As leasing offices across the country begin reopening, I’ve seen several tips for keeping employees and residents safe throughout that process: limiting access to amenities, offering self-guided tours, having employees wear masks when interacting with current and future residents, and more.

However, there are a few things I haven’t seen people talking about much. Here are two quick recommendations for safely reopening that you might not have thought of:

1. Adapt your key control process so you can cycle people in and out of the office quickly.

From vendors to prospects to residents, there are any number of people cycling through the leasing office in a day. However, to support social distancing, it’s important to minimize the number of people in your office at once. To keep foot traffic flowing, keep keys in an easily accessible yet secure location, such as an electronic key control system designed for front-desk use. If you use a smart lock system, have a plan in place for granting access to apartments and be sure you have an audit trail showing exactly who accessed each unit when.

To ensure keys are available when you need them, have people return them promptly when they’re done using them. Take advantage of text and email alerts for unreturned keys if you have that option. 

2. Disinfect keys regularly

You probably already disinfect high-touch areas like doorknobs and light switches, but what about your keys (or smart tokens, if you use a smart lock system)? Think about how many people handle keys each day — they’re a hot spot for germs!

Encourage employees to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer every time they handle keys and be sure to disinfect keys regularly using EPA-approved products. If your key control process involves any electronics such as a key control system or smart lock system, follow manufacturer’s guidelines for disinfecting them.

Whether it’s rethinking the way you offer apartment tours or disinfecting keys, every little thing you do to protect the health of your employees, residents, and anyone else passing through your leasing office matters. What tips do you have for safely reopening?