Veteran Storage Operators Experience Success with INSOMNIAC® 770
PHOENIX, Arizona – September 28, 2009 – Today OpenTech Alliance, Inc, announced that Barth Storage of Kenosha, Wisconsin has installed their first INSOMNIAC 770. During the past 5 months they have rented 60 units and processed 536 payments for a total of $59,476. Barth Storage has been a family owned and operated business for 3 decades. Ron and Kathy Barth started the business and eventually their three daughters Lisa Barth-Chiappetta, Chris Soto, and Debbie Wolf joined them. They built Kenosha’s first self storage property and now operate 3 properties in the area.
The Barth Storage facility where the kiosk is installed has 675 units, office hours of Monday through Saturday from 8:30am to 5:30pm, and an on-site manager. The manager rarely rents units at the office counter instead she walks each new prospect to the kiosk and lets them move through the rental process at their own pace. Typically the process is finished in much less time than it takes to complete the paperwork at the counter. The self service kiosk provides consumers the freedom to compare units and pricing without having to ask the manager lots of questions, so they feel more in control and do not get intimidated or embarrassed. Barth also requires all cash transactions go through the kiosk which has eliminated any disputes related to cash payments being left in a drop box or with the manager. With the kiosk recording all cash that comes into the facility the chance for internal theft is eliminated as well.
Lisa, a member of the Self Storage Association Broad of Directors, President of the Wisconsin Self Storage Association, and principal of Barth Storage commented, “We have been watching closely to what OpenTech has been doing since they came on the scene. After reviewing the kiosk usage data they published early this year and talking to other kiosk customers, we decided it was time to try one. We looked at each model and settled on the 770 because it had all the security features of the more expensive models, but cost less to purchase and operate. In just the first 5 months we have found it to be a real value to our business. Even though not all of our customer base is computer savvy, they still like the kiosk and find it simple to use. The most common question I get from customers is, ‘Why is the girl on the kiosk named Megan and not Lisa?’ I tell them it is a bug in the software.”
Click here to view Lisa talk about the kiosk in her own words.
The kiosk is conveniently located outside the front door in a glass vestibule which keeps the kiosk users warm and dry during Wisconsin winter weather. When someone approaches the front door, Megan the animated on screen assistant, greets the customer in either English or Spanish and helps them rent a unit or make a payment. Customers can pay their rent 24 hours a day with cash, check, or credit card and they are always offered a receipt either printed or emailed to them.
OpenTech Alliance, Inc. is the leading developer of innovative self-storage solutions. The company products and services include 6 models of INSOMNIAC Kiosks ranging from $9,000 to $18,000, INSOMNIAC Live! call center services and the INSOMNIAC Self Storage Network for online storage reservations. OpenTech products and services improve customer convenience, reduce operating costs and increase revenues for self-storage facilities. For more information or to see an online demo, please visit www.opentechalliance.com or call (602) 749-9370.
Press Contact:
OpenTech Alliance, Inc.
(602) 749-9370
marketing@opentechalliance.com
NOTE TO EDITORS: OpenTech Alliance, the OpenTech logo and INSOMNIAC are trademarks of OpenTech Alliance, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. INSOMNIAC is protected by U.S. patent number 5,946,660.
