Landlords in New York have found yet another way to skimp and save money by using a Virtual Doorman. Instead of paying a doorman to work on premises, a Virtual Doorman operates in a remote location. Using cameras he is able to see who is coming in and out of the buildings, talk to the people, grant them access and accept packages all from behind a computer somewhere far away. Of course for landlords this is great news because it is a lot more affordable than a regular doorman, and many residents who live in buildings with Virtual Doormans are even saying good things about the service. Many claim that they have developed a relationship verbally with their doorman even though they aren’t physically there. Just don’t expect them to hold the door for you. Personally we aren’t too crazy about this whole idea. It seems that one operator (virtual doorman) can be in charge of watching 14 entrances at once, and we think that they could easily miss something that way. (Source: The New York Times)