Bonnys Self Storage Hits Six-Figure Growth With Stora

£100k+ growth per year | 5 sites including 1 unstaffed site

“Stora has been life‑changing for the business and my personal life.”

- James Bonny, Owner

Who are Bonnys Self Storage?

Bonnys Self Storage began as a single facility in London, and now serves customers at five locations across the UK. By keeping the operation lean and embracing technology, founder James Bonny now runs every site from his phone, even his Great Yarmouth branch which is over three hours away from the head office in London.

The Challenge

Before moving to Stora, Bonnys was being held back by legacy software that simply couldn’t keep up. It lacked the tools needed to manage sites remotely and fell short on automation features essential for scaling the business.

This led to James, the owner, having to deal with a mountain of manual admin and frequently carrying out on-site visits, just to handle routine tasks. He had big plans for the business, but he didn’t have the time or tools required.

Pain points before Stora

• No central way to manage multiple sites remotely (which was critical for the Great Yarmouth site).

• Online sign‑ups and real‑time bookings were impossible.

• Staff chased payments and processed ID checks by hand.

• Rent increases took too long to set up and test.

• Overdue accounts were not locked out promptly, risking lost revenue.

The Solution

Thanks to Stora, Bonnys Self Storage has transformed the business into a fully automated, remote-friendly operation. James and the team can now manage everything from anywhere, without the daily grind of manual tasks and site visits.

New customers can now book online in just minutes, completing ID checks, signing contracts, and making their first payment on any device, instantly.

If a customer’s payment fails, then access to that unit is suspended automatically. “We don’t even know about it, it just happens,” says James. “Tenants are locked out automatically; we don’t even have to think about it.” Access is then given once the payment has been made.

Stora’s smart revenue tools have also made a big difference. Dynamic pricing adjusts as demand changes, and rent increases can be applied with a single click, helping the business stay profitable as it scales.

James starts each day with a quick check of the Stora dashboard. “My dashboard shows the day’s takings right at the top, which is great to see.” With everything streamlined and automated, Bonnys now runs smoothly with less effort, giving the team full control, wherever they are.

The Results

Since implementing Stora, Bonnys Self Storage has achieved a significant uplift in both revenue and operational efficiency. Annual turnover has increased by over £100,000 a year, driven by smarter pricing tools and the ability to scale without adding extra overhead costs.

At the same time, payroll costs have been cut by 50%, thanks to automation replacing many of the manual tasks that previously required staff time. The business now effortlessly operates five locations, without compromising service or control. Day-to-day operations, from bookings to billing and access management, run seamlessly in the background, freeing up the team to focus on growth.

What once required constant oversight is now managed entirely remotely, proving that a lean, tech-driven model can deliver both profitability and peace of mind.

Q&A

How has Stora benefited your business overall?

Stora underpins almost everything we do, so the gains come from the full package rather than any single feature. Online bookings, automatic card payments, dynamic pricing and instant lock-outs all work together to lift revenue, while the built-in workflows slash admin.

That combination let me trim the team from four people to two and run our Great Yarmouth site unstaffed, even though it’s three hours from head office.

With day-to-day tasks handled in the background, I spend my time on marketing, pricing strategy and planning the next site, which is why annual turnover is now six figures higher than before the switch.

What are your thoughts on automation in self storage?

Customer behaviour keeps moving online; the share of people who complete a rental without speaking to us grows every year, and I can see that reaching half the market before long.

Operators who let people book in minutes, any time of day, will win that business and can charge a little more for the convenience. On the operations side, automation turns sites that once needed reception staff into profitable remote facilities because billing, access and debt collection look after themselves.

What's your advice for people just starting out in self storage?

Build lean from day one. Pick software that handles bookings, payments and price updates straight out of the box, move every customer to automatic card payments, and pour the time you save into marketing and scouting your next site.

And what's your advice for established operators who want to stay competitive?

Walk through your process and remove every manual step you can. Paper contracts, staff-entered payments and fixed pricing quietly chip away at profit. Bring in dynamic pricing, run sites without reception desks where it makes sense, and keep testing new tools, because what felt cutting-edge five years ago is already looking dated.

Watch: Work Less, Earn More: The Bonnys Self Storage Transformation

Want to learn more?

Get a free Stora demo today to discover how our platform can support and effortlessly grow your self storage business.