about society maintenance charges, read our article here. Despite its importance, gaps in collecting these charges remains one of the biggest challenges for most MCs. Every measure that can prompt residents to make payments on time, therefore, can prove critical in minimising chances of defaults. 

Why ApnaComplex Payment Gateway  

The ApnaComplex Payment Gateway not only makes it easy for residents to make payments, it also makes the process of maintenance collection significantly more efficient. Here are just some benefits of adapting Payment Gateway for collecting maintenance charges:

Generate instant receipts: In a legacy system, residents often fail to inform the society after making their digital payment. Even in case of cheque or cash payments, there could be gaps in receipt generation due to human errors. With a Payment Gateway, receipts are generated automatically, allowing both the residents and the MCs to keep accurate records. 

Automatic reconciliation: Typically, the accounts team will wait for bank statements to enter payment details in the society accounts. This involves extra effort and time, and may delay receipt allocation even further. Account reconciliation is made even more cumbersome when details of each bank account has to be tallied. With a payment gateway, accounts are reconciled automatically. Apart from saving time and effort, it also reduces any chances of errors.   

Minimal convenience fee: With ApnaComplex Payment Gateway, residents can make in-app payments at a minimal convenience fee of 1.1% (plus GST) on credit cards and 0.6% (plus GST) on debit card transactions below ₹2000. This allows them to save upto 40% on when paying their common area maintenance charges and electricity bills. 

Credit card benefits: Residents have the opportunity to gain other rewards and benefits when making their digital payments. They also have some leeway in making the actual payment when paying by credit card.  

Defaulters’ list: Despite best efforts, some residents will still default on their payments. Timely access to defaulters’ list is essential in tracking these gaps. Apart from identifying defaulters, it helps in calculating actual collections, and in planning any corrective measures. Under a legacy system, this would be generated only after account reconciliation. However, the ApnaComplex accounting module automatically updates the defaulters’ list which can be viewed or downloaded at any time. 

The Payment Gateway further strengthens ApnaComplex’s digital payment structure. It ensures efficiency by reducing time, effort, and errors. More importantly, it promotes transparency in the system, further enhanced through automation of the accounting procedures. Read our article here to know why you should adopt digital payments. If you want to know how to manage late payments and improve collections, read our article here.  

Please refer to our Collection Gateway page for more details. To schedule a free demo, or to know more about ApnaComplex Payment Gateway, get in touch with us at support@apnacomeplex. 

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How RWAs and MCs are Driving Property Values
Paromita Datta
October 10, 2022

Driving Property Values Through a high Living Index: How Gated Communities are Leading the Charge

There is little doubt that gated communities are among the most coveted addresses today. According to a recent study, the demand for gated communities will increase by more than 2.5 the current levels to reach $500 billion by 2026 covering at least 24 million households. With many such residential developments now coming up in almost every city, gated communities are also driving the revival in residential sales. 

There are multiple reasons for their increased popularity. Gated communities offer a superior living experience in cities that are often plagued by crumbling infrastructure. With amenities like clubs, healthcare and sports facilities, these residential complexes also offer a strong spirit of community. One of the biggest contributing factors behind this is the hard work put up by Management Committees (MC) and Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) who are responsible for the overall administration of these residential areas.

SaaS-based Enterprise Resource Planning solutions like ApnaComplex have emerged as powerful tools for these MCs and RWAs in discharging their duties. With end-to-end digital solutions for community management, ApnaComplex has empowered MCs to optmise their resources, improve performance and cost efficiency. 

Role of MCs and RWAs in Raising Market Value

What puts gated communities at a higher premium than their non-gated counterparts? Even in developments that are coming up in peripheral areas, the market value often exceeds the property rates in the same locality by at least 10% to 20%. In many cases, it can even be double the rate. This higher market value comes from the quality of life that many MCs have successfully managed to maintain within premises. 

These governing bodies have increasingly taken on the mantle of delivering a higher standard of living in direct contrast to the state of affairs in most of our cities. Many of the leading gated communities today boast of state-of-the-art facilities like clubhouse and wellness facilities. They have also actively implemented sustainable practices like setting up waste segregation, rainwater harvesting and wastewater processing. 

In the process, these gated communities today offer an exceptional way of life that often raises the market value of the property. As a result, buyers are now increasingly willing to pay the extra buck for the facilities and ease of living in such complexes. 

How ApnaComplex is changing the game

Apartment management solutions have emerged as game changers in this endeavour. Through extensive digitalisation and automation of their functions, MCs and RWAs have been successful in improving the efficiency of community administration while delivering greater value to residents. 

As pioneers in community management automation solutions, ApnaComplex has been an intrinsic part of this journey, helping MCs and RWAs through innovative tech solutions. Via a central platform, it has helped these bodies through the following measures:

  • Digitalisation of billing and collections
  • Online payments 
  • Swift complaint resolution
  • Digital visitor management system
  • Establishing sustained two-way communication
  • Efficient asset management through timely maintenance 
  • Digital facility management including an app-based reservation system 
  • Involving residents in policy formation through multiple channels, including surveys and polls

These digital solutions are a vital part of initiating a smart living ecosystem in our urban areas. Empowered by ApnaComplex’s cutting-edge digital solutions, MCs and RWAs have managed to outpace the government in creating a higher living standard among gated communities. These benefits have, in turn, been instrumental in raising the market value of gated residential complexes. 

If you want to know more about our community management and security solutions, get in touch with us at support@apnacomeplex. Our team will help you understand the various features you can use for improving efficiency through digitalisation and automation.

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Paromita Datta
September 30, 2022

How to Use ApnaComplex to Take the Stress out of Event Planning this Festive Season

The festival season is here. With Navratri, Dussehra, Durga Puja, Diwali, and later Christmas coming up, the last quarter of the year is packed with festivals that we all look forward to. As people enter the celebration mode, gated communities, apartment complexes, and cooperative housing societies are also preparing to put up with grand events. 

As a community management platform, ApnaComplex offers multiple avenues for Management Committees (MC) and Resident Welfare Association (RWA) to collaborate and plan for events. These modules are designed to aid the MC and RWAs to budget for and organise large-scale events, bringing together residents for a common cause. 

Planning Events

The first step lies in planning for the event. This can include a carnival, party, puja, or a feast. With thousands of attendees, there are often multiple issues to consider, from budgeting to sending notices and coordinating with different vendors. Here are just some ways ApnaCOmplex can help in planning the event:

Notifications: Every event starts with notifications. This is necessary to gather resident support and assistance. Notifications can be posted to invite volunteers, form event committees, invite suggestions, and post the details.

Discussion forums: Planning and coordinating for an event starts with the formulation of an organising committee. The challenge often lies in ensuring the smooth flow of communication within this committee. ApnaComplex Discussion Forum allows committee members to coordinate with each other through online discussions and mails. It also gives you access to historical data on similar topics, including minutes of previous meetings. This data can help the committee to anticipate challenges and plan for every eventuality. 

Invite feedback: A cultural or religious celebration is one of the most important community events. These occasions act as a powerful medium in bringing together different people, promoting community spirit. But this is not possible without wide-scale participation. ApnaComplex facilitates this by inviting feedback and suggestions from the residents through multiple channels, including surveys, polls, Discussion Forum, and suggestion module. 

Informing residents: When the event is finalised, residents should be informed well in advance of the venue and timings. MCs can post this information on the Notice Board in the Communication module. This is easily visible and can be accessed by the resident at any time and from anywhere. 

Tracking expenses

ApnaComplex’s highly flexible accounting ERP allows the MCs to create a special accounting category. This can be utilised to create expense reports, determine budget variance, and find out the budgetary outlay for different vendors or tasks. The accounting module is thus important in keeping track of every expense for a particular event. 

Ensuring security 

One of the critical aspects of a community festival is to ensure security. Many residents may invite their friends or family to attend. In case of an open event, guests from outside may also be allowed. There are other outsiders, such as vendors, technicians, or additional staff members who are often hired for such occasions. The ApnaComplex Gatekeeper module is a highly effective means to keep a track of outsiders in such cases. Visitors should be allowed only with a Gatepass. Vendors should also be registered and issued a temporary Gatepass. 

When it comes to community or property management, technology is mainly seen as an enabler of operational efficiency. However, it can have an equally powerful impact in easing social occasions, bringing together people and strengthening the community. ApnaComplex offers you smart solutions that are tailored for your needs, whether it is automated accounting or organising events. 

If you want to learn more about our event optimisation tools, get in touch with us at support@apnacomeplex. Our team will help you leverage ApnaComplex modules to plan and execute events. 

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Be disaster-ready With ApnaComplex
Paromita Datta
September 16, 2022

Our Cities Have a Serious Problem in Disaster Preparedness. How About Gated Communities

Every monsoon our news channels feature at least one city drowning in its own urban cesspit. This year it was Bengaluru where billionaires found out that money cannot insulate them from nature’s fury or inept urban planning. It is no wonder that the livability index has taken a beating in our leading cities, but gated communities have by and large managed to buck this reality. So what went wrong in Bengaluru and are there lessons to be learned? 

The problem in this case lies in unplanned and unchecked urban development. For gated communities, this disaster was another lesson staying prepared for any challenge through disaster planning and preparedness. Villas and condos in low-lying areas have to invest in extensive drainage networks, full gutter systems, and sump pumps. Together, these measures can help in reducing hydrostatic pressure, direct excess water, and bring down the likelihood of flooding. 

Staying Prepared

While these infrastructural measures are critical, we must think beyond and plan for every eventuality. The pandemic has shown us that a disaster can strike at any time and in any form. These calamities can pose a serious threat to the high livability standards that many gated communities have managed to deliver within their premises. It jeopardises the health and safety of residents and strains resources.

With its full-stack technology solutions in apartment management, ApnaComplex can play a critical role in mitigating these impacts. It offers multiple tools to support disaster management. These are designed specifically to help MCs create a more accessible and efficient system for managing calamities. As an integrated platform, it can play a critical role in establishing, executing and tracking disaster management initiatives. 

Importance of Disaster Preparedness 

Data shows that the number of disasters have increased by fivefold over the last 50 years. Natural calamities like floods and hurricanes have increased in frequency, creating damage to both private and shared areas in a housing complex. At the same time, the spread of a disease or epidemic has created new healthcare challenges.

Disasters rarely come with any warning, creating an emergency where resources are put under strain to manage resources. MCs have to allocate manpower judiciously to contain or mitigate the impact while moving quickly to address resident queries. If unaddressed, these calamities can cause millions in damages, cause anger or dissatisfaction, and strain the limited resources of a housing complex. 

A 2021 study of residential-cum-commercial property in Mumbai demonstrated that proper planning can mitigate losses due to disasters. However, to be effective, a good plan must include detailed execution, operation, and maintenance systems. ApnaComplex enables this execution, creating a broadcasting system while strengthening it at the back end through its operational modules. 

ApnaComplex Tools for Disaster Management 

As a comprehensive apartment management software, ApnaComplex is a highly effective platform that can help the MC in disaster preparedness and management. 

Public broadcast

The first step in disaster management is ensuring timely communication. Residents must be made aware of impending disasters. They must be informed of the steps to take in an emergency. The ApnaComplex Notice Board under the Communication module can be leveraged to send multi-channel communication including in-app messages, emails, and SMSs. 

Communicating the plan

For any plan to be successful, the residents must be aware of its guidelines. They must be made aware of the steps to take when a calamity strikes. ApnaComplex Community Wiki is an information repository where important data can be uploaded and shared. With role-based access, the Wiki can also be used to upload the plan of action that should be followed by the MC and admin staff. 

In case of an emergency, a quick communication can be issued to direct residents to this repository. Apart from guidelines, this platform is also valuable in maintaining a contact directory. This can include contact details of the crisis team, emergency services, exit plans, and diagrams. 

Asset management

Maintaining emergency equipment is critical for quick response when a catastrophe strikes. Routine maintenance checks should be carried out on smoke and fire detectors as well as equipment like fire extinguishers and sump pumps. ApnaComplex has comprehensive modules for recording service history and AMC details. You can also add a maintenance schedule with reminder notifications. 

Similarly, the Inventory Tracker can be set up to track purchases and ensure stock levels of all items that may be required during a crisis. Together these measures ensure that the community is equipped and empowered to face a crisis. 

Case Study: ApnaComplex COVID Response

When the pandemic struck in 2020, many housing societies found themselves scrambling to accommodate a new reality where lockdown measures had to be imposed. There were many other considerations, such as limiting the number of visitors. The digital solutions offered by ApnaComplex helped in establishing and strengthening a smooth contactless management system. At the same time, there were further enhancements to monitor and track COVID cases. Together these COVID measures included:

  • Contactless visitor management 
  • Quarantine tracker to keep track of families that were under isolation
  • No-contact accounting
  • In-app communication 
  • Online polls and surveys to gather consensus for new COVID policies
  • Vaccination Tracker to keep track of vaccinated staff and members

You can learn more about ApnaComplex COVID management in our article here. If you want to know about our disaster management tools, call us at +91 80886 11229 or email us at sales@apnacomplex.com. Our team will get in touch with you at the earliest.

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Boost rental income
Paromita Datta
September 12, 2022

Not Getting the Best Rent for your Home? Try Our Seven Smart Tricks

Real estate has traditionally been considered a critical investment. For most investors, the rent on their property is a valuable source of passive income with an asset base that will appreciate with time. This rental is even more important when paying off a home loan. Augmenting rental income is not just important for getting the most out of your buck. It can also be instrumental in making sure that you can earn a profit over monthly EMIs or add to your retirement corpus.

ApnaComplex offers a one-stop rental management solution to property owners. With a dedicated Estate Portfolio Manager (EPM), our end-to-end support starts from scouting suitable tenants to handling tenant verification and handling online rent collection. While the platform offers comprehensive support in ensuring maxising returns, as a landlord, you must also go the extra mile in ensuring that the returns on your investment can be maximised. 

Maximising Rental Income 

Ensuring high rentals depends on various factors, including finding the right tenant. Simply hiking the price does not work. Tenants will pay a high rent only if the property is well maintained and offers them value in terms of high quality fittings or a prime location. 

Retrofit for energy-efficiency

The first step is to ensure that your property is energy efficient. It reduces energy usage and promotes sustainability in the long term. More importantly, it can help in attracting tenants who are willing to pay higher rentals in return for lower bills and more conscious energy consumption. 

Keeping the property in good condition

You cannot attract a good tenant to a property that is shabby or unkempt. The house must be cleaned and painted during apartment viewing. Damaged floors, appliances, and furnishings should be repaired or replaced. A property in good condition also encourages the tenant to follow suit. They are more likely to take care of your home as their own and see that no damage occurs. 

Furnished or semi-furnished?

This is often the dilemma when it comes to augmenting rentals. A furnished home can be more expensive to fit out, but this can be realised through higher security deposits and rents. However, we must also take into account the depreciation over time. Such apartments also often attract short-term renters, such as students, professionals on tenure, or in general, people who want the mobility of moving on without carrying extra baggage. 

Many landlords also do not want to invest in fully furnishing their homes. A semi-furnished home with important fittings like wardrobes, is often seen as a better alternative. While the rents are lower, you are likely to attract more long-term renters. The overall asset depreciation will also be lower. 

Verify your tenants

What happens if your tenant packs up their home and leaves in the middle of the night? Or if they have made false claims about their income and do not have adequate means to pay the rent. This can impact your own rental income as you are forced to look for a new tenant. Verification is also important to ensure that the tenant does not have any legal or financial liabilities. 

If you are not sure about how to carry out this critical function, ApnaComplex includes KYC and tenant verification as part of their rental services. The process involves scanning the renters’ backgrounds for any red flags that may impact their ability to pay on time. 

Make it easy for tenants to pay rent  

A tenant is more likely to pay their rent on time if it is an easy process. Traveling to the other side of the town to pay a landlord in cash is always going to be more cumbersome than a simple online transfer that can be made anytime and from anywhere. ApnaComplex offers an online rent collection facility where tenants can pay their rents through their preferred payment gateway. To further ensure timely payments, tenants also receive alerts and reminders. 

Make it legal and secure

It is always advisable to ensure that tenants are onboarded through a legally-binding rent agreement. This must be followed even if the tenant is a friend, relative, or a highly trusted individual. A legal document protects both you and the renter from any unfair demands and sets clear expectations from both parties. It clarifies their fiduciary responsibilities and important details like the monthly rent and security deposit. Needless to say, it legally binds your tenant to pay on time.  

Stay updated with rentals

When you do not live in the same region as your rental property, it can be easy to lose touch with the rental trends. Rent amounts can change at different rates even in the same city. Hence, it’s always advisable to check the average rentals in the vicinity when looking for new tenants or renewing the rent agreement. 

With ApnaComplex rental and resale services you can be assured of staying abreast with the latest rental rates. Our dedicated team makes sure that you will get the best possible returns on your property. We also charge a reduced service fee for the users of ApnaComplex. In addition, there is  no signup or upfront fee, which further augments the overall gains. 

If you want to know more about ApnaComplex one-stop rental management services, call us at 0120 71173344 or write to us at rentals@apnacomplex.com

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Manage Late Payments With ApnaComplex
Paromita Datta
September 9, 2022

How to Manage Late Payments & Maximise Collections

The most persistent challenge for every housing society is collecting maintenance dues. The larger the number of units, the more the chances of defaulting residents. In fact, at any given time, there are likely to be some residents who are always late or refuse to pay the charges. Most Management Committees (MC) or Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) find themself struggling in avoiding any such eventuality.

ApnaComplex automated Accounting and Billing module enables treasurers to improve their collections by streamlining payment functions. With the automated calculation of late payment charges, recurring invoices, timely reminders, and auto-generation of defaulters reports, treasurers can prompt residents to pay society dues on time. Ultimately, this helps in improving and increasing maintenance payments. 

Importance of timely Maintenance Payments

Most gated communities charge maintenance fees on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. The calculation of maintenance charges can depend on various factors and should be within model bye-laws. However, since these regulations can differ from state to state, there is no standard or fixed formula that applies to all gated communities across the country. 

While the calculation of maintenance changes may differ, the purpose is largely the same. These charges are meant for the maintenance and development of common amenities and facilities. It should be noted that the society does not earn any profits from these charges. Without residents paying maintenance dues, the management committee would not have the funds to discharge their essential duties. You can read more about the scope and calculation of maintenance charges in our article here. 

Challenges in Collecting Maintenance Dues 

In an ideal world, residents would pay their full maintenance dues on time. In reality however, there are always some residents who will either delay or default on these payments. This could be due to negligence, lack of intention, or some dispute over the maintenance amount. In the case of a dispute, the member can write to the treasurer or the management committee. If unresolved, they can pursue this further by writing an application to the Deputy Registrar, ordering the Society to rescind or refund the extra charges. 

There could be other challenges as well, such as bureaucratic problems of keeping track of different maintenance charges, calculating late charges and penalties, and making sure that all residents are informed in time. 

If the maintenance is not paid in time, a member risks becoming a defaulter. Defaulters are typically not allowed to hold any post in the MC or vote in Annual General Meetings. The MC may also choose to restrict the usage of common facilities like the clubhouse. Finally, the society can refuse to issue an NOC or No Objection Certificate to defaulters for resale or renting.  

How can ApnaComplex Help in Reducing Late Payments?

The automated accounting module helps in streamlining billing and collection functions so that residents are informed in time about defaulting payments. Here are some ways by which we can use the module to streamline the collection of maintenance dues:

  • Raise and send invoices against all or select flats 
  • Automate invoice calculations based on formulae or fixed value or both
  • Set up automated delivery for recurring invoices on a given date every month. 
  • Auto-calculate late payments with multiple options for adding penalties 
  • Automatically collect payments through the Collection Gateway 
  • Set up a delivery schedule for defaulters reports 
  • Set up reminder notifications for overdue invoices through Email, SMS or in-app push notifications 

In summation, ApnaComplex auto-calculates and sends maintenance invoices, following this up with notifications for overdue payments. This system ensures that no member misses the payment deadline due to oversight or negligence. The option to impose different penalties gives the admin control over the imposition payment charges. 

The defaulter report is critical in tracking late payments. It gives MCs an overall picture of the number of defaulters, total overdue payments, and the average outstanding amount each month. As an automated accounting module, ApnaComplex is also seen as an impartial source for collating data and calculating late payments. In case of a dispute, this data can be pulled up to see the actual picture. 

To know more about automated collection tools, get in touch with us at support@apnacomeplex. Our team can help you understand and adapt the accounting module to track late payments, send reminders, auto-calculate penalties, raise invoices, and schedule a defaulter’s report.

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Building Community Engagement With ApnaComplex
Paromita Datta
September 6, 2022

Community Engagement: Building a Sense of Belonging

What makes a community? By definition, it is a social group with a shared characteristic, such as location, religion, custom, or identity. It is where we feel a sense of belonging and camaraderie. For gated communities inculcating the ‘community’ part of their nomenclature is often easier said than done. While we can get the ‘gated’ part easily enough, creating a spirit of community and belongingness can take a longer and more sustained effort.

ApnaComplex apartment management solutions offer multiple avenues for residents to connect and interact with each other. Apart from dispensing critical information, these communication channels help Management Committees (MCs) and Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) to engage with residents, thereby creating a community.

What is community engagement?

People engagement or the attempt to bring together different individuals and families living in a residential area plays an important role in developing a community. Long-term engagement helps residents to find like-minded people within their community. Over time, they form deep interpersonal relationships that further develop their sense of belonging. 

Most communities grow organically, bound by a common factor that can be driven by their heritage, race, or common interests. In a gated community, this can be hard to come by as it comprises people from different backgrounds and interests. In such cases, an MC or RWA has the onus of finding the common ground between people.

Why do we need Community Engagement?

Community engagement is one of the most important aspects of involving every individual in the activities and governance of a residential complex. It creates a harmonious social environment that is critical to a positive living experience. Involving residents in social and non-social activities also helps in gaining their trust. 

An engaged community can also make a crucial difference in the governance of the complex. New policies have a better chance of being accepted if we can build consensus among people. Wider acceptance can also make a significant difference to the chances of people adhering to new policies or developments. This is only possible through sustained, multi-layered engagement. 

How to Drive Community Engagement with ApnaComplex

As an apartment management solution, ApnaComplex offers MCs an ideal platform to lead community engagement activities. Different features can be leveraged to reach out to and involve the residents of the complex:

Information repository: Access to information can go a long way in instilling trust in the MC and its functioning. Members can post important documents such as rules and regulations, Annual General Meeting reports, audited financial statements, bye laws, regulatory documents, old and new policies. These documents also form the basis of various decisions or in execution of social activities. 

Communication platform: ApnaComplex communication module brings together all residents on one platform. In larger societies, this module resolves the member limitations usually found on other chat platforms. Consequently, we can include all the residents on a single communication channel. It can then be leveraged to dispense important messages or in coordinating social activities, such as organising festivals or carnivals. 

Announcement: On ApnaComplex the MC can post notices to inform people about important events or activities. Unlike physical notice boards, the in-app announcements are visible to all members for a specified period of time. Higher visibility ensures that residents are well informed about various events and occurrences in the premises. 

Suggestions & feedback: One of the best ways to involve residents in society governance is by asking for their suggestions and feedback. ApnaComplex Online Society Helpdesk allows residents to leave their suggestions and requests. They can also track progress of their requests on the app. 

Democratic governance: With ApnaComplex you can hold surveys and polls to gauge residents’ opinion on key measures. This process allows the residents a say in the management of the society, thereby boosting their overall involvement. 

ApnaComplex is an apartment management software that aims to build communities by leveraging technology. Our modules are designed to help MCs ensure a wider involvement of the residents in community governance, build trust, and help garner support for their policies and decisions. 

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Enabling Data insight for smart living
Paromita Datta
September 2, 2022

Leveraging Data to Improve Lives in Gated Communities

Big Data is now widely recognised as one of the most powerful assets in the Corporate world. Yet, its importance in gated communities like apartment complexes has been largely ignored. Part of the reason lies in the fact that management committees and resident welfare associations had few means to collect data. Information analysis posed another challenge as few, if any, MC members or admins have the required proficiency.

ApnaComplex is an integrated platform with in-built data gathering tools that are immediately accessible and easy to understand. It offers MC and RWAs the opportunity to collate and interpret data without any additional infrastructure investment. With incisive data insight, they have the golden opportunity to empower decision-making, improve operational efficiency, and deliver a higher standard of living for residents. 

Gated Communities and Big Data

With thousands of residents, gated communities generate a sizable amount of data. This includes sensitive information, such as personal contact details, rent agreements, and more. This information is vital to the execution of key functions like validating new residents and collecting maintenance dues. Large residential complexes generate other data as a result of their daily operations. This can include information about visitors or patterns of utility consumption. 

As a community, MCs can also gather vital information like asking for residents’ suggestions or holding surveys and polls to collect consensus. Typically, this information is kept in silos and rarely taken beyond its original intent. With ApnaComplex, this information can be a powerful tool in improving efficiency and delivering a higher standard of living for residents.

How ApnaComplex enables Data Insight

ApnaComplex offers multiple avenues for data collection which are further strengthened by analytical tools. Information is collected automatically and can be easily accessed. More importantly, in-built analytical tools allow data insight that facilitates decision-making. Some of the areas where data can make a significant difference are:

Asset performance:The facility management module tracks asset performance. It offers us a comprehensive view of each asset, including individual attributes and servicing history. One can also input a regular maintenance schedule with timely notifications. Data like servicing and maintenance history is vital in assessing the performance of an asset. It can be leveraged to take decisions on future purchase orders, maintenance budget allocations, and determine the overall state of the society’s amenities and facilities.  

Budget allocation:The automated billing and accounting module is an extremely useful tool when collecting financial data on society expenditures. Features like Expense Tracking provide an accurate picture of spending under every category. The Budget Variance Report tracks any variance in planned spending, thereby throwing light on shortcoming of the current budget outlay. This data can then be leveraged to identify areas of overspending and where the allocation may be falling short. 

Instilling accountability: The honest and accountable use of maintenance funds is critical to ensure that the entire corpus is used for its intended purpose. Accountability at every step ensures that there are no diversions of funds and you have sufficient funds for various development or upkeep activities.

ApnaComplex data collation has in-built mechanisms to ensure traceability of data. This includes time stamps and user credentials every time the admin makes an addition. The ability to trace this data creates a tamper-proof framework where fund allocations can be easily traced. It enforces accountability, ensuring that every expenditure can be justified. 

Increasing productivity :For the management committee to effectively execute its policies, the staff must discharge its responsibilities efficiently. Legacy systems rarely have any system to track employee efficiency other than gathering direct feedback from residents. It can be difficult to carry out regular feedback for each employee. There is also no system for data recall.

With ApnaComplex you can track the performance of the housekeeping and maintenance staff through various modules. You can assign tasks and track its progress. The ERP gives you a clear data overview at one glance of all pending functions. It even sets up reminders so that key tasks are executed on time. 

Other productivity tools include the complaint module where an escalation ensures that unresolved issues are addressed in time. Similarly, attendance tracking ensures that the staff logs in their entry. Other than processing payrolls, this data is useful in performance review.

Resident satisfaction:One of the measurements of a high standard of living is the level of satisfaction among residents. Legacy systems have almost no established system of gathering residents’ feedback, suggestions, and opinions. In such cases, society governance can seem completely one-sided where the planning, execution, and enforcement of various policies lies solely with the management committee.

ApnaComplex Online Society Helpdesk module addresses this gap by creating a centralised data-gathering platform to collect complaints, suggestions and requests from every resident. Polls and surveys can be carried out to gather opinion on a proposed initiative. This empowers residents to initiate a task, enforce follow-up, and leave feedback. Data transparency is also critical in gaining the confidence and trust of the residents. 

Ensuring Data Privacy

The flipside of data empowerment lies in ensuring its security. With a stellar record of zero data breaches, ApnaComplex offers the most secure apartment management solution. Our ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Certification for Information Security Management systems is a testament to our continued commitment towards upholding the highest standards in preserving users’ privacy, meeting compliance requirements, and maintaining control. 

Click here to know more about ApnaComplex data security and privacy policies. To know why ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Certification is critical for us and our users, read our article here.

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ApnaComplex Gatekeeper is app-based visitor management system that tracks all guests
Paromita Datta
August 22, 2022

Worried About Robberies? Here’s What You can Do to Secure Your Society

Enhanced security is one of the biggest reasons people opt to pay premium prices for a home in a gated community. Yet, robberies can happen due to simple gaps in security or negligence. Despite management oversight, lapses can and do take place. Gated communities rely on a centralised multi-tiered security system to ensure that these gaps do not occur. However, such a system relies on efficient communication with residents on the one hand and round-the-clock surveillance at the gate on the other hand. 

Legacy systems have relied on intercoms and entry registers where the guests are required to enter their details. But this system has proven to be ineffectual due to multiple reasons apart from being labour and cost-intensive. An app-based visitor management system provides a more sustainable solution that is easy to implement and manage. Best of all, it provides a judicious use of our resources. 

What is an App-based Visitor Management System?

Visitor management is the process of tracking everyone who enters a gated community. It can include guests, delivery people, contractors, vendors, service providers, and household staff. Essentially, anyone who is not a resident or staff falls under the category of visitors. A visitor management system (VMS) is designed to record these callers, guests, and invitees. 

Gatekeeper by ApnaComplex is an app-based or digital VMS technology that leverages technology to track visitors, notifying residents in real-time. It even tracks your child’s school bus! It brings together all stakeholders, from the guards to the residents, at a common platform. It can upgrade any existing security process to strengthen the safety of a residential complex without any additional infrastructure investment. 

Why Legacy Systems do not Work?

To begin with, there are no standard systems. Some societies rely solely on register entries while some may follow this up with a call on the intercom. Others may have an additional layer of visitor passes. These systems suffer from some common challenges, including the difficulty of contacting a resident in time. Guards can make mistakes or the guests may give wrong information when registering caller details. 

From a security perspective, the biggest challenge is the tracking of visitors and retrieval of data. These systems are not designed to track the movement of guests and vehicles within the premises. Registers are the only record of data and these are prone to damage. They also act as a poor repository of information where it’s difficult, if not impossible, to recall data. For instance, you will find it difficult to trace data visitors to a particular flat if it is more than a few days old. It would be almost impossible if the timeline extended beyond a year. 

Switch to ApnaComplex Gatekeeper

What if you could handle all visitor management requirements while improving the overall security? ApnaComplex Gatekeeper is an innovative feature that addresses both of these issues. The app-based visitor management system records all data digitally, allowing for easy access and immediate communication. Some of the security features of the app include:

  • Known guests can be pre-approved by the residents. 
  • Ad-hoc visitors, including delivery people, have to file their information, including a photograph, at the point of entry. 
  • Residents receive real-time notifications when someone visits their home. They can choose to accept or reject a visitor. 
  • The digitally stored data can be retrieved at any time to check the details of the visitors.
  • Residents can view all approved and non-approved guests for any given date.
  • Residents can create a group to track school buses within the premises.
  • Residents can create a gatepass during the movement of goods or materials. The app will maintain a record of the material and moving out of the flat. 

Tracking guard movement: Gatekeeper includes an innovative feature to track guard movement in the premises. Under this feature, specific locations are assigned geo-tagged checkpoints. Patrolling guards have to check in at these locations using QR code, NFC card or any other security system. The supervisor can define patrol timings and get real-time alerts in case of violations. With this system not only do you get an accurate report on each guard’s route but also ensure that corrective action can be taken in time. 

Patrol guards have to check in at geo-tagged locations on their daily route, allowing for easy verification. This ensures diligent patrolling in less visible areas.

If you want to know more about app-based VMS, read our article here. Find out how you can leverage Gatekeeper for data management and operational efficiency here. 

In case you want to learn more about ApnaComplex Gatekeeper, get in touch with us at support@apnacomeplex. Our team will help you understand the various features you can use for improving the security in your community without any additional investment in enhancing the infrastructure.

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