KO Storage, a family-owned self-storage operator with 260 facilities across 27 states, has taken another step forward in modernizing its operations by partnering with SpareBox Technologies and rolling out the RaFA platform across its growing portfolio.
Since its founding in 2016, KO Storage has focused on doing self-storage better by using technology to streamline the rental process and building strong relationships with its customers. Today, with hundreds of facilities in operation and more on the horizon, KO continues to invest in innovation to enhance customer experience and strengthen internal operations.
Driving Operational Efficiency with RaFA
KO Storage began working with SpareBox’s RaFA platform at the start of 2025. Originally developed inside SpareBox Storage’s portfolio of more than 100 facilities, RaFA is designed to bring visibility, accountability, and efficiency to facility operations. For KO, the goals in testing RaFA were clear:
- Create visibility into facility work without requiring physical presence
- Reduce IT complexity and costs tied to laptops, printers, and other assets
- Improve auditing of field issues with real-time access for leadership
- Empower Facility + District Managers to proactively address issues before they escalate
“This kind of initiative is truly out of the ordinary, and it’s given our team confidence while making the rollout smooth and collaborative. We sincerely appreciate their commitment to making our partnership thrive.”
— Brittney Best, VP of Operations, KO Storage
A Rollout Strategy Focused on Adoption
After demos in December 2024 and a successful trial thrrough early April, KO committed to a phased rollout. Working closely with SpareBox’s Customer Success and Technical Teams, a plan was put together that emphasized adoption, training and communication.
SpareBox kicked off the rollout in Minneapolis with on-site sessions across operations, technical, and accounting teams, along with executive alignment on weekly check-ins and training schedules. RaFA’s Onboarding University gave new users a foundation through short videos and guides, while a dedicated Microsoft Teams channel provided KO staff direct access to SpareBox support for real-time questions and issue resolution.
The impact was immediate. Facility managers and district leaders quickly adapted to a simpler toolset, dashboards provided real-time field feedback, and weekly focus emails kept teams aligned. District managers, trained as subject matter experts ahead of rollout, are now driving adoption and ensuring consistent execution across the portfolio.
“Of course, like with any new system rollout, there have been a few hiccups, but the moment we escalate an issue, the SpareBox Technologies team is already in motion to solve it immediately. That is what stands out—the level of partnership and support we’ve received. Will, Patrick, Jackson, Andrew, Scott and the entire SpareBox Technologies team have been there every step of the way, even managing a constant Teams chat with our field team to answer questions and see what they’re seeing in real time.”
— Brittney Best, VP of Operations, KO Storage
Partnership at Every Level
One of the defining aspects of this rollout has been collaboration across KO’s organization. From executive leadership setting clear goals, to district managers becoming subject matter experts, to facility managers adopting the platform in their daily work—the partnership has been critical to success.
By keeping communication open at every level, SpareBox and KO have been able to identify challenges early, respond quickly, and refine the platform to meet the needs of everyone involved.
Simplifying Communication and Reducing Noise
Like many operators, KO’s teams relied on a mix of emails, calls, texts, and chat threads to manage daily tasks. With RaFA, that work is consolidated into one platform. Task assignments, walkthroughs, photos, and issue tracking are logged in real time, giving everyone—from executives to field staff—the same view of operations across the portfolio.
The result has been fewer scattered communications, clearer accountability, and a consistent, portfolio-wide snapshot of performance.
Looking Ahead
As the rollout continues toward full adoption by October 2025, KO is already realizing strong value across its portfolio. RaFA is giving leadership greater visibility, equipping district teams with clear benchmarks, and empowering facility managers to proactively address issues.
Looking forward, KO plans to expand reporting, streamline new-employee onboarding, and use RaFA data to strengthen both customer and internal communication. With improved visibility into walkthrough metrics, brand standard photos, and unrentable units, KO is building a scalable operational model to support continued growth nationwide.
“This kind of initiative is truly out of the ordinary, and it’s given our team confidence while making the rollout smooth and collaborative. We sincerely appreciate their commitment to making our partnership thrive.”— Brittney Best, VP of Operations, KO Storage
About SpareBox Technologies
SpareBox Technologies builds tools that transform self-storage operations. Our aim is to provide operators with visibility, accountability, and efficiency across their portfolios through purpose-built platforms like RaFA, BigFoot, and Prophet