As Facebook, Microsoft and other tech companies espouse the wonders of the metaverse, it’s easy to imagine how connecting physical and digital worlds might transform future self-storage events. In the meantime, registration for the live and in-person 2022 ISS World Expo in Las Vegas is now open!

Tony Jones, ISS Store Manager, Contributing Editor

February 4, 2022

3 Min Read
Imagining How the Metaverse Might Transform Future Self-Storage Events

I won’t pretend to fully understand the metaverse, but I’m certainly intrigued by it. Chances are you’ve heard the buzz. It was difficult to end 2021 without seeing references to it, particularly after Mark Zuckerberg signaled Facebook was going all in by changing its corporate name to Meta Platforms. Microsoft and other leading technology companies are also on board, working with augmented reality and artificial intelligence to apparently develop an alternative or new-world internet.

While this is something the gaming world is already familiar with, the future appears to be much broader. Disney and even the dating platform Bumble are among the companies and brands exploring ways to leverage the metaverse, championing the possibilities of connecting physical and virtual worlds. We’re not yet at the Star Trek holodeck level, but regular consumers are likely to begin experiencing some of the early possibilities of this augmented landscape this year. Microsoft is reportedly integrating pieces into its Teams and Microsoft 365 experiences.

What’s good for the corporate environment has overlap into other types of meeting structures, including concerts, education, conferences and tradeshows. Imagine the possibility of attending the Inside Self-Storage World Expo in Las Vegas either in person or virtually. Perhaps the future of the onsite event will include some elements of augmented reality for participants attending in person (virtual facility tours for starters), while those attending virtually would still be able to attend education seminars live, network with colleagues and walk through the expo hall to engage with vendors—all in real time.

Even more exciting is the very real possibility of live speech translation, which could be a gamechanger for international self-storage operators, developers and investors who want to attend education sessions or converse with vendors but don’t speak English. Similarly, vendors could easily demonstrate and tout the latest products and services in English, while prospective customers hear those pitches or read product materials in their native language.

The future of live events is truly exciting, including here in the present day. In fact, the 2022 ISS World Expo, which will be held April 19-22 at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, is now open for registration. Created for self-storage owners, managers, investors, developers and suppliers, it offers 42 seminars organized into six comprehensive tracks, eight workshops, other interactive education, several networking events, and two days of product and service exhibits.

This year’s education tracks are Building, Innovation, Investing, Management, Ownership and Protection. They cover a wide range of topics and are designed to provide something for everyone, including those new to the industry as well as seasoned professionals. Expo-hall exhibits will feature more than 200 vendors and suppliers from all aspects of the industry.

There won’t be a way to virtually attend the industry’s largest event this year, so I suggest making plans now to spend some time with us in just a few weeks. It’s an exciting time to be in self-storage, so while the future is just around the corner, being current with all the latest trends and developments will ensure you’re around for the wild ride ahead.

About the Author(s)

Tony Jones

ISS Store Manager, Contributing Editor, Inside Self-Storage

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