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While Elite RV & Boat Storage was just built in 2020, it didn't take the Fort Myers, Florida facility long to realize they needed a more secure and reliable access control system. That's when they turned to Nokē Smart Entry by Janus International. Serving solely as a boat and RV facility with no traditional units, Elite RV & Boat Storage decided to use the smart entry system at the gate. In just one year, they've had an overwhelming response from their tenants. In this customer spotlight, we'll see how the class-A facility uses the Nokē Smart Entry system at the gate to streamline operations, enhance security, and increase revenue despite serving an older demographic.
"We're Elite RV & Boat Storage so we have to have top-of-the-line everything, and the Nokē Smart Entry system is just that."
Patrick Sears, Site Manager at Elite RV & Boat Storage
Leveraging Technology Despite an Older Demographic
Did you know that more than 60% of class-A motor homeowners are above the age of 55? While many site owners are intimidated to mix technology with an older demographic in fear they will not understand or be able to use it, Elite RV & Boat Storage had zero hesitations. They even found that their customers, young and old, had a very easy time learning and navigating the smart entry app.
"My tenants are anywhere from 30 to 70 years of age, with most of them probably being in their 70s and the smart entry app is just so smooth and easy for them to use."
Times are changing, and self-storage tenants are becoming more and more tech-dependent. Consider the Millennials and Gen Z's entering the self-storage market. They've never known a life without technology, and it's becoming a determining factor for today's self-storage decision-makers.
We've seen "boating booms" and RV sales continue to skyrocket since 2019. In fact, the annual U.S. sales of boats were up 14% in 2020 compared to 2019, and the total number of RV shipments increased by 11.3% in 2021. The Covid 19 pandemic and neighborhood HOA's continue to be driving factors for increased recreational sales. With this niche in storage only expanding, it's important for self-storage owners to tune into the growing demands of their customers and deliver a safe and secure facility for boat and RV storage.
When purchasing larger and more expensive items such as boats and RVs, customers want to make sure their large investments remain safe and secure when they're away. No one should be stealing items from their boat or trying to live in their RV. That's why security is of utmost importance to Elite RV & Boat Storage.
The smart entry system increases site security in a variety of ways. First, you'll be able to see exactly who is accessing your facility at all times. You'll even be able to differentiate if it's the tenant coming in or a shared key user. You can even customize access per tenant or restrict access when a tenant is late on a payment. So, if you want a certain tenant to have 24/7 access but others to be limited to set business hours, that's easily doable from your smart entry system. And, When Nokē Smart Entry is installed across various access points at your facility, including the unit doors, you'll practically get a blueprint mapping out exactly where that tenant went and how they navigated your facility.
With the smart entry system, management has more control and visibility over their facility than ever before, and there are a variety of features and benefits to help both the site manager and the tenant. Here's an example of what the site manager would see on their custom branded, smart entry mobile app. On the home screen, you can see the total number of units, how many units are currently open, and how many users are on site. This let's the site manager know what's going on at all times, without having to physically walk around the property.
Site managers have the ability to remotely manage access points - anytime anywhere as long as they have an internet-connected device and the right permissions. Using smart entry also gives the owner-operator valuable data for understanding tenant patterns, usage, and frequency.
If a tenant is late on a payment, you can customize the system to deny access or prompt the customer to make a payment before entering. All of these once mundane processes are now electronic, instant, and 100% accurate based on your property management software input.
Here are some of Elite RV & Boat Storage's favorite Nokē Smart Entry Features:
1. Digital Key Sharing
Boat and RV tenants are attracted to the digital key sharing feature because they can easily and securely allow others to access their boat or RV as needed. No more remembering to leave the key out or coordinate an exchange. Whether it's a detailer needing to get into the facility or a family member checking on a relative's RV while they're out of town, the tenant can share secure, temporary access via a digital shared key.
"Sharing access through the digital key sharing features is huge for my tenants because they'll have people coming in to do maintenance or detailing on their vehicle."
2. Remote Management
Because the smart entry system allows employees to help with access point entry from anywhere at any time, site managers can even take advantage of remote management. When a facility has smart locks on each unit door, they can complete lock checks and view unit statuses in real-time on the smart entry app or online web portal.
"The feature to be able to open the gate anywhere for the manager is amazing. I've had multiple situations where I was off the property and was able to open the gate for our customers who forgot to share access through the app."
Smart Entry, Higher Revenue (Yes, Please!)
With any investment that increases your property value or heightens your site's security, you're able to leverage higher rental rates, street rates, and fees. After adding Nokē smart entry system to the gate, Elite RV & Boat storage was able to implement a $4.95 monthly fee for their gate system, generating an extra $15,444.00 per year with 260 units. If your facility has traditional units using smart locks on top of smart entry at the gate, you could be leveraging premiums for smart units and additional technology fees to generate even more revenue.
