Virtual school like many other services that has now been offered online is something that is currently affecting the student accommodation market. In any other year, students would either live at home, in a dormitory, or find a student accommodation that is on campus. Unlike those years however, many students are choosing to stay at home as classes can now be done from any location with WiFi. So how can the student accommodation rally after this economic downturn?
For starters, recognizing that the number of students that are booking accommodations is down is key. If you are oblivious to the situation you will be unaware of how to get to the next steps. Obviously more students will be at home for the next couple of semesters, but that doesn’t mean there are students out there who aren’t currently on the fence about choosing an accommodation over living at home. These are the students you are going to want to focus almost all of your attention on when targeting.
These students are the ones who have the option to move out, but are a little hesitant given the current situation. So what does this mean? Well for starters, if these students are worried about COVID-19 transmission and your current protocols, I would say it is in your best interest to run through your current protocols and see if they need updating. If you believe they are sufficient, then make sure that you are actively advertising the fact that your facilities, common areas, etc. are very well maintained. Because, at the end of the day, parents are usually the deciding factor on whether or not a student will be moving out.
If you’ve gone through your protocols, and are now actively advertising, feel free to peak at what other accommodations are offering their students. Figuring out what areas you’re currently lagging behind in can only give you better insight to what you need to improve on. If you have any questions about student accommodations, or if you are a student, feel free to share your thoughts with us at contact@ensoconnect.com.
