How STORE ROOM Fully Automated Self-Storage Operations From Booking to Access
STORE ROOM wanted to run self-storage facilities with zero manual intervention - from online booking to physical access. easy.bi built an end-to-end platform combining OroCommerce, ERP integration, Sensorberg smart locks, and mobile apps for a fully automated customer experience.
The Challenge: Running Physical Facilities Without Manual Operations
Self-storage is a deceptively complex business. Behind the simple promise of "rent a unit, store your stuff" lies a web of operational processes: unit inventory management, customer onboarding, access control, payment processing, maintenance scheduling, and customer communication. Most storage operators handle these with staff - receptionists, facility managers, maintenance crews.
STORE ROOM wanted to eliminate that model entirely. Their vision was a fully automated self-storage operation where customers book online, access their units via smartphone, and manage their entire rental digitally - without ever interacting with a human employee. No reception desk. No key handoff. No business-hours limitation.
The technical challenge was connecting multiple systems that don't naturally talk to each other. The e-commerce layer (online booking and payments) needed to connect to the inventory system (which units are available, in what condition, at what price). The inventory system needed to connect to the physical access layer (smart locks on individual units). The access layer needed to connect to the customer's mobile app. And all of it needed to sync with the ERP for accounting and business intelligence.
No off-the-shelf solution covered this end-to-end. STORE ROOM needed a custom platform that unified digital commerce, physical access control, inventory management, and mobile customer experience into a single automated system.
“Our customers book at midnight, access their unit at 6am, and manage everything from their phone. We don't need a reception desk - the platform is the reception desk.”
Why STORE ROOM Chose easy.bi
STORE ROOM evaluated several development partners against a demanding requirement: the ability to build across the full stack from e-commerce to IoT access control, with ERP integration tying everything together. Most agencies specialized in one layer - web development, or mobile apps, or backend systems. STORE ROOM needed one team that could own all of them.
easy.bi's experience with OroCommerce for e-commerce, Symfony for backend development, Ionic for cross-platform mobile apps, and Kubernetes for infrastructure gave STORE ROOM a single partner covering every layer. The team's experience integrating with third-party systems (Sensorberg for smart locks, ERP for business operations) meant the complex integration work wouldn't require additional vendors.
“easy.bi connected the e-commerce, the smart locks, the ERP, and the mobile apps into one system. That integration is what makes full automation possible.”
The Approach: End-to-End Automation From Browser to Storage Unit
OroCommerce-powered online rental platform. The customer journey starts on the web. easy.bi implemented OroCommerce as the e-commerce layer, allowing customers to browse available units by size, location, and price. The booking flow handles rental agreements, payment processing, and customer onboarding - all without staff involvement. Customers complete the entire process from search to signed rental agreement in a single session.
ERP integration for real-time inventory and accounting. The OroCommerce platform connects to STORE ROOM's ERP system, ensuring that unit availability, pricing, and customer data stay synchronized. When a customer books a unit, the ERP updates inventory, generates invoices, and records the rental - automatically. When a customer vacates, the system flags the unit for inspection and returns it to available inventory once cleared.
Sensorberg Cloud integration for smart access control. Physical access is the automation piece that separates digital-only platforms from full self-storage automation. easy.bi integrated with Sensorberg's smart lock system through their cloud API. When a customer completes a booking, access credentials are provisioned to their account. They unlock their unit via the mobile app - no keys, no access cards, no reception desk. Access is time-bound to the rental period and revoked automatically when the rental ends.
Cross-platform mobile apps for customer self-service. The Angular/Ionic mobile apps give customers everything they need: unit access via smart lock, rental management, payment history, and maintenance requests. A full-featured API connects the mobile apps to the web management system, ensuring consistent data across all touchpoints. Customers who start a booking on the web can manage it from their phone - and vice versa.
Kubernetes infrastructure for multi-facility scale. The platform runs on Kubernetes, deployed through GitLab CI/CD pipelines. This gives STORE ROOM the infrastructure to add new facilities without re-architecting the system. Each facility connects to the same platform, with facility-specific inventory and access configurations managed through the admin layer.
“Key management used to be a nightmare. Lost keys, copied keys, key handoffs during business hours. Smart locks eliminated all of it.”
The Results: Self-Storage Without Staff
STORE ROOM operates fully automated self-storage facilities. Customers discover, book, access, and manage storage units entirely through digital channels. The platform handles the operational complexity behind the scenes - inventory management, access provisioning, payment processing, and maintenance scheduling all happen without manual intervention.
The elimination of front-desk operations reduced STORE ROOM's per-facility staffing requirements to maintenance-only. Customers can book and access units 24/7, removing the business-hours limitation that constrains traditional storage operators. The smart lock integration means no physical key management - one of the most operationally expensive aspects of traditional self-storage.
For STORE ROOM, the platform delivered a scalable operating model. Adding a new facility means connecting it to the existing platform, not hiring new staff. The Kubernetes infrastructure and multi-facility architecture mean growth is a configuration change, not a development project.
“When we open a new facility, we connect it to the platform. That's it. No new systems, no new staff, no new processes. The same platform scales to every location.”
Key Takeaways
- Full automation requires full-stack integration. Automating self-storage isn't just an e-commerce problem or an IoT problem - it's both, plus ERP, plus mobile. The platform works because every layer is connected.
- Smart locks turn physical access into a software problem. Sensorberg integration eliminated key management, enabled 24/7 access, and automated access provisioning and revocation. The physical world becomes programmable.
- OroCommerce handles complex B2C rental workflows. Self-storage rentals aren't simple purchases - they're ongoing agreements with variable terms, renewals, and cancellations. OroCommerce's flexibility handled this complexity without custom commerce development.
- Build for multi-facility from day one. The Kubernetes infrastructure and platform architecture were designed for multiple facilities from the start. This foresight means growth is operational, not architectural.
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