Reactive to Proactive: How StorQuest Secured Success with Rhombus

The William Warren Group (WWG), primarily known for its registered StorQuest Self Storage family of brands, operates over 260 self-storage locations across the United States. StorQuest manages a diverse portfolio of facilities, from urban infill, drive-up units to multi-floor facilities, including approximately 25 facilities under its StorQuest Express 24/7 model.

Challenge

StorQuest’s legacy security system consisted of on-premise solutions that generated repeated maintenance costs, time intensive troubleshooting, and false alerts that diverted critical resources across their locations. In addition, StorQuest was facing a need to provide secure 24/7 access for its self-service StorQuest Express locations without incurring high operational costs or complex infrastructure upgrades.

Solution

Rhombus provided StorQuest with a cutting-edge, cloud-managed physical security platform designed to modernize operations and address the challenges of their legacy systems. This solution integrated advanced technologies, including AI-powered smart cameras, sensors, and a unified security interface. By offering a tailored, scalable approach, Rhombus empowered StorQuest to seamlessly manage security across its diverse portfolio, ensuring secure 24/7 access at its Express locations while reducing operational complexity and costs.

Results

Proactive Defense & Accelerated Response

To help StorQuest better identify and respond to activity in real time, Rhombus smart cameras and sensors were deployed. In combination with Rhombus’ advanced AI analytics, these solutions help identify suspicious activity in real time, respond with automated audio deterrence messages, and proactively notify local authorities. Since implementing Rhombus, StorQuest has reduced break-ins by 30%, enabling safer properties and peace of mind for staff and guests alike.

“One of the key reasons we chose Rhombus and cloud-based video monitoring was the shift from a reactive camera system—where we could only review footage after an incident—to a proactive solution. This new system not only helps deter criminal activity but also enables real-time intervention, including potential police involvement as incidents unfold. As a result, we've seen a significant reduction in damage and break-ins, and in some cases, arrests have been made.”

– Martin Cazarez, Security System Administrator at William Warren Group

To gain an extra layer of security, StorQuest leveraged Rhombus Alarm Monitoring. This service provides a TMA Five Diamond Certified dispatcher that actively reviews footage when alerts are triggered 24/7/365. This ensures accurate evaluations and enables immediate action, dispatching law enforcement when necessary. "With Rhombus’ proactive monitoring and real-time alert system, local authorities are able to respond to trespassing incidents within as little as 5 minutes of detection” says Martin Cazarez, representing a game-changing 90% faster incident response compared to their prior security system.

Reduced Complexity & Operational Efficiency

Rhombus’ unified platform consolidated cameras, alarms, and access control systems into one streamlined security interface, driving operational efficiency for StorQuest staff. “As it aged, our legacy system frequently required on-site maintenance for NVRs, servers, and other hardware. Visibility to hardware failing was limited and the troubleshooting activities often required the security and IT teams to send high-cost labor on site to address” says Wenxuan Fan. In contrast, Rhombus’ automated IT alerts and remote troubleshooting capabilities allow StorQuest’s lean IT team to identify and resolve issues without physical site visits. "By utilizing Rhombus’ remote troubleshooting features, we’ve reduced system maintenance visits by over 50%, saving both time and operational costs across our property portfolio," shares Martin Cazarez. This streamlined approach frees up company resources, minimizes product downtime and reduces high-labor costs.

Improved Customer Experience

The addition of Rhombus A100 Audio Gateway enabled StorQuest’s call center to greet and guide customers 24/7 via real-time, two-way communication. When customers arrive, an automated welcome message is played, and call center agents can assist them directly. By integrating with Rhombus’ 100% Open API, StorQuest agents can grant remote access directly from the Rhombus console to prospective customers, streamlining the process of new rentals and improving customer satisfaction.

“Being able to talk to the customer remotely with the A100 is very unique and very valuable for us. When a customer arrives on site, we can greet them remotely, saying: ‘Welcome to our property, a storage expert will be with you shortly’. Lots of cameras can detect things, but it’s another story to be able to react. Most systems can’t do that. The A100 gives us a tool to respond.”

- Wenxuan Fan, Manager of Data Intelligence & Strategy at William Warren Group

Looking Ahead

As the brand expands, Rhombus’ scalable, fully interoperable platform will support its growth without the need for extensive infrastructure investments. StorQuest continues to lean into this distinct competitive advantage through a pilot program with Rhombus and leading emergency services platform, Noonlight. Together with Rhombus, StorQuest is redefining what secure and customer-focused self-storage looks like, paving the way for a smarter, more efficient self-storage industry.