There are a lot of good self storage management software packages out there.
Most of them are very good.
Over the years I have used three different programs and, for the most part, I haven’t been disappointed with any of them.
That’s why I resisted changing to Site Link when my operations partner suggested we do so.
We weren’t having any problems. The current software was working fine. Everyone was used to it. Why fix something that wasn’t broken?
She gave me a lot of reasons, but in the end I stopped resisting for the same reason I do so with my wife…it just makes life easier.
And I’m so glad I did.
Site Link is, by far, the best management software we’ve ever used.
It’s the best we’ve ever used AND we aren’t even using all of the available features of the software yet so we aren’t getting all of the benefits the program has to offer. We’re still in the learning phase. Our Operations Manager’s game is to implement one or two new features a quarter at the facility level. In other words, each quarter, our managers start using a new feature that helps in our information gathering.
Here are just some of the reasons why I like it:
- It has the largest market share of any self storage operating software in the industry. This is important because most the vendors that offer products and services – like websites, security systems, gate and code boxes, etc. – are integration partners with Site Link.
- This means that right out of the box it has the best interface with the majority of the vendors we might use. For example the “Pay Online” feature on our website is part of Site Link and is easier for the customer than the other software we have used.
- There is a larger share of vendors in each segments of the industry to choose from because they all integrate with Site Link. We used to have to find vendors that interfaced with our software and that often limited us to only one or two options.
- There is a lot of flexibility in the setup of a facility allowing the owner to control what each person in the company is allowed to see and do in the program.
- An Owner has a lot control to improve employee oversight, theft prevention, and manage what each person working for the company can see in the program.
- We even use it as our time clock. Employees sign in and out through the software to track their hours.
- It generates awesome reports. I get the key one I like to track in my in-box every day.
- Owners with more than one facility can set up each facility to send them any report they want. You can get different reports from different facilities delivered to you at any time interval you choose (i.e. daily, weekly and/or monthly).
- Every day I get very specific reports in my inbox but they are also available on an online dashboard for revue any time.
- Reports for managers streamline the information they need to use every day. In the lease-up phase, for example, we train our managers to know exactly where they are on absorption and that is so easy to see on the daily Management Reports.
- We can track our competition and customers through the software.
- There is a feature that allows us to track the nearby facilities and know when they have price changes. This is very important in a fast moving market like we are currently in. We don’t get that far behind the market anymore,
- It is easy to track where your customers come from.
I could go on, but you get the picture. This is powerful software.
But the best reason I have for suggesting it is that our industry is changing fast.
While other programs have many of the features I listed above, as the industry evolves Site Link will be the program any new vendor will integrate with first, allowing us maximum control over how and who we do business with.
If you want to test or use a demand pricing model (where prices change according to supply/demand as opposed it having a stated street rate which stays constant until a price increase), Site Link is already set up to do that.
I have found that this program offers us the maximum flexibility to work with more venders that we used to be able to work with.
I hate change, but this was one change that worked out great for us.
I try not to endorse too many specific products because there are so many good one’s out there. However, I really was surprised at how much I like Site Link as our management software.
If you are just starting off, I strongly suggest you explore this product and give it serious consideration. I wish I had used it from the start.
If you have more than one facility, I strongly suggest you explore this software as well.
My goal is to share with you what I know can support you in getting in and/or growing your self storage business and this software is a fantastic tool for that.
And don’t resist change like I did. Change can be good. Change can improve your life situations.
