In times of Covid-19, Londonist is aware that it has a responsibility towards our students and partners from around the globe.
We have, like everyone, had to adapt quickly to changing events and rules and we are proud of the way we have been able to help our students, partners and staff in these times. But how has Londonist helped?
“Communication was key during the early stages in particular”
NHS workers:
Those at the front line are to be supported and assisted whilst we rely on them to carry out their essential duties. We have booked NHS staff and key workers into our London locations, such as Camden and Kentish Town, so they can stay safely away from their families and be close to their work, easing their load a little.
Our partners:
Londonist has an extensive network of fantastic agents around the globe and communication was key during the early stages in particular. Ensuring their clients, our students, were safe was paramount and keeping our agents in touch with the happenings has helped smooth the processes.
Our current students:
We are renowned for caring for our students personally, giving the best student experience possible, and that didn’t change during the pandemic.
We personally contacted every single student: firstly to ensure their safety, see if they had returned home or were still in residence and to offer help and support during the confusion at the time. It can be so daunting for overseas students, and our team have huge empathy with that and wide experience of assisting international students, so we could ease it all for them.
Once it was safe to do so, our caring operations team visited the students in their residences (safely!) to check in on them.
For those students that wanted to return home but were left with all of their belongings, we were happy to be able to offer our storage space to them at half rate so they didn’t have to drag it all back. They can rest in the knowledge it’s all safe and secure.
We have also given credits to those that wanted to rebook for 2020/2021 so they aren’t out of pocket.
New students:
Plans are still being made all over the world for overseas education, and whilst our potential students can’t visit us in person due to lockdown restrictions, we have found that our VR tours have been invaluable. They were always great virtual reality tours, but they have really come into their own to show potential students our properties, rooms and facilities (and a tour around London’s skyline!) safely, from their own sofas.
“We have found that our VR tours have been invaluable”
We have added as many offers as we are able, too. Such as the buy-4-weeks-get-2-free and summer 50% off rates. Plus, as there has been uncertainty around university placements, we introduced a book-now-pay-later scheme to give added peace of mind for those unsure of where they would be.
Londonist’s main goal, though, is to be available and helpful to our students and partners. We are at the end of the ‘phone (or text, or WhatsApp) to help with enquiries, sort out issues and offer support.
Being available and working with students and agents to find the best solutions for their student accommodation needs has always been our aim, and I am incredibly proud of the entire team who have worked tirelessly to help in such uncertain times.”
Asim Erturk is the managing director of Londonist DMC student accommodation agency. Having relocated to London in his student years, Asim knows understands the needs of international students from his own experience. Under his management, Londonist grew into a leading student accommodation agency, and his strong background in marketing and management enabled Londonist DMC to open two more offices worldwide.
