• September 29, 2023

21 Jun, 2023

10 Federal Drones Keep Unmanned Storage Facilities Safe

Many in the self storage industry have begun to explore new and emerging technologies in order to keep their facility operating 24/7, even if there’s no one on-site 24/7 – or even at all. Remote managed properties, or unmanned facilities, are becoming...

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10 May, 2022

Burglaries Without Break-Ins: New Type Of Theft Challenges Outdated Ideas About Locks  

A crafty burglar arrested in Texas is making the news in self-storage circles. He is suspected of breaking into units in various parts of the state, picking disc locks and putting them back on the doors after he helps himself to what’s inside. He...

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20 Aug, 2021

Converter Conundrum: Thieves Set Up Shop In Self-Storage Units

Precious metals, catalytic converters, and self-storage might seem like an unlikely combination, but thefts of catalytic converters are on the rise across the country, including at self-storage facilities. And that mixture has an unsavory outcome....

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14 Jun, 2021

Workplace Violence: How to Reduce the Risk of Tragedy

It’s a nightmare scenario that haunts every business owner: A troubled individual’s simmering anger boils over into an act of workplace violence. The mass shooting by an ex-employee at an Indianapolis FedEx facility in April was only the latest in an...

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20 May, 2021

Cybercrime 101: Identifying And Combatting Cyber Risks

The amazing power and flexibility that information technology brings to the marketplace and to people’s lives come with some caveats. One of them is the risk and reality of cybercrime.

Every industry is subject to cybercrime’s potential harm, including...

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1 Aug, 2018

Competitive Positioning

Keeping Pace With Technology To Protect Your Investment

By Stan Houser

Savvy self-storage operators are taking advantage of technology to gain a competitive edge and command a premium price in the marketplace. They are enhancing their investments in...

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1 Nov, 2016

Using ICC’s cdpACCESS

Building And Fire Codes Open To All

The International Code Council® (ICC) code development process is a process that is open to everyone. Anyone who has an interest in public safety, health, and welfare (including economic vitality) in the built...

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1 Oct, 2016

Dealing With Customer Data Security And The Risk Of Identity Theft

There are two separate issues that need to be addressed when discussing security for customers’ personal information in the self-storage business. The first is how tenant’s information is protected when held by the operator and the second involves what...

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1 Oct, 2016

Protect From Peril

Fire Safety Improvements For Self-Storage Facilities

In 2015, a website called Becoming Minimalist posted 21 statistics that exposed how materialistic the average U.S. citizen has turned out to be. Three of them are particularly interesting:

  • There are...

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1 Sep, 2016

The Price Of Safety

Fire Code Sparks Costly Change

In Charleston, S.C., a memorial, appropriately called the Charleston Nine site, protects the sacred ground where the Sofa Super Store, a commercial furniture showroom and warehouse facility, once stood. On June 18, 2007,...

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1 Aug, 2016

No Guarantee In Security

The Best Deterrence Measures For RV And Boat Storage

Placing too much faith in a property’s security features is a dangerous, foolhardy practice. In August 2015, Flagler County, Fla., self-storage owners were reminded in the worst way that security is...

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1 Jun, 2016

Vigilance Is Key!

How Managers Prevent Crime And Tragedy

Incident: The terrorist kept his volatile materials in a Kansas self-storage unit until the time was right to strike. He and an accomplice loaded the supplies into a rental truck and drove across the state line,...

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1 Feb, 2016

The Nuts And Bolts Of Security

Choosing The Right Locks For Your Storage Business

Who sets the security level for your self-storage facility: you or your customers? Your first response is probably, “I do, of course.” You’ve invested in sturdy fences and gates to discourage prowlers,...

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1 Feb, 2016

Voluminous Value

Four Unconventional Storage Services

By its nature, the self-storage industry encompasses a diverse collection of companies, each made up of owners and managers working toward a common goal. But what truly makes it exciting to work in this industry is...

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