hen choosing a site for a new self-storage facility, the first focus should be on how many potential customers live within a short travel time. The answer defines your real trade area. While performing this task, drive-time analysis, rather than straight-line distance, you should accurately determine what that area looks like, as even short distances can amount to a significant travel time when considering local traffic and topography. However, in a world where most transitions are done remotely, do you know how much travel distance actually impacts finding new customers?

According to Sue Haviland, owner of Haviland Storage Services, “Travel time [continues to be] one of the biggest factors in both acquisition and retention. Most storage customers prefer something within five to 10 minutes of their home or workplace because storage is often about convenience,” she says. “That said, if a customer drives farther to reach your facility, they typically do so for a specific reason—whether it’s price, amenities, or trust in your brand. Those factors can offset travel time and keep them retained longer. The key is making sure their reason for choosing you remains valuable throughout their rental.”

Haviland mentions that customers located farther away tend to cancel earlier, even if they initially accept the longer travel time. “Distance can shorten a customer’s length of stay. If their motivation is temporary—like saving money on a move-in special—they may leave sooner once the convenience factor fades,” she states. “But customers who rent farther away for specialized reasons, for instance, RV storage with amenities, climate-controlled space, and security features, usually stay longer, because those benefits outweigh the drive.”

Part of her day-to-day work involves training managers. She mentions that an integral part of it is encouraging them to speak with customers about why they chose the facility. “We aim to train our team to find out on the initial lead why they chose us. Part of our move-in section tracks how far away they live,” she says. “One of the most common reasons customers give for choosing us is our location and easy access. Many say they drive by, but they will then go online to find out more, and the lead then comes through as a website lead vs. a drive-by.”

In her experience in the industry, Haviland has seen many cases where operators misjudge their market by overestimating how far customers are willing to drive. “One common mistake is building a facility under the assumption that nearby rooftops will be willing to cross a busy freeway or go into an unfamiliar neighborhood,” she says. “When customers feel the drive is inconvenient or uncomfortable, they won’t come, no matter how nice the facility is. The lesson is to never rely on distance alone—always consider drive patterns, psychological barriers, and customer habits.”

For anyone looking to open a new facility, travel-time analysis remains one of the main keys to success. “Travel-time analysis is essential,” says Haviland. It tells you the ‘true trade area’ for your property. Just drawing a three- or five-mile circle on a map isn’t enough—you need to understand traffic patterns, commuter routes, and natural barriers like freeways or rivers. In some markets, customers won’t cross a highway for storage; in others, they’ll happily drive 20 minutes if it’s on the way to work. Getting this wrong can mean overestimating demand.”

She goes on to say, “Proximity to their daily routine is often the first filter; people type ‘storage near me’ or ‘storage in [city].’ But once they’re comparing, price and availability quickly rise to the top. The deciding factor usually depends on their situation. [If they are] moving, short-term users lean toward price and promotions. Long-term household storage renters prioritize security and location; and RV, boat, and business storage users prioritize amenities and access, even if it means a longer drive.”

However, digital tools have started to reduce the significance of physical travel time when customers select a facility. “Digital tools are redefining how customers weigh distance,” says Haviland. “If they can rent online, pay automatically, and access with Bluetooth or keypads, without interacting with staff, they don’t mind driving farther because the process feels seamless. Technology reduces friction. A customer 20 minutes away may only visit once or twice a year if everything can be managed online. This is where smart entry, automated billing, and virtual communication can expand your true market radius.”

Jim DiNardo, an industry veteran with over 35 years of experience, agrees. “I think we already see it reducing the travel time for customers and making things easier to do business, like so many other industries that do business online,” he says. “That should lead to more move-ins for the better operators doing a good job online, but whether it creates more demand in the bigger picture is hard to measure. And there are many customers who still need to see units before renting one, which doesn’t necessarily equate to on-site personnel but is always a consideration.”

He believes that as digital-first experiences become more common, convenience is defined not only by location but by how technology simplifies the rental process. While the internet can help a facility overcome limited street visibility, and online renting is a major appeal, the core advantage of location remains. Customers still want a facility that fits well into their routines, but technology can help fill the convenience gap.

From a competitive standpoint, DiNardo mentions that technology gives smaller operators an edge when competing with larger, more conveniently located brands. However, he doesn’t think they can leverage it to the same extent as the major national operators. “On the one hand, the internet and all the tools available today absolutely allow smaller operators to do things that otherwise would be out of reach. On the other hand, they typically can’t take it to the level that the large, national operators can, given they have tons of data and resources, along with teams of people behind the scenes.”

Digital tools are also expanding a facility’s travel radius, helping operators attract and retain customers who might live farther away. “The internet gives you the ability to target customers from wherever you want,” says DiNardo, “but it’s probably very market specific, like everything else with self-storage, and at the end of the day, the customer still needs a reason or motive to rent somewhere farther away than other available options.”

When it comes to operators leveraging digital marketing insights, like geotargeting or customer journey data, the goal should be to better understand where their customers are coming from and how far they’re willing to travel. “I think you see larger operators analyzing every single piece of data that they can because they have the scale to make differences that add up, but I think it’s probably more of an untapped opportunity overall, especially for smaller operators that need to find an edge,” says DiNardo.

From a strategic perspective, he doesn’t foresee digital ease outweighing proximity entirely. “I doubt it, assuming we’re talking about facilities that are comparable, but I do think customers will travel farther for a nicer facility, and I do recognize that nicer facilities typically have digital operating platforms that help to make them nicer, etc.”

An innovation he sees growing in customer experience that could reshape how much travel time matters in choosing a facility is call center video communication. “One thing that seems to be really valuable is video communication with call center reps, especially if the customer can use their own phone as they tour an unmanned property, for example. A lot of people are fine with technology but still like to interact with people.”