There have been many discussions, especially over the last couple of years during the pandemic, about technology and especially contactless technology. However, understanding what all of this means for self storage technology for your business can be daunting.
Implementing the right tools is the best way to grow your business and meet the expectations of your customers. In fact, one could argue that digital strategy has quickly become one the most significant market differentiators. Following are some options that’ll help you get on the right path.
Any discussion about digital technology needs to start with your website. A well-designed and managed website is the cornerstone of all your marketing efforts. A responsive and fast site is indispensable because, at some point, almost every customer will interact with it.
How your website looks and functions reflects your self-storage business. To the customer or potential customer, it conveys something about quality. You should hold your website to a high standard of usability and visual appeal, just as you hold your physical property to a high standard of cleanliness and safety. Your website must load quickly and be responsive, meaning it’s just as appealing and usable when viewed on a mobile device as on a desktop computer.
A great bonus to having an attractive, functional website is you can showcase customer reviews, so prospects don’t have to track down your page on Google Maps or Yelp. Today’s consumers give reviews a lot of weight. Data suggests that 88 percent trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family.
Another reason to keep your website fresh and optimized is to help Google understand who you are and what you offer. Adding relevant content highlighting your features, benefits and service offerings will improve your search ranking. Think of your website as providing your online curb appeal. The better it is, the more rentals you’ll get.
When you’ve done all the hard work to lure self-storage prospects to your website, the last thing you want to do is lose them. Good lead-capture tools like pop-ups and discount sign-ups can act like an online manager to help generate leads and close sales. (Anthony 2021)
Think about it: If an interested customer walked into your office but weren’t ready to rent, you’d most likely ask for his name and email. You’d probably give him a brochure. Perhaps you’d even offer a discount if he were on the fence. The bottom line is that when a potential renter is in front of you, you’ll do everything to turn him into a paying customer. At the very least, you want to capture his contact information so you can follow up.
Savvy operators are adding smart pop-ups and sign-up forms to their websites so that when someone “stops by,” they can capture their information. They value every lead and contact because they know keeping potential customers in the queue helps maintain occupancy.
Next, customers need an easy way to rent self-storage units online. Contactless technology can elevate the buyer journey for your self-storage customers while giving employees more time to focus on other tasks. (Kerr, 2022)
The experience needs to be as seamless and frictionless as possible. If a prospect is ready to buy, having the ability to quickly get into unit is a huge persuader.
Many self-storage software programs now allow for online rentals. If you want to offer them as part of your business, you can build an application programming interface directly into your website or link out to an independent rental portal. Both solutions will allow customers to view inventory in real time and rent without the help of a human. Users can choose a unit, complete and sign the rental agreement, pay, and move in.
For facility operators, the benefits of online rentals are significant. First, they allow you to rent units 24/7. They also mean:
From the customer perspective, they allow for faster, easier rentals at any time of day with less health risk. They also provide price transparency.
Contactless technology allows self-storage customers to pay without touching any physical devices. Of course, there are online and recurring payments, which have been available for many years, but there are also EMV (Europay, Mastercard, Visa) payments, in which a chip embedded within the payment card allows for secure, contact-free transactions. In addition, there are mobile payment methods tied to digital wallets.
Each of these contactless methods use near-field communication, which allows the exchange of information between two electronic devices. As part of the process, payment methods are authenticated, which protects against fraudulent transactions.
Contactless payments are safer from a health and security perspective. They’re also fast and easy, reducing liability, physical interaction, paperwork and wait times while increasing convenience and customer satisfaction. Finally, they show the world that the self-storage industry is learning and improving.
Once a customer rents a unit using your website and online rental tools, there are still a few steps to take to get him/her moved in. The following tools will aid in that process and relieve your team of extra work, making life easier for the tenant.
Text messaging. Customers rarely ignore a text. Using a text message service to request reviews or send bill reminders is a great tool to use. You’ll need tenants’ permission to use it, but as long as you text wisely, you can expect to see good response rates.
Autopay. Autopay is a must-have. Whatever property-management software you use most likely includes an autopay feature that can automatically charge customers monthly. Offering this option and encouraging tenants to opt in is an easy way to avoid delinquencies and the hassle of tracking down late payments.
Account management. Another convenient way to save time and eliminate operational headaches is to give customers the opportunity to access and adjust their accounts through a digital dashboard. This means allowing your tenants to log in to change their billing, payment method, and other contact information.
Finding the right balance of technology is key for your self-storage business. It's imperative to decide what’s best for your location and customers. Some tenants may be comfortable with a fully automated experience, while others may want to interact in person.
Contactless technology has had an amazing impact on self-storage revenue. The rental process is now streamlined and available at any time of day or night, leading to much higher customer-conversion rates. But if you aren’t ready to embrace an automated business model, go for something in between.
Covid may have pushed many facility operators to adopt new practices, but the benefits go far beyond physical health. Self Storage technology is helping the industry shape a new path of convenience and effectiveness for customers.
Using the right tools within the scope of your business will make it easy for prospects to find you, rent a unit and enjoy a satisfying storage experience.
