I have a security system installed in my home and a safe for important documents. I also keep a baseball bat and several blades stashed throughout the house. My truck is fitted with an alarm system and LoJack. My PC and laptop are password-protected, as is my cell phone. (Theres a LoJack on the laptop too.) To ward off virtual intrusion, I use hardware and software firewalls and antivirus software. For emergencies, I keep a ready list of phone numbers for the PD, fire department and urgent care, as well as my bank and credit card companies. To top it off, theres my vicious, human-eating cat.
Am I being protective or just paranoid?
This is how many people live these days, braced for battle with one or several unknown enemies: theft, identity theft, natural disasters, illness and assault. And business owners experience a double dose of anxiety as they attempt to safeguard not only their loved ones and personal possessions but their livelihood.
Read through Google News on any given day, and youll see what self-storage operators have to ward off. You combat break-ins, arson, hazardous waste, terrorist activity, vandalism, and customers who use your units to produce and push drugs and dispose of criminal evidence. On top of that, youre expected to ensure tenants safety while theyre onsite, and they charge you with the protection of their stored goods. Makes you want to reach for the Mylanta!
The good news is self-storage security is advancing in leaps and bounds, which means your arsenal is improving. This issue covers the basics and the sophisticated trends too. Youll read about video cameras, unit alarms, electronic locks, etc., as well as how to use these features as facility marketing tools. Youll also learn about wireless vs. hardwired systems, trends in network connectivity and the importance of equipment planning and installation.
If security is a No. 1 priority for your businessand it should beyou need to keep current on developments in the field. But more important, you need to know how your tenants feel about security and what your competition is providing to fulfill the need. Security isnt just about safety anymore; its about differentiating your site from the facility next door.
And dont worry about seeming paranoid or implying to tenants that you have a crime issue. In this day and age, we are all vulnerable. Invest in security and then stand behind it. In the words of William S. Burroughs, Sometimes paranoias just having all the facts. You know its better to be safe than sorry. Be ready to fight, and maybe you wont have to.
Teri L. Lanza
Business Development Manager/Editorial Director
[email protected]
