Illustrations of shipping containers, wine racks and people working at desks

Harness the Full Potential of Your Sites Through the Adoption of Multi-Purpose Self-Storage Facilities

If self-storage is all about space, what should you do with any areas which aren’t (currently) lettable? 

1 in 4 self-storage operators are already considering mixed-use facilities developments for their future expansion plans, according to Fedessa’s 2023 European Industry Report1. While this shows there’s still a focus on continuing to deliver the core service of storage space to grow their business, it also illustrates the appetite of operators to diversify the space available to them at their facility and reap the rewards of new revenue streams.  As the report also highlights, suitable land to develop sites is becoming harder to find and converting existing structures will become more common. Not only can multi-use sites help the planning process, they can also utilise areas which won’t accommodate traditional storage spaces. 

Outdoor space utilisation

Adding container units to established, indoor facilities to increase the amount of storage space you can offer comes with a host of benefits:

  • Compared with the costs of extending an existing structure to offer more indoor space, container storage involves a far lower capital investment, with a much quicker turnaround period.
  • Being able to offer a combination of indoor and outdoor storage widens your pricing range to customers. Those that could have been priced out of using your indoor storage service could now become container storage customers.
  • New innovations mean you can implement dividers inside your containers, allowing you to break down the space further and increase your yield management. 

Alternatively, vehicle storage can be a great opportunity for unused parking spaces which requires very little management. 

  • Transforming empty parking spaces into storage for caravans, boats, and luxury cars can be a low-cost way to generate additional revenue.
  • By offering this service, you can start to collaborate with local boat clubs and caravan parks to market your services and gain a new demographic of loyal customers.

Indoor spaces

Some of your existing commercial customers may already be attempting to complete business objectives within their storage units. Make their lives easier, as well as your own, with dedicated co-working spaces within your facility. By offering this service you can:

  • Create a unique selling point for any potential commercial storage customers that are looking for storage.
  • Cross-promote both products to either customer base. For example, if someone hires a desk spot from you for 6 months, you can offer them a discounted rate on a storage unit (and vice-versa).

Depending on your location and the ease with which you can install temperature controls within your facility, wine storage may be a lucrative option for your business.

  • Offering wine storage requires minimal space but provides a premium product offering which will likely bring a higher return than your standard unit rate.
  • It will also open your business up to a new audience of restaurants, businesses, and wine enthusiasts!

Things to consider

While the revenue potential of mixed-use self-storage facilities is promising, there are some considerations to keep in mind:

  • Overheads: Expenses for utilities like electricity and temperature controls must be factored in for office spaces and wine storage.
  • Maintenance: Regular upkeep and maintenance of these spaces are essential to provide a quality service.
  • Insurance: You will need to ensure that you have appropriate insurance coverage for all the services you offer.
  • Management: Efficiently tracking and managing different services and customers under one roof can be a challenge without the right solutions or management systems.

How Kinnovis can help

Our software is designed to give you flexibility when it comes to managing your facility, regardless of how many services you offer. For example, with our fully customisable facility map, you can also add spaces for vehicle spaces, office desks or whatever type of space you’re currently letting out. Everything can be linked to an individual customer, so you can see who is using what and has access to your facility.

For a run-through of how this could work for your self-storage facility, book a time with our sales team and discover how seamlessly you can turn your site into a multi-purpose facility.

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1Download the full European Annual Industry Report.