| Richard and Jill live in a nice ranch-style home that | | | | within easy reach of each other via wiring. The |
| tops a low hill in southern Ohio. He commutes 12 | | | | only thing that changes in a remote setup is the |
| miles to administrative duties in the regional | | | | method for moving the data stream. A local-area |
| hospital. Jill plays mom to two youngsters. But | | | | network (LAN), wide-area network (WAN), or |
| that's not all. When her phone rings during the | | | | even a wireless connection can easily be set up |
| day, she answers: "Valley View Self Storage has | | | | to transfer the information that helps security |
| great prices, great service, and great views of | | | | systems work seamlessly." |
| the valley. How may we help you?" Valley View | | | | Those systems include access control, individual |
| provides a service to the community, even | | | | unit alarms and video surveillance. Access control |
| though it has no full-time onsite manager. Jill runs | | | | includes the automated functioning of gates and |
| the 181-unit facility from her home a mile away. | | | | doors; assigned codes ensure that only tenants |
| Likewise, Glenn, a commercial real estate | | | | whose leases are valid and accounts are paid |
| developer in one of the Midwest's larger cities, | | | | have access to the property. Individual unit alarms |
| operates his holdings from a central downtown | | | | still rank at the top of the list of features that |
| office. Sometimes referred to as a | | | | appeal to customers. Many feel more secure |
| "hub-and-spoke" arrangement, Glenn's five remote | | | | about using storage when they know their space |
| sites pose a different set of operational | | | | is "armed." Likewise, many facility owners feel |
| requirements than a traditional manned store with | | | | their business is more secure when they use |
| a full-time staff. | | | | video surveillance on the property. With today's |
| As industry consolidation opens the door, national | | | | digital video recorders, even smaller facilities can |
| and regional operators take the opportunity to | | | | afford to enjoy heightened security. |
| bring multiple facilities throughout a widespread | | | | "With a fence and a good automatic gate, you'll |
| area into their folds. As a means of saving time | | | | cure better than 80 percent of any theft problem |
| and money, executives dream of having systems | | | | you would ever have at a facility," says the sales |
| that will allow totally unmanned facilities, with | | | | rep. "If you want proof-positive security, an |
| expanded automation connecting them to a home | | | | individual unit alarm will do the trick. The alarm |
| office. | | | | system can be hard-wired or wireless. Both |
| Whether a facility is a "mom and pop" operation, | | | | options have proved to be valuable, especially in a |
| a local real estate venture or part of a national | | | | remote location. Any unauthorized entry will cause |
| chain, its owners will seek out ways to minimize | | | | an alarm condition to startle an intruder and |
| overhead and maximize profits as they run the | | | | summon you or the authorities. So long as they |
| business day to day. Of the estimated 45,000 | | | | are installed properly, these systems work very |
| self-storage facilities dotting the face of the | | | | reliably for years." |
| United States, many follow a business model that | | | | Jill is impressed, but this doesn't entirely solve her |
| does not include a full-time manager. Built to take | | | | dilemma. "I'm more concerned about seeing who's |
| advantage of the high demand for storage, these | | | | at my facility at any given time. How can I use |
| facilities are known as "remote" sites. | | | | cameras to see them from the house?" |
| The Quandry | | | | The rep is unphased. "If you have a high-speed |
| Jill and Glenn meet at a self-storage tradeshow. | | | | connection, you can run all your access control, |
| While browsing security equipment at the booth | | | | alarm notification and security cameras right over |
| of one vendor, they discover their operations | | | | the Internet," he says. "Just like the major |
| have something in common: remote management. | | | | self-storage companies that view their facility |
| It makes for some insightful conversation. | | | | cameras from all over the country, you can see |
| "You know, the requirements for running the | | | | what's happening at your site in real time right on |
| facility are the same whether you have a full-time | | | | your computer screen." |
| staff or not. You still have to make it easy for | | | | As the sales rep mentioned, the difference |
| people to do business with you," says Jill. | | | | between security at a manned and unmanned site |
| Glenn agrees, "We've all got the same issues. | | | | is related to the flow of data. In the case of |
| Keeping tenants happy takes customer service. | | | | short distances, such as two facilities across the |
| They want a clean place to store, and they want | | | | street from one another, transmissions can be |
| to feel that what they're storing is going to be | | | | made via a wireless modem. Otherwise, the |
| protected. Depending on the size of the store, | | | | simple data for the access-control and alarm |
| there's a way to do all of that and still not have a | | | | systems can travel on a standard telephone |
| full-time staff." | | | | circuit, while larger transmissions such as video |
| Security is a business tool with two purposes. | | | | from security cameras will require a high-speed |
| Obviously, protection of property is one. The | | | | Internet connection. |
| other is to keep your facility competitive within | | | | More Options Than Ever |
| your market. Better security may be the very | | | | With connection devices readily available--and the |
| item that makes the difference to prospects. For | | | | technology always improving--remote site |
| example, if your store has a fence and automatic | | | | operation has become viable and affordable. Many |
| gate, it will naturally be more secure, attracting | | | | owners are taking a close look at the new |
| customers concerned about safety. | | | | kiosk-type equipment. Whether for standalone use |
| Tight security results from a good plan: You need | | | | at an unmanned site or as a robotic "support" |
| to combine management systems and equipment | | | | manager at a staffed facility, these self-serve |
| that match the needs of your location and | | | | stations can connect to a home office or call |
| operation. Though facility types vary, security | | | | center to handle all the tasks required for rentals. |
| fundamentals remain the same. | | | | They can even maintain the paperwork for |
| "When it comes to security, we start with the | | | | customer relationships. |
| basics," says Glenn. "Since we use a central office, | | | | "Along with automation, built-in and add-on |
| it's easy to standardize procedures. As well as we | | | | security features give you all the systems you |
| can, we make sure our tenants are who they | | | | need to keep up with the competition," says |
| say they are. We require photo IDs and | | | | Glenn, who has been listening to the sales rep's |
| background information, and we even keep a | | | | pitch. "We have been able to use a combination of |
| photo and fingerprint of each customer. We also | | | | security systems at our remote sites and |
| give each tenant a disc lock with a security | | | | operate them very efficiently. Of course, we still |
| sticker. We know it's the most secure lock they | | | | have someone doing the daily property and lock |
| can use, so it's part of the rental package. When | | | | checks, but the investment in the technology has |
| we do our onsite inspections, we can quickly see | | | | really paid off by keeping our overhead down." |
| if someone has tampered with any units." | | | | Another owner who's been listening in says, "We |
| Jill's in a different boat. Though her facility is doing | | | | really don't have a remote site, but we might as |
| quite well, having stabilized at about 88 percent | | | | well. We have a manager, but my wife and I like |
| occupancy in two years, security is still a sore | | | | to travel, so we've added the necessary |
| spot. "We just had our third break-in in two | | | | connections to keep up with what's going on at |
| years," she says. "We can't abide that, so I've got | | | | home. A couple of weeks ago, we were watching |
| to find some new options." | | | | our site over the Internet on a pocket PC while |
| A Solution | | | | sitting on a beach in Maui. It's a great way to take |
| A sales representative overhears Jill's quandary | | | | care of business!" |
| and offers some assistance. "We can provide all | | | | If you are one of many adding to the buzz with |
| the same electronic security tools for a remote | | | | questions about unmanned storage stores, your |
| site that we can for a manned facility, so long as | | | | answer about security is, "Yes!" Properly planned |
| we have electrical power," he says. | | | | features will help protect your property and add |
| "The big difference is how information flows | | | | appeal for prospects--even more so because you |
| between the two locations and how it's handled. In | | | | operate without a manager in sight. |
| a manned office, all pieces of equipment are | | | | |