Salto KS

The dedicated coliving professionals from Coliving Insights have done it again! Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the team from Coliving Insights works across the globe on a mission to push innovative ideas, thought, and people from the coliving industry into the spotlight.

We can’t believe it’s already the 8th edition of the always anticipated on Coliving Insights online magazine. This edition focuses on ‘Branding & Marketing for Authentic Shared Living Communities’. In this publication, Coliving Insights touches upon how consistent branding, marketing, and communication strategies can open endless opportunities to make your coliving brand more recognizable and authentic throughout various touchpoints of the customer journey and reflect wider brand values, mission, and vision and how coliving operators use various touchpoints to increase brand recognition and reach.

Access control goes beyond the product; it’s a facilitator for a future-proof way of living that supports well-being, a strong sense of community, and thriving businesses. This is why SALTO’s very own Caterina Maiolini and Christian Schmitz elaborate on the topic of how technology can attract those customers that can elevate your coliving brand on page 53.

Other topics that are discussed in this article:

• Learn who your target audience is
• How to discover and meet your guest’s needs
• How a personalised customer experience can help you leverage your brand

This eighth edition features marketers and creative professionals from creative agencies, digital and marketing agencies, and in-house marketing teams that share valuable insights, their own experience, and best practises on how to create strong, recognizable, and sustainable brands through effective and well-executed marketing strategies and brands. Diving into the intricacies of various branding solutions and exploring how they can facilitate the creation of a strong brand personality that can differentiate itself in a competitive coliving industry.

Through 120+ pages of insightful articles, you will get valuable advice from over 15 industry experts including SALTO Systems on how to create an innovative, sustainable, and timeless approach to branding and communication practises.

Get your free copy of Coliving Insights No.8 ‘Branding & Marketing for Authentic Shared Living Communities’ today! Download the full publication here.

Can’t get enough? Follow SALTO on LinkedIn or Instagram to keep up with the latest news in the world of access control.

Salto’s smart door locks allow users and system administrators to send and receive Digital Keys that can open any door or gate equipped with a Salto smart lock, cylinder, wall reader, padlock, or locker lock using their iOS or Android Bluetooth LE or NFC-enabled smartphone.  

Mobile access control solutions offer users a keyless experience, providing instant and mobile access without compromising security or convenience. By combining various technologies, Salto's smart locking solutions evolve from traditional access control to ACaaS (Access Control as a Service), enabling users to manage access rights quickly, wirelessly, and without keys. This offers greater security than mechanical keys by introducing digital keys and replacing traditional physical keys or smart credentials.  

Implementing mobile credentials and digital keys. 

Digital Keys are available across smart access technology platforms from Salto. 

Salto Space - Data-on-Card 

Designed to secure any door in a building and make access control more effortless and secure than ever, Salto Space offers a flexible access control platform with a unified software and hardware platform. 

Experience unified, scalable security, integration support, and limitless features to manage your buildings’ operations with a virtually networked, data-on-card based locking system. 

Salto KS - Keys as a Service 

Salto KS (KaaS: Keys as a Service) is a scalable cloud-based Access Control as a Service (ACaaS) solution that’s built to fit your business needs, today and tomorrow. 

Salto KS smart access offers multiple ways of opening doors, including digital keys. It supports a wide range of keyless access methods to improve user experience and the security of any type of building. It also delivers advanced security features on a fully remote and wireless cloud-based smart access management platform. 

Salto Homelok - All-in-one smart access solution for residential living 

Salto Homelok enables modern keyless living for residents, streamlines operations for managers and owners, and improves security across all types of residential properties.   

A cloud-based smart access platform with intelligent, wire-free and virtually networked electronic locking SVN technology optimises hybrid deployments and enables the smart building ecosystem without needing infrastructure.

We strive to provide a smart and efficient access control experience with SALTO KS. For this reason, we value your feedback on our solution and use that information to improve our iOS and Android apps. The following blog post will walk you through our latest developments! 

The latest SALTO KS app release brings a new way to transfer already activated IQs to another device. With this feature, we aim to ease the painstaking process of reactivating IQs one at a time, especially for large installations. When users switch their mobile devices, they now don’t need to worry about the hassle of migrating activated IQs. Now, any user can navigate to ‘Settings’ and tap on ‘Transfer IQ Information’ to start the process of migrating all activated IQs. Additionally, if you use the same iCloud account on both of your iOS devices, activated IQs can be transferred through the cloud. 

Below you can find an overview of the latest improvements and fixes within the iOS and Android apps including migrating IQs to another device.

How to migrate activated IQs to another device 

To migrate activated IQs to another device, please be sure to cover the below points before you begin the process:

1. Connect both devices to the same WiFi network.
2. Enable Bluetooth on both devices.  
3. Be sure you are logged in with the same SALTO KS account. 
4. Have both devices close to each other during the migration process. 
5. Grant permission to access the camera on your device. 
6. Grant permission to access the microphone on your device.

Step 1: 

For the first step, use the new device (receiver of migrated IQs). In order to migrate the activated IQs from your old device to the new one, you need to navigate to the ‘Settings’ tab and select the ‘Transfer IQ Information’ option under the ‘IQ settings and options’ section.

Step 2: 

Next, choose ‘Import IQ Information’ in order to generate a QR code. 

Step 3:

On the new device, follow the instructions on your screen until the QR code is generated.

Step 4:

For this step, you will use the old device (sender of migrated IQs). Once you have the QR code on the new device, you need to switch to your old device to scan the generated QR code present on your new device. Navigate to the ‘Settings’ menu and click on the ‘Transfer IQ Information’ option. This time, select ‘Export IQ Information’. This will pull up the scan QR code screen*.

*Please make sure to grant the right permissions to access the camera on your device. 

Step 5:

Scan the QR code generated on your new device. After successfully scanning the QR code with your old device, you need to switch to your new device to confirm that the migration is successful.

Step 6:

On your new device, confirm that migration of the activated IQs to your device is completed.

Additional points to note before migrating activated IQs are:

• The maximum number of IQs that can be migrated is 700.
• It is possible to migrate activated IQs between different platforms (iOS & Android), however, there may be some inconsistencies during the migration process in which case we recommend checking that camera and microphone permissions are granted on your device and then re-trying the migration. 
• iOS users can migrate activated IQs through the cloud. Make sure that your Apple devices have iCloud Keychain enabled and that you are logged in with the same Apple ID account on both devices. As you activate IQs on one device they should be automatically activated on the other device. 

Summary of What’s New in iOS and Android Version 8.2

This app release also enables searching and filtering IQs online and offline on the IQ page. 

Finally, we increased the minimum version of the supported operating system for our app to iOS 12 (previously it was supported until iOS 11). 

Bug fixes for iOS Version 8

• Moved the ‘About SALTO Systems’ links to the ‘SALTO Legal’ page.

Bug fixes for Android Version 8

• Moved the ‘About SALTO Systems’ links to the ‘SALTO Legal’ page.
• Fix for the crash issues when the language of the app is set to Arabic. 
• Fix for the keypad being active after searching for a user and navigating to the user detail page. 
• Fix for the Eagle Eye Networks live feed not showing the camera name. 
• Fix for the issue where searching for a user fails if a filter is applied. 
• Fix for the header of ‘Entries’ not changing when "Incidents" is selected.

The new version of the SALTO KS Mobile App is now available in stores for iOS and Android.

There’s a popular movement going on in busy city centers like Hong Kong: the rise of rental brands. For rental brand operators to optimise the living experience, they need to find more convenient ways to control access across multiple properties for their large number of residents as well as staff.

Weave Living is Asia Pacific’s leading owner, developer, and operator of rental accommodation, offering hassle-free city living in many prime locations. The company strives to bring individuals together in inspiring spaces, allowing them to thrive in an urban environment.

It provides a range of long- and short-term rentals including Weave Suites, which emulate a stay on the concierge level of a luxury hotel; Weave Residences, which are like traditional apartment rentals; and Weave Studios for co-living accommodations popular with millennial types. Within these properties, Weave Living’s residences boast a range of living options such as furnished apartments with private kitchens and bathrooms, and private studios with shared spaces like kitchens, living rooms, workspaces, and gyms.

To maximise its residential and staff experience, Weave Living realised its need for a keyless entry system. It required a system that would allow residents and staff alike to enter and exit living units and shared spaces like main entrances, gyms, rooftops/terraces and meeting rooms without mechanical keys. Managing traditional mechanical keys with rental residents who might only live in a property for as little as a month would be nearly impossible. Additionally, the use of mechanical keys would pose a significant security risk considering that lost keys are amongst the most serious security breaches. Consequently, it was clear from the offset that an electronic access control system would best serve Weave Living’s residential properties.

“SALTO KS enables the freedom of movement between properties for staff and residents with a single credential” - David Lee, SALTO Systems Business Unit Manager, Greater Bay Area and Taiwan.

Weave Living was committed to finding a true cloud solution. It found its ideal solution in SALTO KS’ ‘Keys as a Service’ access control management platform. SALTO was the perfect partner for Weave Living owing to its smart solution offerings that catered seamlessly to Weave Living’s wide range of property types.

In the last week of June, more than 300 digital nomads, remote workers, and freelancers made their way to a quaint mountain town in Bulgaria to take part in the Bansko Nomad Fest. With inspiring speakers, interactive workshops, community events, and lots of time in nature, the week-long festival was a true celebration of the location-independent lifestyle. Digital nomadism has already been on the rise in recent years, but with the increase in remote work opportunities, the community is set to explode. According to The Economist, by 2035, there will be 1 billion digital nomads in the world.

As one of the main partners of the event, our team at SALTO Systems was able to experience the magic behind the nomad community in Bansko first-hand. Previously, Bansko has been known for its ski slopes and old town, but over the last five years, it has become a notable hot spot for digital nomads, drawing in location independent travellers from all over the world and all year-round.

In order to create a customer-centric experience with our products, we believe in the importance of getting to know our end users and understanding their personal experiences, desires, and needs. At Bansko Nomad Fest, we were able to do just that. Coliving and coworking are all about connection, and having the opportunity to connect with the people who use our products daily in the stimulating festival environment was especially impactful. 

To find out all the key takeaways from the event, we reached out to our Think Tank Partner, Leah Ziliak, Founder of The Coliving Consultant and a digital nomad herself.

Read ahead for Leah’s on-the-ground experience of Bansko Nomad Fest!

Several new features have been introduced to enhance your SALTO KS App user experience, including an improved interface for the Locks page in order to give more information about the locks that a user has access to. Previously, basic site users did not have an overview of which locks and entry points they have access to. The new Locks page now brings with it an enhanced and comprehensive way of interacting with these locks.  

In addition, the new Locks page now gives more insight into the status of the lock; for instance, battery status and online/offline status, so that the system administrator can stay in control while they manage their locks on the go.

The new version of the SALTO KS Mobile App is now available in stores for iOS and Android.

Below you can find an overview of improvements and fixes within the iOS and Android apps.

1. Locks Overview Page

Users now have direct feedback on the lock status (online, offline, easy office mode, office mode), battery status, and warnings from the locks they have access to.

2. Locks Detail Page

Users can get more information related to the individual lock and have a better overview of the actions they can take. These are the following:

• Remote opening
• Use of Digital Key 
• Office mode (on/off)

3. Locks Detail: Tooltip

By clicking on the lock icon, the administrator can see the details of the lock. This includes lock type, Mac address, attached IQ, and communication type.

4. Lock Detail: Warnings

Users can now get instant feedback on warnings related to particular locks.

In a new video collaboration by SALTO and Group337 we dive deeper into what we believe "The Next Generation of Smart Locks" will be. The purpose of this collaboration is to spark a conversation—a change. We are hoping to help start a new language for the industry, and if we agree that the smart lock industry has entered into its next generation, we should agree we need to look, say, and act next generation.

In part 1, we are diving into the difference between smart, connected, motorized, and mechanical and what the next generation of smart locks will need to stay relevant. 

In part 2, we will tackle the value beyond locking and unlocking. And in the finale, part 3, we reimagine door openings and our relationship with entering and exiting.

We plan to cover the different verticals such as single-family, multifamily, and commercial locks. We will speak to all of them generically and high level enough that what we discuss applies to all use cases. There are fundamental functionality and value creation that work across all verticals in the Next Generation of smart locks, and we want to cover them here.

Of course, this is just the beginning, and we can't cover it all in such a short amount of time, but we will do our best.

A common denominator for all pioneers is that they don’t stop for anything until they reach their goal. This is also the case with SALTO’s partner Co-Liv. This May they held the world's largest coliving gathering and even a global pandemic couldn’t stop them from making this online event a huge success. 

As residential communities that host like-minded people, coliving has become a welcome solution to the growing desire to live in communities and the lack of individual real estate possibilities. This popular housing concept is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs, developers and professionals to contribute with smart technology and new innovations. 

SALTO believes in a future built by people, that enhances the way we live and work by technology. A human-centered future that benefits from smart innovations that supports a healthy lifestyle, whether that’s in an office, a shop or a shared living space. 

If you have been keeping an eye on the SALTO LinkedIn and Instagram accounts, you are probably familiar with SALTO’s biggest partner in the coliving industry, Co-Liv: a global association of coliving professionals that have the same beliefs on the future of living as SALTO. 

Co-Liv unites those professionals who are looking to make a difference in the coliving experience. They believe that together, they steer the coliving movement towards an independent, flourishing, and stakeholder-centered industry that creates value for residents, cities, neighborhoods, operators, investors, and real estate owners alike.

The theme of the Summit was “Laying down the foundations for the future of coliving” and to date is the largest coliving gathering ever held. 

On day one Alexander Rosdorff, Global Technology Partner & Integrations Lead at SALTO Systems was a panel member together with fellow industry experts Ari Dinar, Oscar van Wel, and Dimitri Belin, for the insightful discussion 'Deep dive into the coliving tech ecosystem’. The summit was topped off by the very first edition of ‘The Coliving Awards’ live-streamed from Paris, where SALTO’s Christian Schmitz, Global Lead, Shared Living and Work Spaces, and head of tech at Co-Liv, acted as a jury member and simultaneously accepted the award for ‘Best Sponsor’ in name of SALTO Systems.

"I believe that when you are together and you share information, doubts, fears, successes, and more, very strong bonds are created and this will remove many of the current roadblocks in the coliving movement." - Christian Schmitz, Head of Tech at Co-Liv and global Shared Living lead at SALTO Systems

By bringing the whole ecosystem together during the summit, Co-Liv has empowered the movement to grow even further. Small and big players now feel more connected and part of something bigger. With this summit, the word ‘Coliving’ has for once and for all evolved from just a buzzword to a word with meaning. 

"This event was a great opportunity to learn about the often overlooked aspects of technology in Coliving, and bring them to light. Integrations being a vital part of this. Choosing the right integrations is essential to create a thriving community, and I enjoyed diving into this important aspect at the summit." - Alexander Rosdorff, Global Technology Partner & Integrations Lead at SALTO Systems

​​It was an honor to be part of this celebration which casts a much-deserved spotlight on the coliving community. 

"This event showcased the core values that we strongly share with Co-Liv which are to educate, empower and connect. These are values that are still felt strongly by the whole coliving ecosystem. Winning the award at the Coliving Awards was the perfect ending to this incredible event.” - Caterina Maiolini, Community and Partnership Manager for Shared Living and Workspaces at SALTO Systems

To conclude this article SALTO would like to congratulate all winners, finalists, and nominees, particularly our partners: Co-Liv for their Ambassador Programme, OurDomain by Greystar, on their awards, and lastly, the winner of the PropTech and ConTech award for which Christian acted as jury member: Hmlet Coliving Software.

Co-Liv has just released a comprehensive report on the key highlights, exclusive industry statistics, key insights from panel discussions, and much more! Make sure to download the report through this link if you want to read exclusive insights from the world’s largest coliving gathering.

One platform, many channels. That is the power of a great guest experience app for hotels. These apps enable a direct communication line with individual guests so hotels can send out personalized offers and elevate the customer experience, increase guest loyalty and boost revenue for their business. 

By incorporating Digital Keys into your guest app you can make an even bigger impact. 

What is a digital key for hotel?

Access control solutions that offer the Digital Key feature, such as Salto’s Justin Mobile or Salto Keys as a Service, can be implemented as a standalone app. However, national and international hotel groups choose to embed the functionality into a branded guest mobile app, which is integrated with the hotel’s Property Management System (PMS). Research shows that when guests can find their key within the hotel app, download rates increase, and the in-app purchase rate goes up to an estimated average of $140 per room per year.  

How does hotel digital keys works?

A Digital Key is stored in the hotel guest app on the guests mobile device. When presented to a lock, it uses BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) to open the lock. With Digital Keys the hotel administrator can grant designated access to guests, employees, or even delivery services whenever it’s appropriate for them to enter. The convenience of being able to open doors with Digital Keys is undeniable.

“Many of our loyal ‘Honors’ members are business travellers who are incredibly tech-savvy., We are thrilled our hotel is able to offer them this cutting edge Digital Key technology and give them an easier, more convenient stay.”
- said Rupert Hallam, General Manager, Hilton Adelaide. 

The Hilton experience

Hilton Adelaide in Australia partnered up with Salto Systems and implemented the solution to their system. This gave the hotel the ability to integrate Digital Keys into their ‘Hilton Honors’ guest app. Within 24 hours of arrival, Hilton Honors members who book direct through Hilton’s channels can digitally check-in, choose their exact room from a digital floor plan and request a Digital Key through the Honors app. Hilton Adelaide will notify guests through the app as soon as their room is ready. Honors members with previous stay history can then head straight to their room when they arrive, pressing the virtual “unlock” button on the app when they’re within five feet of their door.

“With the app, Hilton Honors members can take advantage of a seamless and contactless experience. Digital Check-in and Digital Key allow guests to go straight to their selected room, bypassing the reception.”
- Rupert Hallam, General Manager, Hilton Adelaide. 

Benefits of digital room keys for hotels

Hygiene and safety is, now more than ever, on top of mind for the hospitality sector. By incorporating Digital Keys into their business, hotels eliminate plastic cards being passed from hand to hand. The guest receives their key before arrival and can check-in without any (physical) contact at the reception desk. Together with the antimicrobial coating of the BioCote®, Salto lock range, you are guaranteed the highest form of hygienic protection.. 

Besides the hygienical benefits, there are more advantages of implementing Digital Keys into your hotel experience:

• Guest experience: with their key sent to them in advance, the guest can go straight to their room and start enjoying their hotel experience. From the hotel app guests have information at their fingertips; from concierge services toor spa treatment bookings and other in-app purchases. 
• Flexibility: Digital Keys include information such as expiry date and time and authorised access. The Digital Keys can be very easily reprogrammed if the guest extends their stay, re-rooms or books a facility such as the hotel spa. Providing them with the access they need without any hassle.
• Cost and time efficiency: Hotels save costs of producing and sanitising plastic cards. With fewer guests using the reception, they can operate with less staff and potentially without the need of a 24/7 manned  front desk.
• Up-selling opportunities: When Digital Keys are embedded into a guest app, hotels can present real-time and personalised offers on room service or spa treatments.
• Reporting: Retrieve full audit trails for new requirements such as contracting, and  visibility of actual and attempted access.
• Insights:  Having Digital Keys integrated in guest apps give hotels valuable data on the behavior, preferences and lifecycle of the guest, making it easier to optimize their hotel experience.   

How to select the best digital key for your hotel?

For you to be able to get most out of integrating Digital Keys with your guest app you need to be aware of the following points when selecting the right access control partner for your hotel experience:

• Compatibility: Not all PMS providers integrate with mobile guest apps. Be sure to investigate whether your preferred PMS provider is able to integrate encrypted Digital Keys and push them to the guest experience app.
• Compatible Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) access points: Look for providers who offer a ‘turnkey’ solution that can be used for every access point:from guest to back-of-house. Some hotels, especially those that host a mix of residential and commercial are equipped with seperate systems. For instance one for the guest rooms and another for the base building (including, for example, lifts and car parks), which could turn out to be inefficient and cost increasing. Contact our Salto professionals to inform you about the possibilities for your business.
• Smart wireless locks: Not all access points need to be wired. Wireless on-line and real-time locking reduces installation costs. Find your ideal lock in the Salto lock configurator.

The future of the  hospitality sector looks promising again after a period of setbacks. Operators are harnessing the power of Digital Keys to keep their (returning) visitors feel safe and secure. 

Want to elevate your hotel guest experience? Contact the Salto team here, our professionals are more than pleased to guide you in your process of finding the perfect access control fit for your hotel.

The SALTO XS4 One Deadlatch is the perfect smart lock for retail storefronts and commercial buildings with aluminum-framed glass doors.

The SALTO XS4 One Deadlatch is a revolutionary stand-alone electronic lock thanks largely to the level of technology packed inside that brings together the convenience of an offline point – easy installation and no wires – with virtually the same kind of power and performance of an online point. This innovation brings electronic access control and convenience to a number of retail and commercial operations that commonly use aluminum-framed glass doors that previously had limited options for electronic locks.