Habitat Magazine first published the following case study titled This Remote Doorman Is More Attentive and Less Expensive featuring Paragon Security’s successful integration of Carson 2N Verso and Brivo Access Control for this 40-unit co-op at 105 Fifth Avenue, in New York City.

Carson Transforms Lifestyle at 105 5th Ave Co-op

The shareholders in the 40-unit co-op at 105 Fifth Avenue were not happy. Their guests were often waiting in the street for the building’s remote-doorman service to open the door. Delivery personnel were rarely so patient, usually walking away after leaving a missed-delivery slip. The co-op was paying about $2,000 a month for a remote doorman who wasn’t doing the job.

“When you pressed a button, a person in a call center would answer,” says board member Daniel Flax, an officer at a tech company. “Then this service would have to reach the resident by phone, who could then allow the guest or the delivery person inside. It was an acceptable solution many years ago, but it just didn’t scale with the increase of deliveries, and it was expensive because it relied 100 percent on human labor.”

Not only was the volume of deliveries rising, but more families with kids had moved into the co-op, Flax says, bringing an increase in visitors and service personnel, from dog walkers to babysitters and piano teachers.

Best-In-Class Access Control

In 2018, the co-op board, guided by its Andrews Organization property manager, started shopping around for a service that would better meet their needs. Eventually the board settled on the software company Carson. With the new system, when somebody rings a buzzer, a signal goes directly to that resident’s cell phone via the Carson app. The co-op installed new cameras so the phone will display a video feed of the person at the front door, and residents can buzz the visitor in by pushing a button on their phone. For deliveries, there is a special button, which is answered by a person at the Carson call center, who will give the delivery person access only to a locked package room.

“We liked that there is now a direct connection between the residents and their guests without a middle-man, but also that there is still a human element should you need help,” says Flax.

“Our response time is on average less than 10 seconds,” says Guy Blachman founder and chief executive of Carson Living. “We have less stress on our call center because visitors are let in directly by the residents. It’s only package deliveries that go through our call center. The resident will also get a notification on the app that they have a package.”

24/7 Remote Doorman Service

The Carson software was modeled after Building Link, the popular software for doorman-staffed buildings. (Building Link is a major investor and partner of Carson.) “Our vision was a solution for unstaffed buildings to have a 24/7 remote doorman staff,” says Blachman. “Even when residents are not home, they can open the door with their app, and they can send a permanent or one-time digital key to their housekeeper, dog walker, or a visitor. We also included the Building Link kind of communication for service requests and announcements.”

Open Every Door With An App

The Carson system works via smartphones, and shareholders had to be educated how to use it. “I do, however, think that our solution also works very well for people without smartphones,” says Flax. “For starters, we made sure that our key fobs continue to work. The Carson software also gives us the option of using the system with a landline. So when somebody rings the buzzer, their landline phone will ring, and the resident can punch in a key sequence to buzz the person in. We educated everybody so they have all the options.”

This co-op now has better service for a fraction of the cost. The monthly fee of $500 is about a quarter of the previous service, though there was a $25,000 charge to set up the system. Flax was unfazed by the set-up charge because the new system will pay for itself in less than two years.

About Carson

Carson is the new technology standard for managing multiple unstaffed residential properties. The company was founded by seasoned and successful property management software entrepreneurs. Partnered with BuildingLink Carson is at the forefront of enhancing residents’ living experience in unstaffed properties.

With a One-App experience and 24/7 remote doorman service, Carson is the resident platform for unstaffed/non-doorman multifamily properties. Residents enjoy the benefit of knowing that their deliveries will be received on time (with instant notifications) and guests and service providers will have a convenient, simple way of getting into the building. Service requests are tracked, payments submitted, visitors’ access managed, intercom calls responded to, and every door can be viewed in live HD, and opened, all through the one Carson app.

Say Hello to Carson

Innovations in digital technology and security make it possible for cities like New York to stay ahead of the curve. Advanced security providers like Paragon, turn these innovations into holistically integrated security solutions for coops, residents, offices, apartment managers, retail businesses, developers, hospitals, schools and city facilities. Contact Paragon to learn how Carson can improve security and access for your building. You will find our prices and service are second to none!