Patent ID: 6961707

Claim:
A method for renting to a customer a self-storage unit located at a self-storage facility, said method adapted to facilitate transactions with customers including customers who lack appreciable skills in computer operation, said method adapted to enable customers to respond to questions and instructions not requiring specialized knowledge or skills on the part of the customers, said method comprising the steps of: providing a customer service area including a customer service counter, the customer service counter having a rental agreement viewing area which is viewed by at least one camera positioned in the customer service area, the customer service counter being configured to minimize glare in images captured by the at least one camera, at least one image captured by the at least one camera being viewable by a remote manager, the remote manager being a person who is remote from the customer service counter, the customer service area being independent of a computer-generated customer menu interface and manipulable customer input buttons; establishing voice communication between the remote manager and a customer entering the customer service area using a communication link so that the customer and the remote manager can orally communicate using the communication link, wherein the customer can orally communicate to the remote manager through the communication link an indication of the storage needs of the customer, and wherein the remote manager can orally communicate to the customer through the communication link a recommended self-storage unit; providing an access controller by which the remote manager can remotely provide the customer access to the recommended self-storage unit so the customer can inspect the recommended self-storage unit; and providing the customer a hardcopy rental agreement form having at least a portion to be filled out manually with inserted data by the customer, as directed by the remote manager, at least some of the inserted data being verifiable by the remote manager with the output of the at least one camera, at least one image captured by the at least one camera allowing the remote manager to view an image of the hardcopy rental agreement placed on the rental agreement viewing area.