Online billpay. Cloud services. Short message service and other product integration. Self-storage management software has come a long way in just a few short years. Today’s programs do so much more than process move-ins, adjust rental rates and send collection notices. They streamline the entire rental process and add convenience for facility operators and customers.
This showcase offers insight to various programs, features and integration available from several of the industry’s software providers. Find out what’s new and how your application can improve your storage operation.
Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by participating companies. Inside Self-Storage doesn’t endorse any specific product or company. Companies are listed in alphabetical order.
Centreforce Technology Group
Product: RapidStor V3
Description: The online move-in technology interacts with SiteLink Web Edition. The product offers enhanced features including merchandise sales and specials, and the new interactive space calculator. RapidStor V3 uses SiteLink's API to gather information in real time from the company’s user database, displaying information on users’ websites in real time with a call to action.
Hot new feature: RapidStor V3 is now integrated with Sitelink’s new eSign functionality, allowing fully automated leases with digital-signature technology. Site managers can also use RapidStor V3 on a tablet to take payments, reservations and even move-ins.
Qstrom LLC
www.district-manager.comProduct: District Manager
Description: District Manager is the only income-maximization software in the self-storage industry. It can potentially increase the value of each facility by a million dollars or more by finding income being left on the table through concessions, manager giveaways, rent discounts, and even theft through automatic auditing.
Hot new feature: District Manager will soon release an advanced revenue-management system that uses 106 different parameters for determining which particular customers get a rent increase, by how much, when and why. It uses sophisticated algorithms to analyze each individual’s capability, not just unit type and size.
QuikStor Security & Software
Products: 3-D Facility Maps, E-commerce Online Rentals/Payments/Reservations, QuikStor Express, QuikStor OnDemand, SmartClient Multi-Site Management Suite
Description: Express is designed to automate an operator’s daily routine and streamline common tasks. Automated billing and delinquency, detailed reporting and access-control integration are just some of its time-saving features. SmartClient offers instant access to real-time data for any number of facilities. Users can quickly and easily perform global updates across any combination of facilities simultaneously. E-commerce allows tenants to manage their accounts and pay bills online. Prospective tenants can view real-time unit availability and even rent or reserve a unit from the website. OnDemand is a read-only, Web-based portal. The at-a-glance dashboard provides an instant graphical status of a facility, and the Report Center offers more than 150 reports. 3D Site Graphics allows operators to view the site at a glance with real-time gate activity updates.
Hot new feature: The next generation of management software, QuikStor Cloud, will debut this fall.
Sentinel System Corp.
Products: WinSen Property Manager, WinSen Platinum Property Manager, WinSen Online Payments, WinSen Site Graphics, WinSen Universal Interface
Description: Designed exclusively for the self-storage industry, Sentinel software includes a wealth of features to aid operators in day-to-day operation. WinSen Platinum is cloud-based, allowing all of the facility’s data to be stored centrally so it can be accessed from any Internet-connected device at any time. Features include but are not limited to automatic posting of late fees, automatic printing or e-mailing of notices, integration with Sentinel and Platinum security systems, inventory control, online payments and reservations, and a report menu consisting of more than 100 various reports.
Hot new feature: Along with the new release of WinSen Platinum Property Management software, the company has released the Sentinel Platinum Access Control system, which gives storage customers the ability to use their smartphones to access the facility, pay their bill, view account history and more.
SiteLink
Products: SiteLink Stand-Alone, SiteLink Web Edition
Description: SiteLink integrates with more than 30 technology partners’ products and services including call centers, kiosks, insurance offerings, mobile devices, websites and other platforms. Built-in features such as SiteLink Merchant Services deliver payment processing without a third-party provider. SiteLink eSign offers electronic signature, online rentals and lease archival. The programs also offer revenue management, built-in customer-relationship management, and e-mail and text-messaging capabilities.
Hot new feature: SiteLink Merchant Services now offers another choice in credit card processing, which eliminates the need for a third-party provider. It also offers SiteLink's EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa) integration.
Space Control Systems Inc.
Products: Insight, Onsite
Description: Space Control’s two-product software suite—containing Insight and Onsite—separates management from counter operations to give operators the best of both. Insight was designed for off-site management of one location or many. It uses graphics to instantly show how each facility is performing overall and what part of the business requires attention. A red flag indicates where to allocate time to reap the most benefit. Accounting reports are complete, clear and correct, and include accrual as well as cash accounting.
Onsite improves service at the counter with a customer ledger display that provides clarity and ease of use. The software makes it easy for employees to handle any situation with complete confidence including fewer mistakes, cleaner data and happier customers.
Storage Commander (Empower Software)
Products: Storage Commander V4, Net Commander, Storage Commander V5
Description: Storage Commander V4 is a self-standing facility-management system that resides on the computer at the site. It provides a full-featured management solution that includes customizable late-step policy and discounts as well as auto-generation of customer notices. It also includes a comprehensive report suite that features financial, operational and manager reports, and a fully interactive graphical site map. Net Commander provides remote management, online payments and reservation capabilities as a Web-enabled component to the Storage Commander V4 facility-management system.
Hot new feature: Storage Commander V5 can be operated as a Web-based program or locally on a computer or laptop. Reworked from the ground up, V5 offers all of the functions found in the original management-software system with an added list of features such as multiple-window functionality and new hardware integrations. The software is connected with a variety of industry partners for a complete user experience.
storEDGE
Product: Marketing Suite, Management Suite
Description: Key features of Management Suite include a user-friendly interface, phone and lead integration, built-in customer-relationship-management capabilities, smart reporting and analytics, freedom to work with your preferred vendors, and a cloud-based system that can be used anytime and anywhere. Marketing Suite offers comprehensive Web-marketing services for brands of any size. With a focus on online presence and converting leads to rentals, the program’s solutions include search engine optimization websites with unique content, social media management, professional photography and more. Each website is optimized for search engines, created for analytics and designed just for the operator’s brand.
Hot new feature: The storEDGE Management Suite offers a clean, organized and streamlined interface. With color-coded tenants, units and bills, hover cards filled with quick information, and a modern look and feel, it allows operators to complete everyday tasks in as few clicks as possible.
Syrasoft Self Storage Software
Product: Self Storage Management Software
Description: Syrasoft Version 9 is Payment Card Industry PA-DSS certified. The software interfaces with access-control systems, automatic credit card and ACH payment systems, barcode-scanner hardware, remote access and backup, customer online payments, reservations, and rentals via the Internet Manager’s add-on software. Version 9 uses Web-based online reporting with the Enterprise Hub, kiosks, QuickBooks (desktop) and accounting software.
Hot new feature: Syrasoft Version 9 now offers full short message service (SMS) integration, which reduces late payments and postage costs. Facilities can ensure a nearly 100 percent open rate of text messages when sending important notifications to tenants via SMS.
Yardi
www.yardi.com/products/selfstorage
Products: Store Enterprise, Store Advantage, Yardi Genesis2
Description: Store Enterprise and Store Advantage are cloud-based applications that integrate seamlessly with call centers, centralized mail services, mobile devices, corporate office websites, Web aggregators, websites and other business systems. They offer solutions for small-business owners and management firms to the largest self-storage operators.
Hot new feature: Yardi Genesis2 is the latest cloud-based real estate management application developed on Yardi’s platform. It delivers a powerful solution in a single database with unprecedented capabilities and add-on products, including dashboards, integrated workflows, online portals and payment processing.
