iQ are one of the UK’s leading providers of student living space and has over 66 sites across 27 towns and cities in the UK. Providing accommodation to over 28,000 students, iQ owns and operates most of the buildings, but also manages locations on behalf of Universities.
Our Involvement
Carlisle has provided Concierge Officers to eight iQ Student Accommodation buildings since 2014 – seven in London and one in Bath – with an additional three locations awarded to us in 2019 – two in Sheffield and one in York. Providing a Front of House Concierge service to a student accommodation facility is both challenging and rewarding – the former due to the many different types of incidents that present themselves over the course of any given day. As we cover nights and weekends, our officers are typically the only official representatives on site and therefore are required to undertake a varied role. As such, our service provision and training includes, but is not limited to the following:
• Front of house reception services
• Access control including key card management
• Post room management
• First aid provision
• Responding to fire alarm activation
• Fire marshal duties
• Anti-social behaviour and security patrols
• Reporting of incidents
• University liaison
• Pastoral care
• Vulnerable adult awareness
• Door battery changes.
Results and Benefits
Since obtaining the contract, we have seen the number of incidents continue to grow and our officers have had to continually adapt and enhance their skills. These incidents have ranged from dealing with a cardiac arrest (detailed below), to a nearby terrorist incident, fires within the accommodation, and other regular disturbances. Each and every time our teams have performed in an outstanding manner and this has been recognised on many occasions by our student tenants and building managers.
Training
To deal with these incidents and ensure that our iQ teams know exactly how to deal with whatever comes their way, we hold regular training sessions.
The below two images are from our most recent meetings, one on fire awareness and the other on customer service.
Felix Adowah, Raja Mahmood and Afuwape Oshikoya were our Superstar Winners for their heroic efforts when a male resident was in cardiac arrest in his room.
Raja called an ambulance and was informed they would have to perform CPR. Under the guidance of the ambulance team, Felix began CPR until the medics arrived and took over. The male was taken to hospital and made a full recovery. Following the incident, the client sent an email thanking Raja, Felix and Afuwape on their quick response and lifesaving CPR.