E-commerce has been on the rise for years. In fact, in 2020, e-commerce grew by a whopping 32.4% just in the US. The self-storage industry is no exception to this digital shift. If we think back to the beginning of the COVID 19 health crisis, self-storage operators around the world saw a massive surge in online usage. Between quarantining, shutdowns and social distancing, the need for e-commerce transactions and contactless experiences for many businesses, including the self-storage industry, arose. This experience led to many storage operators implementing digital practices like online rentals, digital lease agreements, insurance signups and much more.
As the self-storage industry continues to modernize and become more dependent on technology, management software and the considerations it brings become increasingly important when budgeting and planning for your self-storage business. In the not too distant past, running a facility was largely a manual process with pencil and paper ledgers. When you had a problem with billing or customer records, the staff on-site or owners were responsible to solve the issue and find the best solution going forward.
When you choose to use management software, some of that ability to directly control the situation is removed and placed with a trusted partner. Of course, the point of management software is to be a net positive for your business and the gains should far outweigh any inconveniences you may encounter. But what should you expect and plan for when you put management software in place? Let’s review some points to turn your experience shifting to digital practices into something easy and comfortable.
Match Your Business’ Needs
Firstly, choose the management software that fits your business and your unique needs. As self-storage operators, there are more choices to fill business needs than ever before. Recent growth in the market has also fueled expansion and growth in the management software industry. But each option available might not be the best fit for you. To select the best management software, consider your business needs.
Are you managing a single facility or are you managing dozens? Does your staff value simplicity, or do you need the most comprehensive feature set available?
Make a list of your company’s must-haves. This will help you narrow down your choice and find the software that best fits your needs. By identifying your needs and values first, choosing the platform and services to run your business will be a much easier decision.
Research Integrations
Management software is only the first step in your journey to digitalization. After narrowing down the software to manage your facility, the next step is to look into compatible integrations. As a self-storage facility, it’s increasingly more important to offer contactless rentals. This highlights the need for specific facility features that aid the contactless process, such as digital tenant insurance and access control. Many self-storage management software options don’t have the capabilities for these services but instead, offer integrations that allow the programs to work together. However, it’s important to keep in mind that not all programs and software work together. It’s important to research the needs of your facility and choose the software that will work seamlessly for you.
After you’ve considered your business’s needs and researched integrations to further narrow down your choice of facility management software, you’re one step closer to taking on this new digital world within the self-storage industry.