Who's Who in Self-Storage: Ramey jackson, CEO of Janus International

Essentially, the modern consumer preference is a disposition to conveniences made possible through modern technologies like Nokē. To better understand what the modern consumer preference entails, let’s highlight some additional statistics:

• Per Janus’ consumer research, 87 percent of tenants prefer renting smart units (those equipped with smart technologies) over the alternative (a standard unit secured with a traditional lock that is opened with a physical key).
• For 53 percent of Gen-Z customers and 50 percent of millennial customers, having someone on site at all times is the least important facility feature. (Source: SSA’s 2023 Self-Storage Demand Study). This growing level of comfort with contactless customer interactions is one reason self-storage facilities are pursuing technologies that make virtual management not only possible but more effective.
• Since the self-storage industry seems to emulate the hotel industry, it’s also worth noting that 73 percent of people surveyed for Oracle’s “Hospitality in 2025” report agreed that they want to use their mobile device to manage their hotel stay and “they’re more likely to stay at a hotel that offers self-service technology to minimize contact with the staff and other guests.”
  
  

Those statistics corroborate two truths that Jackson and Janus have known for nearly a decade: “Convenience is valued” and “tech is here to stay.” He believes that because technology is “standard in other industries,” it has become the “expectation of [self-storage] tenants” as well, which is why Janus has continued to develop its offerings.

Through its Nokē Smart Entry system, Janus helps owner-operators “meet customers where they are”—on their smartphones—by facilitating the “last mile” of a seamless customer experience. “The customer experience starts at the front end,” Jackson adds, “but it extends to the unit.”

In other words, the customer experience encompasses more than just enabling the customer to find your facility in an online search and complete the rental process through your website. It includes all the touch points customers encounter as they navigate your self- storage facility. And nowadays, with more and more customers detailing their experiences (and frustrations) on social media and review sites, making the entire rental process as “frictionless” as possible has become paramount to success.

According to Jackson, the Nokē Smart Entry system can streamline and elevate the entire on-site experience to accommodate customers’ preference for convenience. Starting at the access gate, it allows tenants to enter the site through an app they download onto their smartphone or smart watch, thus eliminating the need for key fobs that are easily lost or PIN codes that are oftentimes forgotten. Once past the gate, Nokē Smart Entry permits owner-operators to grant/restrict access to loading bays, elevators, floors, specialty storage areas, and even restrooms. Then, thanks to its wayfinding tools, Nokē Smart Entry assists tenants with locating their units.

Finally, upon arriving at their unit, tenants can effortlessly open their doors with their smartphones instead of fumbling around with physical keys. An additional benefit of this “digital key” is that it can be shared with family, friends, or delivery drivers; tenants can quickly authorize (and revoke) unit access at their discretion through the app.

In addition to enabling a seamless customer experience, Jackson states that the Nokē Smart Entry system assists with the streamlining of facility operations and lessens the burden of labor shortages through various automations. The overlock process is one aspect of operations that can be streamlined. With smart locks, managers no longer need to place overlocks on the units of delinquent tenants nor remove overlocks from units after tenants pay their outstanding balance. These tasks are automatically performed electronically as soon as a tenant pays or becomes delinquent.

Moreover, because there are no keys/combinations for smart locks and the system notifies management when a door is ajar, lock checks and the cutting of locks are no longer daily duties of the property manager. Replacing physical locks with smart locks can also reduce the amount of labor required to operate a facility while simultaneously decreasing labor costs and shortages. As Jackson says, Nokē “bridges that gap.

Security is one of the more obvious benefits of the Nokē Smart Entry system. To that end, Jackson mentions that facilities outfitted with its smart locks have reported 95 percent fewer break-in claims—a statistic that insurance companies may reduce premiums over.

Another enticing benefit for owner-operators is the fact that these tech-forward features and automations can boost the bottom line. Data derived from the Nokē Smart Entry system can be analyzed and then utilized to adjust rates and labor. As examples, customers who access their units on a daily basis could be charged a higher rental rate, or on-site management could be reduced on days with minimal traffic.

“The data piece is of tremendous value,” says Jackson. “Its usage can determine customer behavior, which helps drive revenue.”

Indeed, technology can provide self-storage owner-operators with an advantage over the competition but adding high-tech features would be a futile endeavor if the rest of the facility is outdated or poorly maintained. Customers won’t care whether there’s a smart lock on a door if it barely opens, and most won’t feel comfortable storing their belongings at a facility that looks like it’s been past its prime for a long time, especially when plenty of modern properties have opened within markets across the U.S. throughout the last five years.

“Sixty percent of facilities are over 20 years old,” Jackson says, adding that owner-operators of these older sites can either “continue with lower rates” or update their facilities to compete with new development.