By Chris Shope

High-security cylinders and padlocks have millions of usable combinations, and are available with or without master keying.

The typical self-storage owner may think of padlocks and other security locking devices as profit-making items that help renters lock their units. Locks are heavier and more expensive than boxes, but are sometimes viewed as just another ancillary product, something to put a few bucks in your pocket.

For the past three years, I have been actively making sales calls on self-storage facilities from coast to coast. The first question I am usually asked about locks is the price. Very few people ask about usable key codes or the actual quality of the locking systems at first. In the beginning, this was difficult for me to comprehend.

We entered the security industry with a full line of locks developed for the casino-gaming, vending and amusement industries. With the distinction of selling security products to these industries came the responsibility of manufacturing a line of locks that could compete with companies such as Medeco and Abloy. Like these companies, we take an active roll in new-product development and maintaining the integrity of our trade, which is why we don't consider locks an ancillary product.

In the early '80s, the self-storage market was not consumed by low-end lock and security products, but still was focused on high quality and inventive ideas. In the past decade, the market has become price-driven, but with this trend comes a problem: You cannot keep reducing prices without diminishing your quality and features. Hence, a lower-end line of locks emerged to compete with some ancillary companies' products, but there are still products available tailored to companies with security in mind.

Many of the new, state-of-the-art facilities and some older facilities have moved from padlocks to more enhanced security systems. Modern facilities, as well as retrofitted older facilities, are using extra security measures to enhance their marketing programs. Our hand-assembled locking cylinders are unquestionably still our biggest selling cylinders. And with the increasing problems of theft, chemical storage, drug labs and other criminal activities on the rise, the number of master-keyed facilities has increased.

Believe me, I know what you are thinking: Master-keyed facilities--I can't do that. Well, you will be surprised to learn that some cities and municipalities now require master keying for fire codes. And none of the facilities that operate with our master-keyed systems have been compelled to drop their operation. Since 1985, when we developed this system, we have had no security breaches or legal problems, and we have sold over a million of these cylinders, all of which are still in operation.

We all can see tremendous change happening in the industry. There is a marketing advantage in promoting a high-security facility. Look at your entire facility, from the surveillance system to your gates, and build a system that complements your surroundings. Locks are part of that system. When you promote security, your customers will not only appreciate your efforts, they will have a superior level of confidence in your facility.

Chris Shope is the national sales manager for L.A.I. Group, which manufactures a complete line of security locks and custom-designed security hardware for the self-storage and other industries. The L.A.I. team is committed to taking knowledge gained from other security industries and applying it to the self-storage market. For more information, call (800) 422-2866.

While recently attending the Southwest Self-Storage Conference and Trade Show, presented in Phoenix by the American Mini Storage Association, my curiosity was piqued by one of their choices of speakers. The association had brought on board a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) specialist with the Tempe, Ariz., police department. CPTED is a branch of situational crime prevention, the basic premise of which is that physical environments can be manipulated in such a way that they actually reduce the incidence of crime. Unlike other more aggressive methods of crime-prevention, CPTED attempts to use environmental factors to influence the perceptions of all users of a given space (i.e., a self-storage facility), addressing not only the opportunity for crime, but the sensation of fear on the part of potential victims.

The idea here is that the design and layout of your facility can potentially contribute to the avoidance of crime, but that really oversimplifies the concept. (For more information, visit www.cpted.org.) The bottom line is that, as owners or managers of storage facilities--especially if you're a resident manager--you have a lot at stake. Not only are your business and tenants' goods vulnerable, but potentially your home as well. This makes the decision as to what security systems to implement and maintain a particularly crucial one.

Before directing you to this issue's catalogue of articles regarding security issues--software, gates, alarms, installation, locks, etc.--let me just say that, obviously, safety and security are of utmost concern in both our personal and professional lives. People chuckled when they saw an article on tenant-operated methamphetamine labs publicized on the cover of our February issue, but we were barraged with phone calls from self-storage operators plagued with similar woes. And, in the case of many of these trials, the challenge isn't petty theft, it's the devious, conniving criminal mind. Make sure your managers are prepared to identify problem renters, or to recognize suspicious behavior or items on your site.

The safety of your facility will, of course, be bolstered by a sound security system. Whether you're a new developer or a seasoned veteran, it's important to keep abreast of the most current options in that arena. David Reddick provides a comprehensive overview of self-storage security hardware and software, and how best to choose it. Steve Cooper adds a more detailed focus on individual unit door alarms, while Arden Thoburn looks at closed-circuit television. Finally, Chris Shope shares his views on locks as more than just an ancillary product, and Lance Comstock highlights the importance of proper installation and support.

Hopefully, those of you who joined us in Buffalo, N.Y., last month took advantage of the unique exposure to an international market. Self-storage is spreading its influence over borders and overseas, which will mean a more challenging business climate for us all. Don't allow anxiety over crime or other manageable hazards to undermine your participation in what is sure to be an exciting--and profitable--future.

Be careful out there,

Teri L. Lanza
Editor
[email protected]

For a complete list of references click here

By Arden Thoburn

The self-storage industry is growing at such a rapid rate, crime can hardly keep up. As the industry grows, so grow the many ways for criminals to take away from your bottom line. It seems they work as hard at trying to take things away from you as you work to protect your facilities.

One of the most important factors in deterring crime in a facility is lighting. Another, which works closely with your lighting, is a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera system. With adequate lighting, a CCTV system can work much more efficiently in the night hours, when most criminals are taking advantage of dimly lit areas of your facility, exploiting a weakness in your security system. With proper lighting and camera placement in all vulnerable areas, your system can act as a deterrent to crime as much as anything else.

With the proper deterrents in place, you create a mental block for most perpetrators of crimes. You must admit that most criminal minds are lacking common sense and good judgement or they wouldn't be in such a predicament. What I'm getting at is that simple: Commonsense practices for deterring crimes before they happen can save on the bottom line.

You can keep it as simple as possible in regards to your security-system design, or you can get highly sophisticated. One rule of thumb is the KISS method: Keep it simple, Sam, Simon, Sally, etc. I've found that most facilities require a very basic system. Keep in mind that if you have already purchased additional property on an adjacent lot, you may consider thinking ahead. This means it will require a system you can grow into, so your dollars will be better spent and you can save on the bottom line in the long run.

One thing to consider is whether to purchase black-and-white cameras vs. color. Black-and-white cameras give higher definition and better contrast lines of resolution. Most of the time, details are in black and white. Color-camera technology has vastly improved in recent years; however, you can lose some details in the color spectrum as the color sometimes camouflages the images you're trying to improve upon. Again, you must decide which is the best for the bottom line.

You must also consider the type of control system for monitoring and recording of the camera signals. Again, I must stress the need to keep it simple. The control part of the system is where your dollars are stretched a little. The multiplexer is a device used to combine multiple camera signals to be recorded on one industrial video recorder, and there are a number of types available. Two of the most common units are referred to as simplex and duplex. The simplex version gives you all the recording capabilities, but limited displays of single or switching of cameras on the monitor as you're recording. The duplex version gives you all recording capabilities, but more display options while you're recording. Obviously, the simplex version will cost you less, and we know what that means.

You can take it a step further and get into the new digital-recording devices available today, and eliminate the need for videotape recorders. You can record up to 32 cameras at a maximum of 71 days with digital equipment. This product can connect through a local area network (LAN), integrated services digital network (ISDN), modem or the Internet. These systems are the future of the CCTV industry; however, they are more costly.

In sharp contrast, you might consider a simple quad system, which includes a quad compression unit that enables you to record a maximum of four cameras on an industrial recorder. You can always replace the quad unit when growing the system with more cameras and a multiplexer. This makes for a low-budget system to work with until such time your bottom line improves.

Today, phone-line equipment with built-in modems are available for monitoring your facilities from the office or home. You can even carry the receiver with you on the road and simply plug into any available standard phone line to monitor your facility. There are also some simple software packages for monitoring your system from a laptop or home computer.

CCTV systems can help you market your facility in today's competitive market. You can take a bite out of crime, but a criminal will always be biting at your heels. So be prepared, and stay a step or two ahead. Remember that CCTV can help as a deterrent to crime as much as anything else, but there's no guarantee that CCTV will stop all crime from occurring. It will, however, help improve the bottom line.

Arden Thoburn is vice president, national sales manager for Greensboro, N.C.-based Crest Electronics Inc., a manufacturer of video-security products, including black-and-white and color monitors, multiplexers, quads, time-lapse recorders, event-alarm recorders, lenses, domes, video motion detectors and more. For more information, call (888) 502-7378, or visit www.crestelectronics.com.

By Barry Morris

Most people in the self-storage business are familiar with Capco Steel, which has designed, engineered, constructed and erected steel self-storage buildings for 15 years. The name Artistic Builders Inc. (ABI) hasn't existed as long and may not be as familiar, but Capco's sister company seems to be rapidly gaining recognition in the industry similar to that of its older sibling.

As the owner of Capco, Charles Plunkett was approached a few years ago by a local group in San Antonio, Texas, about building a self-storage project from the ground up. Having a background in general contracting but being several years removed from it, Plunkett decided to return to the general contracting arena. This "appetite," as he calls it, led to the formation of ABI in 1994. The company built the San Antonio group's complex, a project that won a facility-of-the-year award in 1996.

From the Ground Up

Plunkett describes ABI as a multi-tasking company providing development assistance and building of self-storage facilities. "Most of our work is not hard bid work--someone saying, 'Here's a set of plans; give us a bid on this project'--although we're capable of doing that. Rather, most of our work exists because someone has the idea that they want to develop a storage facility and doesn't really know what to do. They come to us and we'll assist them in what I call pre-development work: helping them evaluate their site, what kind of construction difficulties they'll have there, their real-estate deals, and so on.

"We will actually, in many cases, come up with a conceptual design of the overall look of the project that's generally intended to fit within the area where it's located. Then they can either have their architects and engineers develop the plans, or we can take care of that. We can then build it for them from the ground up and hand them the keys when it's finished."

Some contractors include services that may present a conflict, but ABI avoids such situations. "One aspect of pre-development analysis we do not get involved in is doing market-feasibility studies," Plunkett says. "We will recommend people to market analysts, and we would generally always recommend that they have a feasibility study done. But we're professionals in designing and building facilities, not in doing feasibility studies; and we've always felt there was an inherent conflict to someone hiring us to tell them whether or not we should build a project for them."

ABI will also represent clients at meetings with cities to acquire necessary variances, zoning adjustments and the like. "It's pretty normal for us to represent our clients at various hearings and, so far, we've been successful on every occasion."

ABI gets a letter of intent, with a small advance payment, from a client wanting to enlist its help during the hearings process, says Senior Project Manager Glenda Jacoby. While not a legally binding contract, the letter-of-intent process exists to discourage what Jacoby calls "tire kickers," assuring the client is serious about ABI's involvement in their project. In citing the need for this provision, Jacoby lamented, "On one job, we worked with a client for eight months--at no charge--before we ever broke ground." However, if the client stays with ABI to complete the project, the advance payment is applied to the contract amount.

Quality and Commitment

ABI's basic philosophy is very simple: You are what you build. "I know this word is used loosely, but we are really known as a 'quality' company," says Plunkett. "We work very hard to do a good job, and we are not known for cutting corners or taking the short road on things. It's not uncommon for us even to spend money out of our own pocket on a project if we feel that it needs it and, for some reason, don't feel justified in charging the customer."

Much of ABI's business comes from people who have seen the company's finished projects, says Jacoby. "It's very common for us to hear such comments as, 'Boy, this is not like the typical storage facility we're used to seeing.'" ABI's reputation for quality recently brought it together with Brundage Management Company. ABI has completed work on one new Brundage property (another facility-of-the-year award winner), and two more are being constructed. Some of Brundage's older facilities are also being remodeled by ABI to more closely resemble the company's newer developments.

Plunkett feels ABI's focus on the self-storage industry is important to its success, and adds that other companies trying to capitalize on the industry's growth may not be qualified to do so. "We could be actively pursuing building office buildings, restaurants and so forth, but we feel we're highly specialized in self-storage," he says. "We have a lot knowledge to offer people, and a lot of experience and ability that we feel not a lot of people have. And we enjoy the industry. Therefore, we have stayed focused in this industry when the temptation has been there to go into other things."

It's not uncommon for developers to award projects to ABI even if other companies underbid them, says Plunkett. "We try to provide a good value and be very fair in our pricing, but we can't always do it as cheaply as someone else. But we never know what they're doing to get there. Everything is not always apples to apples. They may be cutting corners and so forth, and that's just something we choose not to do. Our reputation is at stake."