By Victória Oliveira

By Victória Oliveira

ith more and more large investors and equity firms enter the self-storage industry, many smaller businesses have chosen to sell or close. The mobile self-storage market, on the other hand, seems to offer more chances for newbies to stand out; it hasn’t been tapped in quite as much by major league players, thus permitting a more level playing field.

According to Jessie Smith, creative director of Boxwell, a company that specializes in creating containers and relocatable units, mobile or portable self-storage is a method in which the company places a container at the customer’s house or business, allowing them the freedom to fill it up and retrieve items at their convenience. However, their clients’ customers also often use it as a quick and remote way to maximize their spaces, as the portable unit can remain at the customer’s location for a longer period. This can come in handy, for instance, when you’re renovating a house and you need extra space to keep the items from a specific room. As for businesses, Boxwell offers a similar solution to maximize their clients’ facilities: relocatable self-storage units, a type of flexible and moveable buildings designed to fit almost anywhere.

Boxwell was was founded in 2015 by Rod Bolls, a self-storage veteran and key member of the National Portable Storage Association (NPSA) steering committee. His main goal with the company was to provide innovative storage solutions to businesses. “Our first clients were portable storage companies. Although we have spread into other markets, portable storage remains at the core of what we do,” he says. “Today, we have portable storage clients across the globe.”

From a self-storage customer point of view, the mobility in the industry is an unmatched advantage, as they don’t have to travel to a facility or rearrange their schedule to try to meet the set access hours. With mobile storage, customers only need to call the storage company and ask them to deliver their container to their address. Once they finish filling it up or retrieving their goods, all they must do is call the storage company and set up a date for the container to be retrieved.

The mobile solution can also be an alternative to a moving company, as it allows more space for storage, often at a better price. It’s also a great option for companies that participate in festivals and organize outdoor pop-up shops, enabling them to rent a container for a season instead of purchasing a more permanent solution that may not be as economical or useful.

The three main priorities for this type of business are buying containers, setting up a facility to store them, and creating a transport system.

When investing in the initial containers for your mobile self-storage business, you don’t have to rush into buying hundreds of units from the start; demand for this kind of service can become high, but growth is progressive. Instead, start with a few units and continue to buy as needed, especially if you are already in the self-storage business and looking to integrate this enterprise into your company, as it can take some time for demand to pick up.

When researching containers, make sure to look for durable and high-quality products that are waterproof, non-slip, non-toxic, non-flammable, stackable, and pest-proof. With mobile self-storage containers, which are exposed to the elements and transported from place to place, it is best to invest in good-quality products. Doing so will save you money in the long run with maintenance, pest control, and replacements.

Ask the company you are planning to purchase containers from if they offer customizations, since your containers should become part of your marketing efforts. “They act as ‘moving billboards’ because they’re branded with our customer’s logos, colors, and decals,” says Smith.

Another important characteristic to look for in a manufacturer is good post-sale customer service, especially for investors entering the industry, as they will be your biggest resource when it comes to handling the product, from assembling it correctly to best practices.

“Aside from a superior product, Boxwell’s customer service sets us apart,” says Smith. “We go far beyond ‘making the sale,’ focusing on cultivating long-term partnerships in which we help our clients grow, adapt, and succeed. We offer extensive support, including graphic design services, white-glove assembly, product warranties, and more.”

Smith also points out the importance of the containers’ compatibility with delivery systems. “Our product is compatible with several different delivery systems, making it a versatile and ready-made solution for the on-site, on-demand business model.”

As a mobile self-storage company, you have the advantage of not needing to invest in land located in densely populated regions to be close to clients, or even in a good commercial location, as the business will literally be traveling to and from customers’ houses or businesses. This means you will likely be able to buy a more affordable piece of land for your business in the suburbs or on the outskirts of big cities.

What’s more, if you’re not building an office or warehouse on the site, less land may be required to house the containers. However, if future expansion is expected, it’s wise to search for a larger lot from the get-go or a parcel with adjacent land that could facilitate growth down the line.

Transportation is a key part of the business, as containers will need to be taken from customers to the facility quite often. Besides trucks to haul the containers and forklifts to move them, you will need to invest in a good lift system if you plan to stack containers. Needless to say, when purchasing trucks and lifts, it is important to pay attention to weight limits and keep maintenance up to date on all the machinery to keep your company running smoothly.

To maximize the efficiency of both, some container manufacturers offer features that can make the entire process straightforward and more efficient, which will play a big role in maximizing productivity and enhancing the company’s reputation.

“Our product’s design [also] includes a number of transport- optimized features,” says Smith. “They have built-in receiver tubes, D-rings, forklift pockets, E-tracks, and tie-downs. They’re also stackable up to three high, even when fully loaded. This allows portable storage businesses to maximize efficiency of their lot or warehouse.”

Once the research on the basics of logistics is done, it’s time to start thinking about the next natural stage of opening a mobile self-storage business: hiring a legal consultant to help you with insurance, licenses, rental, buying land, and any other legal needs. Professional assistance in this step will save your company time and effort, as they know the ins and outs of the industry, how to proceed and reverse unfavorable situations, and how to ensure your business is protected.

The next step, once the basic logistics and space are done, is to hire staff and a marketing team to handle the launch and advertisement of the business. For this step, you can choose to do the entire process yourself or hire a third-party management company that will be responsible for the entire process as well as managing the facility and operations to make it work smoothly.

Even if you decide to manage the business yourself, you will need to choose a software management system. The software will be responsible for billing, coordinating transportation, scheduling, and everything else in the business that can be automated. This will allow your staff to focus on creating a positive experience for the clients, which is great for customer retention and the overall company’s reputation.