In September 2018 the Foundation Maisons pour Etudiants Lausanne (FMEL) opened up Square, its new student residence in an old brownfield at the heart of Lausanne’s city center. Besides renting a fully-furnished room or studio, residents of the house also get access to the site’s own app which allows them to communicate instantly with each other and with the house manager 24/7 via smartphone. Within the first week 90% of the students already have registered to the app which is provided by the tenant-centered platform provider Allthings.
Whether they need to borrow someone else´s vacuum, want to offer French lessons or have a question about the organization of sorting the waste in the building– the tenants of FMEL’s latest student residence Square can handle all of these real cases comfortably by using their smartphone and the FMEL application.
The application which is based on the tenant-centered platform of the tech company Allthings allows the FMEL to bring the tenant communication to the next level. On a digital pinboard residents can post information visible to all residents, via a Service Center they can make specific requests to the Square house manager and receive a response within 24 hours. The FMEL can share information with all residents at once, or only target specific tenants. In addition, local business partners such as Domino’s pizza or the Docks, a famous concert venue in the neighborhood, are integrated and can offer their services or promotions through the student-focused app. It’s a good way to involve the local community and to offer cultural activities to the residents.
Alexandre Dayer, deputy director at the FMEL on the reason to add a digital application to their service portfolio: “The application allows us to offer our tenants several new digital services. From streamlining and modernizing our tenant communication, to giving our young residents a digital platform for exchange as well as integrating local services and quality surveys that are used to enhance the general satisfaction – everything available 24/7 via smartphone. That helps foster the development of a community while providing a unique customer experience.”
Robert Beer, Managing Director Switzerland of Allthings: “For Allthings this is the first student residence we equip with our tenant-focused platform. The sign-up rates of 90 % greatly indicate that we’re hitting the nail on the head by providing digital services to this young audience. We see great potential for student residences and are excited to expand our collaboration with FMEL in the near future.”
The application is currently being tested in Square and if it continues to be well received, it could be deployed on all 15 sites currently managed by the FMEL.
Voice of a student
Mélissa Mareemootoo, young resident since September at Square:
„I find this application really useful because it‘s possible to contact the house manager when we have an issue, and we receive a quick answer. Also, we can write on the wall if we need something and other students will answer if they can help. Recently, I asked the community if they could exchange some change so I could use the washing machine.“