Imagine ordering dinner or a package online, tracking your delivery in real time, and then watching the app say "delivery attempted"—but your phone never rings and the driver is stuck outside the locked building door. This invisible crisis is happening in one out of every five apartment deliveries. With over 70 million packages delivered daily in the US alone, the old-fashioned apartment building buzzer systems and phone intercom systems were simply never designed to handle today's delivery volume and convenience expectations. Residents miss orders, delivery drivers waste time, and property managers face mounting complaints and security risks.
The problem is more than just an inconvenience—it impacts food safety, package security, and residents’ peace of mind. Broken buzzers, outdated intercoms, and locked gates create bottlenecks that frustrate everyone. Drivers can’t reach residents, packages are left outside vulnerable to theft, and lost deliveries lead to refunds or remakes, all while residents and property managers scramble to find workarounds.
With the rise of e-commerce and food delivery platforms like DoorDash, UberEats, Amazon, and FedEx, the pressure on traditional apartment entry systems has become unsustainable, making a painfully clear case for modern, smart buzzer solutions.
At busy meal times, it's common to find crowds of delivery drivers waiting outside an apartment lobby, unable to gain entry. Drivers buzz repeatedly or try calling residents, but the intercom often doesn’t work or rings the wrong unit. Frustrated, some drivers leave food at the front door unsecured or mark deliveries as undeliverable. Residents vent on forums about missing dinners they've paid for, and the stress of trying to run down multiple flights of stairs to let in couriers.
Broken buzzers are a constant complaint. Once they fail, deliveries rely entirely on residents being near the door or answering unexpected phone calls. For example, a resident preparing for a work call got no alert of a pizza delivery, resulting in a cold meal and a cancelled order. Meanwhile, "buzzer bombing" incidents—when pranksters or strangers ring every apartment bell aggressively—create harassment and insecurity. There's also the misuse of shared access codes, which circulate beyond intended users, creating security vulnerabilities.
Amazon, UPS, and FedEx drivers frequently find themselves locked out of gated complexes, which often only give permanent keys or fobs to residents. Delivery drivers without access must rely on residents or front-desk personnel. Property managers hand out universal codes or physical keys to couriers, but that leads to lost keys and the inability to track who has building access, increasing security risks.
Most apartment buzzers and phone intercom systems installed years ago use hardwired connections and lack remote control capabilities. They often malfunction from wear and tear, wiring issues, or software obsolescence. When they break, there is no simple backup—residents must physically reach the building or rely on phone calls, which drivers may not be able to place due to noisy environments or wrong dial tones.
Traditional systems provide no visibility or audit trail. Residents don’t know who entered or when, and shared lobby codes make it impossible to restrict access on a case-by-case basis. This lack of control leads to security breaches, such as tailgating or unauthorized visitors. Combined with the constant annoyance of buzzer bombing and prank calls, the old systems create an ongoing headache featuring both frustration and risk.
Additionally, legacy callboxes usually lack the ability to generate temporary or one-time access codes, which are crucial for delivery drivers needing short-term entry. Physical keys and fobs cannot easily be distributed to a rotating roster of couriers, forcing property managers to juggle cumbersome processes with little security or efficiency.
The building access industry is rapidly evolving with smart buzzer systems designed to address these longstanding problems. The latest solutions use cloud-based technology to give residents mobile control over their apartment entry system from anywhere. With mobile apps, residents can remotely buzz in delivery people or family members without rushing to the door.
A major trend is the use of temporary or single-use PIN codes that expire after use. These codes can be generated on demand and assigned to specific delivery drivers like DoorDash or Amazon, providing a secure and convenient way to let in couriers only for the time they need access. This solves both security and usability issues.
Smart systems also integrate video intercoms and real-time audit trails—capturing who entered, when, and with which code or credential. This transparent logging helps residents feel more secure and allows property managers to monitor building access efficiently. Furthermore, the industry is moving towards digital passes, QR codes, and app-driven workflows that improve accuracy and reduce contact points in deliveries.
EnterKey transforms any apartment buzzer into a smart buzzer system without the need for costly hardware upgrades. Through a simple app, residents gain remote buzzing ability from their smartphone—no matter where they are. This means deliveries can be accepted even when residents are not physically near their apartment entry system.
One of EnterKey’s standout features is the ability to generate temporary PIN codes. These single-use or time-limited codes allow delivery drivers to enter the building safely and securely during a predefined window. This eliminates the need for shared lobby codes or permanent keys, reducing security risks and misuse such as "buzzer bombing" or code sharing.
EnterKey also offers a free plan that includes up to 5 buzzes per month, letting residents experience smart buzzer benefits instantly and at zero cost—no building cooperation required. This unique feature helps adoption and breaks down barriers introduced by traditional lock-and-key systems.
The platform supports guest and roommate access sharing, so families and friends can easily coordinate building entry without juggling multiple physical keys or codes. All access actions are logged in real time, giving residents transparency and audit trails that were missing with legacy systems.
Designed with delivery challenges in mind, EnterKey integrates seamlessly with services like DoorDash, UberEats, Amazon, FedEx, and UPS. Delivery drivers get clear, secure, and temporary access, minimizing wait times and reducing missed deliveries, which means happier residents and less workload for property managers.
By eliminating the need for hardware upgrades—no rewiring, no new intercoms—EnterKey delivers a zero-cost solution to transform apartment entry systems efficiently. It combines convenience, security, and modern technology to solve the daily agony of delivery access failures, broken buzzers, and security worries.
Apartment buildings face an urgent crisis with traditional buzzers and intercoms failing to keep up with growing delivery demands and security needs. EnterKey provides a modern, simple, and secure answer to these challenges. With temporary PINs, remote access, and no hardware needed, EnterKey empowers residents to manage delivery access easily and safely.
By upgrading to a smart buzzer with EnterKey, buildings can reduce missed deliveries, improve security, and reset the standard for apartment entry systems in today's digital age.
Don’t let your apartment building buzzer keep failing your deliveries. Try EnterKey for free and see how easy it is to turn your old apartment buzzer into a smart access system. With 5 free buzzes every month and no hardware needed, you can start getting deliveries and guests inside smoothly right away.
Whether you’re a resident, property manager, or delivery driver, EnterKey simplifies access and reduces frustration—no more missed packages or locked doors. Sign up today and experience the convenience and peace of mind with EnterKey’s delivery-friendly design and secure, temporary PIN codes.
Make your apartment building buzzer work for you. Upgrade to EnterKey and never miss a delivery again.