Kiosk Self Storage feed back

[Glen S.]

Looking for feed-back on using Kiosk for Self Storage.

• Size of facility that it works best for?
• Demographics ?
• Etc.

[Scott Meyers]

Hi Glen, 

Lots of variables here - and you can guess all day long, but I will call Open Tech Alliance and talk to them directly. They'll let you know if there are other facilities in the area using them, an d how successful they are.  

Also, with Responsive Websites that allow you rent and make payments from your smartphone, coupled with the many new technologies for Facility access, we're seeing them used less frequently. 

How big is your site? 

We've found that they work in facilities that are 100- 125 and above.  Demographics don't play a Major role - However, some areas that are rural and older, see less utilization. 

Good Luck. 

[Account Closed]

Scott Meyers can you please elaborate on kiosk alternatives. Thanks!!

[David Dachtera]

@Scott Meyers and @Account Closed,

Not everyone has a smart phone. Example: I have an older Samsung - no apps available (proprietary OS, not Android). There are folks in my REI group who still have "clam-shell" cell phones.

[Michael Wagner]

Originally posted by @David Dachtera:

@Scott Meyers and @Account Closed,

Not everyone has a smart phone. Example: I have an older Samsung - no apps available (proprietary OS, not Android). There are folks in my REI group who still have "clam-shell" cell phones.

 While your point is a valid one, business decisions need to be made based on what the majority of our customers want/need, not on the rare few.  A $20,000 kiosk that also brings with it a monthly charge of several hundred dollars makes a whole lot more sense if 90% of the customers will use it than if it only really "helps" the 10% that adopt technological changes more slowly.  I am on the slow end of adopting new technologies but even as such, I realize that the technology Scott mentioned does indeed decrease the value of a Kiosk for a vast majority of the customers in most markets.  

[David Dachtera]

@Michael Wagner,

Good point, but I'm not sure I'd want to limit my prospective clientele to only those who buy into technological trends. What will be the "in" thing next year? ... 5 years out? ... 10 years out? I'm not real big on chasing moving targets. A lot of basic keypads were installed decades ago and are still in service today.

I also wouldn't want to deny access to anyone just because they forgot to charge their cell phone ... :-) 

[Michael Wagner]

 Good points. My thought is that the Kiosk is more of a trend than the smart phone and internet though. Both of my facilities are run with the keypads that you mention. Those are a tool for existing customers though. The kiosks and other technologies are more for new customers and supplement face to face interaction. Even so, the kiosks definitely have their place in the right markets!