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Every student housing tour has its natural attention-grabbers.
The resort-style pool. The expansive fitness center. The clubhouse prospective students can picture themselves spending time in after class.
But once move-in day is over, everyday life begins. And that’s when the most practical amenities become part of students’ routines, helping them print a paper before class, return an online order, ship a package home, or finish a presentation before a tight deadline.
At TENN, a community managed by Campus Apartments in Knoxville, Tennessee, convenience turned PrintWithMe into one of the property’s most-used amenities.
“I think it’s one of those amenities people know we have, but the benefits don’t really shine until students start living here and using it day to day,” said Marketing and Leasing Manager Joshua Yarbrough.
For Joshua, that’s what makes PrintWithMe different from other amenities at the property. The pool might catch students’ attention. The clubhouse might impress prospective residents. But once the semester is underway, it’s the printer students find themselves using over and over again.
Student expectations around printing have changed.
Years ago, packing for college meant squeezing a printer into an already overflowing car. But that’s far less common today. Between the cost of the printer itself, replacement ink, paper, and the limited space inside a student apartment, many students would much rather have reliable access to a printer than worry about owning one themselves.
Joshua sees that play out every semester at TENN.
“It’s a very great benefit for any apartment community catering to students or young professionals,” he said. “A lot of people don’t buy printers these days. Between the paper, the ink and the printer itself, it’s expensive. Unless there’s a reason someone needs to be printing all the time, having an amenity where you can print when you need to without having to store that in your space definitely makes a big difference.”
It’s easy to assume fewer student-owned printers means students are printing less. In reality, the opposite is true. Students still need syllabi, financial aid forms, presentations, research papers and the dozens of other documents that inevitably come with college life. The difference is they increasingly expect those printing needs to be met without buying, storing or maintaining a printer of their own.
That creates a unique challenge for student housing communities. Residents expect printing to be available whenever they need it, whether that’s before an early morning class or while finishing an assignment late at night.
But college life doesn’t revolve around leasing office hours, and neither should printing.
For TENN, the solution to make printing one less thing students had to think about was PrintWithMe.
Instead of asking residents to carve out space for a printer they’ll only use from time to time or leave the community every time they need to print something, TENN built the smarter, self-serve solution directly into everyday student life. Printing became another convenience waiting for students where they already lived, ready whenever they needed it.
Better yet, it already felt familiar because many residents already use PrintWithMe on the nearby university campus. So, moving into TENN doesn’t mean learning another platform or downloading another app. It’s simply a continuation of a printing experience they already know.
“We mention that we have PrintWithMe there…they’re pretty familiar with the system, so it’s an easy transition,” Joshua explained.
That familiarity benefits TENN staff as much as the students. Rather than introducing residents to an entirely new amenity after move-in, they’re simply pointing students toward a service many already know how to use.
Moving into a new apartment comes with plenty of adjustments. Figuring out how to print shouldn’t have to be one of them.
For Joshua, the success of PrintWithMe is measured by how often students use it after move-in.
“I think besides the gym, it’s probably one of our top-used amenities,” he said. “Students use it all the time, even for personal use.”
And it’s easy to see why PrintWithMe is one of the property’s most-used amenities.
Whether they’re sending a document from their apartment before heading to class, uploading a file between lectures, or stopping by the clubhouse on the way out the door, students know PrintWithMe will be ready when they are.
They can print from any device, pick up their documents in minutes, and move on with the rest of their day without wondering whether the printer is out of service, out of paper, or sitting behind a leasing office door with a “temporarily unavailable” sign taped to it.
That reliability creates a better experience for the on-site team, too.
Instead of answering printing questions, troubleshooting equipment, or stepping away from residents to deal with another maintenance request, the TENN team can spend more time building relationships with residents instead of managing another piece of equipment.
PrintWithMe’s remote monitoring, automated supply replenishment, and award-winning support team help keep the amenity running in the background.
“It’s a pretty hands-off system,” Joshua proclaimed. “The only time we really get involved is changing the ink or paper. You guys have been super good about sending things out quickly, and we’ve been super happy with PrintWithMe. The printer itself has been great.”
For Joshua, the combination of happy residents and minimal day-to-day management leaves little room for hesitation.
“Do it,” he said.
In student housing, the most successful amenities are the ones students never want to live without once the semester gets underway.
With PrintWithMe, students can print from any device, pick up their documents in minutes, and count on a printer that’s available when they need it, not just when the leasing office is open. All while remote monitoring, automated supply replenishment and award-winning support minimize the day-to-day management required from staff.
Joshua has watched that value reveal itself time and time again.
“Having that amenity onsite definitely helps us stand out,” he said. “Once people start living here, they realize the benefit of having it. It definitely makes people really appreciative that it’s there.”
If you’re rethinking your student housing amenity strategy, we’d love to show you what’s possible with PrintWithMe.
Interested in bringing WithMe amenities to your business? Please fill out the form!
