StoreEase, a provider of tools designed to help automate self-storage facility management, has teamed with consulting firm Self Storage 101 to offer an online third-party management solution for U.S. facility operators. The service is designed to reduce business operating expenses while increasing profit, according to a press release.

“We believe the industry desperately needs an alternative to existing management solutions that provides the highest level of facility management while putting more money in owners’ and investors’ pockets,” said Josh Boyd, founding partner of StoreEase. Boyd is also president and founder of On Guard Storage, in Leeds, Ala., which develops, acquires and manages its self-storage properties using virtual management with automation.

Boyd created StoreEase in part because he believed property-management fees were too high. “I was struggling with management. The existing third-party management companies were not an option due to the associated high costs,” he said. “I had no other choice but to manage the facilities myself, and this naturally led to my facilities not performing to their potential.”

The StoreEase approach embraces self-serve kiosks, app-based gate access and other automated solutions. “I believe virtual management with automation is the future in our industry,” said Bob Copper, owner and partner-in-charge of Self Storage 101. “There are a lot of projects that just aren’t feasible based on the traditional models. The StoreEase model enables greater cash flow while mitigating risk. Developers can build smaller projects or phase into a larger project because of the lower operational expenses associated with virtual management.”

Boyd’s background includes a long career in medical-device sales, selling technology into hospitals and operating rooms to advance the quality of patient care. He’s seen how disruptive technologies can positively impact cost models and improve the customer experience, he said. Boyd will co-present a webinar on Aug. 29, “The New Unattended Self-Storage Model: What’s Changed and How to Implement,” presented by Inside Self-Storage and Janus International. The free event will take place 2-3 p.m.

As a prominent industry author, speaker and trainer, Copper has worked extensively with hundreds of self-storage owners, operators and managers to develop strategies for operational improvement, revenue growth and value enhancement. He’s also a facility owner. He partnered with StoreEase to help grow its platform on a national level, according to the release.

Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., StoreEase is currently involved with self-storage projects in the Southeast.