A new technology-development firm, Tenant Inc., has launched to serve self-storage renters and provide facility operators with business-process tools. The company’s service suite includes tenant identity verification, omnichannel communication, responsive website design, payment processing and single sign-on (SSO) capability, according to a press release. Leading the company will be Bruce Heverly, president, and Lance Watkins, CEO, who most recently served as chief marketing officer and CEO, respectively, of Storelocal, a cooperative created by independent self-storage operators to offer member benefits with economies of scale.
Storelocal partnered with Tenant Inc. in May to integrate Storelocal’s “Tenant” suite of services, including access control and mobile management, expanding the co-op’s move-in technology offerings to members.
“Based on storage-owner feedback, Tenant Inc. is excited to unveil its latest technology piece that addresses specific day-to-day challenges voiced by the industry,” Heverly said. Other service features include enabling facility-access compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act and multiple payment methods, including automated clearing house, Apple Pay, Amazon Pay and Google Wallet. SSO and social-login capability allow customers to use one ID and password through a third-party social media account. Tenant Inc. will use an open, unrestricted Application Programming Interface (API).
“Incorporating such valuable features requires deep experience in the industry in order to identify user challenges, and we are proud to address them with real solutions that create a better experience for business owners and customers,” Watkins said.
Prior to Storelocal, Heverly was an entrepreneur, developing multiple companies including Synergy1, a workflow-management software-integration company, and Cost Segregation Services Inc., a provider of engineering-based cost-segregation studies.
Watkins has a long history of leading self-storage companies including Charity Storage, Storage Outlet and StorageTreasures. “I am excited about expanding on the Tenant technology platform developed by Storelocal and continuing to improve its current capabilities, while engaging in new products that help self storage owners prosper,” he said.
Based in Newport Beach, Calif., Tenant Inc. develops real estate property technologies designed to create a seamless user experience. Its open platform is designed to create customizable “prop-tech solutions” to benefit operators, the release stated.
Storelocal leverages the combined strength of its membership for services such as customer acquisition, financing, marketing and technology. The coop also owns online self-storage directories StorageFront.com and SelfStorageHounds.com. Its total membership includes more than 1,200 self-storage facilities through its owner-member companies.
