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5 Tips For Making Your Storage Business More Tech-Savvy

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There was a time when consumers looked at yellow pages to find a storage facility and immediately booked any vacant box. However, like all sectors, technology has revamped self-storage. Consumers today want an advanced, modern, and convenient facility to work with. Technology is a bridge that connects you to your consumers. If you wish to get an influx of customers booking and renting spaces, don’t resist the changes you can add to your enterprise.

Here are some tech-based advancements you can look towards:

1. Run an online auction

The famous 2010 reality TV show Storage Wars is an excellent glimpse into storage auctions. However, unlike on the program, you’re not selling material possessions left behind in storage facilities; instead, you want to headline units that go ignored. Often there are storage spaces that a customer may have abandoned, or it is in a corner your consumers often forget. As a result, you have an empty storage unit that needs to get rented out. Incentivizing your consumers is all about appealing to them in innovative ways. Auctions are exciting and help clients get an item for a suitable price. You can work with a storage unit the same way.

By joining online storage auctions, you can go neck to neck against other storage companies to display your unit proudly. Bidding is a fast way to give your storage unit the visibility it needs while selling it reasonably. An online auction allows you to have consumers from everywhere. So instead of focusing on a narrow demographic, more consumers in your vicinity can bid for a spot. This makes you good cash and helps you get rid of units that were not getting used by other customers.

2. Build a website

Consumers look for services online. No matter how attractive your facility is, you’ll remain an unknown entity if there is no website. Part of your storage facility showcases your consumers what services you offer. A website displays all the best features of your business, which can help consumers decide whether to rent with you or not. By using 3D virtual tours, you can show around the storage unit without needing the consumer to be there physically. This gives them an idea of how well looked after your spaces are. Augmented reality allows consumers to interact with a storage unit from their phone. They can measure, deduce and evaluate if your storage space is what they’re looking for.

A website also displays essential information about your location and contact details and if you have social media pages that link consumers to them. You can also post deals, discounts, and special prices for new and old consumers. A highly commercialized website such as this costs money. But it’s worth having a digitized and modern website in the long run.

3. Invest in kiosks

Driving to and from a storage unit is a hassle. However, your clients cannot book a space alone, fill it with their things and ignore it. They all want to keep tabs on the activity and ensure no part of their storage unit is getting distrusted.

A kiosk is a one-stop solution, whether maintaining the unit or monitoring security. Once customers purchase a spot in your renting business, you should connect your clients with a relevant access control application. This kiosk allows clients to monitor their unit by tapping into an installed security camera and having a log on those who visited their storage. If it is a temperature-controlled facility, the thermostat is available for them.

Your clients can also make timely payments over the kiosk. The consumer market today is all about accessibility and convenience. The more you provide them with shortcuts to get the privileges they want, the more clients will work with you.

4. Work on security details

Traditional locks and keys are outdated. Clients watch a better security feature that is impenetrable. Touch screen lock access panels that are also remotely controlled are your best bet. These work through biometric information such as a fingerprint scan or require a password. So anytime your client visits their storage unit, they can access the space by scanning their finger or unlock the door for someone else through the app by entering the correct password. As a result, their possessions stay safe, and you reduce the margin of breaking. But the only factor you need to worry about is updating the software and running a patch management scan. This prevents any hacking attempts to subside this online security.

5. Digitally market your brand

Advertisements are no longer limited to billboards and newspapers. You can quickly spread the word about your business by going into online spaces and creating a digital profile for yourself. Self-storage spaces can also use blogs. These can include the benefits of a self-storage unit and what you can do with yours.

You may even start a social media page for yourself and encourage a famous influencer to pose with your storage unit. Try going online on forums and answering questions about self-storage while linking yours to the comment for free publicity.

Conclusion

Consumers still need storage facilities for their goods. However, showcasing your company with technology in the picture is much easier. An online auction can help you sell units at a reasonable price. You should also look into designing a website that captures all the facilities you offer along with a touch of technology in the form of a virtual tour.

Give your clients autonomy through self-accessed kiosks so they can maintain their unit without needing to come to you consistently. You also can’t bypass security measures and go for touch panels since they can also get controlled remotely. Finally, take advantage of this growing technology and market your company online. Add to the hype by writing and discussing your storage units as much as possible.

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