CrowdComfort: Using People to Improve Building Management
CREtech Blog
Residential and Commercial building managers will find CrowdComfort makes addressing building issues and keeping tenants happy easy. The product sprung from an innovation challenge asking, “what if people could use their smartphones to unlock inefficiencies in building and workplace management?” The answer is people could save time and money in tracking and fixing issues while boosting customer service.
CrowdComfort sprung from that idea. The company is a Boston-based startup originating at the 2013 Boston Cleanweb Hackathon. CrowdComfort uses the idea of crowdsourcing to gather information specific to the building. Its Human Sensor Network platform identifies potential issues for facility manager investigation.
How CrowdComfort Works
Using a Software-as-a-Service platform, building and facility occupants file geo-located reports on area comfort, maintenance and safety issues in seconds from their smartphones. The report is sent directly to real estate, property, or facility managers. Report filers can attach photos of the issue to help pinpoint the exact problem, saving the hassle of maintenance scoping for the issue. CrowdComfort can manage facility issues as specific as a malfunctioning coffee maker.
CrowdComfort identifies trends in facility management. The intuitive reporting system is able to track problem areas and note the time of day reports frequently are submitted. Submit floor plans and CrowdComfort will geo-map reported issues. Visual reports make it easy to analyze where issues are cropping up. The smart reporting system allows CrowdComfort to pinpoint larger facility issues, such as in the HVAC or the electrical system.
Sort reports by maintenance or comfort issues, but a variety of other reporting categories are available. Customize the filters and program automatic notifications to ensure repair requests are delivered to the right people at the right time.
Keep the building occupants updated on repair progress through the app’s two-way communication portal. Customers will be happy to know action is being taken promptly and efficiency thanks to CrowdComfort.
Advantages of Using CrowdComfort
No hardware is required. Occupants download the CrowdComfort app to submit reports. No filing papers, emailing, or phone calls. CrowdComfort is designed to be effective for office & facilities management, multi-location retail management, preventative maintenance, and maintaining safety inspection & compliance. Create maintenance checklists that fit your process.
Forget interpreting a work order: CrowdComfort’s ability to pinpoint a problem saves technicians time. Users easily submit images with their camera phone that automatically geotags that location. The multi-location retail option provides store-by-store analysis breaking down the exact location of reported issues. Turn the reports into actionable areas for improvement to keep customers happy and coming back. The ability to identify potential issues before they become serious hazards is a bonus.
CrowdComfort’s user interface is intuitive and easy to use for customers and employees. The CrowdComfort app is available on iOS and Android. Minimal training is needed to begin submitting hazards. Residential and Commercial real estate managers can benefit from using CrowdComfort in their facilities.
To learn more about CrowdComfort, visit www.crowdcomfort.com.
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