There is a recent trend in the elevator industry to charge for digital services via a subscription approach which is in addition to the service contract pricing. This section provides an overview of some of the options.
1. Remote Monitoring.
All of the National OEMs and some of the Regional Service Providers have been able to provide remote monitoring of elevators for 20-30 years. The elevator has been traditionally connected by an analog telephone line to the company’s service support team so that they can track and report on service and maintenance metrics. In most cases the data is transmitted periodically and then summarized by the company’s service systems. The information is then normally provided via a customer report on a monthly basis.
2. IoT Systems.
Over the last few years, some service companies have introduced digital IoT elevator systems which connect to your elevator using mobile networks and can transmit data in real-time. The system can then provide alerts and notification to your phone by email or text message if the elevator is not working or there is a passenger entrapment. This type of technology may be very useful for elevators that are high usage, critical to the building operation, or in public areas. Additional features include performance metrics, predictive analytics, and capital planners for which they charge about $150 to $500 extra per year for each elevator.
3. Digital VoIP.
New communication tools like digital voice (VoIP) can replace analog phone lines, saving the cost of an expensive phone connection. They are normally packaged with the IoT systems and use cellular data plans to provide two-way communication between the elevator and a calling service. The cost of this service is normally packaged with the IoT system, although they can be also bought separately.
4. Voice and Multimedia digital emergency communication services.
This new service helps to comply with the updated ASME A17.1 elevator code in North America which dictates that new elevators (2019 or later) include phone, text and video emergency communication services. It provides two-way voice, video and text messaging between passengers and emergency personnel, and routes passenger calls to a 24/7 dedicated elevator emergency call center or to a customer’s answering service. The camera allows emergency personnel to visually verify the situation inside an elevator car, helping prevent false dispatching. Major elevator OEMs and parts companies are now offering this solution.
5. Passenger experience services.
Passenger experience services including video screens that share content like news and weather, as well as elevator calling phone apps that enable touchless operation, are becoming available for an additional subscription price. These types of features can provide benefits for the passengers and tenants of your building and it’s definitely worth asking your service company if these types of options are available for your elevator.
6. Negotiation Tip!
You may be able to negotiate a substantial discount for these services if you are planning to switch elevator service company or are in the process of renegotiating a current service contract.
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