High-Tech Self-Storage Company Expands to Moncton
MONCTON — A new technology-first storage facility has opened in Moncton, on the Barry Mills highway behind the Evergreen area. Simple Storage is a self-storage real estate company that aims to enhance its customers’ experience through modern technology.
The Moncton location will be the company’s third facility, with its other locations being in Bouctouche and Richibucto/Rexton.
Unlike traditional storage units, customers can order and immediately start using their storage units from their smartphones. Tyler Sellars, who owns Simple Storage, says that the company’s unique software-based management system tries to make move-in and move-out as hassle-free as possible.
“Our customers no longer have to hold on to keys or codes, they can simply use their smartphone to open the access gate and their unit,” he says.
The technology is also financially beneficial from a business perspective, as its contactless model eliminates the need for on-site, front-facing staff and service providers, allowing facilities to have extended operating hours for convenient accessibility. In Simple Storage’s case, lower operating costs also mean lower storage rental fees for customers.
“Our franchise clients as well as our own facilities are able to cut down expenses making it more cost-effective and streamlined, allowing for more efficiencies for both the customer and the business.”
It was important for Sellars to have a comprehensive understanding of his business’s systems and processes before venturing into the franchise industry.
“We purchased and developed our three facilities on our own, to improve and practice the model before setting out to help others. My thought process was that we see these advancements in technology and customer experiences commonly used in most businesses but the nature of real estate and specifically storage companies are quite far behind.”
As Simple Storage’s largest facility, Sellars says the Moncton location is “truly one of a kind” and will be an opportunity to demonstrate just how effective their system is to a larger market.
“Moncton is an interesting market for us as it is growing at a valuable rate, however, the competition in the market is quite high. We chose Moncton to prove the model works in order to expand with investment partners and other real estate developers looking to replicate our model.”
Sellars is originally from Moncton and has more than 15 years of experience in the world of real estate and tech.
“I started as a marketer in some technology companies before setting out to create a residential real estate company in Moncton. During the pandemic, I sold all of my residential holdings and reinvested every dollar I had into the self-storage industry.”
He plans to continue expanding Simple Storage and hopes to facilitate the modernization of the industry beyond his New Brunswick portfolio.
“I plan to grow Simple Storage across North America and Europe later this year. This is something that I planned from the inception of creating the hypothesis of this business model.”
Cortney Ellis is a Huddle contributor covering Moncton. Send her your feedback and story ideas: [email protected]