StrongPoint Self Storage is a growing operator currently running four facilities in the Southeastern USA. The operator strives to create a welcoming, personal self storage environment featuring luxury-grade facilities.
Founded: 2019
Portfolio Size: 4 Stores
Based: Louisiana
Interviewed:
Sara Tuma, Director of Operations
Products
Use Case: INSOMNIAC kiosks, Live! call center
StrongPoint Self Storage, a midsized operator with four locations across Louisiana and Arkansas and two additional facilities under construction, aims to create a top-notch experience for its tenants with clean facilities, top-of-the-line technology and a team that feels like family. With a goal to expand their portfolio by two locations each year, the operator’s ability to provide consistent service and outperform local competition is key.
“We wanted our facilities to feel nice and classy, and without the coldness that can come with a larger self storage chain,” says Sara Tuma, Director of Operations for StrongPoint. “That said, we still want to offer the same technology perks that the big boys have.”
With its facilities anywhere from a one to six-hour drive apart, StrongPoint needed a way to ensure its facilities were always operational, even when a manager was out. That’s when they reached out to OpenTech to invest in a self storage kiosk and call center solution.
StrongPoint’s team is the heart of their company – that will never change. With their kiosks, StrongPoint Self Storage has a backup whenever a manager is unavailable and an option for those who prefer self-service tools over working with staff. For call-in tenants, INSOMNIAC Live! Storage Counselors provide rollover phone support so that when managers step away, they feel confident any missed call will be answered.
“If a manager can’t come in, there’s not much we can do because of the facilities’ distance,” says Tuma. “That’s when we really lean on our kiosks, especially in the case that, heaven forbid, it’s an emergency and we’re unprepared.”
This worst-case scenario came true for their Lake Charles location when the site manager woke up to a flood in her house. “She had a pipe leak and was wading in water through her home,” Tuma says.
“She was up all night trying to clean up the water and figure out what to do,” Tuma continues. “I would have said this even without the kiosk, but I told her, ‘We have a kiosk. We have a call center. Go nap and get some food. It’s OK, we have it handled. Go handle your business.’”
Tuma reports that the rest of the day went off without a hitch – she monitored the property via onsite cameras, OpenTech Storage Counselors handled any incoming calls, and all walkup traffic served themselves with the kiosk onsite.
The best news: the manager was able to not only handle the calls to her insurance and plumbers to clean up the flood but also leave the next day for a trip she had planned for months. “She still got to go out of town that weekend, and we had everything covered because we had the kiosk and the call center.”
One element of StrongPoint’s kiosk that surprised Tuma was how many comments she received about how easy it is to use. Tenants have finished making payments and renting units with no problem – and those who do need help using the kiosk can request the Live Help option on the kiosk to speak with a call center representative face-to-face or have them take over the screen.
StrongPoint also reports that the kiosk is a hit among all age groups thanks to its large screen and easy-to-use interface. “One of our older residents even told us the text was large enough for her to read,” Tuma recalls. “We were expecting it to mainly appeal to just the younger generation that came in, but it’s been utilized by pretty much all ages.”
StrongPoint’s parent company, Holyfield Construction, got its start in 1974 building luxury homes, later expanding into crafting Class A commercial facilities. Opening StrongPoint in 2019 was its debut in the storage realm – just as it was for Tuma, who entered the industry in 2021.
“My background is in multifamily development,” she explains. “When the former director of operations for StrongPoint left, I decided to take this role on – that was my start in self storage.”
Not sure what to expect with the new position or industry, Tuma gave OpenTech a call from her porch. “I sat outside for 45 minutes on the phone with Shari, my business development manager from OpenTech, just asking her questions and getting feedback,” she recounts. “She has been a sounding board whenever I have questions.”
As they expand their portfolio, StrongPoint plans to implement OpenTech’s solutions at all their new facilities to deliver on its promise to offer secure, clean facilities with top-of-the-line technology. These plans include incorporating INSOMNIAC® CIA access control system at all their new sites and migrating their existing facilities to the solution in the coming years.
Tuma reports that she works closely with Shari and her customer success team, whether it is about self storage technology or just discussing industry trends. Tuma also frequently recommends OpenTech to everyone entering the self storage industry or needing some help with their existing project – something she does not often do for partners.
“I do not put my name or my company’s name out there or sign off on things that I know could possibly be a gamble for me,” Tuma says. “I 100% feel comfortable recommending OpenTech and sharing our experience with them because everyone has been so incredibly helpful and supportive of our journey.”
