Booking a storage unit is the easy part. The fun truly begins when you need to start storing and arranging your items. If you've rented a unit for your business, you may have a hard time keeping everything organised. Documents, furniture and other supplies can be cumbersome to arrange in an orderly fashion. To help you keep up, you need an advanced method for keeping track of all your items in storage. This will make it easier for you to find what you need, when you need it.
One way of managing your commercial storage unit is by taking advantage of technology. Mobile applications, barcodes and even smart locks can help you manage your items better while keeping them safe from damage and theft. Here are some useful technologies you can use to streamline the use of your storage unit.
1. Inventory apps
Managing inventory in your storage unit is a critical step for any business. You need to know what you kept in storage, when the items were transported and when they were retrieved. Keeping track of all this information manually can turn out to be expensive and difficult. Thankfully, inventory management apps exist to help you digitise the entire process. You can use these apps to monitor the movement of your documents, office machines, customer records and even furniture.
More specifically, these apps allow you to create digital lists, input data in real-time and check off what was stored or removed from the unit. Digital records are also easier to store and share with your employees in real-time.
2. Pictures
If you've rented a large storage unit, pictures can be a helpful way of keeping track of inventory. Take pictures of all your expensive items to monitor their condition and location. In this way, any damage, theft or displacement can be identified as soon as possible. You can also follow up with the storage company regarding any issues with your items.
3. Barcodes
Assigning barcodes to your items is another excellent way of using technology to your advantage. Barcodes can be easily scanned using smartphones, tablets and dedicated scanners. They help you keep track of a large number of items while saving time and costs. You can attach coded stickers to office furniture, documents and electronics before taking them to storage.
4. Smart locks
To keep your commercial storage unit secure, consider using smart locks. These locks can send and receive signals during any given time, allowing you 24/7 control of your office supplies. Some storage units already come with smart locks equipped, but you may need to attach sensors to those units that still have traditional locks.
For more information, reach out to self-storage businesses near you.
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