What puts the `service' into serviced apartments?<\/p>\n
Gunawan Yonatan
\nAssociate Director,
\nProperty Management Department,
\nPT Procon Indah<\/p>\n
When you think of serviced apartments perhaps the only real
\npoints of difference you associate with them, is a small
\nkitchenette and a daily cleaning service.<\/p>\n
But what is it that really differentiates serviced apartments
\nfrom regular rental apartments or standard hotel rooms, and
\njustifies the higher charges they always seem to command? Perhaps
\nthe answer lies in the role and quality of those responsible for
\nputting the "service" into serviced apartments.<\/p>\n
So what services do they provide?<\/p>\n
It is the intention of serviced apartments to endeavor to
\nmatch the same level of facilities provided by hotels. These may
\ninclude business centers, good quality health clubs with the
\nlatest equipment (providing sports instructors and even 'sparring
\npartners'), nice restaurants or coffee shops, a drugstore (with
\ndelivery service), cable television and broadband internet
\naccess, playgrounds for children (outdoor & indoor), laundry
\nservices and even beauty salons and spas.<\/p>\n
But let's be frank, these are the very basic facilities
\nexpected of any regular apartment building these days. So where's
\nthe added value? Well, in those quality serviced apartment
\nprojects this begins with tenant relations or customer services.<\/p>\n
Their job is to provide service excellence to all tenants
\nespecially in handling and following up complaints and building
\ngood relationships with residents to satisfy and anticipate
\nresidents' needs. Such service excellence extends also to the on-
\nduty concierge and doorman, who are expected to help residents
\nhandle their transportation, luggage and even the carrying of
\ngrocery bags. Pick up and delivery services for newspapers,
\nbills, letters and laundry are other services provided which
\ndefine the serviced apartment sector. They can even offer
\nservices to process the payment of resident's utility (water,
\nelectricity) charges and telephone bills.<\/p>\n
The management of any serviced apartment should comprise a
\nfully-dedicated, top-service oriented team. This 24-hour team
\nshould include a duty manager, front office staff, engineer and
\nhousekeeper whose sole purpose is to handle residents needs and
\nreact to issues as they arise. There is often a higher percentage
\nof staff able to communicate in English and other international
\nlanguages, compared to staffing of regular apartments.<\/p>\n
The service quality even extends to security, where the focus
\nis on maintaining not just safety but also the privacy of
\nresidents. Guests are treated politely and residents are informed
\nof their arrival to seek their approval to permit the guests'
\nentry. The guests are even escorted to the units.<\/p>\n
Internally, service provisions extend to providing fully
\nfurnished units, not just furniture, but right down to complete
\nranges of electronic appliances (such as clothes washer & dryer,
\nstove, microwave oven, refrigerator, television), as well as
\ncrockery, glassware, utensils and even a water dispenser.
\nBasically, new residents just need their suitcases when they move
\nin or out.<\/p>\n
In addition, there are housekeeping services to clean inside
\napartment units periodically (2-3 times or more per week), and to
\nprovide clean towels, bed sheets and pillow-cases etc, meaning
\nthat no live-in maids are needed. An engineering team providing
\nresponse services free of charge in reaction to any complaints
\nrelated to engineering matters, or requests for small works of
\nrepair, including to air-conditioning units or even to change a
\nlight bulb.<\/p>\n
Though hotels can claim to provide many of the above
\nfacilities and services, the main difference with serviced
\napartments is the size of the unit.<\/p>\n
Hotel rooms are generally smaller with more limited in-room
\nfacilities. We can more liken a hotel room to a "studio" in terms
\nof its layout, whereas a serviced apartment unit provides a "home
\nambience", with more space for the tenant, greater privacy, and
\nenhanced facilities such as a kitchen, living room, separate
\ndining area and clothes washing area.<\/p>\n
In respect of the serviced apartment building itself, the
\nmaintenance of the fabric of the building, its facilities, common
\nareas, lobbies, driveways, landscaping, and other surroundings,
\nis implemented based on preventive measures in order to maintain
\nquality.<\/p>\n
Whilst pricing is normally higher compared to non-serviced
\napartment units, this is perhaps not surprising when we consider
\nthe extra service and facilities provided. Day-to-day operation
\ncosts are definitely much higher when compared to non-serviced
\napartments.<\/p>\n
Rental rates can differ by up to US$200 to US$400 per month
\ncompared to regular rental apartments, again this is partly due
\nto the services delivered but also that the acceptable lease
\nperiod can be shorter, where weekly, or even daily rates can be
\nsecured.<\/p>\n
Typical lease periods for serviced apartments are one to eight
\nweeks for short-term contracts and medium term leases range from
\ntwo to 12 months. The tenant profile usually comprises
\nexpatriates with no children, employed in Indonesia on a shorter-
\nterm contract basis, where individuals employed or planning to
\nlive in Jakarta for more than 12 months tend to prefer to live in
\nregular apartment units or houses.<\/p>",
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