Self Storage Lab

Welcome to the Self Storage Lab — where we deconstruct how operators are adapting to today’s technology-driven landscape and how it might impact your business. This episode explores the critical transition from manual to automated access and security systems in the self-storage industry. It highlights the drive for automation prompted by competitive market dynamics and evolving consumer expectatio...

Today’s episode will be the final episode on our special series covering our report on the State of Technology in Self Storage . We discuss our main takeaways from analyzing over 2 million customer conversations used to optimize day to day operations, and cover topics including patterns in customer inquiries, most frequently asked about unit size and amenities, and much more. If you haven’t alread...

Hoping to stand out in this competitive landscape and focus inwardly on improving operational efficiency, operators are looking to the integration of innovative technology and the inclusion of customer-centric amenities within their facilities. Today’s episode will be part 2 of 3, where we'll touch on the state of technology being utilized today throughout the industry. We start by breaking do...

Consumer behavior has changed and operators need to rapidly adopt technology to stay current in today's economic landscape. Just last week, we put the final touches to our newest edition of the State of Technology in Self Storage . Building off of two years of data and a mass surge towards AI-driven experiences, the report highlights unique insights to showcase how new technologies are affecti...

In this episode, we nerd about about all things genAI — a year in review: We give a recap of genAI’s impact this year, and highlight a few areas of impact Economy and the markets “Generative AI, the broader tech category ChatGPT falls under, has been projected to add up to $4.4 trillion in value to the global economy per year thanks to productivity boosts.” Re-skilling as a job, and the new roles...

It appears that there is a continuous stream of groundbreaking advancements in the realm of artificial intelligence, occurring on a weekly basis. At the end of October, the Biden Administration released a sweeping order on artificial intelligence with the goal of promoting the “safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of artificial intelligence.” In today’s podcast, we nerd out on the key...

In today's episode, we'll be discussing QR Codes, these black and white -like codes you often see in Restaurants nowadays. We will dive into remarkable resurgence of QR codes in the wake of the pandemic, examining how this technology is being utilized in various fields, and explore the unique challenges and opportunities it presents for self storage operators. History Quick Stats Adoption...

Today’s podcast explores AI as an umbrella term, capabilities, limitations, and get a glimpse of what the future holds for this technology. Rodolfo did such a good job at explaining this topic on a recent CSSA webinar, that we decided to play you the entire conversation. For more on AI topics, dive into some of our most recent episodes. Topics Explored: Automation vs. AI What is Automation? What i...

AI is all the rage right now. But what exactly is it? It’s thrown around as a buzzword and can often be a blanket term that encompasses a broader set of tools and technology. So let’s chat about what is and what is not AI. Topics Explored: What is Automation? Automation vs. AI Why is it important to move beyond the term “AI”? The Different forms of AI What are some examples and practical applicati...

In the later part of the episode ( 44:24 ), we hear from operators who have gone through the decision-making process and learn about their experiences with different facility management software.  Stay tuned for valuable insights that can guide you in selecting the best software partner for your self-storage business. The Importance of Selecting the Right Facility Management Software (FMS)  How do...

In our tenth episode , we dive into the five different levels of automation, from manual processes to more advanced use of technologies, and examine how they are transforming the way humans work. We walk through the challenges, benefits, and exciting opportunities that we can expect from automation, and how these might come intro fruition in this dynamic and ever-evolving industry. Topics we explo...

.Have you ever reached that point where running your self-storage property just feels like too much to handle? The good news is that you've got options! In episode 9 of the Self Storage Lab podcast, Kyle, Mason, and Rodolfo discuss the varying management styles in the self storage industry and how they have led to changes in the day-to-day functions of operating teams. Mentioned in this episod...

Cool Use Cases or Examples Lease summaries Prompt Engineering Real time Ad Generation based on your product following, research, and search behavior Create instant copy and formatting for a website How Self Storage can leverage GPT-powered tools How swivl is taking advantage of this technology and how operators are using it TODAY Introducing Agent Assist for faster response times Introducing Conve...

Long gone are the days when customers only had one or two options for interacting with a company. Today’s customers move freely through digital and analog channels, using telephones, web chat, social media, and others to make purchases, find solutions, initiate returns, and more. In today's episode, we will be discussing the importance of having a cohesive communication strategy across all channel...

We spend a majority of the today’s show nerding out about ChatGPT’s technology in general, discuss some philosophical questions, use cases, and it’s limitations. If you want to get right to the meat of how this affects the self storage industry - fast forward to 50m30s The rest of the following show notes were *** WRITTEN BY ChatGPT *** Introduction: In this episode, we will be discussing the late...

In today’s business landscape, your online presence and reputation is mission critical to helping you stand out in the sea of competitors. Reviews are one such way to stand out. If you give an unparalleled customer experience, your customer’s won’t keep it a secret. They will share it! Reviews are a Transfer of Trust, the Modern Referral mechanism. Your brand is your business. And your online repu...

Even with facility occupancy at all-time highs this year, operators should be exploring fresh ways to market their facilities. Even in a booming market, you can build momentum and capitalize on the steady demand. By embracing new Email Marketing concepts, you can stay ahead of the curve , engage new tenants, and educate customers on your facility amenities and company news. We breakdown how it aff...

Today, we dive into the numbers that make your business run. We will dive into the new buzzword every operator is talking about, Business Intelligence (BI), why attribution is so important, data privacy, and how to setup an infrastructure to measure the right data. What we cover: BI is becoming more prevalent Attribution piece It’s not just about measuring, it’s about the questions you are asking...

As the first tru episode of our podcast, we wanted to dive into one of the most, maybe even THE MOST important tool an operator can use to ensure they have an Online Presence. Your Website. Your digital Storefront. The rise of digital marketing has created different touch-points for customers to engage with your brand. The goalposts have shifted and prospects are now further down the marketing fun...

Welcome to the first episode of The Self Storage Lab. Today we dive into who we are, what this podcast is about, and why we're doing this.  For more information about what we do at swivl, check out our website: tryswivl.com Also, be sure to check out the Operator's Blueprint: tryswivl.com/blueprint

Join us for our brand new show, The Self Storage Lab–a new podcast deconstructing how operators are adapting to today’s technology-driven landscape and how it might impact your business. In the age of hyper-informed, store-anywhere customers, your business needs to be always on, data-driven, and customer-centered. Wether you’re a thousand location operator or looking to get into self storage with...