Cyber Doorman in Manhattan Buildings (apartments, condo, to buy)

[AmandaCC]

I'm looking to buy a condo in Manhattan and I'm noticing that a lot of them have cyber doormen, instead of a lobby man greeting residents, vistors, delivery men, etc. at the front door.

What exactly is this service? How do the delivery men bring packages? How do guests come and visit/sign in to find your room?

Thanks!

[nyc_sport]

We considered retrofitting this on our building, but there was not enough support. There is a single exterior button, that rings to a central monitoring service, which interacts with the visitor via t.v. camera and intercom. If it is a visitor, the operator calls the apartment to request permission, and remotely unlocks the doors to allow entry. If a delivery, the operator remotely unlocks a secured room in the lobby where the package is left. This latter part presented a problem for us in terms of a suitable space for packages (that and it seemed I was the only person in my building that works and desired such a package drop).

[ddhboy]

Originally Posted by AmandaCC

I'm looking to buy a condo in Manhattan and I'm noticing that a lot of them have cyber doormen, instead of a lobby man greeting residents, vistors, delivery men, etc. at the front door.

What exactly is this service? How do the delivery men bring packages? How do guests come and visit/sign in to find your room?

Thanks!

Basically its a call center service. They don't take your packages, they just answer the intercom for the residents and buzz people in. Its pretty unnecessary when you consider that ALL multiunit residential units are supposed to have an intercom anyway, so a virtual doorman seems like just a gap between you and your guests.

[bluedog2]

Originally Posted by ddhboy

Basically its a call center service. They don't take your packages, they just answer the intercom for the residents and buzz people in. Its pretty unnecessary when you consider that ALL multiunit residential units are supposed to have an intercom anyway, so a virtual doorman seems like just a gap between you and your guests.

And another leg of communication that would be subject to errors and breakdowns. Sounds pretty silly to me but people probably fall for it and think they have a doorman.

[gvillager]

Originally Posted by ddhboy

Basically its a call center service. They don't take your packages, they just answer the intercom for the residents and buzz people in. Its pretty unnecessary when you consider that ALL multiunit residential units are supposed to have an intercom anyway, so a virtual doorman seems like just a gap between you and your guests.

The only advantage of a virtual doorman over a regular intercom is the package service. However, if a signature is required then the purpose is defeated.

[StaggerLee22]

I ran into one today.
Rather than rant on and on and on.....
I'll just say CYBER DOORMEN DON'T WORK

In fact, it's kinda stupid of you think about it.

[Cida]

I'll be interested to see how they get sued when they buzz in one person, and a criminal shoves his way in at the same time.

Who the hell is going to sign for the package? Isn't that the POINT of the doorman?

[newyorker24]

Cyber doormen will never replace real human doormen in Manhattan luxury buildings. Maybe buildings that do not have doormen will do this to improve their image/amenities, but I doubt people will pay luxury building rents just because they do that.

[I_Love_LI_but]

Oy vey! Who is going to press the elevator buttons on the Sabbath so nobody actually has to WALK up and down the stairs????? Who is going to come to apartments to turn the stove off and on on Yom Kippur????? Who is going to walk out in the rain and hail cabs???? Are they going to fly in from the cut-rate call center in India to do that???? I'm plotzing here!!!!

PS: This idea would NEVER work for certain people just because of the logistics ...

PPS: The door call should just go to the TENANT not to some call center. Then the TENANT can buzz the person in or go to the door to accept their delivery.