From AI to Pest Control: The surprising tech transforming Student Housing with Scott Manning - 1036

🎙️Episode Summary: Recorded live from the OPTECH conference floor, host Wes Deese sits down with Scott Manning, SVP of Operations at Article Student Living, to discuss his key takeaways from this year's conference. With more than 23 years of experience in student housing and nearly a decade at Article Student Living, Scott shares how OPTECH provides a valuable opportunity to evaluate vendors, explore emerging technologies, and support the company's ongoing RFP process. The conversation covers the growing role of AI, virtual tours, and technology integrations across property operations, as well as the importance of maintaining strong vendor partnerships. Scott also discusses an unexpected operational challenge involving pest management and explains how even niche service providers are increasingly leveraging technology to improve efficiency and integration. The episode concludes with reflections on the relationships and industry connections that continue to make OPTECH a meaningful event year after year.   ⏱️Episode Timestamps 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:00:20 – Scott Manning's Background 00:00:45 – Initial OPTECH Takeaways 00:01:00 – Vendor Evaluation & RFP Process 00:01:35 – Technologies Under Review 00:01:55 – Looking Beyond Traditional PropTech 00:02:10 – Pest Management Technology & Integration 00:02:40 – Surprises and Industry Reflections 00:03:00 – The Networking Value of OPTECH 00:03:25 – Closing Remarks   🤝Sponsor Spotlight: Allegion’s Campus-to-Community Student Living solution helps bridge the gap between on-campus and off-campus student living by allowing students to use a singular mobile credential experience for seamless property access. The solution is designed to improve the resident experience while also reducing lockouts, improving turnover efficiency, and supporting stronger operational performance for property teams. Learn more about Allegion and the Campus-to-Community Student Living solution here: https://lp.allegion.com/student-housing.html   🔗Sources & References Mentioned: 2026 OPTECH https://rettc.org/events/optech-2026 Student Housing Insight Events Page https://www.studenthousinginsight.com/events