PHOENIX, Arizona – March 23rd, 2013 –OpenTech Alliance, Inc. today announced that the top 100 performing facilities with less than 300 units rented an average of 6 new units a month in 2012 thru their INSOMNIAC® bilingual kiosk, while the top 100 performing kiosks overall rented an average of 12 units a month in the same year. Further analysis of data used to create the 2012 Self Service Whitepaper highlighted this performance of independent operators.
Despite a lower budget, shorter office hours and lack of a big corporate brand, many independents continue to compete effectively with the use of self service kiosks. Three operators stole the show in 2012; Frontier Self Storage in Adkins Texas, Pak-A-Nut Self Storage in Bellingham Washington and Self Assured Storage out of Omaha Nebraska, averaging over 20 rentals monthly at their kiosks.
Brandon Rose, owner of Frontier Self Storage employs a facility manager to answer phones, make appointments and show units from 8:00am to noon. Management is also on call to assist tenants 24-7 when needed. Rose has learned much from his tenants without ever hearing a word. Kiosk transaction data showed that over ½ of the facility’s new rentals and payments are processed through the kiosk between 7:00pm and 7:00am. “We’re in the relationship business but interaction with customers needs to be when they want it; if they want it. The majority of our tenants do not require repeated contact and have a great feel for the convenience of our self service kiosk,” said Rose.
Self Assured Storage also employs a part time manager, while the Pak-A-Nut Self Storage property is fully automated and operated without an on-site manager. Seven years ago, Pak-A-Nut Self Storage purchased the INSOMNIAC kiosk and opened their doors as one of the first facilities to be operated from a remote location. Owners Jeff & Charlot Harman answer the phone and oversee the facility with help of a state-of-art security & surveillance system and the use of Smartphone’s. When their customers use the kiosk they can reach the Harman’s with a simple click of a button anytime they need assistance. “The definition of convenient is different for every tenant. We pride ourselves in providing a rental, payment and access experience that is convenient for every tenant. Our kiosk provides this level of convenience 24-7,” said Charlot.
As a courtesy to the entire self storage industry, Jeff & Charlot and Brandon have extended their welcome to connect with independent owners, corporate properties, facility managers and kiosk users alike to share best practices moving forward (contact phone and email are contained in the website links above).
About OpenTech Alliance, Inc. About OpenTech Alliance, Inc.: A pioneer in self storage automation, OpenTech Alliance is the leading developer of innovative self service solutions for the self storage industry. Their trail was blazed by offering facilities 24 hour self service automation through a complete line of INSOMNIAC™ Kiosks. Today, the innovation continues with a full range of self service rental solutions that include; Self Storage Cloud Services, INSOMNIAC Live! Call Center, INSOMNIAC Online web & mobile applications, LiveAgent! software products and the INSOMNIAC ILock system. OpenTech products and services increase revenues, reduce operating costs and improve customer convenience for self storage businesses. For more information please click OpenTechAlliance.com or call an OpenTech Business Development Manager at (602) 749-9370.
Press Contact:
Mike Sawyer, Director of Marketing
OpenTech Alliance, Inc.
(602) 324-8655.
msawyer@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.
