The digital divide isn’t new. However, COVID-19 has accelerated the divide at an unprecedented rate. Now more than ever, operators are forced to recognize the consequences the digital divide has on their property’s financial health. Residents and property staff can fall through the cracks due to cost, digital literacy skills, or a misperception of the importance that hinges on the internet. How can operators close the gap and increase the financial well-being of their property?
Let’s talk managed WiFi and the transformational experience that lies ahead for residents and operators alike.
The Current Residential Experience v. What It Could Be:
Closing the digital divide is more than merely providing residents the opportunity to work from home; it’s about opening doors to jobs in the first place. Online job applications are a continuing trend. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, establishments responding to jobs via the internet this year jumped from 52% in February to 75% in March. More than ever, residents need apartment homes with managed WiFi to find jobs and continually develop the digital skills necessary to obtain employment. In fact, residents of the future will see more online careers than ever before. A study by the World Economic Forum estimates by 2022; the internet will displace 75 million jobs from humans to machines while simultaneously developing 133 million new roles adaptable between humans, devices, and algorithms. Humans and machines will complement each other in the workplace as we move forward, and managed WiFi is a main character in this complementary narrative. The resident who slips through the digital crack can get caught in a vicious cycle of unemployment. Closing the digital divide stimulates the economy by providing more employment opportunities, and a consistent income source typically means consistent rent payments.
Today, residents are under a hefty financial burden and inconvenience in order to obtain digital access, but they don’t have to be. They are willing to pay a slightly higher rate for an apartment home with move-in ready WiFi for the sake of their careers, children’s education, entertainment, and keeping in touch with loved ones. Quext Connect establishes a new standard of living that lowers digital access barriers by providing ubiquitous coverage with seamless roaming across the property at an affordable rate while generating revenue for operators.
The Current Operator Experience v. What It Could Be:
Managed WiFi frees up property staff by reducing the number of service visits from cable operators with every new move-in. Now, property staff can shift their focus to obtaining signed leases and increasing revenue rather than monitoring the cable operators entering apartment units with each move-in. Additionally, managed WiFi provides property staff access to a secure WiFi network across the property to better communicate with residents and prospective residents, resulting in happy tenants and engaged prospects.
More than anything, Quext Connect’s managed WiFi solution increases your marketability to attract prospects and retain current residents. Operators can alter the digital divide narrative by prioritizing affordable digital access for all—labeling WiFi as a necessary amenity. Affordable WiFi for residents is a revenue generator for operators; it’s a futuristic win-win that is becoming the standard.
