Using artificial intelligence (AI) saves workers about one hour each day, allowing them to focus on more high-impact tasks. Additionally, using AI can lead to cost savings of up to 19%.
AI is revolutionizing the self storage industry, and if you’re not implementing this technology in your business, you’re missing out on a massive opportunity.
But how can you adopt AI in your self storage business, and what are the best tools to use?
In this article, we’ll discuss how self storage operators can start using AI at their facilities and how this can benefit your business.
What Is AI?
Source: Freepik
AI uses computer systems and algorithms that can perform tasks that typically require human intervention.
It’s about machines or software that can “think,” learn from data, and make decisions to help self storage businesses run more efficiently.
AI can be beneficial to your self storage facility in various ways, including improved operational efficiency, an enhanced customer experience, better conversation rates, and even increased profits. We’ll explain these benefits in more detail later in this article.
The 3 Different Types of AI
Source: Freepik
Now that you know more about AI, let’s unpack what the three main types of this technology are:
1. Automation
Although automation isn’t truly AI, marketing teams often label it as such. Automation refers to systems that follow pre-set rules to perform repetitive tasks without human intervention.
While these systems don’t “think” or learn, they can still be incredibly useful in self storage operations
2. Generative AI
Generative AI refers to systems that can create new content based on patterns and data. This type of AI has great potential for marketing, content creation, and even customer service in self storage. We’ll discuss this in more detail below.
3.Conversational AI
Conversational AI powers tools like chatbots and virtual assistants, enabling self storage businesses to engage with their customer base in real-time.
Unlike simple automation, conversational AI systems use natural language processing (NLP) to understand and respond to customer queries, often improving with use.
How Self Storage Facilities Can Use AI
Source: Freepik
When it comes to self storage, the use cases for AI are endless. Let’s take a closer look at how you can leverage AI in your business:
📞 Customer support
There are several ways that integrating AI can help you better serve your customers:
👉 Chatbots
Recent statistics suggest that AI chatbots will save companies around the world up to $11 billion annually and nearly 2.5 billion hours per year.
AI chatbots are transforming customer service in the self storage industry by providing instant, 24/7 assistance to potential and existing customers.
These tools use AI and NLP to stimulate human conversations, making it easier for self storage operators to manage customer inquiries efficiently.
AI chatbots can perform a wide range of functions, including:
➡️ Answering FAQs: Chatbots can handle common questions about unit size, office hours, and pricing. This minimizes the routine tasks your staff would have to handle.
➡️ Booking and payments: Customers can use a chatbot to check availability, reserve a unit, and even make payments without speaking to a human.
➡️ Support functions: Chatbots can assist your tenants with account management, such as resetting passwords, updating contact information, and checking payment history.
➡️ Lead generation: AI chatbots can engage website visitors, ask qualifying questions, and gather contact details to pass on to sales teams which could boost your conversation rates.
➡️ Problem resolution: For common issues, like problems or billing questions, chatbots can guide users to a solution or escalate the issue to a human where necessary.
The pros of using AI chatbots in self storage
✅ 24/7 availability: Chatbots provide round-the-clock service, ensuring customers can get help anytime, even outside your office hours.
✅ Saving costs: Automating customer service reduces the need for additional staff, lowering operational costs over time.
✅ Consistency: Chatbots deliver accurate and consistent responses to customers, reducing the risk of human error.
✅ Scalability: As your self storage business grows, chatbots can manage increasing customer demands without requiring more staff.
The cons of using AI chatbots in self storage
❌ Limited understanding of complex issues: Chatbots might struggle with nuanced or highly specific customer inquiries, requiring human intervention.
❌ Setup and maintenance costs: While cost-effective in the long run, developing and maintaining an advanced AI chatbot can require significant initial investment and ongoing updates.
❌ Language and tone limitations: Chatbots may misinterpret informal language, slang, or tone, leading to unhelpful responses.
A good tool to use for implementing AI chatbots
With a Stora website you can easily integrate an AI chatbot, providing automated responses to common inquiries and ensuring customers receive instant support 24/7. Visit our integrations page for more info.
Or there’s Swivl, an AI tool that allows you to automate conversations with your tenants and potential customers, helping you save costs and grow your revenue while still upholding your brand promise.
Source: Swivl
👉 Intelligent routing
Over 83% of customers expect to engage with someone immediately when contacting a company. Intelligent routing can help ensure this takes place.
Intelligent routing is an advanced customer service solution that uses AI and data analytics to direct customer inquiries to the most appropriate resource.
Whether it’s a chatbot, human representative, or specific department, intelligent routing ensures customers get the right help quickly and efficiently.
Below are some of the ways intelligent routing can be a game changer for your customer experience:
➡️ Prioritizing urgent inquiries: Intelligent routing can flag urgent issues—like access problems or payment failures—and direct customers to the appropriate person immediately, ensuring they are resolved quickly.
➡️ Matching customers with the right support: For example, technical issues with gate access can be routed to the right staff member on your site.
➡️ Streamlining multi-channel support: Customers may reach out through various channels, such as email, phone, or live chat. Intelligent routing ensures inquiries from all channels are organized and directed to the right person or team, maintaining consistency across platforms.
The pros of using intelligent routing for self storage
✅ Faster response times: By immediately directing inquiries to the right resource, intelligent routing minimizes delays, improving the overall customer experience.
✅ Enhanced customer satisfaction: Customers are less likely to get frustrated when their issues are addressed promptly and by the right person.
✅ Scalability: As your business grows, intelligent routing can handle increasing customer inquiries without the need for significant staffing increases.
The cons of using intelligent routing for self storage
❌ Complex setup: Implementing intelligent routing requires integrating AI, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and communication channels, which can be technically and financially demanding.
❌ Dependence on technology: If the system experiences technical issues, it could disrupt the flow of customer service and create delays.
A good tool to use for implementing intelligent routing
CallPotential is an excellent US tool for intelligent routing in self storage because it’s specifically designed for this industry, offering features that streamline customer service operations while improving customer experience.
Source: CallPotential
👉 Personalized recommendations
Around 86% of customers say personalization affects their purchasing decisions.
AI personalized recommendations work by analyzing customer data and delivering tailored suggestions based on individual preferences and behaviors.
In self storage, this technology can provide a more customized experience for customers, helping them find the right self storage solutions quickly and efficiently while adding a human touch.
Below are some of the ways storage facilities can use personalized recommendations:
➡️ Unit size features and recommendations: Based on the customer’s needs, AI can recommend the best unit size, special features like climate-controlled storage or extra security, and add-ons such as shelving or locks.
➡️ Pricing and promotions: AI can analyze a customer’s budget or behavior and recommend discounts on long-term rentals, flexible payment plans, or bundled services for cost-conscious customers.
➡️ Upselling and cross-selling: AI can identify opportunities to offer additional services, such as recommending packing supplies, suggesting upgrades to larger units, or highlighting availability.
The pros of using personalized recommendations in self storage
✅ Enhanced customer experience: By providing tailored recommendations, AI makes choosing storage solutions faster and more convenient for customers.
✅ Increased revenue: Personalized suggestions can drive upselling and cross-selling, boosting revenue through services like larger units or premium features.
✅ Improved customer retention: Proactively recommending renewals or additional services based on usage patterns helps businesses retain customers and build loyalty.
The cons of using personalized recommendations in self storage
❌ Initial setup costs: Implementing AI systems capable of delivering personalized recommendations requires a significant upfront investment in technology and data integration.
❌ Dependence on data accuracy: AI relies heavily on accurate data. Incomplete or outdated customer information can lead to irrelevant or incorrect recommendations.
A good tool to use for implementing AI personalized recommendations
Zendesk Sunshine is a highly customizable customer experience platform that leverages AI-driven insights to deliver personalized recommendations.
While not exclusively built for self storage, it integrates seamlessly with CRM systems and is flexible enough to meet the industry's unique demands.
Source: Zendesk
💰 Revenue management
AI can be used for all kinds of data analysis for revenue management purposes, including:
👉 Demand forecasting
One study found that 45% of companies are already using AI demand forecasting, and 43% of them are planning to use it within the next two years.
AI can analyze historical data, market trends, and external factors—like population growth or local events—to predict future demand for storage units.
It can identify patterns, such as higher demand in the summer when people are moving or renovating. Additionally, it can predict demand based on local trends, such as urban migration or new housing developments.
👉 Customer segmentation
Customers’ challenges and concerns are 60% more likely to be understood by companies that segment their customers. And companies that use segmentation are 130% more likely to understand their customers’ motivations.
Artificial intelligence can process large datasets to segment customers into specific groups based on behavior, preferences, and demographics.
This allows you to tailor promotions or email campaigns for specific segments, such as long-term renters, short-term movers, or businesses needing extra storage.
AI can also suggest storage unit sizes or features based on the preferences of a particular segment.
👉 Predicting churn
AI can analyze customer behavior and identify patterns that signal when customers are likely to stop using your services.
It can flag customers showing signs of churn—like missed payments or decreased engagement—allowing you to take action to retain them.
This enables you to create automated, targeted campaigns encouraging renewal, such as offering discounts or additional services to at-risk customers.
👉 Monitoring competitors
The right AI tools can track your competitors’ pricing, promotions, and availability, giving you insights to stay competitive.
AI can monitor competitor prices and adjust your rates dynamically to remain competitive without sacrificing profit margins.
You can also compare your performance against competitors in terms of occupancy rates, customer satisfaction, or service offerings.
👉 Dynamic pricing
Studies show that dynamic pricing can increase company revenue from 1% to 8% per year.
Dynamic pricing is a powerful strategy that allows self storage businesses to adjust prices in real-time based on factors like demand, customer behavior, competitor pricing, and unit availability.
By implementing dynamic pricing, self storage operators can optimize revenue, remain competitive, and better meet customer needs.
Here’s how to get started with AI dynamic pricing:
1. Choose an AI tool
The first step is selecting a reliable AI tool that supports dynamic pricing. Popular options include:
➡️ Pricefx: Known for its flexibility and ability to integrate with existing systems, Pricefx is ideal for businesses looking to maximize profitability.
➡️ Competera: This tool specializes in competitive pricing strategies and ensures your rates align with market trends.
Both tools use machine learning (ML) to analyze big data and recommend optimal pricing strategies tailored to your business goals.
Stora’s Dynamic Occupancy Pricing lets self storage operators adjust unit prices based on demand, optimizing revenue by increasing prices when demand is high and lowering them when it's low.
2. Feed in relevant data
AI tools need data to function effectively. The more comprehensive and accurate the data, the better the pricing decisions. Key data points to feed into the system include:
📈 Sales data: Insights into your current sales trends, such as which units are popular or underperforming.
📈 Customer behavior: Data on customer preferences, booking patterns, and willingness to pay for premium features.
📈 Competitor pricing: Real-time information on what your competitors charge for similar units or services.
📈 Seasonal variations: Trends that affect demand during specific times, like summer or the end of the month.
📈 Unit availability: Live data on which units are vacant, nearly full, or overbooked.
3. Connect your data to live feeds
Your AI tool must connect to live data sources for dynamic pricing to work effectively. This involves integrating with your sales system, trend, and competitor analysis tools.
By establishing these connections, your AI tool can continuously update its pricing model with the latest information.
4. Set pricing rules
Dynamic pricing works best when it aligns with your business goals. Setting clear rules allows the system to make adjustments that reflect your priorities.
Examples of pricing rules include:
💲 Maximizing profit: Automatically increase prices for high-demand units or premium features.
💲 Increasing sales volume: Lower prices for less popular units to encourage bookings.
💲 Staying competitive: Ensure prices are always competitive in the local market.
For example, you might set a rule that your prices should always be 5% lower than your main competitor’s rates. If your competitor lowers their prices, your AI tool will adjust yours automatically to maintain this margin.
5. Connect your AI tool to your pricing system
Finally, you would need to integrate your AI tool with your existing pricing system. This enables the AI to automatically adjust prices based on the rules and data feeds you’ve set up.
Once connected, the system can:
➡️ Update prices in real-time across all platforms, such as your website, booking system, and marketing materials.
➡️ Notify your team of significant pricing changes or trends.
➡️ Provide insights into how pricing adjustments impact revenue and occupancy rates.
📧 Marketing
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AI can be a powerful tool when it comes to creating marketing materials and deploying effective campaigns. Marketers can use AI to generate content 93% times faster and can uncover insights 81% more quickly.
Let’s look at three ways AI can assist with your marketing efforts:
👉 Content
AI tools use NLP to generate written content. These tools can write blog posts, ad copy, social media captions, and email campaigns when prompted correctly.
The pros of using AI for content
✅ Saves time: AI produces high-quality content in minutes.
✅ Consistency: The right AI tools will ensure a consistent tone and style across all marketing materials.
✅ Personalization: AI can tailor content to specific customer segments, such as first-time renters or long-term clients.
The cons of using AI for content
❌ Lacks human creativity: Content may feel generic or lack the emotional nuance of human writing.
❌ Requires editing: AI-generated content often needs human review to ensure accuracy and relevance.
A good AI tool to use for content
Formally known as Jarvis, Jasper AI is a popular tool for generating blog posts, ad copy, and social media content tailored to your marketing goals.
Source: Jasper AI
👉 Images
AI tools can create custom visuals, graphics, and images based on your text descriptions. This is particularly useful for self storage businesses that need unique, eye-catching visuals without hiring a designer.
Below are some of the ways these tools can be leveraged:
➡️ Ad creatives: Generate visually appealing graphics for online ads or social media posts.
➡️ Custom illustrations: Create branded visuals for your website, flyers, or email campaigns.
➡️ Promotional materials: Design unique, themed images for seasonal promotions or events.
The pros of using AI for images
✅ Cost-effective: It eliminates the need for hiring graphic designers for basic visuals.
✅ Quick turnaround: You can create images in seconds, perfect for tight deadlines.
✅ Customizable: Generate visuals tailored to your specific needs or brand guidelines.
The cons of using AI for images
❌ Quality variations: The output may not always match your vision and might require multiple attempts.
❌ Limited realism: AI-generated images can sometimes lack the polished look of professional photography.
❌ Cost for quality: The results that free versions of AI image creators generate can be quite poor, and it can be an expensive initial cost to invest in paid tools.
A good AI tool for images
DALL-E is an advanced AI tool capable of creating images for your self storage business based on detailed text descriptions.
Source: DALL-E
👉 Website building
AI-powered website builders make creating and managing your site easy, even for those with little technical expertise.
These tools can automatically suggest layouts based on your business type, recommend keywords for search engine optimization (SEO), and track visitor behavior to suggest personalized recommendations.
The pros of using AI website builders
✅ User-friendly: No coding or design skills are needed.
✅ Time-saving: AI automates many aspects of website creation, from design to SEO.
✅ Affordable: AI website builders are budget-friendly compared to hiring a web developer.
The cons of using AI website builders
❌ Limited customization: While AI offers templates and suggestions, complex features may require additional tools or expertise.
❌ Generic results: The site may lack uniqueness compared to professionally designed websites.
A good AI website builder
Wix is an AI-driven website builder that simplifies site creation and optimization for businesses like yours.
Source: Wix
Stora also gives you all the tools you need to create a successful, engaging self storage website. Learn more about how to create a self storage website that drives growth.
🔐 Security
Source: Freepik
AI-powered technologies can elevate security at your self storage facility, which helps protect your tenant’s belongings and enhances their trust in your business. Let’s unpack how AI can impact your security measures:
👉 Security cameras
These systems go beyond traditional surveillance by using advanced technologies like object recognition, behavior analysis, and anomaly detection to identify potential threats in real-time.
For example, an AI camera can alert staff if an unauthorized vehicle enters a secure loading area after hours, or if someone attempts to enter using someone else’s credentials.
👉 Smart access control systems
AI-powered smart access control systems leverage advanced technologies like biometric authentication, pattern analysis, and automated threat response to enhance security and streamline access for your tenants and staff.
For instance, if a customer approaches your facility’s gate, the AI system can scan their face to verify their identity, granting access within seconds.
👉 License plate recognition (LPR)
AI-powered license plate recognition (LPR) systems help you manage vehicle access to your facility. By automatically tracking and verifying numberplates, these systems enhance security, improve operational efficiency, and create a seamless experience for customers.
AI LPR systems use advanced cameras and ML algorithms to:
➡️ Capture license plate data: As vehicles approach the facility’s gate or entrance, the system scans and records their license plate.
➡️ Match plates to an authorized list: The AI cross-references the license plate with a database of authorized vehicles, such as those belonging to customers or staff.
➡️ Grant or deny access: If the plate matches an authorized entry, the system automatically opens the gate. The system can flag the vehicle for further review or deny access if it doesn't.
For example, if a customer pulls up to your gate, an AI LPR system can instantly scan their license plate. If their vehicle is registered in the system, the gate opens automatically.
A vehicle with an unregistered plate is flagged by the system, which sends an alert to your staff for further action.
A tool for AI-powered security
Avigilon Control Center (ACC) uses AI video to detect unusual activity and automatically provide operators with real-time alerts. It also offers facial recognition and LPR.
Self storage businesses can monitor access points, enhance security for customer entry, and track suspicious vehicles.
ACC includes features such as video analytics, facial recognition, LPR, and advanced search capabilities.
Source: Avigilon Control Center
📦 Facility management
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Predictive maintenance is one of the most impactful ways AI is transforming self storage operations.
According to one report, AI predictive maintenance decreases 30% to 50% of equipment stoppages and increases their lifetime by 20% to 40%.
By monitoring the health of crucial equipment and analyzing usage patterns, AI helps self storage facilities avoid costly breakdowns, minimize downtime, and optimize maintenance schedules.
AI systems can analyze data from sensors attached to critical equipment like security cameras, access control systems, lighting systems, and HVAC units.
These sensors gather information on factors like humidity, temperature, vibration, and pressure to track the condition of the equipment in real-time.
It can then evaluate how frequently and under what conditions specific equipment is used, providing insights into potential wear and tear.
AI systems can adjust maintenance schedules dynamically based on real-time sensor data and predicted equipment failures. This ensures:
➡️ Maintenance is performed before issues arise, preventing downtime.
➡️ Available resources, such as staff and parts, are utilized efficiently.
A good AI predictive maintenance tool
An excellent tool for AI predictive maintenance is Fiix. It’s a cloud-based computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) that uses AI and ML to predict equipment failures and schedule preventive maintenance.
It integrates with the Internet of Things (IoT), which is a network of devices embedded with sensors and software that allow them to collect and exchange data over the Internet. It connects with IoT sensors to provide real-time monitoring of equipment conditions.
Source: Fiix
💡 Energy management
Source: Freepik
Energy management is critical to running an efficient self storage facility, and AI offers innovative solutions to reduce energy consumption and costs.
For example, intelligent illumination (also called smart lighting) has energy savings of between 35% and 70%.
👉 Smart lighting and HVAC
AI-powered lighting and HVAC systems ensure energy is used efficiently without compromising functionality or customer comfort.
Smart lighting can help with:
➡️ Occupancy detection: AI integrates with occupancy sensors or security systems to detect when hallways or storage units are in use. Lights are automatically turned on when activity is detected and switched off when areas are unoccupied, minimizing unnecessary energy usage.
➡️ Optimized lighting patterns: AI adjusts lighting brightness or schedules dimming during non-peak hours, aligning energy use with facility activity.
For example, AI may dim hallway lights during low-traffic nighttime hours while keeping essential security lighting active.
HVAC optimization provides the following benefits:
➡️ Real-time adjustments: AI monitors temperature and humidity in various sections of the facility, ensuring that HVAC systems only run as needed. For example, if outdoor temperatures drop significantly, the system can reduce heating output in areas where precise climate control is less critical.
➡️ Zonal control: AI ensures that only occupied or sensitive areas, such as climate-controlled units, receive the necessary heating or cooling, preventing energy waste in low-priority zones.
👉 Energy consumption forecasting
AI can analyze historical energy data and external factors to predict future energy needs, helping self storage operators proactively manage their energy consumption.
Here’s how it works:
➡️ Forecasting demand: AI uses historical energy usage patterns, weather data, and facility activity to forecast when energy demand will peak.
➡️ Proactive management: By identifying high-demand periods, operators can plan ahead, such as scheduling energy-intensive tasks, such as HVAC maintenance or deep cleaning, during off-peak hours when energy rates are lower.
➡️ External factors: AI accounts for variables like temperature shifts, holidays, and unusual facility activity to refine its predictions and help operators adjust in advance.
For example, if the system predicts an upcoming heatwave, it can prepare the HVAC system to maintain consistent cooling for climate-controlled units without overloading energy usage during peak hours.
Automate Your Entire Self Storage Business in Just a Few Clicks
AI can have a massive impact on your self storage facility–-it can enhance your operations, improve the customer experience, and boost your profits.
If you’re ready to transform your business with cutting-edge technology, Stora’s innovative self storage management platform makes it easy to optimize operations, and deliver an exceptional customer experience.
Book a free Stora demo today and take the first step toward more innovative self storage.
