Last week at the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Leadership Event in Montreal, I had the privilege of sitting next to some of the brightest minds advancing technology in North America. The crowd included academics, AI founders, venture capitalists, and executives implementing machine learning across industries in ways that will shape economic and social life for the next decade.
As I listened to discussions about the future of work, one thing became very clear. That means in the self-storage industry, you can't just sit back and wait. Like every other industry, it's our turn to adapt and evolve.
To be fair, most self-storage operators already interact with AI without labeling it as such. Our email platform suggests Gemini-powered answers, our accounting tools predict trends through AI, and our access system provides actionable insights into tenant behavior. But there's a big difference between skimming the edge and purposefully leveraging AI for growth and service improvement.
The future of the self-storage industry belongs to operators who understand that carefully integrated AI should not replace great talent or stakeholder well-being. In fact, it will accelerate.
real-time AI
Self-storage has always been a resilient industry, but resilience alone won't secure your next chapter. The sector is at a point where data, automation, and personalization will determine competitive advantage. AI does not eliminate the need for good management, smart capital planning, and community-driven services. Rather, it enhances decision-making, streamlines operations, and provides a better service experience for customers.
Self-storage operators that implement AI today will lead the industry tomorrow. why? Because this technology yields real benefits in several areas.
Fee management. For decades, hospitality and travel have relied on dynamic pricing models to adapt to seasonality, demand, competitor offers, and fluctuations in supply and inventory. In the last decade or so, our industry has finally begun to do the same.
AI-powered revenue management These tools allow you to track occupancy trends, predict customer demand, adjust offerings in real time, and optimize pricing with precision rather than intuition. Prices will not go up as a result, but smarter Lower prices, better value and stronger occupancy. In addition to reacting to trends within your company, AI can also crawl your competitors' products across the market, allowing you to price and promote your products to stay competitive and maximize revenue.
customer service. At my company, which operates 24 self-storage locations across Quebec, Canada, AI has dramatically improved customer service. Whether they are individuals facing a transition in their lives or entrepreneurs expanding their business operations, tenants expect speed and convenience. AI-powered support now provides instant and accurate responses to inquiries, tour bookings, unit recommendations, and answers to common questions 24 hours a day, in multiple languages.
Rather than replacing staff, AI empowers them by eliminating redundant tasks and allowing them to focus on human connections, trust-building, and complex needs that cannot be solved by technology alone. Our corporate office works with regional managers to leverage these valuable insights to ensure optimal staffing and service hours. We are not automating care with AI. we are elevating it.
safety. In a world where risks are evolving daily, surveillance cameras alone are no longer enough. AI can identify suspicious behavior and generate real-time alerts before problems occur. We also strengthen data security, monitor usage and login anomalies, prevent fraud, and enforce the privacy and safety that our tenants trust us to protect. Peace of mind is no longer passive. AI will make it for you aggressive and predictive.
data. Finally, and most transformative of all, is business intelligence. Last year, AI enabled us to sift through years of operational data such as self-storage demand trends, lease terms, delinquency patterns, demographics, occupancy information, and even tenant reviews and turn it into actionable intelligence that guides operational and investment decisions. This means you can get accurate recommendations for pricing, staffing, marketing spend, capital planning, and expansion strategies instead of relying solely on intuition.
business transformation
In any case, the point is not automation for automation's sake. The company uses this innovative technology to power the essence of self-storage: a human-centered, service-driven business that provides security, reliability, stability and support during life's most important moments. Our industry is much more than just renting units. We support individuals and businesses through transition, growth and change. AI will enhance that mission and support our efforts to achieve it.
That night in Montreal, surrounded by entrepreneurs who are rewriting the future of business rules in real time, I was struck by how closely their worlds and ours align. Innovation does not belong to a single sector. It belongs to everyone who has the courage to pursue it. Our industry must evolve with other industries. The future of self-storage will be smarter, faster, more responsive, more resilient, and more human than ever before. Let's build it together.
Simon Berman is the co-founder and CEO of . montreal mini storage groupoperates 24 stores in Quebec, Canada. He has nearly 20 years of experience developing and operating self-storage facilities and is leading the growth of the business. For more information, call 438.609.3673 or email us. [email protected].
