Self Storage Facilities: Top 5 Challenges They Face and How High-Performance Doors Handshake to Help

Ensuring dependable building security is a major concern for facility owners. They need to protect themselves and their customers from financial loss because not only is protection from financial loss a concern, but theft, vandalism, and break-ins can be damaging to the facility’s reputation. With many customers storing valuable or sensitive items, ensuring robust security measures such as surveillance cameras, gated access, alarms, and strong lighting is essential. Failure to maintain high security can result in legal issues and customer dissatisfaction. 

The Role of High-Performance Doors

For new construction and renovation, many self storage facilities are choosing to include drive-in vehicle access on the building.  Drive-in vehicle access takes security to a higher level because customers pull into the building through door openings designated for vehicles, the doors close securely, and customers can access their personal storage space in an enclosed area away from traffic and pedestrians. 

High-performance doors are the most dependable door available to ensure fast building access. Operated by high-efficiency, high-powered motors, high-performance doors open / close extremely fast (opening speeds up to 7 feet / second), so customers drive in quickly and the doors immediately close behind them, which prevents unauthorized access by passersby.  In addition, these doors in the rigid variety further enhance building security due to their solid, insulated, and secure door panels. These qualities provide better protection against unauthorized access, theft, and vandalism as compared to gates or slow rolling steel doors.

Hörmann’s rigid models, Speed-Guardian™ 5000 and Steel Ranger™ 9000 L are made of stiff, insulated panel slats that cannot be cut or pushed in. These models are available with a completely solid panel for maximum security or with a select number of vision or ventilation slats. 

In addition to fast operation and robust construction, activation methods play as much a part of building security as does operation speed and secure construction of the door itself. Activation methods such as keypads and card readers offer the best level of building security because access is limited to only those people who have been given a preprogrammed keypad access code or card.  With secure access in check, the chance of theft and vandalism is reduced.

With numerous facilities often located in the same market area, self storage is a highly competitive industry. Retaining customers and differentiating themselves from the competition is challenging and often difficult. It’s especially difficult because customers frequently move in and out based on short-term needs, leading to inconsistent occupancy rates. The logical way to stand out is by providing excellent service through competitive pricing, amenities, and convenience.

Think about how you feel about choosing among providers for a product or service; how do you choose? Now think about how you would decide on which self storage facility to choose if there are several located nearby. Like many decisions, appearance and convenience are major contributors.  While pricing is completely up to the individual location, high-performance doors help enhance building aesthetics and support convenient access for the very best possible customer experience. 

The Role of High-Performance Doors

• Speed: We discussed the benefits of high-speed operation under section 1. It goes without saying that sleek, modern high-performance doors are impressive.  The faster the door opens, the faster the customer can enter the building and access their storage unit, and this accessibility can be a differentiator between two companies if one has high-performance doors and the competitor uses slow, rolling doors on drive through access door openings.
• Customizations: A beautiful building will appeal to customers because it demonstrates that the owner cares about operating a safe, clean, reputable business.  Better building aesthetics are possible with customizations such as choice of solid doors or doors that incorporate clear or tinted vision slats and by choosing a custom color that complements the building. High-performance rigid doors like the Speed-Guardian™ 5000 and Steel Ranger™ 9000 L offer security, and custom RAL colors along with a choice of vision slats make it easy to match design specifications and boost aesthetics.  And, a state-of-the-art high-performance door matches the looks and operational efficiency of modern self storage facilities, which is one more way of sending a message to customers that the owner is reputable and cares about keeping customers happy.

Regular facility upkeep is critical for a positive customer experience. Storage units and the facility itself must be well-maintained, clean, and pest-free. Weather-related issues such as flooding or leaks as well as regular wear-and-tear issues that aren’t addressed when they occur, can result in a run-down appearance, ultimately lead to glaring maintenance problems that customers notice and view negatively. Consequently, failure to immediately address maintenance issues can lead to customer complaints and potential legal claims for damaged property.

The Role of High-Performance Doors

When it comes to facility maintenance, high-performance doors are designed to easily accommodate 100 or more cycles a day with minimal maintenance, which means the doors on the facility will be one less thing to worry about. With occasional cleaning and a preventative maintenance check by an authorized door company, high-performance doors will look and perform great for many years.

Self storage facilities have a lot going on day-to-day with managing operations such as tracking unit availability, managing payments, and keeping accurate records. Progressive owners invest in technology solutions like automated billing, online reservations, and access control systems that can help streamline operations. In addition, ensuring the technology is user-friendly for both staff and customers is essential for smooth operations.

The Role of High-Performance Doors

For facilities that have drive-in entrances / exits, choosing a dependable access door is critical for maintaining efficiency.  As part of the building’s access control system, high-performance doors are made with the latest door technology and they fit in with modern building operations so staff and customers can depend on them for efficient performance. 

Many self-storage businesses experience occupancy fluctuations related to seasonal demand. For example, people may need storage space during moving seasons (summer) or for storing holiday decorations, but demand may be lower during other times of the year. Managing occupancy during low-demand periods while maximizing profits during peak times can be a challenge. To help maintain occupancy during slower times, progressive facility management can help. 

Circle back to the first four bullet points in this article for inspiration that can help maintain the client base during the slow seasons. Successfully mastering those top four challenges will create a top-notch business environment that customers will notice. If customers feel comfortable that their possessions are secure, they will be more likely to extend their stay, which may possibly boost occupancy during those quiet times.

If you work in or with the self storage industry, let us know how you face these industry challenges. And, if you operate a drive-in facility, we’re interested in hearing how you manage building access.

For more information about the self storage industry, visit: https://www.selfstorage.org/