How Tenant Inc. Future-Proofed Their Self-Storage SaaS Business With Incode

Tenant Inc. is a vertical SaaS platform modernizing the self-storage industry, an often-overlooked but rapidly growing $350B sector in the U.S. Their software helps storage operators attract, onboard, and manage tenants through fully digital workflows, from first contact to move-out.

Historically, self-storage rentals required customers to present their ID and sign paperwork in person. Tenant Inc. has led the digital transformation of this industry, becoming one of the first vertical SaaS platforms to power fully remote rentals.

During this time of innovation, the company needed a flexible, scalable identity verification solution that could stay ahead of emerging regulatory demands while reducing operational risk.

The Challenge: When An Offline Industry Meets a New Digital Reality

Before COVID, the self-storage industry had virtually no online infrastructure. In an industry long reliant on face-to-face interactions, the move to digital rentals created immediate friction: operators worried about renting space to individuals without being able to meet them and assess their profile in person.

• A Reluctant Industry: Operators were skeptical of remote onboarding due to fears of fraud and misuse. COVID forced the shift, but many solutions were adopted out of urgency, not long-term vision.
• Old Processes, New Risks: Without reliable identity verification in place, operators risked misuse of units, ranging from abandonment of hazardous waste to theft and security breaches.
• Tech Stack Modernization: Tenant Inc. faced the challenge of building a fully digital, web-based experience in an industry unaccustomed to automation, contracts via API, or secure online workflows.

“You used to stare into someone’s eyes across a desk to judge if they were a good renter. We had to build trust into a fully remote process.”

— Lance Watkins, CEO, Tenant Inc.

The Solution: Secure, Web-Based KYC With Incode

As Tenant Inc. built out a web-first platform, they evaluated IDV solutions to embed secure KYC into their digital rental flow, giving users the option to verify their identity remotely instead of having to do so in store.

Why Tenant Inc. Chose To Scale With Incode

• Web-First Compatibility: Incode offered a seamless API-based solution that supported Tenant Inc.’s fully web-based rental process, removing the friction of mandatory apps.
• Future-Ready Compliance: With legislation evolving quickly across different regions of the United States, Incode’s robust KYC made Tenant Inc. ready for any state or federal IDV mandates.
• Operational Flexibility: Incode offered a solution that could securely and seamlessly verify a user’s identity online or in store, giving Tenant Inc. the flexibility to accommodate users with different preferences, ensuring a smooth experience for all renters.

“Incode gives us the flexibility to verify identity seamlessly, whether online or in-store, without disrupting the rental experience.”

— Lance Watkins, CEO, Tenant Inc.

Streamlined Identity Verification at Checkout

Today, when a customer reserves a storage unit through a website powered by Tenant Inc., they encounter the option to verify their identity with Incode at the point of checkout. Users can:

• Verify identity via phone with a selfie and driver’s license
• Choose to skip and verify later in-store if needed

Incode’s in-house-developed technology also extracts structured data from the license to auto-fill rental forms, reducing manual input and speeding up the process. This flexible, user-friendly flow allows Tenant Inc. to balance conversion with security, meeting the needs of both digital-first customers and those still transitioning to online tools.

Key Capabilities in Use:

• Driver’s license scan + selfie match
• Real-time liveness detection
• Optional in-store verification
• Event-level audit trails and reporting
• Biometric face-matching tied to government records (state-dependent)

The Impact: Security, Trust, and Readiness

More Trust, Less Risk

• Incode helps storage operators build trust with tenants, reducing fraud and malicious activity (e.g., theft, illegal dumping, abandoned vehicles).
• Operators gain peace of mind without sacrificing convenience for renters.

Positioned for Compliance

• Tenant Inc. is now positioned as the industry leader in KYC-readiness if state or federal mandates emerge.
• Competitors, on the other hand, are less prepared for new mandates

Operational Efficiency

• Incode’s audit tools and data integrations allow Tenant Inc. to streamline incident response, documentation, and ongoing reporting.

“One of the things I really love about Incode is the API integration and audit capabilities. It’s seamless—from a UX, operations, and compliance perspective.”

— Manjax Bangalore, Engineering, Tenant Inc.

Tailored Support for Real-World Rentals

Incode’s flexibility was essential for an industry in transition. With some customers still uncomfortable with tech or unable to complete online verification, Incode allowed Tenant Inc. to keep conversions high without compromising operator confidence.

“We lose one customer, it’s $2,200. So we had to strike a balance. Incode gave us the tools to build secure, flexible flows.”

— Lance Watkins, CEO, Tenant Inc.

Moving Forward: Future-Proofing the Self-Storage Industry

As Tenant Inc. continues building out new product types and exploring creative rental models, Incode is an integral part of their compliance, automation, and trust infrastructure.

From biometric face matching to PII protection, Incode helps Tenant Inc. deliver a safer, smarter rental experience, today and for the evolving regulatory landscape of tomorrow.

“Incode puts Tenant Inc. at the forefront of innovation in our space. If regulation hits tomorrow, we’re ready.”

— Lance Watkins, CEO, Tenant Inc.

Learn more about how Incode can help you scale secure digital experiences.