Smart Locks Saved Over 50,000 Key Handovers During Peak Quarter

View and Move-in Without Receiving Keys Contributed to Slimmer Operation

May 9, 2024
Leopalace21

Leopalace21 Corporation (headquarters: Nakano-ku, Tokyo, Japan; President and CEO: Bunya Miyao; “the Company”) announced that it saved approximately 58,000 key handovers*¹ during the peak quarter*² of 2024 as a result of utilizing Bitkey Inc.’s (headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Representative Director, President and CEO: Masanori Hotsuki; “Bitkey”) homehub, a connected platform technology, combined with smart locks.
The number of apartment units with smart lock exceeded 250,000 which saved approximately 140,000 work hours during the fiscal year 2023. It led to slimmer operation such as leasing sales office integration*³ from 109 to 72.

• *¹ Cases are counted when the tenants move in and out and when restoration workers clean the room after tenant’s move-out.
• *² From January 1 to March 31, 2024
• *³ Notice Concerning Integrating Leasing Sales Offices as Part of DX Promotion
https://www.leopalace21.co.jp/english/news/2023/0929.html

▪Issues related to conventional lock and key

The Company used to take an average of 42 minutes per apartment unit for key-related jobs, such as changing the lock and keys after tenant's move-out, making new keys, handing over keys before tenants’ move-in, as well as handing over the key to real estate agents and customers for viewing , and restoring the apartment unit after tenants’ move-out. In addition, it involved mailing costs and other associated costs since keys had to be delivered by post between the leasing sales offices.

In the case of an apartment unit with a conventional lock and key, tenants, real estate agents, and restoration workers were required to stop by the leasing sales office for receiving the keys, and tenants had to schedule the appointments within the business hours. In addition, in case an apartment is located remotely from the responsible leasing sales office, it can take up to 4 hours*⁴ to make the round trip.
*⁴ Example of a sales office in Hokkaido


＜Key receipt process for apartment without smart lock＞

▪Steps to move in apartment units with smart locks

For an apartment unit with smart lock, an invitation email is sent to a tenant the day before they move in. All they have to do is create a homehub app account from the URL in the email to receive a digital key, which they can use from the day they move in. The tenant does not need to stop by the leasing sales office to pick up their keys.
＜Key receipt process for apartment with smart lock＞

▪Outlook

The Company will continue to expand the installation of smart locks with the aim of further improving operational efficiency and customer convenience. The Company will also work to develop services and functions that utilize smart locks to create new value and provide more comfortable homes for the customers.

▪Company Profile

Company Name	Bitkey Inc.
Established	May 16, 2018
Address	9F Tokyo Square Garden 3-1-1, Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0031, Japan
Representative	Masanori Hotsuki, Representative Director, President and CEO
Website	https://bitkey.co.jp/(Japanese language only)

Company Name	Leopalace21 Corporation
Established	August 17, 1973
Head Office	2-54-11 Honcho, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164-8622
Representative	Bunya Miyao, President and CEO
Website	https://www.leopalace21.co.jp/english