Apepe
Building Connections between Residents and Condominiums

Astroll back in time reminds us of a mundane chore that entailed a walk and a long wait at the payment counter of the local supermarket while shopping for groceries and food. A technological revolution and a dreadful pandemic later, that walk to the store is now just a few clicks on smart devices. This new age of living has necessitated real estate developers to provide beautiful, fully functional properties and focus on tailoring experiences that ease a person’s lifestyle. At the forefront of this revolution is Apepê, which combines the vital functions required for seamless interaction within any condominium in one application.

“We want to connect residents with the community as well as the amenities and services, thereby transforming the living experience,” says CEO, Carlos Castro. Apepê, a condominium connection, and activation app, was built upon parent company SKR’s idea to connect individuals with the residential community, management, and building amenities. The mobile app connects residents with a plethora of services, including concierge and building management, laundry and cleaning, and amenities such as markets, gyms, pools, saunas, and play areas that are vital for the functioning of condominiums. Apepê provides information about the availability of amenities, allowing residents to reserve free slots through the app, making scheduling more streamlined and less bureaucratic for condominium owners.

With prior knowledge of the availability of laundry and cleaning services, appointments can be scheduled according to the resident’s convenience.

The pay-per-use services are provided through the app by independent vendors usually located around the residential premises. Clean laundry and other packages are delivered to the smart lockers set up by Apepê in the building. The app notifies residents on the arrival of a package along with the details of the locker containing it. The locker unlocks only through a specific QR code sent along with the notification, ensuring security and contact-less, hassle free delivery of packages. Furthermore, the smart cabinet system eliminates the intervention of door attendants who had to record and hold each package for the resident.

As a measure of security, door attendants need to authorize the entry of visitors by calling the tenant - usually through the interphone connected indoors. Using Apepê’s visitor notice, the resident can release access to the visitor even when they are outside the building, which optimizes communication between the resident and the doorman. To connect residents with the condominium’s community, the app includes a news feed through which individuals are allowed to share updates on important activities and community-related information. Apepê also enables residents to privately communicate through the app, minimizing the need to share personal contact information. The messages, once sent, cannot be deleted, which ensures polite conversations.

In addition to connecting residents with the community, the firm is looking to bring together small businesses selling commodities, food, and services from the locality onto the platform. To ease shopping for groceries, Apepê has installed mini-markets in each condominium. The residents can ‘pick up and walk’ out with products from the market as payment can be completed through the app.

Following the Living as a Service (LAAS) model, the app integrates necessary residential services with condominiums to provide a wholesome living experience in a simple, adaptable, and cost-effective manner. The app is used by close to 100 condominiums in the regions of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and is expected to simplify condominium services throughout the country.