However, it is not only individuals that were scared and daunted. Businesses in different domains also faced a lot of trouble. Tons of businesses faced losses, and some are still going through it.

But, it is not all dead and gloomy. The dark cloud seems to be passing over, and industries are gradually climbing back up the ladder. In all such times, one resilient industry that is getting back on the horse is the self storage market in London.

Are you curious as to how the self storage market is changing and evolving? Read on to get a brief glimpse at the four self storage trends that are dominating in 2021.

1. Remote Monitoring

Let’s start the list with the most obvious one out there. The entire globe shifted into a virtual phase as the pandemic crept into our lives.  From UK students to business owners, everyone moved to the online phase of learning and functioning.

The same is the case with the self-storage industry. Gone are the days when there would be a heavy emphasis on visiting storage units and doing all the heavy work.

By making use of technology, the self storage market is moving towards monitoring that is done remotely. It is obviously wrong to ask the customers to put their entire trust in the hands of the service providers.

With COVID on the rise, it was difficult for the customers or the team to be able to visit the units themselves. With this, how were they supposed to ensure that everything was going the way it was supposed to be?

With the help of technology, remote monitoring could be carried out to sort out troubles relating to temperature, damage or theft with ease. Now, even if people are not in the vicinity of the storage units, they can keep an eye on all that is going on.

What’s more, any disastrous situations can be avoided as the customers or the team would be informed immediately if anything goes wrong.

Various storage service providers have given their users the benefit of an online profile. With the help of this profile, they can view a list of their stored possessions without visiting.

1. Hygiene Emphasis

Moving on, 2020 has also brought a huge emphasis on hygiene issues. While it was already scary to have storage units filled with mold or insects, now it’s even more disastrous considering a deadly virus on the loose. One that none of us can even see!

Fortunately, the pandemic is slowly coming to an end, but it looks like the masks and sanitizers are here for good. Customers going into business with the self storage market are now expecting the highest cleanliness and efficiency in maintaining good hygiene.

Business owners in the self storage market, too, need to be on the top of their game when it comes to following government restrictions and handling other regulations.

The customers and the official authorities expect this industry to keep up with preventive measures such as risk assessments and other cleanliness control measures. 

Higher Demand

This trend is more on the negative side as many individuals, from UK students to home business owners, went through financial trouble. Many organizations all over the world went through severe downsizing to cope with their losses.

As a result, many UK students and adults lost their jobs and pondered their living conditions. Various individuals had to reassess their financial situations, which meant even moving to smaller houses and apartments.

With lesser space and more people, it has become difficult for these people to store their belongings in the comfort of their homes. With that said, there has been a notable increase in the demand for the self storage market.

UK students moving out of dorm rooms needed a place to store their possessions. On the other hand, business owners, too, needed a place to house their unused inventory, supplies, and equipment for some time. This is because many businesses had to be shut down temporarily.

The demand for safe and secure vacant space has risen over the past couple of months as they look for affordable options that give them security and satisfaction, and here come self-storage units.

1. Online Shift

The world has tried the online phase, and they like it! It looks like carrying on the functioning of businesses online is no more an obligation but a preference for the business owner and customers alike.

Indeed, the method of online payment was always present. However, now it is the most preferred method instead of cash on delivery or other in-person payments. There is more to it as well. 

There is no need for in person communication as it can be done virtually now.

Customers are expecting the self storage market to shift to the virtual world. This doesn’t just mean online modes of payment but other domains, such as making online bookings, offering virtual tours for the clients, and other online service methods such as portals.

This drive towards a digital era is not just for customer convenience but also because it makes matters more convenient and accessible. It looks like this trend might even work in favor of the industry as innovations come up.

2021 is said to be a year of great change not just for the self storage market but also for businesses worldwide. The above mentioned are some of the trends observed that can and will dominate the market, causing tons of changes both for the owners of self storage units and for the customers as well.