Whether youre fully on board for the ride or being dragged along kicking and screaming, theres no denying that technology has found its place in the self-storage industry. If youve never had an opportunity to try some of these new tools firsthand, you may be intimidated or even skeptical. The Inside Self-Storage World Expo in Las Vegas aims to alleviate your reservations through seminars, networking events and exhibits that allow you to try technological offerings and ask questions of their makers and distributors.

The industrys largest conference and tradeshow, March 14-16, at the Paris Hotel & Resort gives attendees access to a technology-themed education track, an interactive Technology Marketplace, tech-themed roundtable discussions and, of course, a diverse selection of vendors who specialize in this area of the storage business. This years show floor will feature purveyors of kiosks, call centers, mobile devices, management software, security equipment, remote-management tools, online directories and more.

On the Seminar Side

On March 14, attendees who purchase the expos standard Education Package can partake in two in-depth panel discussions covering key issues of tech use.

The first, Self-Storage Software and Security: Evaluating Options, Maximizing Products, will help facility operators cut through the abundance of conflicting information on the market and choose the right systems for their unique properties. Theyll learn questions to ask vendors about their products, the most common features and components, tips for using tech support, insight to generating and understanding reports, training employees to use tools and more.

In the afternoon, a panel titled New Technological Tools: Automation, Sales and Operational Support will candidly address the tools available and how they can be used to maximize time and revenue. Topics to be discussed include integrating a kiosk into the facility operation, how kiosks affect the managers role, products that enable remote access, mobile devices for owners and managers, working with a call center and best ways to use online directories.

These open discussions, led by a panel of industry experts and peers, will be shared by facility operators, multi-facility operators, third-party management companies, and representatives of the some of the industrys most popular offerings. Attendees can ask questions and get answers that will help them choose the best products and services for their business.

More Interactive Info

On March 15, 8-10 a.m., ISS opens the doors on its Technology Marketplace, a roundtable-style networking event that allows attendees to meet in an intimate setting with suppliers of the industrys hottest tech products. Participating vendors will be on site to provide demonstrations, distribute information and answer specific questions. Some of the companies to be represented are Automatit Inc., eMove Inc., Lead Tracking Solutions, Linkmedia 360, OpenTech Alliance Inc., PureRFid, Quikstor, SMD Software, Sparefoot.com and USSelfStorageLocator.com.

Finally, the ISS exhibit hall will be open on March 15, noon to 5 p.m., and March 16, 9 a.m. to noon, providing the ultimate hands-on experience for those on the market for self-storage products and services. Attendees can sit down with a rep to try facility software, use keypad and gates, see video surveillance in action, try their hands at a kiosk transaction, and much more.

To learn details about the shows technology and other education offerings, visit www.insideselfstorageworldexpo.com . Register by March 11 to secure pre-registration discount rates!