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US STORAGE CENTERS AND PAYNEARME UNVEIL CONVENIENT ELECTRONIC CASH PAYMENTS FOR SELF-STORAGE TENANTS - Mini Storage Messenger

Written by MiniCo | Oct 21, 2013 4:00:00 AM

US STORAGE CENTERS AND PAYNEARME UNVEIL CONVENIENT ELECTRONIC CASH PAYMENTS FOR SELF-STORAGE TENANTS

US Storage Centers, the operator and manager of 70 self-storage facilities across 12 states, and PayNearMe, the electronic cash transaction network, today announced the availability of a convenient and secure cash payment option. Now US Storage Centers’ tenants can pay with cash for storage unit rentals at nearly 10,000 retail locations nationwide including more than 7,600 7-Eleven® stores, which are open 24×7.

PayNearMe makes it easy for US Storage Centers cash-paying tenants to pay their monthly dues whenever and wherever they may be. To make a payment, tenants bring a mobile or printed PayNearMe PaySlip including a PayNearMe barcode, which is sent to them by US Storage Centers, to a 7-Eleven or another payment location. There, the cashier scans the barcode and accepts the rent payment in cash. US Storage Centers is notified of the payment automatically and the tenant’s account is credited immediately. The whole process takes less than 60 seconds. US Storage Centers is the first operator in the self-storage industry to offer the PayNearMe cash payment option to their tenants.

“Most of our tenants want the convenience of paying remotely and the assurance of an instant payment confirmation,” said Jason Lopez, VP of Marketing at US Storage Centers. “With PayNearMe, we can offer a compelling payment option to our cash-paying customers. While many of our customers pay online with credit cards or ACH, some still prefer to pay with cash and we want to make it as easy as possible for them to pay their rent.”

“People shouldn’t be penalized if they don’t have a bank account or credit card,” said Christopher Volgenau, VP of Business Development at PayNearMe. “In an industry that services a high volume of cash paying consumers and prone to perpetual churn, we are pleased to make it easier and more convenient for US Storage Centers’ cash-preferred customers to make payments with cash.”

By enabling US Storage Centers to accept electronic cash payments at thousands of retail locations nationwide, PayNearMe reduces the risks and costs associated with handling cash on-site. With PayNearMe, US Storage Centers can reconcile cash payments automatically into the property management software and authorize only payments that represent the full amount owed. These and other cost-saving features are enabled by a partnership between PayNearMe and OpenTech Alliance, developer of innovative self-storage management solutions. By integrating with OpenTech’s INSOMNIAC Self Storage Network, PayNearMe can authorize the acceptance of cash payments in real-time based on data residing in the leading property management software system used in the self-storage industry.

“We were excited to start offering PayNearMe’s electronic cash payment options to our renters, but had no idea how fast and easy the integration would be,” said Mike Brady, VP of Operations at US Storage Centers. “In addition to providing an amazingly elegant cash payment option to our tenants, we did next to nothing on our end technically.”

About US Storage Centers

US Storage Centers owns, operates, or manages over 70 self-storage facilities across the country. These facilities are located in a total of 12 states—with locations in California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Colorado and Connecticut. US Storage Centers plans to expand their operations in each of these areas within the coming year. With more than 50% of their portfolio as owned assets, US Storage Centers takes the approach of managing every facility with the same focus in which they manage their own locations. www.usstoragecenters.com

About PayNearMe

PayNearMe is the cash transaction network that enables consumers to pay rent, transfer money, repay loans, buy tickets, make online purchases and much more with cash. Consumers can conveniently make payments 24/7 in their own neighborhood in less than 60 seconds at one of nearly 10,000 participating 7-Eleven and ACE Cash Express stores across the United States. For more information, please visit www.paynearme.com.

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