If you’re a property manager, you know the drill– a key part of your role is identifying the right vendor partnerships that can add value for you and, in cases of third-party management, for your owner as well. When assessing the vendors you have chosen, you’re wanting to see tangible benefits that demonstrate return on investment. This is especially true when it comes to items pertaining to life safety. What can you do to ensure you have chosen the right partner to help improve safety and tenant experience while mitigating risk for property management and ownership?
In most cases, evaluating the success of an existing vendor relationship requires reporting data and the necessary time in working together to gather said data. There’s no denying the importance of reporting metrics, but nothing resonates quite like real-life events that demonstrate firsthand the benefits a trade partner brings to the table – in this case in mitigating risk and liability exposure. KEARNY Real Estate experienced just that, twice in fact, soon after implementing Kings III for their elevator phone monitoring at Emerald Plaza, an iconic 30-story Class A Office Tower in San Diego (owned and managed by KEARNY Real Estate). Read on for their story.
Kings III and Emerald Plaza
Kings III and KEARNY Real Estate began our relationship in the summer of 2019 when we initiated installation and emergency monitoring for 10 elevator phones at Emerald Plaza.
Previously, Emerald Plaza utilized an intercom system, whereby the emergency elevator phones would ring to its security guard desk and security would then contacted KEARNY’s elevator service company. This setup is common for buildings with 24/7 onsite security but has several flaws including gaps in coverage during times when the security guard is on patrol or away from the desk.
Implementing Kings III professional emergency monitoring helped in a number of ways, including:
- Freeing up security’s time – Removing unnecessary burden from security guards and opening up time to focus on the responsibilities for which they were trained and hired.
- Providing an expert emergency response – Kings III operators are Advanced Emergency Medical Dispatch trained and CPR certified, with the ability to provide pre-arrival medical instruction if needed.
- Increasing reliability and accessibility for all tenants via language translation in more than 175 languages.
- Mitigating risk and liability via call recording, invaluable for incident reports, and potential litigation.
The benefits of Kings III service were evident in the initial value proposition and further proven during two planned onsite events.
Event #1: Active Shooter Drill Reveals How Kings III Helped Close Gaps In Security Under the Previous System
Almost immediately after the installation of their Kings III phones, KEARNY agreed to host and participate in a large scale Active Shooter Drill organized by BOMA San Diego and sponsored by Kings III at their Emerald Plaza Office Tower (30 stories), which included the Police Department, Fire Department, and other First Responders. Part of the drill included the shooter entering the elevator to travel up to one of the office tower floors. In the scenario, there were bystanders near the elevators who would enter them, needing to use the elevator phones to get help. This is something that Kings III had actually experienced with a customer in San Antonio, Texas, so it was definitely a key item to cover in the drill. It was then that KEARNY realized their previous system was not only inefficient, it would have been a liability in the event their Security Guard was incapacitated (which was also part of the drill script). This was no longer a concern now that Kings III monitoring was in place, demonstrated when the actors utilized the elevator phones during the drill and received the response they needed.
Unfortunately, active shooter events are becoming more frequent. Knowing that they could rely on Kings III’s expertise in emergency response during such an instance was invaluable to KEARNY.
Event #2: Emergency Avoided During Planned Building Electrical Shut Down
Just a few months after the above-mentioned training exercise, another event took place that solidified the value of Kings III for KEARNY Real Estate, and this time, it wasn’t a drill. The management company had planned an entire building electrical shut down for Emerald Plaza. Even though management had notified the tenants multiple times and weeks in advance, soon after the electricity was shut off, a tenant entered an elevator and became entrapped. She was able to reach Kings III via the elevator call button. This is an important detail because, with the building’s previously utilized intercom system, she wouldn’t have been able to reach the security desk directly due to the electricity being shut down. Our Kings III Emergency Dispatcher then notified on-site security via cell phone. Security notified the building engineer who restored power in order to bring the elevator to the ground floor – all in less than 15 minutes. Without Kings III, management expects the tenant could have been trapped for 8-10 hours. Additionally, if the caller had her cell and was able to reach 911, this could have potentially wasted valuable first responder resources to make a trip to the building.
These events further illustrated the value of Kings III’s service to KEARNY Real Estate and instilled a true appreciation for the service. Not only did Kings III’s emergency telephone solution help address unsafe conditions that arise on-site, but it also created a better overall tenant experience at the Plaza with increased attentiveness to those who frequent the building.
In the words of Sonia Miró, RPA, Director of Property Management at KEARNY,
“We believe we can now provide the highest and best service to our tenants and customers, knowing they have the ability to get immediate assistance in the event of an elevator issue, entrapment, or other emergency that may arise.”
More About Kings III
Kings III Emergency Communications has been providing complete, compliant, and affordable emergency phone solutions for elevators, poolside, stairwells, parking areas, and more for over thirty years, monitoring 95,000+ help phones across the U.S. Our all-inclusive solution includes equipment, installation, maintenance, and 24/7 monitoring at our very own Emergency Dispatch Center. We design our equipment with code compliance and caller experience in mind, staying at the forefront of code and technology changes. Our focus is on helping our customers reduce their risk, liability, and potentially even their costs by providing the best value help phone solutions and class-leading service.
Contact us to learn more about how we can increase the safety and reliability of your property.
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Communication System
BENEFITS
- Closed gaps in security coverage
- Freed up security guard’s time
- Gave tenants an expert, timely emergency response
- Increased reliability and accessibility
- Mitigated risk and liability via call recording
Don’t Just Take it From Us…
We received a call from a property of ours in Merritt Island, FL. The call was from a distraught child who came to the pool phone at his apartment to report that his mother was not feeling well. The child reported that his mother was not able to move and had low blood pressure. The son was very upset about his mother’s health and our Emergency Dispatch Center Operators did a wonderful job keeping him calm and dispatching emergency services to provide help.
A resident at the property came across a young child inside the elevator with no parents. The first operator escalated to a second operator for police assistance, while the first operator gathered additional information. The resident rode the elevator to each floor looking for the child’s parents, and upon finding the parents, the police dispatch was canceled.
We received a call from a gentleman advising that he had found a 30-something-year-old male inside the elevator that had collapsed and appeared to be having a seizure. The call was escalated to an EMD-certified operator to handle the EMS call, while the first operator dispatched authorities.
Operator #1 received a call from the office pool phone advising that they had been beaten up by their spouse about 30 minutes ago inside their apartment. They said that they were hit in the face and unable to open their eyes. They had gone to multiple neighbors asking for help, but nobody would call 911. Operator #1 escalated the call and Operator #2 dispatched PD & EMS. Operator #1 stayed on the line with the caller until they stopped responding.
Operator #1 received a call from the office pool phone from a 19-year-old female requesting EMS. The female was at her apartment complex gym and had a 45lb weight fall on her ring finger (with a ring on it) while she was trying to rerack the weights. Operator #1 escalated the call to Operator #2 for AEMD due to the female advising that she was losing circulation. Operator #2 gathered the information and escalated the call again for dispatch.[read more] Paramedics were dispatched and the 911 operator did reassure the caller that she could lose circulation for 6 hours before anything happened, so she was going to be ok.[/read]
We received a call from a property of ours in Pensacola, FL. Management advised us that a 73-year-old female resident tripped while going up the steps to the office/clubhouse. Her head was bleeding from the fall. Management went directly to our phone instead of calling 911, even though the phone wasn’t right next to where the resident was. Our first operator stayed on the line with management to gather any updates while a second operator dispatched EMS.
We received a call from a help phone at our customer’s property from a 15-year-old youth who ran away from a home he had been placed in. He just jumped on a bus and took it to a location he didn’t know. He arrived in Wichita, KS on a bus at 3:10 PM and wandered around until midnight, until he felt the need to call for help.[read more] We were able to send help his way by dispatching the police to his location and notify the appropriate personnel at the property so they were aware of the situation. [/read]
We received a call from an apartment complex. A resident who had just had surgery had collapsed in their apartment and her husband called the front office for help. The site manager called 911 but the line was busy. They then used our pool phone to call us for help and we were able to contact emergency services and get help on the way.
We received a call from a senior living center where a caller was using a pool phone while having a mental health emergency. When our Emergency Dispatch Center called the property, the property replied that this was an elderly person who was off their medicine, and the staff was unable to help her due to another emergency. Our operator team went above and beyond and called police and EMS services, who also said[read more] they couldn’t help since the caller was declining emergency services. The EMS team suggested calling the Austin mental health crisis line. While it’s not part of our protocols, the EDC team did the right thing and took the initiative by following the EMS recommendation. They conferenced in the mental health line and kept the line open so that the caller could speak with them and get this woman some help.[/read]
Two callers, one male and one female placed a call from a pool phone in Connecticut, advising our operator that they had been walking down the street when a lady came to her front door and asked them to call 911 for her because she doesn’t have a working phone inside her residence and she wasn’t feeling well. This lady lives next to a community pool, so the couple[read more] walked down to the clubhouse and used the pool phone to call us. Another great example showing that our phones are not just used for emergencies related to pools and elevators. [/read]
A caller from Wichita Falls went to her friend’s house, Debbie, for a visit. When the caller approached the home, she found that the door was open. Inside she found Debbie with her head and knees in the tub, stiff and cold to the touch. The caller went to the office pool phone to call us for help. The caller stated that Debbie was an alcoholic and she wasn’t sure if she had[read more] been washing her hair in the tub or if she had passed out due to alcohol consumption. EMS was dispatched immediately and EDC supervisor Emily stayed on the line with the caller and gathered information. The caller refused to check for a pulse, advising that Debbie was beyond her help and needed EMS. We helped her to remain calm and know that help was on the way. [/read]
Our emergency dispatch center supervisor received an emergency phone activation from an elevator in Lauderhill, Florida. The caller told Emily he had been shot and needed police and emergency medical services. The only information Emily could get was that he was on the 1st floor and he wasn’t sure if anyone else had been hurt. He stopped responding after providing[read more] this information. He was conscious and breathing when he first called, but his speech started to slur before he stopped responding and it was unclear if he had exited the elevator or if his condition changed. The EDC immediately dispatched and passed on his location information to emergency responders. [/read]
Kings III received a call from the pool phone behind the clubhouse from a gentleman advising that there was another male in his 60’s had fallen in the parking lot out front and hit his head on a parking block. The male was bleeding from his head and the only way that he was able to call for help is through the pool phone. The wife stayed up front with the male and the gentleman[read more] that found him ran to the back of the complex and used the pool phone to call us. [/read]
A Kings III operator received an activation from an Office Pool at 3:20am and connected with a female that was clearly under the influence. It was evident by her speech and the lack of her being able to answer our questions or tell us what was going on that she needed assistance, so the operator continued to ask probing questions to ensure he did what he could. The female declined[read more] our offer to call her children or her husband and said that she would call her husband herself. The operator disconnected the call and within a few minutes, we received another activation. This time another Kings III operator received the call from the same female. This operator provided suggestions and offered assistance to which the female advised that she had tried all those ways to get out, but the gates were all locked and her key fob wasn’t working. The operator again offered to call her husband for her because she was unable to contact anyone from the property. The female gave the same numbers, but in many different sequences, so Kim had to clarify many times in order to get a working #. Our operator exhausted all management contacts and the female’s husband, ultimately ending with a Fire dispatch to assist her out of the gated pool area. This call was very early in the morning, and it ended up that the female did not have her cell phone with her. Had the property not had a Kings III phone, there is no telling how long she would have had to stay locked in the pool area before someone discovered her. [/read]
A Kings III operator received a call from a pool phone. The male and female on the other end of the line advised that they had been walking down the street and a lady that lives at 14 Swan Lake Trail came to her front door and asked them to call 911 for her because she doesn’t have a working phone inside her residence and she wasn’t feeling well. The couple walked down[read more] to the Clubhouse and used the pool phone to call us. [/read]
To me, trust with vendors is so important. I need to be able to take care of my customers without any concern. With Kings III, I don’t have to think about my elevator phones. This gives me so much peace of mind. I can walk away and know that my tenants are going to be okay just knowing they will be on the other end of the line, and that they can do more than just contact someone to respond to an issue, including help with medical issues. I’m always blown away at the capabilities of Kings III’s call center.
My experience with Kings III was a positive one from start to finish. A Kings III account rep answered my initial phone call without me having to leave a voicemail (a definite plus). From there, the service department was great at identifying my emergency phone needs and creating an appointment, making sure everything was set. The technician showed up and clearly knew his job. He was polite, efficient, and got the job done quickly without problem. He was even polite to a customer who needed the elevator! Couldn't be more satisfied with the service.
Initially working with Kings III was more about the cost savings. Then one month into my contract, an emergency occurred. A car accident took out a local transformer, turning my building dark for 8 hours. Three ladies got stuck in an elevator (in 106 degree-weather) and used the elevator phone. Kings III dispatched 911 & called me with a status update. Calmly, the operator explained what happened and steps being taken. Our tenants were out of the elevator in 6 minutes. My sales rep even reached out to make sure I was ok. That’s service you don’t see anymore.
One of our tenants recently got stuck in the elevator during a full building electrical shut down and was able to use the emergency phone to call the dispatcher, who then called our security guard, who then notified our engineer to restore power so we could bring the elevator to the ground floor. All in less than 15 minutes! If we didn't have Kings III in place, she could have been stuck in the elevator for several hours (if she had her cell, she may have had to call 911 which would have wasted valuable first responder resources to make a trip to the building.)
Executive Elevator, Inc. has been a partner with Kings III for several years. With exceptional customer service, reliability and expertise in their field, they've proven their professional capabilities many times. We've referred several customers to Kings III for emergency phone monitoring with outstanding results every time. The security of knowing every emergency call is being handled by a specialized emergency dispatch center with seamless efficiency, gives us and our customers the peace of mind that's rare in the world of elevators. We highly recommend a Kings III partnership.
I’ve always had such a seamless and reliable experience with Kings III that if we acquire a property that doesn’t already utilize them for their emergency phones, I really just don’t get it. To me, it seems like the most obvious solution. In fact, in the past, I have been worried about having some trouble with our elevators, and even my staff told me, “Believe me, we have Kings III. We’ll get it up.” It’s clear that Kings III’s reliability is well-known.
For suppliers, if I'm not thinking about you, you're doing your job. And I don't think about Kings III. There are 3 vendors I don't hesitate at all to refer to industry colleagues and Kings III is one of those.
With Kings III, I'm no longer left wondering if my communities will be able to get someone on the phone if there is elevator trouble. How do I know? I test it, and it works! They have provided me with peace of mind at my communities.
When choosing Kings III, the real sale for me was their reporting and conversation recording ability. This is definitely a system I recommend for our properties throughout for cost savings and liability concerns.
I am happy to recommend the high-quality services of Kings III Emergency Communications. I personally have been using Kings III for over ten years to manage the emergency lines of over 15+ multifamily assets with RAM Partners, LLC. I have always been completely satisfied with their performance and appreciate our working relationship. They do an excellent job, from initial install all the way to the account reps we work with. They are always very responsive with 24-hour services, and offer competitive rates in the market.
The largest takeaway from using Kings III elevator phone service is the language proficiency. In Orlando, we have a diverse melting pot of culture. Our office park houses numerous governmental agencies and businesses that service our culturally rich city. In the event of emergency, we need a quick response and efficient communication. The technicians who service our property are also great! They are very professional, courteous and great communicators.
Jones & Jones Communities put our residents safety as a priority at all our properties. Kings III has played a major role in assisting us in the reduction of risk and liability. We also saw a significant cost savings through telephone line reduction. From corporate staff to their field technicians, they are professional with top notch service.
We are grateful to have Kings III’s service! It is nice to know that Kings III can assist us in a timely manner. We have peace of mind that Kings III service includes multilanguage assistance. My Kings III rep is always on top of things, assisting me and my team providing us with great service.
The Kings III technician who installed our device was wonderful! He arrived on time and was very thorough, friendly, and completed the job with perfection. He explained everything to me at the end and made sure I understood what to do moving forward.
I am so appreciative that Kings III was able to install emergency phones on my property on such short notice. Their operation runs like a well-oiled machine from start to finish!
We've had excellent experience with Kings III's onsite technicians. They are very responsive, quick to inform us of what is going on, and super friendly.
Before we started with Kings III I tested our elevator phones and was horrified with the responses I received. I feel much more at ease knowing our residents will be well taken care of when they are in need of help. So far everything has been great and the transition was seamless.
I should let Kings III sell you their products and pricing, but the services they provide have proven to be an excellent value for our company. They have come through for us in tight situations and I have the utmost confidence in them.
It has been a pleasure working with Kings III. In my 5 year relationship with Kings III the service has been consistent and efficient, with great follow through. I would recommend Kings III to anyone reviewing their services.
It means the world to me that I can always count on Kings III to watch over my property, help ensure its safety, and to provide a quick response. For that, I thank each and every single one of you.
I have been so happy with my experience with Kings III. I honestly wish Kings III could handle all of my phones. Every employee has been so easy to work with and understanding. I have to give a shout out to Kings III tech Robby. He has gone above and beyond, helping me identify lines and save a lot of money. I would recommend Kings III to all of my friends and colleagues.
When I first transferred to Houston, one of my properties used Kings III. At that time, the technician that serviced our site was Martin. Though I haven’t worked with him in years, he made such an impression on me for the years I had this property. He was responsive, amazing at helping us troubleshoot, and just so pleasant. This is the reason why King’s III is the only service I consider for my emergency phone needs. It’s great to know that he's still with your company, and you're fortunate to have him. I can’t think of another contractor whose employee left such an impression on me after all these years.
I've always had much respect for Kings III largely because of the people that make up the company. Bob is no exception. He always responds to every email and phone call and takes the time to follow up on every request or inquiry. He fully understands the long standing partnership between Midwest Elevator and Kings III and delivers every time. He treats our potential clients with respect. We're passionate about taking care of our existing clients and shield them from high pressure sales people but I never hesitate to put Bob directly in touch with our customers to get a deal done.
We're a current customer of Kings III, using them for our pool phones at approximately 43 locations. We're very comfortable recommending them as a primary choice for emergency communications. Kings III has proven to be an extremely reliable vendor. The response times are quick and customer service is outstanding. Using Kings III, we have realized a substantial saving over previous vendors. Each of our locations is charged one low monthly fee for maintenance, warranty, and equipment service. When you consider value, liability protections and service, Kings III is an excellent choice.
I would like to express how pleased I am to work with Kings III. Kings III services our elevator communication needs for Lanidex Plaza, and we are extremely satisfied. Their state of the art system and 24-hour monitoring provides our team as well as our tenants with the comfort, safety and reliability necessary in the event of an elevator entrapment. Their total service package meets all our standards, including equipment testing and voice recordings of every call. It's comforting to know that if any question ever arises, the Kings III team is always available and ready to help.
Their services are unmatched. Kings III’s attention to detail, industry leading equipment,and top of the line services gives me the assurance that our tenants and owners will receive the best care possible, if ever necessary. Recently I had an insurance inspection and the inspector gave us ‘two thumbs up’ and said that is the most missed and neglected item in a building. He commended us on having Kings III and their professional staff literally at our fingertips.
On Monday, I got stuck in an elevator in my school’s building in Miami, Florida. I suffer from anxiety/panic attacks and claustrophobia and when I pressed the emergency button I got the most helpful person, Operator Steven. Steven stayed on the phone with me the whole time I was stuck and reassured me I was completely safe, help was on the way and that everything was going to be okay. He truly went above and beyond his job and for that I am very thankful.
Kings III is our primary choice for emergency communications for our elevators & pool sites. They provide full maintenance, warranty, and service of our equipment therefore, there are no surprise repair or replacement costs so I find it easy to budget for. It gives me peace of mind knowing that I am meeting all my emergency phone requirements in the most professional, productive, and economical manner.
As a property manager, the safety of our tenants in the event of an elevator entrapment coupled with the reliability of the emergency communication system, is a top priority. We recently took over a property that needed a new system immediately. I contacted Kings III and explained the necessity of having the system installed as soon as possible. They understood the issues, the need to move quickly and had the job complete the following morning. Their line seizing capabilities also provides a significant monthly savings.
Since signing up with Kings III, I have been shown that attention to detail and customer service are their top priority. I have always received immediate attention when something has gone wrong, which is very rare, but things happen. They are great at helping me troubleshoot situations before having to send a technician out which saves us all time and, I'm sure, money. When a technician does have to come out they are always professional and courteous. I value my relationship with this company and believe it will last well into the future.
Kings III has been an absolute pleasure to work with. From sales to service to billing, everyone involved is very professional and caring with any requests we have made. I appreciate the service Kings III provides and will continue to be a customer for the foreseeable future.
Kings III has been a longstanding trusted partner with each of my new communities. They provide peace of mind, operational expertise and a wealth of experience to ensure my emergency systems are top notch. I value and depend on their extensive knowledge and innovative approach to their clients.
Our Kings III technician fixed both problems in our elevators. He is informative about the issues, able to address and repair them and communicates well with the business office. He is an asset to the Kings III team!
I would like to take the time to thank one of your customer service representatives, Tina. A visitor for one of the residents was trapped in the elevator and she stayed on the phone with her until help arrived. She should be commended for her outstanding customer service.
Kings III is always very prompt, fast, and efficient, and its staff very knowledgeable!
Kings III went out of their way to push scheduling up to meet our deadlines. Their service was invaluable to both us and our residents!
Our Kings III representative made it very easy to order the equipment and service. The rate is very reasonable and the technician who completed the installation was phenomenal!
When dealing with a modern installation in a 46-year-old building, the challenges are endless. Our Kings III technicians got the install completed by their combined knowledge and pure persistence.
Excellent customer service! Oscar was just fantastic and customer service at its best! Keep up the excellent work Kings III.
Our technician would not leave until he figured out the problem. He was awesome and definitely committed to his job and exhuming customer service!
Our Kings III technician at Canyon Grove was absolutely amazing. He did everything he could to figure out our issue, and went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of. So much that I recommended him to two of our other properties. 100% from me.
Partnering with Kings III couldn't have been an easier decision for us. Their elevator phone monitoring provides a great value for our customers who love the additional features like call recording and auto-testing. Working with Kings III helps to free up our technician's time to focus on what we do best- providing expert and reliable elevator maintenance to our customers. It has been a mutually beneficial relationship and one that we plan to keep building on.
Kings III has never once failed to exceed our expectations with their wonderful technicians and great customer service.
Kings III had such a fast turnaround time and the part I needed was under warranty so no charge to me. Thanks!