RapidStor Delivers New Business To Self Storage Online And In Real Time

Centreforce Technology Group has successfully implemented their new integrated online, real time booking system for Self Storage – RapidStor.

Developed over nine months in-house by the Centreforce web development team, RapidStor was deployed in the ACT at Capital Self Storage in March 2011, after Centreforce rebuilt the group’s existing website.

RapidStor was an instant success with the first dedicated online move in some twenty minutes after the new website going live. Until RapidStor, Self Storage sites could only take reservations for spaces and payments for storage already occupied.

“Recent studies show that the majority of consumers that visit Self Storage websites want pricing. Our RapidStor procedure shows real time prices for spaces available and gives potential customers two choices – to move in now or move in later. After all that’s what every customer in Self Storage eventually does,” said Dallas Dogger, Managing Director of Centreforce Technology Group.

“Self Storage business has moved rapidly to the web from traditional media like the Yellow pages and they have had to rethink how they do business. The leaders of the industry have invested in new technology to harness this consumer change in buying practices,” Dogger said.

Centreforce spent nine months writing a specific application to use SiteLink Web Edition’s API to access real-time data from Self Storage databases. RapidStor interacts with the SiteLink API and the customer’s database to complete the move in task, including the acceptance of the Storage Agreement, taking payment, sending out an email invoice and updating the SiteLink Self Storage management program, all in real time.

Savings of up to 50% of the time it takes a customer to move in are common. Kevin Reilly, Manager of Capital Self Storage in Mitchell ACT, commented: “As I am a two finger typist the average time to fill out the existing agreement is 10 to 15 minutes. Clients find the process a lot quicker when they come to move in. They have done the hard work before they get to the office.”

An added advantage of the procedure is that customers pay their first month and at full price at the time of move in online.

Ian Oliver, Director of Capital Self Storage, said: “our website and the RapidStor procedure employed by Centreforce, combined with SiteLink, have given us the tools we must have to service our growing customer base. Payments are made at the time of booking and we even ask at the time of renting if they want to pay regularly by credit card and the majority do, saving us more time in the future. We charge an admin fee if we have to do a manual move in and we waive it for online move ins. The RapidStor feature is an essential part of our business.”

The code that has been written has top level security features to protect customer’s identity and credit card details, using high level encryption. The procedure is hosted on Centreforce’s PCI-DSS compliant servers. Since the implementation of the procedure at Capital Self Storage, over 70 reservations and moves in have been completed using RapidStor, generating additional business. It’s believed to be a world first for Capital Self Storage.

RapidStor uses the API (Application program interface) that is provided by SMD Software Inc the makers of SiteLink Web Edition. SiteLink Web Edition was launched in Australia by Centreforce Technology Group in 2007 and has been very successful with many Self Storage groups like Capital Self Storage, National Storage, Fort Knox, U Store It, and Elite Self Storage.

SiteLink Web Edition is the world’s fastest growing Self Storage software management tool with over 9,500 users and 35,000 computer installations. Whilst SiteLink has built-in templates for sites to use for online payments and reservations, RapidStor has a custom development tool that allows freedom for sites to customise the move in procedure, completing the sales process. Online payments are processed by Centreforce Technology Group’s payment partner, ADVAM. Sites that use the technology enjoy the lowest non-commissioned fees available.

“We recommend SiteLink to our Storage customers as we have no troubles with it,” Philipe Safi, from ADVAM, said. “RapidStor is delivering what customers want and they can pay online and move in straight away.”