The Best Self Storage Software Programs

Identifying the best self storage software programs can be difficult. This is largely because although many of the features may seem similar, the differences can actually be very large. Another common problem is that the best software for one person may not be the best for you. Fortunately, there are a few general rules that you can follow when trying to decide which self source software program is going to be the best fit for your business.

Self Storage Software Programs Minimize Manual Tasks

One of the most important things that your self storage software should do is minimize the tasks that are normally done manually. This could range from sending out monthly billing statements to general accounting. For example, a common problem that a lot of people run into is that their software cannot process a certain type of payment that they often receive, such as direct deposits or payments through an online gateway. The whole point of using this type of software is to help you stay organized and minimize the amount of time needed doing these types of manual tasks. If the software doesn’t end up saving you time, then you should definitely be looking into a different option.

Software Programs Integrate When Needed

Another characteristic of the elite self storage software programs is that they can be easily integrated with the hardware that you are using as well as other pieces of software. For example, if you are running a newer version of Windows 7, then your software should be compatible with it. If the software developer cannot keep up with recent releases, then there’s a good chance that you will not be able to get support when you need it. Additionally, depending on the type of software that you decide to use, it needs to integrate with your other tools. For example, if you choose a basic software that does not include an online payment gateway, then it should at least be able to integrate with the one you are using now.

The Best Software Programs Can Be Self Contained

Ideally, integration will be a minimal issue because the software itself is fairly self-contained. The more comprehensive the software is, the less opportunity there is for an integration problem to occur. Many of the best self storage software programs can now not only manager property, but also send out automatic billing reminders, except payments, and even take care of your general accounting needs. There are many industries where getting the software with the most features isn’t always beneficial, but the self storage industry isn’t one of them.

Software Programs Should Allow You to Expand

Finally, the best self storage software programs will have the ability to grow and expand as your company does. For example, there is a lot of software that was designed with the small business owner in mind. They can do everything you need, but once you have multiple properties the software actually becomes more of a hindrance because it wasn’t designed to handle information from multiple locations. A simple solution to this problem that has become popular is to provide you with a web-based platform that can integrate with your local software. This insures that you get access to information provided from multiple locations in a centralized admin area. With this capability, expanding your self storage business will never cause an issue with your software.