How to Stay Competitive in Self Storage & Meet Consumer Demand

stay competitive in Self Storage

How to Keep Your Self Storage Facility Competitive and Meet Consumer Demand

A mere 50 years ago, when disco was hot and shows like Sonny and Cher and The Partridge Family dominated our television screens, self-storage was considered a “mom and pop” operation. Facilities were small with dreary, unpretentious buildings and very little competition. The extensive variety of security and amenities available in today’s self-storage facilities weren’t even on the drawing board.

Fast forward to the present, and you’ll observe a major transition. There are an estimated 50,000 facilities in the U.S.; many offering state-of-the-art security and conveniences. Technology has become an industry standard, self-storage is growing at a phenomenal rate, and competition is fierce.

If today’s self-storage operators want to remain competitive, then it’s vital that they’re quick to embrace the latest technology features. The younger generation; as well as more and more older generations, expect a technology-rich and responsive experience. The industry must evolve to meet the demand.

Self-storage is shifting to “smart” ways to store your belongings. High-tech systems offer unprecedented levels of convenience and security. They can do everything from record who enters and leaves the property to letting customers access their units with an app on their smartphones.

Online rental, mobile technologies, and smart-entry cloud-based technology can be integrated with current software to streamline tenant services. Tenants can make a payment and send a message to a manager in the same app. Smart entry and smart storage units can be easily integrated as part of a complete security system.

Owners and operators need the convenience of automated systems. This allows them to maximize revenue; and customers demand the simplicity of technology-based services.

XPS Solutions offers an exceptional tenant experience that wins new tenants and keeps them longer.

Consumers Demand More

If you look back a few years, unmanned self-storage facilities were not even on the radar. An onsite manager was always the best way to handle day-to-day operations. People leased storage by making a phone call or walking into the local facility. Advancements in technology made it possible for owners and operators to oversee their businesses with more efficiency and less frustration.

As technology becomes the industry standard, storage companies can now expand their services to meet customer demand. Offering a higher level of convenience and automation such as; online account management, reservations, and rentals; is providing seamless service for consumers and fewer missed opportunities for operators.

XPS Solutions provides a variety of solutions to solve your unmanned storage puzzle, including; Call Center Services, the MyStorPal Mobile App, and 24/7 Pay by Phone. This not only gives consumers the automation they want, but managers the time they need to focus on store-level tasks and customer service.

One of the paramount XPS Solutions tools that benefit both managers and prospective customers is RentUp. RentUp offers consumers almost effortless simplicity when it comes to renting self-storage.

For example; what could be more convenient for a prospective tenant than sitting in his or her home office and enjoying a cup of coffee while renting a storage unit? What could be better for an owner than never missing an opportunity to lease a unit to a prospective tenant due to a missed call or a busy schedule? RentUp by XPS is a win for everybody.

Rent a Self Storage Unit Over the Phone with RentUp

A prospect’s research-to-lease process can take anywhere from a month to less than a day. Enabling your prospects to rent a storage unit directly over the phone with RentUp is a convenient, time-saving alternative that most prospective customers not only appreciate but expect. When speaking to an XPS agent, the customer can select their unit, e-sign the lease and rent self-storage without visiting your office.

Every business is about the bottom line, and self-storage is no different. RentUp by XPS integrates directly with many of the leading SMS (software management systems) to impact your occupancy and increase your revenue. With 104 hours of weekly phone coverage, our well-trained team can view your inventory, pricing, and promotions, take payments, and even send the contract, saving you time and boosting your bottom line.

If your facility is unmanned, RentUp gives you the time to focus on your upkeep and maintenance needs. On the other hand, if your business is covered by onsite staff, RentUp reduces live calls and prevents missed opportunities.

Consumers love the convenience of renting now, and owners/operators couldn’t be happier, especially if their facilities are unmanned 7 days a week. Enabling them to rent over the phone enables a great customer experience, and it will pay off in an increase to your bottom line.

Along with RentUp, XPS features other exceptional tenant solutions for remote operators:

Engage Your Tenants with the MyStorPal Mobile App

If you want to engage tenants and cultivate customer loyalty and retention, our best-in-class MyStorPal mobile app is your solution. Tenants can view their accounts, make payments, get their gate access code, and upload inventory photos and descriptions at no cost to them. Live call volume is reduced by 26% allowing your staff to focus on driving revenue. If your tenants and prospects need a personal connection, live chat and phone calls are one click away.

Reduce Calls With 24/7 Pay by Phone

With 24/7 Pay by Phone, you can reduce your payment call volume by 55%. This service integrates with many of the leading software management systems, and customers can check their balance as well as facility details. As an added benefit, 24/7 Pay by Phone supports staff efforts with reservations and payments.

Never Miss a Call Again with Call Center Services

Of the number of monthly calls that self-storage facilities miss, 80% are tenant-related and 20% are prospect-related. Missing facility calls frustrates your tenants and prevents you from increasing revenue. With XPS Call Center Services, you’ll never miss a call, and you’ll keep your tenants satisfied.

XPS Delivers the Solutions You Need

XPS knows that self-storage isn’t as simple as it was in the past. In today’s fast-paced landscape, technological advancements will continue to play a significant role and become the industry standard. From self-serve kiosks to online rentals, to mobile apps, prospective customers are going to demand the convenience that technology brings to the self-storage experience.

XPS has been positively impacting the self-storage industry since 2000 when they pioneered the first call center solely for independent self-storage operators. Since then they have capitalized on the need for the self-storage industry to evolve along with consumer demand for simplicity, convenience, and reliability.

If you want to keep your customers happy and your company ahead of the curve, let XPS Solutions help you integrate technology-based systems into your business toolkit.

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