When you start living in a gated housing society, the feeling that you get is something that cannot be easily expressed in few words. At the start, everything is great, be it the amenities or overall management of the society. However, with time you start experiencing same old issues that one would face in any housing society, be it premium or super luxury. Issues related to overall functioning and maintenance of the society, issues related to security at the gate, issues related to house keeping staff, issues not just related to community but also issues and problems that keep cropping up in your own home.
Typical Problems in Gated Societies
Security guards armed with only a register and intercom. This security arrangement is not only outdated but is prone to being abused and something can really go wrong. It is not a fail proof arrangement. You hear about incidents that happen in a society because there was a security lapse. This old system is set up for failure.
Another issue linked to security is management of domestic and facility staff. Then there is typical issue of parking management, amenity bookings and management, overall maintenance of society, issues that management committee of society faces related to accounts and finances of the society, problems between management committees and residents of the society and so on.
All this I am saying from my own experience of having lived in a gated society. I have realised that gated societies or communities need help in terms of managing themselves better so that the residents enjoy a great living experience forever.
Tech-based Gated Community Management
Here comes the advantage of using a tech-based solution for complete gated society management. MyGate is one such gated community management app. MyGate claims to be India’s No.1 Security and Community App. When it comes to app store ratings, it has a pretty good 4.4 rating and I have read many positive comments on social media about this app. Recently even my society subscribed to MyGate and even I have started using the app. I must say, it is a very useful app, and it has features which are of great benefit to all residents of my society. That is why, I decided to explore this app in detail for all my followers.
Video: What Is Mygate And Its Solutions
Advantages of MyGate
When MyGate was adopted in my Gated Community, the following advantages became visible.
Fail Proof Gate Security: The most important highlight of MyGate is verified and authorised entry and exit so that no one can access the society without approval or passcode.
For visitors that come frequently, example, maid, cook, newspaper boy, driver, milkman, laundry person, car cleaner and others, they get a unique passcode-based entry. This is like the OTP we get when making online payments. The passcode is shared with the guard at the gate and when the guard keys in the passcode in his MyGate app, he can see the picture of the person and other details basis which he will allow entry and the resident will get a notification on his MyGate app.
For visitors that do not come everyday example delivery, courier, guests, other service providers, the resident gets a notification to allow or deny entry.
This passcode-based system makes sure that only the right and approved person is allowed inside the gate. When these visitors exit the society, resident gets a notification about their exit.
The same also applies to society staff like facility manager and housekeeping staff like gardeners, plumbers, sweepers, electricians, and others.
Leave At Gate – This is a very useful feature especially now that we are living in COVID times. Whenever a delivery/courier comes at the gate, the resident can select “Leave at Gate” option. This will help you avoid close contact with an outsider. This is useful feature even when you are not at home or you have old parents or kids at home.
Kid’s Checkout – When it comes to kids’ security, there is a “Kids Checkout” feature; my kids cannot exit the gate without my permission.
Pre-approved Entries – For guests arriving at my place, I can also send a unique passcode in advance to enter society without wasting time at the gate filling details in the register and then guard calling over intercom. Even the deliveries can be pre-approved, so I am not disturbed when the delivery person comes to the gate.
COVID Management: In addition to safety, MyGate also has COVID protection features, ideal for the new normal. It shows the health meter of the people entering the society.
Management committee of the society can mark flats where residents are in quarantine. Once a flat is marked as ‘Quarantine’, no visitor of any kind will be allowed to visit that flat. It helps stop the community spread to a great extent.
Community Management: The other big advantage of MyGate is the Community Management module. In this there are various use cases that are useful both for the resident and the management committee of the society
Helpdesk – This allows a resident to raise a complaint. The complaint could be regarding common areas like garden, kids play area, gym, swimming pool, corridors and so on, or the complaint could be personal, related to electrical issue or plumbing issue or so on. The resident can raise a complaint and the same will be addressed by the relevant person.
Notice Board – All the important notices from the society management appear her. Now you will not miss any notice in future.
Amenities Booking – Residents can book slots for various amenities so that there is no confusion or wait time.
Communications – This is a very handy feature for residents to start a discussion thread or a poll. Even the society management can use this feature to get opinions on new initiatives.
Payments – Monthly maintenance payments can be directly made from the app. The resident gets the notification at start of every month with mention of last date and late fees if any.
Even Rent payments and utility payments can be made from the MyGate app.
Online shopping – MyGate has recently started something called Exclusives on the app. Here there are many useful brands and services listed with some great deals and offers. I have personally used some deals and trust me they are some good ones.
Society Accounts and Finance Management: MyGate also has a comprehensive accounting solution for housing societies. The auditor of the society can extract all possible reports that are required for GSTR filing and ITR filing.
Conclusion
There are still few things I have not covered in this article. For me, a user of MyGate, I have had an impressive hands-on experience with the app and I definitely recommend it for every gated housing society, so yes, join them and get your society on MyGate. They are even running referral offer, so you can refer your society and win cash rewards.
You can download the Android app & iOS app or visit mygate.com for more information. You can even call on toll-free number 1800-123-2084 and book a free demo for your society.