Guides for property managers

Office building amenities tenants actually use every day

Some amenities sell a lease. Others get used after the lease is signed. They aren't always the same list, and the second list is the one tenants remember when renewal comes around.

Tour amenities and Tuesday amenities

A fitness room, a conference center, and a renovated lobby all show well on a walkthrough. They're worth having. But most people in the building touch them rarely. The amenities people use every day are plainer: parking that works, restrooms that are clean, an elevator that isn't down, and somewhere to get a drink or a snack without leaving the building.

It's worth sorting your own building's amenities into those two groups. The daily ones are usually cheaper to run, and they're the ones tenants complain about when they slip.

What makes a daily amenity work

• It's open to everyone. If only the largest tenant benefits, it isn't a building amenity.
• It works every time. An amenity that's broken a third of the time is worse than not having it.
• It doesn't need staff. Anything that depends on someone being at a desk has hours, and hours leave gaps.
• It doesn't add to operating costs. The less it costs to run, the easier it is to keep.

Where vending fits on that list

A vending machine checks all four when somebody is responsible for it. It's in common space, it's available whenever the building is open, it needs no staff, and with Route One it costs the property nothing. We install it, stock it, and service it, and we earn revenue from the products sold.

The part that matters is the second point. A machine that's half empty or flashing an error tells tenants nobody is paying attention. Keeping it full and working is our job, and it's why we restock on a set route and track what sells.

The amenity nobody has to manage

Most amenities come with a line item and a vendor to chase. This one comes with a phone number. If a tenant has a problem, they call or text us directly, not the management office. For a property team already handling HVAC calls, parking disputes, and after-hours access, an amenity that takes nothing off the budget and puts nothing on the task list is rare.

Start with what your tenants ask for

If you already survey tenants, look at how often food and break space come up. If you don't, a quick walk through the building at 2:30 in the afternoon tells you a lot. Count the delivery bags at the front desk and the people heading out to their cars. That's demand the building isn't meeting yet.

Frequently asked questions

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