self-storage automation, lien compliance, delinquency software

Every industry hits an inflection point.

For self-storage, 2025 was the year operators stopped chasing occupancy and started mastering operations.

Costs rose. Margins tightened. Regulations evolved. And operators across the country realized something essential:

Growth no longer comes from doing more — it comes from doing the right things, with discipline.

Across thousands of conversations with operators, district managers, ownership groups, and legal partners this year, a clear pattern emerged:

2025 was the year efficiency became the strategy.

As we head into 2026, one theme is unmistakable:

Operators who focus on operational discipline — the fundamentals done well — will lead the industry.

Below are the defining lessons of 2025, along with the trends that will shape 2026.

What 2025 Taught Us

1. Efficiency Took Center Stage

Twelve months ago, nearly every conversation centered on delinquency.

Today, the story has changed.

Operators are asking a different question:

“How do we scale without adding cost or complexity?”

Luke Shardlow, CEO of Ai Lean, summarized the shift well:

“With NOI pressure rising, operators stopped chasing bells and whistles. They just want systems that work consistently.”

Whether someone owned three stores or three hundred, the theme was the same: Growth now requires leaner operations, not larger teams.

Emma Radan, Ai Lean’s frontline voice in sales, sees it every day:

“Operators want to automate and centralize processes so they can eliminate busywork and get time back in their day. They’re choosing technology that actually simplifies operations.”

2. Real-Time Auditing Emerged as the New Standard

Manual audits and email-chasing are reaching a breaking point.

Tammy Meehan, Ai Lean’s Chief Product Officer, put it plainly:

“Real-time accuracy and visibility are everything. Data is king — and real-time auditing is the linchpin.”

Operators in 2025 demanded:

Clearer visibility
Immediate alerts for errors
Trustworthy compliance trails
Zero ambiguity in the workflow

The days of “we’ll check it later” are over.

3. Operators Had an ‘Aha Moment’ About Automation

Through hundreds of demos and conversations, Emma noticed a consistent shift:

“Operators realized they’re not just automating tasks — they’re transferring compliance and liability risk. That’s the real breakthrough.”

This insight changed the way operators think about automation.
It’s no longer about convenience; it’s about protecting the business.

4. Better Data = Better Decisions

Operators stopped making decisions based on gut feel and misaligned comparisons.

Facility pricing, staffing ratios, performance metrics — all of it required cleaner, more standardized data.

Fredrik Velander, co-founder and sales executive (who we fondly call “The Professor”) captured it best:

“You can’t make good decisions without clean, accurate data. Too many operators are comparing apples to oranges.”

In 2025, operators embraced:

Consistent KPIs
Unified reporting
Portfolio-wide visibility
Standardized processes

Data became a competitive edge.

5. Compliance Awareness Deepened

2025 brought heightened awareness around compliance — not fear, but strategic preparation.

Key themes included:

Heightened DOJ/SCRA attention toward military tenants
State-level law changes in places like California and Florida kept operators on alert, reinforcing the need for updated rental agreements and clearer processes.

Self-storage attorney Scott Zucker shared this insight:

“Self-storage is heavily regulated. Each state has its own laws layered over federal requirements. Updating rental agreements and lien schedules is absolutely essential.”

Compliance is no longer an afterthought — it’s a core competency.

6. Technology & Modern Tenant Expectations Reshaped Operations

Emma summarized the trend succinctly:

“The industry is being reshaped by automation and digital-first customer experiences. Operators are abandoning old-school practices to cut costs and stay competitive.”

Tenants expect:

Faster responses
Better digital experience
Smooth online leasing
Transparency

This shift impacts delinquency, collections, customer communication, and risk management.

7. Acquisitions Got Harder

As more operators scale through acquisition, they’re hitting the same walls:

Old leases
Old debts
Missing data
Inconsistent processes
Legacy systems

Operators repeatedly asked:

“How can we make acquisitions cleaner and easier?”

2025 made it clear:

Standardizing operations is the only way to integrate newly acquired stores without dragging down performance.

Predictions for 2026: The Year of Operational Discipline

If 2025 revealed the cracks, 2026 is the year operators intentionally fix them.

Here’s what we expect to define the year ahead.

1. “Back to Basics—Done Better”

The AI hype cycle is fading. Operators want systems that work — not buzzwords.

Tammy captured the sentiment perfectly:

“The next generation of operations will standardize every notice, audit, and process. Automation, compliance, and transparency must work together.”

2026 will mark a shift back to fundamentals:

Accurate data
Tight processes
Proven workflows
Fewer exceptions

It’s not glamorous.
It’s effective.

2. Automation Becomes Predictive, Not Just Reactive

Operators aren’t satisfied with reporting after the fact. They want prevention.

Tammy again:

“The future is proactive. Predictive systems will identify risk before it becomes a problem.”

Expect:

Early discrepancy flags
Automated holds
Predictive compliance alerts

This will fundamentally change how teams operate.

3. Compliance Tightens — Especially on Rent Transparency

Scott Zucker emphasized this repeatedly:

“Rent transparency will define 2026. Clearer disclosures are coming — both through regulation and operator best practices.”

Operators must prepare for:

More clarity in pricing
Fee transparency
Regional rent-increase restrictions
Updated rental agreements

Compliance savvy organizations will differentiate leaders from laggards.

4. Technology & Sustainability Shift Tenant Behavior

Garrick Atkinson, Head of Customer Success for Ai Lean pointed out a trend that’s easy to overlook:

“Technology and sustainability are changing why tenants rent — and that will create new differentiators.”

Shorter rental cycles
Hybrid use cases
Digital-first expectations

All lead to one outcome:

More touchpoints where debt or non-payment can occur — making automated and integrated collections, delinquency, and compliance tools even more essential.

5. Operators Cut Costs Everywhere They Can

Mike Segal, Ai Lean’s Head of Sales, was direct about what operators are prioritizing:

“Everyone is looking for places to cut costs. Everywhere.”

2026 will be the year operators:

Consolidate vendors
Automate manual processes
Reduce staffing inefficiencies
Standardize workflows
Optimize DM-to-facilities ratios

(It’s not entirely causal, but Ai Lean customers commonly operate 16–18 stores per DM, compared to the industry’s 10–12.)

6. Consolidation and 3P Management Surge

Tammy flagged this clearly:

“Aggregation and 3P management will continue accelerating.”

Small operators who don’t adopt modern systems will struggle to keep up with:

Sophisticated owners
Third-party management groups
REIT-level operational discipline

2026 will amplify the gap between operators who modernize and those who don’t.

What Operators Should Do in 2026

Here’s the playbook for thriving during the year of operational discipline:

✔️ Standardize your processes

One source of truth, one audit trail, one way of working.

✔️ Instrument your workflow

Real-time audits
Exception queues
Transparent compliance logs
Clear audit trails

✔️ Modernize acquisition onboarding

Untangle legacy leases
Surface old debts
Clean up inherited data
Standardize processes across newly acquired facilities

✔️ Move from reactive → proactive

Surface discrepancies earlier
Flag high-risk accounts sooner
Support decisions before problems escalate
Help prevent special circumstances-related errors (SCRA, bankruptcy, etc)

✔️ Strengthen tenant transparency

Clear rent communication
Consistent fee disclosures
Updated rental agreements

✔️ Prepare for modern tenant behavior

Digital-first
Shorter rental cycles
Higher change velocity