Smart technology saves time for self storage owners, managers, and customers alike.
When weighing the benefits of a smart self storage security system, there’s more to consider than just the added security. It creates a more attractive facility for customers, it can generate revenue, and it can save time for everyone involved.
There are ways that modern self storage security software can improve your business beyond reinforcing your storage units against break-ins.
Artificial intelligence? Robots? Algorithms? What does smart mean when it comes to self storage security software and hardware?
At its core, smart technology is network-connected technology that communicates with other network devices and allows you to control and analyze the system digitally.
That might sound kind of complicated if you’re not a techy person, though, right?
In a practical sense, smart technology is a term used to talk about devices that are connected to the internet and can be controlled via apps, voice commands, and so on.
No matter its original meaning, often it is very simply referring to items that have evolved beyond their original forms (from our perspectives) to be more interactive. It’s your Alexa that processes your voice commands and searches the internet at your request. It’s the smart bulbs in your home that you can turn on and off with an app (or with that Alexa!)
It’s the electronic locks that can be accessed via an app, or the cameras and motion sensors that alert you to someone being detected and allow you to pull up a feed on your phone or home computer.
Smart technology (and other security-related software and systems) can go a long way toward improving your self storage facility.
We’re not just talking about the security benefits alone, though!
When we talk about the benefits of smart technology, it’s actually important to discuss how it can drive revenue and save time for you, your managers, and even your customers.
That’s right—less work, not more! I know it can be a bit daunting and feel like a lot of extra work to put these systems in place, but the benefits far outweigh the burden of setting up and learning.
When it comes to running a self storage facility, there are a lot of things an owner or operator has to keep track of.
Depending on how directly you handle the facility versus having managers that run it for you, you could be doing everything from checking on triggered alarms in the middle of the night to walking the halls during the day and overlocking units.
Well, the good news is that managers and owners can benefit from smart technology and use it to save time!
Smart security systems with remote-access camera feeds, two-way communication capabilities, and integrated motion sensors, alarms, and access control can keep you from ever having to step foot on your property to have a complete picture of what is going on. In fact, they allow you to respond without having to get out of bed in most cases!
Imagine being woken up in the middle of the night because an alarm is going off at your self storage facility. In this example, we’re assuming you have a security system that will even alert you at home rather than making you wait to find out the next morning on-site. Now that you’ve woken up, your only real option is to call the police, get dressed, and head on over to your self storage facility.
With a smart integrated security system, including modern security software and hardware, you could have just brought it all up on your phone to see what was going on. This technology allows you to know which doors have been accessed, what floors or aisles have motion at the moment, and more. With the right camera system, you can even pull up your camera feed in that part of your facility and directly talk to anyone there.
Overlocking units is a time-consuming task. In fact, research shows that upwards of 14% of units go into overlock at some point. This can take up to ten hours of work a week for the average manager or owner just checking and overlocking units!
Here’s another area where smart technology can save you time, and for this one, it only really takes smart locks and the appropriate self storage software.
With smart locks—locks that you can control digitally and that don’t require physical keys for entry—you can overlock a unit from virtually anywhere that has internet access. You can even automate the overlocking process based on account status.
You can probably think of the obvious ways smart technology benefits your customers, right? You know what we mean: peace of mind knowing the facility is more secure.
Let’s talk about a less obvious way smart, integrated security software helps your customer: Convenience and time-saving.
With the right security system, your customers (and you) are alerted the moment anyone enters their self storage unit—even if it’s not through the door. They can check their phone and see the interior of their storage unit through a camera feed at any time, even if there’s no security alert, allowing them to check their unit without needing to make physical visits to your facility.
When your customer does visit your facility? They can access the gate without needing to worry about keys or remembering and entering codes.
In fact, did you know that some smart access control systems even allow the gate and the units to talk? True to the idea of smart technology working in integrated ways to make life easier, the right access control software will do just that.
Imagine: Your customer gets to the gate and opens it with their app. They go towards their unit, and as they approach it, the unit already knows they’re on the way due to the gate access. And if your tenant never accesses the gate? Well, that’s a red flag if the unit is accessed. The unit knows the tenant never entered the facility—at least not by using their unique access at the gate.
When you think about advanced security systems, you should recognize that they’re a selling point beyond just the security they add.
Sell your facility, and do it by explaining how easy and convenient life is with these advanced smart security systems. After all, convenience is one of the few factors that can rival or win out against even security and price when it comes to what customers are looking for.
Facilities across the country are experiencing historic highs in occupancy. Now more than ever, this is the perfect time to see how you can set yourself apart from the competition, whether that’s with a high-performing website or state-of-the-art security.
Generate more revenue during this peak in demand, and reinforce your self storage business against a future where the self storage supply finally overtakes demand.
Find out more about running your facility with these posts!
At StoragePug, we build self storage websites that make it easy for new customers to find you and easy for them to rent from you.
