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The self-storage industry has been growing consistently over the last few decades, especially because of favorable market conditions. And because changes are happening to the way people live their daily lives, customer behavior in self-storage is also being influenced.

One of the primary reasons for this change is inflation–where the cost of housing goes up, making it less likely for people to move. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that people don’t run out of storage. A big driver for the self-storage industry apart from customers moving from one place to another is the fact that there are customers renting self-storage as a kind of extension of their current household, where they can store belongings that no longer fit at home.

This is just one of the reasons why the continuous growth of the self-storage industry abounds. But for the self-storage industry to evolve and maximize its growth, companies need to start working on evolving as well. Traditional storage companies may have started the growth of the industry, but tech-driven storage companies are the future of the industry.

Here are five of the leading innovators in the self-storage industry:

Flex

Tagged as the world’s first storage solution that makes use of smart trailers for moving and storage, Flex is well-known as the innovator in the future of storage. This is mainly because the company leverages smart technology including GPS tracking, climate monitoring, and advanced security features. Its booking process is fully digital, designed to make the entire process easier for customers.

But what makes Flex even more reputable is its primary focus on consistently excellent service provided by its team. Not only equipped to handle the packing, loading, and door-to-door delivery service, the Flex team serves as a guide to customers who need support in their storage experience.

Fellow Storage

Fellow is a personal item management platform with a tech-first approach that is revolutionizing the storage market. It is addressing a significant problem afflicting the storage industry: dead items. They do this by layering their cutting-edge tech stack on top of an established pick-up and delivery storage service.

The company also leverages its extensive network of third-party merchant integrations (laundromats, second-hand markets, etc.) and sophisticated recommendation engine. So, storing items like skis with Fellow would also get additional services like having them waxed, cleaned, and delivered right to the slope.

Vertoe

Focused on on-demand, short-term luggage storage, Vertoe provides 1000+ secure facilities for storing personal things across 65+ major US cities. The company is a more secure and practical alternative to traditional locker storage because of its distinctive and digitally-coded tamper-proof seals.

On its app, customers need only find a location near them and book online. They can simply drop their bags and be on their way. Vertoe offers customers a variety of options, whether they’re looking for hourly storage, daily space, or short-term locker rentals.

Valet Storage

Valet Storage offers on-demand storage. The company considers itself the Uber for items customers wish to store. With contacts in the self-storage industry, it works with developers in multiple states as it continues to increase its customer base.

It utilizes a photo inventory system allowing customers to get a clear view of everything they’ve stored with Valet Storage. For the company, convenience is the name of the game. And its virtual closet service helps customers unwind knowing their items are nearby.

Closetbox

Customers won’t have to deal with the inconvenience of packing, transferring, and hauling anything into storage thanks to Closetbox. For the price of a typical self-storage unit, the company offers concierge storage with full service, door-to-door collection, and return delivery.

Closetbox picks everything up for free when they visit a customer’s home and securely stores everything, providing a digital inventory of possessions. To fill empty space in their warehouses and on their vehicles, local movers are hired by Closetbox to keep prices down and provide free pickup. This efficiency and uniqueness have garnered the company’s rapid growth. With over 100 agent locations throughout 65 cities, they are currently the only countrywide full-service storage provider.

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