There are self storage trade shows after trade show throughout the year, where you will find many self storage owners who have either been in the game for a long time or they are just itching to do so. With that said, no matter where they are in their self storage owner progress, they own self storage. They have accomplished their first step of their goal. Of course as time goes along they will get the experience they need in order to make a great owner.

People see self storage facilities all over the place and some often wonder what the idea behind owning self storage is. The reality of it is that people who are just staring out are told that self storage is a cash cow so they look more into it. That could have peaked their interest to get into self storage. They could have had a family member that worked for self storage or owned self storage in the past. There are many reasons people have decide to own self storage. As it stands, the self storage industry has a lot of owners, all wanting to be an owner for different reasons. What ever your reason to be an owner, make sure that you ready to get involved in a very competitive industry.

Tweet This Post 

Every owner is looking for the next best thing to hit the self storage industry that they can apply at their facilities. They go to all these different trade shows and such just to get ideas and to ensure that they know what they are talking about when they get into many discussions about storage. They want to be up on the latest and greatest so when it comes time to make changes they can try to put it into their budgets. Owners know that sometimes they will have to change their thoughts and their normal activities in order to stay competitive. They do not have it as easy as some people think.

Owners know that they have competition right down the street and they are not always looking to put that company out of business. They are looking at coexisting as long as their business is still growing. If the business is growing, then no one has a problem. The problem starts when there is not any growth and then the owner has to go back to the drawing board about some things or make some major changes. Owners might look at the property managers first before they think about making any changes to the property. Hiring an new person or giving more training is a lot easier than making physical changes to a building.

When new facilities are built next to older ones, they will always look better because they are nice, clean and their paint is nice and fresh. To keep up with them, an owner is going to have to find a way to keep that kind of stuff in the budget. Sometimes that is all the owner has to do in order to stay up with the competition. They might not have to install some fancy security systems or even a gate. Owners have to think about the tough decisions daily. Property managers go home and they lay their heads down with a quick thought about what they have to do the next day. Owners are constantly thinking about how to improve their business. Their thought process never really slows down. If they let their selves have a moment away from their thoughts they could have a great idea pass them by.

There are many that want to own or operate self storage facilities but it is not for everyone. It takes a particular kind of person to run a company and live with the decisions that they make. Many people try to make decisions but then they can not handle the prospect that they were wrong and start to second guess themselves. The moment they start to doubt them selves about one decision, every decision they make from here on out will be questioned in their minds. I do not envy self storage owners. Their jobs are harder than I would like to handle.

Tweet This Post 

Everyday I am privileged to see some self storage owners in action. I get to see some of their daily routines and hear some of their discussions. Sometimes I am very curious and envious of what they do, while at other times I am very happy I am not in their position. There are times in which they are sitting their relaxed and reading a newspaper wondering about world events while other times they have people in their office discussing some pressing business. I could see myself in either situation trying to be the best owner I can be, but then I think about it for a moment. What makes a great self storage owner?

Of course since I am not a self storage owner, everything I type after this point will just be my opinion, but I observe a lot. A self storage owner is really not much different than any owner of any business. Yes the products might be different but in the long run you are still running a company and you are the one who will have to make decisions. Whatever those decisions may be, they are your decisions. Owners have struggled from time to time trying to stay afloat in the self storage industry and many have succeeded. There are many that did not make it but they are chopping at the bit to try again and get back out there.

We could go on for a long period of time trying to look at what makes a good self storage owner. Let’s just stick to the basics. A self storage owner, or any owner as a whole, needs to be able to listen. What I mean by needs to be able to listen means that they need to be able to hear about the different changes in the self storage, listen to their customers and listen to their managers. The worst thing that a owner can do is just make decisions without really listening to the those that are close to the customers are in the trenches daily. If they do not talk to these people then they have to live with the decisions that they make. If a manager tells you that something is not working and they have been trying out for weeks with no progress then think about how to make it right for that manager. Maybe that manager has ideas that need to be discussed. But unfortunately some owners think they know it all and will live with the results. You will also see that some owners have a panel of advisors that are around them when trying to decide something major. These are the owners that are successful.

A self storage owner has to be very patient. If you are patient as an owner, you will succeed. There will be many times that you have to make that quick decision and other times where you have to take some time. Many times owners try to be patient but they are in a competitive market. They are in this position to make snap decisions and they are alright. When it comes to major decisions, hopefully the owner has time to think about it and weight the different options. If they can do that they will be in good shape. Will a patient owner make the wrong choice? Yes they will, but that same manager will see what error they made. Patience does not always give you success, but it would seem as though the patient owners, will let a deal or two go by and be ok with it only to have another come along that was better than before. Patience will win the race.

Tweet This Post 

As a self storage owner, there is always a list of things for you to do or you might hire someone else to do your list for you. Whatever the case, you have a lot on your plate that you have to figure out how to do it all in a timely fashion. There are many owners who like to fly by the seat of their pants while others want to ensure that ever little detail has been covered before moving on. Sometimes the littlest detail missed could mean a bigger issue later.

On a day to day basis, what does an owner think about? I am not a self storage owner, so I can only speculate. Most owners think about the next car they are going to buy because of how their self storage facility is flourishing. Ok that is not the case. Even if it was, no one would admit it. It is assured that the self storage owners are thinking about such things as potentially acquiring more facilities, ensuring their facilities are being managed correctly and other things like limiting operational costs. The owners do not just sit back and twiddle their thumbs. They have serious work to do. Most of their work is mental.

You will see how different owners work depending on how much they want them wants to be involved in the process. Some will get right in there behind a counter and work at a store from time to time, while others will get together with their managers and brain storm. Those brain storming sessions can be a very good thing because that is where all the new ideas in self storage come from. Great ideas do not just happen, they are thought of and then implemented. It takes a team coming together in order to make some things happen. It also takes a lot of patience.

Not a lot of people give owners the respect they are due. Honestly they are some hard working people. If they are not in the trenches with their people, at least they are behind the scenes making sure bills get paid, the business grows, and the doors stay open. If they are not doing this for the company, then that would be a problem, but they are. If you are getting a pay check as a manager or an associate, things are going well. It would take some work for owners to get the credit they are due since they are the big boss. There is always a negative thought about bosses to where no one thinks they do anything. But people do strive to be a boss on day.

It is true that it takes a whole team effort to run a self storage business. It takes more than just the owner barking orders and managers doing as they are told. It takes a partnership. It takes a level of respect. Managers have to know that the owners are doing what they need to do in order to assist them in the stores. Owners have to know that the managers are doing all they can to take care of the customers. Managers see all that is going on in their level of the job, so they might have some ideas to make positive changes to the company. The owners just have to listen and make that tough decision on whether or not it can be done or it is best for the customer. Each part of the process is putting in some hard work.

Tweet This Post 

Even though self storage is a very lucrative business that does not mean that everyone is able to do it. Not everyone should just invest all of their hard earned money or their borrowed money into self storage. Why you may ask? There are several reasons that we will discuss in this blog, some of which are just opinions while others are fact. You can always take your pick. When thinking about investing into self storage you really have to do your homework.

First of all, why are you investing into self storage? Do you think that it is ubercool to sell people and empty space? Do you believe that you are able to help people satisfy their needs and come to their rescue when they are evicted out of their homes? Whatever your reason to want to invest and be a part of the self storage world, make sure that is a sound one. You do not want to invest that much money into the brand only to flake out on it later. When you get in to self storage you have to put your whole effort into it and not get discouraged if you are not making the money that you sought after right away.

Self storage is not something that you can just dump a bunch of money into and hope for a happy result. Self storage planning and owning is hard work and your time is money when you are an owner in self storage. If you are just getting into the business, many will tell you that you are too late. What they mean by that is many feel that the market is saturated and there are to  many hands in the pot. So if you put a self storage facility out there, you might not hit all of your occupancy goals because the self storage facility down the street is trying to capture the same market you are. This is business is just like any other business when it comes down to trying to capture the market share.

If you do not know anything about self storage or even real estate, you better make sure you have someone on your team that does. The moment that you purchase land and begin to build and you have not chosen the right cost for the real estate in conjunction with what the projected profit will be, you will be in a hole financially quickly. Just like a house, if you do not make a payment, you house will eventually be taken away. The first couple of months might not be what you expected and could very well be slow. Make sure that you think about the area in which you want to put a self storage facility on before you break ground. Some people found it a very good idea to purchase a facility that is already established and ready to go. They feel they can restore that store to its former glory. At least they feel they can turn a profit.

Be smart. If you really believe that you can open up a shoe store in a mall that has ten other shoe stores on the same wing and make money, you are mistaken. The same goes for self storage. If you are looking to put your facility in a market that has so many other facilities, think again. You are going to put so much effort into lowering prices, shopping your competition, making upgrades to your facility that might not be needed if you were in a different area of town. You can literally drive yourself crazy if you are trying to figure out how to close the doors of your competition. Be smart, they are trying to do the same to you. If you are going to invest in a self storage facility, do your homework. Really think about it. Many believe there are too many storage facilities out there, maybe they are right.

Tweet This Post 

Property managers need help just like anyone else. Most of the time it is just one manager per facilityi with maybe a relief manager to assist them. They have many responsibilities they need to take care of and a business to run. So many Owners think that is it is a great idea to hire an after hours call center to help their managers out. The self storage owners are not just hiring the after hours call center to assist them with their rentals, they also know that most customers just want to hear and talk to a live person. So what can that live person do after hours? It is up to the owner, but they can do anything the owner will allow them to do.

For instance the after hour call center can help the facility manager by taking payments for them. A rep was speaking with a dad of a college student who was renting a unit, he seemed a bit perturbed. Apparently the rent wasn’t paid and dad was called to the rescue. The payment on the rental had fallen a few weeks behind. Dad was worried about losing the unit and didn’t want to risk mailing off the payment since he was out of state, he wanted to take care of it ASAP.

In this situation the store had already closed an hour prior and he thought for sure that he wasn’t going to be able to take care of that payment that night. He was relieved to find out that the after hours call center rep could take the payment over the phone.  Otherwise the student might not have had a unit to rent in and there could have been more problems to follow. Having a back up to the property manager is in the interest of every self storage owner.

Tweet This Post 

Owners make it a point to try to find managers to run their facilities that have the mindset to juggle many responsibilities. Owners have to feel comfortable leaving one of their facilities in the hands of a person that will be running the day to day business so they can focus their attention to other matters. There are some owners who would say they have found managers who are able to do it all without complaint and without flaw. It is assured that owners would love to clone such managers and spread them throughout their company. Unfortunately not all property managers are created equal.

There will be properties that are out there that are begin run by managers who talked a good talk during the interview process that are failing now. In the self storage industry you can just hire a warm body and expect that warm body to do all that is required to run a successful business. Owners need to take the time to do their research, recruit and do extensive background checks to make sure that are putting the best candidate in the position as possible. They are putting someone in charge of potential cash cow. Owners should make finding the right property manager on the top of their priority list.

Tweet This Post 

There will be times in which the owners of particular self storage companies will have to hire new managers or a new staff to their facilities. No one wants to hire someone and then in a month or two turn around and hire another person due to the previous person not working out. Owners have to ensure that they are doing the best they can do when hiring the right person for the job. How do they do that? How can they ensure they hire the right person?

Unfortunately it is not for sure that the person that you believe is the best person for the job will actually work out. Even thought the person that you are hiring has the best interview, experience, and the skills you are looking for, they still have to accept the job and begin to work it. Sometimes people will be offered a job, it is accepted and then not show up to work. That is just how it is on occasion. Don’t let that discourage you, still stay strong with what you looking out of a self storage manager and do you due diligence in finding that right person. Make sure that you ask a lot of probing questions so that you can truly try to understand what they are all about. Of course there will be some people who know how to sell their self very well even though what they are telling you might not be a true statement.

What kind of probing questions can you ask? The best questions to ask are about their previous work and ask them how they handled particular situations. Make sure that you ask open ended questions that make the person that you are interviewing have to give you a answer that takes a couple of sentences. Ask such questions like, at your previous job how did you react when a fellow coworker did not pull their own weight? What would you do if you have a dispute with a manager? There are many questions that you can ask a prospective manager, but there are also questions that you are not supposed to ask. Make sure understand what those questions are because you do not want to risk a lawsuit while trying to build your business.

Finding a self storage manager is hard on self storage owners, but it has to be done. In the grand scheme of things ensuring that a self storage owner finds the right manager for their store is very important to the overall business. An owner does not want spend their time running the individual store when they have to make decision for the whole company. They are relieved once they find the right manager that can relieve some of their stress.

Tweet This Post 

It takes a particular kind of person to work in the self storage business. Every day there are managers of self storage facilities that deal with the issues of the customers that they serve and attempt to find a solution for them. Sometimes you have to handle multiple issues in a day and that can be very taxing on an individual then they would need someone to help them with their stress. What are some qualities that self storage owners look for when they are trying to select the type of management they need for their store locations. They do not have the easiest task ahead of them.

In some retail environments the owner will just hire warm bodies that can smile and greet anyone that comes into their store or location. Then those warm bodies will hopefully keep the person interested enough until someone can come by to actually offer them some assistance. In some retail environments the responsibility of the manager is just to ensure that everyone entering the store has a person to help them. Well in a self storage environment, the manager could be the only one that is in the store that can help each person coming in. The self storage managers have to wear different hats in order to help their customers.

A self storage manager has to be patient and a good listener. They have to be able to get through stressful situations to find a solution for the customers. Being able to multitask as a self storage manager is a must. Sometimes you will have to find a way to walk a customer to their unit to ensure it’s ready to move and also try to get to phone when it rings. You have to ensure that the facility is clean while making sure that everyone is greeted. No one wants to shake your hand when you have trash juice all over it. A manager has to be able to treat each customer as they have spoken to them before and they are an old friend. Customers want to feel welcome and fell as if the manager is able to assist them.

The self storage manager will have many different things they need to do and not everyone has the skill set in order to do this. Self storage owners need to ensure they ask the right questions and seek individuals with the right background that can help the company move toward achieving their goals. Selecting the wrong kind of person could set that facility which will in turn set back the company.

Tweet This Post 

Why is getting a name so important? What is the purpose of asking a person what their name is and why is it so important to use their name in the conversation? A name is important because it is polite and respectful. The reality of asking for the name of a person is because no one really wants to be call “hey you” or “bud” or “sonny”, they want to be called by the name their parents gave them. When you ask for a person’s name that lets the other person know that you wish to build some sort of relationship with them, which not many people shy away from.

Most people like their names and actually want to be called by those names. If they don’t like their names the person will most likely tell you a nickname they are called instead. Whatever the case, being on a first name bases will usually gain you a friend. When you make friends with a person, most likely they will believe and listen to everything you say. They don’t feel as if they would steer you wrong.

If you are a great sales person or at least a good one, you know that if you can get a customer to trust and believe everything you say, or at least listen, you are almost guaranteed a sale. In the self storage world, it is the same way. When a customer actually trusts what you say, and you do your part by telling them the truth, everything goes off without a hitch. At that point the customer knows that you are trying to sell them something, but they realize you are trying to sell them something that fits their needs.

Using a person name is not what everyone likes to do, but in most cases it can build rapport and really help a person out. There is nothing like making a customer content with their decision to get their storage needs taken care of. In most cases a conversation can start with a handshake in order it starts with a simple introduction. Sometimes the art of conversation is lost because no one wants to introduce their selves with their names. What is in a name? Potentially a friend made and a new renter.

Tweet This Post 

It is widely known that in these days that when a person calls into a particular company that they very well could be speaking with someone not in that particular office. With that said there are some people who are a bit put off with the idea that someone in a remote location Is trying to help them and they have no idea about the company they are calling about. This cannot be further from the truth. Many people do not realize how much time and effort companies take when trying to train people from outside their company to know pertinent information to help their clients.

Companies spend many man hours trying to ensure that there is a seamless transition from the moment the customer calls to the moment they speak to a live person. The customer on the other end sometimes realizes that the person they are speaking to is not actually there. Believe it or not these people could tell you more things about the company they are answering for than you ever believed. Sometimes the company has trained these individuals so well that the customer never even realizes they are not at the location.

In the experience of most reps who take off site phone calls, they do their best to appear that they are at the property. Now they will of course not completely lie to the customer if they ask but they don’t want the customer to treat them differently if they find out they are off site. What sometimes happens is that everything is going well until the customer finds out the representative is not at the site then they immediately wish to speak to someone that is actually on site. This defeats the purpose of the offsite rep because they are in place to capture all phone calls when the person on site is not available.

Off site reps typically know the location of the facility, general information and they are able to make reservations and or appointments for prospective customers. It is good for the on site manager in self storage to really get to know their offsite personnel so if there is an issue, the two sides can work together to make it right for the customer. It is even good for the onsite manager to treat the offsite reps as part of their staff.

Tweet This Post 

Moving is a time that can have a lot of different emotions come out in you. You can be happy that you are moving, sad that you are moving and also frustrated that you are moving. In fact you might find that all these emotions could come out all at the same time or definitely during the same move. There is not a lot of ways to prevent the different moving emotions you could encounter but you could do your best to make sure that a couple of simple things are thought about so you can have a good move.

One thing to not do a week before your move; do not buy a lot of food so you don’t have to waste food because food is hard to keep good in a move. Many people try to live their life the same way all the way up until moving day, they are foolish to think so. Your home should be free of all debris and your refrigerator should be clear of anything that is perishable. The reason for getting rid of all your parishable items is to ensure that nothing goes bad in the event that something goes wrong during your move. You don’t want your food to go bad when your moving truck has mechanical issues.

One of the last things you should do before you leave your old place is a walk through to make sure you have not forgotten anything. There are not a lot of people that really want to re buy something they already have. In fact a final walk through can ensure that priceless items are not left behind. So check each door, closet, and underneath the oven to ensure that nothing is left behind when moving. It is very assured that you will go through all three emotions as you are moving, but maybe these tips could help you go through each emotion quickly and smoothly.

Tweet This Post 

Small businesses don’t usually think about storage when it comes to needing warehouse space.  However, self storage can actually be more economical for the small business these days.  Most locations are easily accessible, with wide aisles for trucks.  It would seem that the self storage owners were actually thinking about all business owners when they initially set up their facilities. They know they wanted to cater to everyone who would need storage.

In many cases, climate controlled units are available as well as regular storage that could help the small business owners.  Businesses from snack food companies to pharmaceuticals reps have used self storage to house their industry.  It may not be the best decision if you have large inventory, however, so look into it first.  You could never know what the self storage industry has to offer your small business unless you call and ask.

Small business owners do not always know what options they have in different industries. You will find that some business are set up to where they will help a business out if they will help them. It is one of those, if you scratch my back, I will scratch yours kind of set ups. There is nothing wrong with that because the small business owners can look to a company like self storage and find a good partnership that could last for years.

Tweet This Post 

I get a call every once in a while in which someone wants to store a vehicle.  Many of them don’t realize that there are multiple options.  The cheapest is obviously outside parking, due to its lack of protection from the elements.  However, just because it’s the cheapest, doesn’t mean don’t go with it.  Most people store cars they use on a regular basis.  These cars often sit outside anyway.

Now of course storage owners have some restrictions on parking as a whole. Not all facilities will allow you to park inside. So the only choice you have at the time is to park outside or to find a facility that has inside parking. Other restrictions outside of having parking at all, is you are not allowed to work on your car, you have to have the least amount of gas in the car and you have to have the car registered and licensed in your name. Now every facility and owner will have their own set of restrictions. Make sure you ask your local self storage manager what their restrictions are.

Tweet This Post 

Why are you deciding to store you belongings? Most of the time you will hear that the answer is that they want to keep those particular items but they do not want to get rid of but do not have room in their house for. Since this is the reason you need storage, don’t you want to make sure that you keep your belonging safe. Is keeping your belongings out on the curb and not in your house keeping them safe? The answer should be no. Since no is the answer then why do you find storage facilities that do not have any sort of security features?

You will find that there are some facilities that will not have anything in terms of security features. They are almost inviting people to come in and to take your belongings. Do you really believe that a lock can keep your things safe from someone who really wants to break in? It will not take much for a person to cut your lock and to start hauling away your stuff. The problem is that not a lot of people know what to look for or ask for when they are asking is the facility safe. Being in a safe neighborhood is not the only thing you need to think about when it comes to safety. You need to ask for security features.

What are good security features to look for when getting a storage unit?  I often suggest the facility be in a good location.  Also, it helps if the property manager lives on site, and/or there are video cameras throughout.  Good properties have strong doors, door alarms, gates, and motion sensor lighting.  While not all of these things are necessary, they do play a big part in making sure you belongings are safe while you’re paying for storage.

Tweet This Post 

People often call in looking for prices on storage units.  Many are disappointed when the unit is more than they were expecting to pay.  For those who are looking for self storage for the first time, they are pleasantly surprised when they hear the price for the first time. Many believe self storage to be a very cheap solution to storing their things. This is still true, but depending on the area and what you are looking for, a self storage unit could be higher in price than you are expecting. Be very careful though as you are looking around because just because you find a facility that is very cheap does not always mean that facility is the best for you.

Sometimes a customer would call into a self storage facility wanting to know the price of the self storage unit. Naturally, the customer wants to spend a less as possible. Every now and then the manager on site is very surprised to learn that the customer actually wants a higher price. They claimed to have paid less at their other storage facility, but their previous unit had been broken into.  They were actually willing to pay a bit more for added security.  This is rare, as most people call in looking for the lowest possible price. The self storage manager was very pleased about this because they felt confident they could help them and their needs.

It is very pleasing to the self storage industry to have customers who are looking for security over the price. Facilities put a lot of time and effort into figuring out what is best for the customer and to help their situation the best. Self storage owners work vigorously crunching numbers, looking at competition, researching the community and more to determine what features will best fit their storage facility. They do all this research only to find that a vast majority of customers are looking for a very low price, but also demand their belongings to be safe.

What self storage owners have to do is find the right employees to work for them that are able to inform the customer on why they need these security features and to create some value around them. The customer wants the best for what they have and the owners know their facilities can deliver. With all the hard work these owners put in finding the right combination of value and security, the love to hear that customers want great security over anything else.

Tweet This Post 

What do you do when all of your closets are full of stuff?  You get a storage unit of course!  Today, more than ever, people need a place to put all of the things they acquire.  There are some people that do not know when to quit and they just keep piling and piling things they pick up in their homes. In the eyes of many this is not healthy. In fact there are people who have been diagnosed with a bit of mental issue because they seem to hoard things until they have no more room to move. For everyone else that realizes their space is getting crowd they should look into a storage space.

Because we live in a consumer culture, storage has been able to flourish for the past several decades.  Early in the storage industry’s history, businesses were small, locally owned properties.  With the advances in technology, storage has grown into several decent sized corporations.  This actually helps customers, as a corporation can provide better quality and service than a mom and pop store. You do see many self storage companies that are larger than ever to accommodate this change in culture.

So, the next time you need a storage unit, look for a larger company which operates several stores.  You will get a better value for your money. They can offer the discounts you need. They could potentially have stores that are not really making a lot of money and keep those stores open because they want to be a fixture in that neighborhood. They feel they can break even by another store in a different location picking up the slack.

Tweet This Post 

What are the things you should look for when making sure a facility cares about its’ tenants?  Not everyone believes that customer service will win you customers in the long run. There are many self storage owners that believe that you can win the business of many people just by offering a very low price. That can not be so far from the truth. Owners need to realize that there is more to keeping customers around to store with them. Below are a few things which will help you determine if a storage facility is right for you now and for your long term storage needs.

Convenience: Does the property make it easy to store?  Unfortunately not many owners think about their location. For the owners that do, they should ensure that the customers can get to their facility well. Sometimes a customer will be able to see the facility from the street but they are not able to get in due to how the facility entrance is. Having a way into the facility off the main street can really help with making the location convenient for them.

Are there a lot of hidden charges you were not told about? There are some facilities that will actually wait until the customer comes into the storage facility in order to tell them what the extra costs there are to store. Some customers will still decide to rent where other customers will decide to go ahead and walk out. No one wants to feel that they are being lied to.

Do you have to sign contracts or give a deposit? Most companies inform customers that they can store month to month. So why sign a contract to stay for six months or more if you just are not planning to store that long? There are many facilities that just say pay for the storage as long as you need it. When you do not need it anymore go ahead and move out.

Helpfulness:  Does the property take extra steps to help you move?  Having a property manager that will help you get all of your belongings moved safely is a property manager worth being around. Now of course there are some managers that will physically help you move, where others will simply instruct you on where to go. Either way they are being helpful to you. Are there dollies, carts, elevators, and loading docks? These are all good questions to know about the facility. If you are storing on the second floor, you do not want to haul things up the stairs. Having a dolly to get your couch from your truck to your self storage unit is very helpful.

Owners need to keep these things in mind when either running or building a new self storage facility. Yes they can have very low prices but will those low prices keep them their or make the customer happy. If the customer has an issue they want to know that their self storage manager will take care of them. Otherwise they will go somewhere else to a facility where the manager made them feel at ease.

Tweet This Post 

There is much need for a self storage facility to have a call center that is answering their calls for them when they are not able to. You will hear different self storage facilities rave about how well their business has increased since they decided to use a call center. Many business owners will tell you that they had no idea they were missing out on so much business before they had some one answering their phones for them.  Facilities could be missing 2 to 10 calls a day which could translate into 2 missed rentals if they did not have a call center in place.

It would seem that a call center is essential to the business of a self storage company. Many business owners have discussed having a call center in place that could grab their missed calls. The debate has been whether or not they should hire more people in the office to answer the phones, have a call center their self or to have a third party service answer the phones for them. After careful debate, mulling over some financials, and long thought, it was perceived that having a third party call center was the best idea.

For the business owners that believe they can run their own call center they have to think about a couple of things. They have to think about where their call center will be, how many agents they need to answer the phones, what systems they need in place and so forth. Companies just believe they can hire people route calls to their call center and they are up and running. Having a call center is a complicated idea and there has to be much thought contributed to the thought of running one.  Sometimes the thought of having an internal call center is dismissed by the idea of having to run the everyday.

Call centers are very valuable to the self storage industry but self storage owners have to really think about the idea of trying to run one their selves. They should truly consider an outside call center who has the knowledge an know how in order to run an efficient business. Let them worry about the everyday business while you train your employees on how to turn the leads that come in from your call center in to renters.

Tweet This Post 

Not everything when it comes to moving needs to be a chore. You can easily get ready to move if you plan accordingly and take your time. Try to remove any stresses from your life. There are many things that you need to get done before your move date, but that does not mean that you should be stressed out about it. It just means that you need to take some time and plan your move so that everything goes smoothly. So below there are some quick tips that you could use when you are trying to plan you move to a self storage facility or to your next home.

When packing picture with glass pack them like you hang them that way the stress is off the glass. If you are a picture taker and hanger, then you should have a full box that is full of pictures in their frames. Be careful to place your picture frames back to back so there not any damage to the glass or the frame. Of course you should label the box fragile just to make sure whoever handles that box will not be so rough with it.

Make sure your phone is on at your new house before you disconnect from your old house. When you move in to your new home you want it to look, feel, smell like your home. There is no reason to have the phone on at your hold home. Have the telephone company move your service over to your new home a couple of days before your move. Therefore when moving day is upon you, that is one less thing you have to think about and do. It is a good idea to give everyone who needs to get a hold of you, your cell phone number so you can bring that with you everywhere you go.

Hire someone to clean your old house when you move out so you can concentrate on your new one. It is not a bad idea, if you can afford it, to have someone detail your home. You have people detail your car from time to time, so it is not a far stretch to have someone detail your home. If you find someone locally to clean your old home, you will be helping the local economy as well.

Tweet This Post 

Your money is very important to you. Those who do not believe so are not telling the truth. If your money was not important to you, then you would not work so hard obtaining more. When you make money you want to put it towards something you need, as well as, what you want. When you are putting your money towards something, you want to make sure that it is well worth it. This is definitely true in the self storage business.

When you call in to your local storage facility you will hear the facility managers ask you to come by and see the facility for yourself. This way they are able to show you where your money is going and also that it is being spent well. Many people go online and attempt to look at the different pictures of the facility to see how nice and clean it is. Unfortunately many companies will post the best pictures of their facility which does not always mean that the facility is always clean and well kept. Customers will go by a facility and be shocked or amazed at how well or how badly the facility is kept. Some will keep driving when they see the facility while others will go ahead and pull in.

Many people want to know what their money is going towards. That is definitely understood. It is in the best interest of the customer to investigate the site before you sign for the space. For example, check out the pin access controlled to make sure it is in good shape for security. The last thing that you would what is a gate that does not function properly. That would mean that people will be able to bypass the gate potentially. Also, it may mean that you will be locked in or out in the future because the gate is broken. No one wants to deal with that at all. If you lease before you check out things like that, you will never know until it is an issue.

Knowing what your money is going toward is always a good thing. Checking something out before you rent is an even better idea. This will give you plenty of time to ask the manager questions and feel good about renting there. There could be many self storage facilities in your area and many choices to choose from. Many people second guess their decisions and wonder if they made the right decision on their storage facility. You will not always get it right when you are putting your money towards something you need to pay for.

Tweet This Post 

It is very important that you think ahead to what you will do with your RV when it is not in use. Not everyone will be able or even allowed to park their RVs in their driveways. Depending on the size of your RV you really should consider finding a storage facility in your area that stores RVs. It is assured that your neighbors will also appreciate that you are not using your driveway for your vehicle storage needs. Many RVs end up blocking out the sunlight and the view of the rest of the subdivision from their front door.

Besides just a place to park your RV, there are many other advantages to using RV storage. In your driveway your recreational vehicle will not have adequate cover from the elements as some storage facilities. In addition to that fact, you will find that many true RV storage facilities have wash bays, dump stations and also full service maintenance that your vehicle needs. You could find a storage place that only parks your RV, but why not look for one that is full service? Typically you will pay a little more money out of pocket for such amenities, but in the long run it will be worth it.

For the many that choose to store their RVs at their homes, they will still have to find ways to keep them clean and also to dump the access waste. With the time and effort that takes, why not just take it to a place that does all of that and will store your vehicle as well? For the person that can fit an RV into their budget, they should also be able to fit the idea of storing their RV in an adequate environment. Most RV do not come cheap so why would think of a cheap and potential harmful way of storing it?

Tweet This Post 

First and foremost, reader, you are going to need a central file system for your office.  The last thing that you are going to want to do, here, is rely entirely upon email to communicate with your workers and get them the files that they are going to need to do their jobs well.  When you set up a file server for all of your important documents, you know that your workers are going to be able to get what they need, when they need it.  Likewise, you know that they are going to be able to access these files from home as well, grante4d that you are willing to set up some kind of remote login protocol.  By giving your workers universal access to the documents that they need to do their jobs well, you virtually guarantee that they are going to get better at what they do.

Moving on, here, you are going to want to be sure that you are equipping your workers with computers that do not bog them down.  There is nothing worse than telling a client to wait while your computer chugs away.  Not only is it embarrassing, it is entirely unnecessary.  Sure, you are going to have to spend a few extra dollars to equip your workers with computers that are not terrible, but you are only going to end up thanking yourself in the end.  Your workers will be happy and efficient, and their clients will know that they are equipped with the tools to get the job done, and done well.

Of course, you cannot run a good office without making sure that you are keeping your workers comfortable.  To this effect, you are going to want to be sure that you provide them with comfortable chairs, which, despite what you may think, can make a world of a difference when it comes to morale.  IF you know that your workers are going to be doing a lot of typing, then you might want to be sure that you are getting them some ergonomic keyboards so that they do not injure themselves as they are working.  Likewise, you are going to want to be sure that the special needs of your disabled workers are more than accounted for.  Do what you can to keep your workers happy, and you are going to reap the rewards when it comes to your bottom line.

Truly, reader, it does not take much to turn your office into a much better, much more comfortable, and much more efficient place.  IF you do what you need to do to equip your workers with the tools and accommodations that they need, then you are going to find that they are much more willing to give it their proverbial all.

Tweet This Post 

The first thing that you are going to want to do, here, is figure out where you are going to want to rent your unit at the end of the day.  The last thing that you are going to want to do, here, is rent a unit that is going to be very far away from where you live.  I mean, if you do that, then you might as well not rent a unit at all.  Just think of all of that time and money that you are going to waste getting to your unit.  Just getting to your unit!  Likewise, imagine how awful it is going to be if you have to make more than one trip to your unit throughout the course of your move.  More than likely, you are going to find that you should have simply rented a unit that is closer to where you live.  Sure, you might have to pay a little bit more for it, but that is hardly going to mean a thing at all when you are saving yourself all of that time.

Second of all, you are going to have to pick a self storage unit that is compatible with your schedule.  Surprisingly, many people seem to forget about that as they are calling around, and they end up landing themselves in a world of hurt at the end of the day.  OF course, you can avoid all of these problems by simply asking your properties what they office hours are, and what their access hours are.  Be sure that you are going to be able to get to your unit during the access hours, and that you are not going to be cutting things too close.  The very last thing that you are going to want, here, is to get yourself stuck inside of the gate after your access hours have ended for the evening.  That is going to be a mess that you are not going to want to deal with; not one bit.

As you can see, reader, there are only a few things that you have to keep in mind when you are calling around to rent a self storage unit.  More often than not, you are going to be able to find a unit in your area that has all of the features and hours that you could ever need.  Just do your homework in the beginning, and you will not live to regret a thing.

Tweet This Post 

Of course, if you are going to be loading a lot of heavy furniture into your unit, then you might want to consider renting a drive up self storage unit.  These units are ground level, and you are going to be able to pull your car right up to the door.  Typically speaking, you can simply pull your car into, or partially into, the unit, and you will not have to worry about dealing with any long hallways or anything like that.  If I, personally, were going to rent a unit, and I knew that I was going to have to store a ton of heavy furniture, then I would be sure to rent one that was drive up accessible.

If you know that you are going to be storing tons of electronics, then you are going to have to be sure that you are renting a climate controlled self storage unit.  These units, typically speaking, are going to be held between sixty and seventy degrees, meaning that your temperature sensitive items are not going to be harmed by changes in the temperature and humidity.  Computers, televisions, video game consoles, and even clothing items are going to fare much better in these kinds of units.  Though they are going to run you a little bit of extra money, you are going to find that the safety of your belongings is well worth it.

Moving on, here, you are going to want to rent a large, garage size unit if you know that you are going to be storing a vehicle.  Typically speaking, most facilities are going to be able to offer this kind of vehicle storage.  Of course, when you are calling around, you must specify that you are going to be using your unit for vehicle storage.  Some managers do not have the proper insurance to allow this, so by telling them from the get go that you are going to be storing a vehicle, you guarantee that you are not going to get yourself into any trouble.

If you are going to be storing an inventory of items, i.e. your products, then you are going to want to be sure that you rent a self storage unit that comes with shelving supplies.  With these, you are going to be able to sort your products into rows, leaving yourself access to individual items when you need to retrieve them.

These, of course, are but a handful of the options that you are going to have when you set out to rent your self storage unit.  Just specify what you are looking for when you are calling around, and your property managers are going to be able to lead you towards the units that will take care of you the best.

Tweet This Post 

First and foremost, reader, you are going to have to be sure that you are only renting self storage units from facilities that allow for you to take an on site tour before you sign your paperwork.  Simply put, if your self storage facility is not willing to let you see your unit before you rent it, then they are trying to hide something.  You would never put up with this kind of trickery if you were buying something else, so why in the world would you put up with it when you are renting a self storage unit?  Just take it from me, reader, you are going to want to be sure that you check your unit out in person before you commit to renting it.  It simply makes sense that way.

Moving on, here, you are going to want to be sure that your self storage unit comes equipped with all of the security features that you want and need.  The last thing in the world that you are going to want, here, is to spend your money on a unit that is not going to be able to keep your belongings nice and safe.  To this effect, you are going to want to be sure that you are renting a self storage unit that comes equipped with video surveillance cameras, door alarms, a secure door lock, and a fence around the perimeter of the facility.  If you do not rent a unit that comes equipped with these features, then you are going to grow to regret it over time.  Truly, you are not going to be able to rest assured that your belongings are safe.  And truly, that is the worst feeling in the world, reader.  When you do not know that your belongings are being kept safe, you experience a tremendous amount of stress.  I do, at least.

Finally, reader, you are going to have to be sure that you are renting a unit that is in a nice, low crime area.  Sure, self storage units are going to be nice and safe when they are equipped with all of those security features, but that does not mean that you are going to want to take your chances by renting one that is not in a good neighborhood.  If you do not feel comfortable when you go to visit your belongings, then you are never going to be happy with the self storage unit that you rent.  It is just as simple as that.

Before you commit yourself to renting a self storage unit, be sure that you are happy with every facet of the rental.  Take care of yourself early on, and you are going to be just fine when it comes to renting your self storage unit.

Tweet This Post 

First and foremost, reader, be sure that you buy a planner.  Here, you are going to want to buy a nice, big, paper planner, because you are going to use it to keep track of all of your dates.  When you do not write down the dates that you know, you always feel like you are forgetting something at the end of the day.  Heck, you ARE forgetting something much of the time.  Just kill all of this stress by writing your dates down and making sure that you are not forgetting about anything at all.

Moving on, here, you are going to want to approach your chores in a particular order.  First and foremost, you are going to want to be sure that you are packing up all of your belongings.  Go out to the store, buy all of the boxes and packing supplies that you are going to need, and be sure that you are not cutting any corners, here.  Once you have all of your supplies, give yourself at least a week, preferably two, to box up all of your belongings.  By making sure that you have enough time, here, you guarantee that you are not going to get down to the wire in your moving process.  Also, by giving yourself some extra time, here, you can guarantee that you are going to have time to label your boxes, preventing your items from getting lost when they do not have to.

Finally, reader, you are going to want to be sure that you are calling around to get quotes on moving trucks.  Even if you are not renting a self storage unit, you are going to have to be sure that you have a nice, convenient, and safe way of getting your belongings from point A to point B.  Depending on the time of year, you may find that calling two weeks ahead of time is still cutting it close.  These trucks can get really, really popular from time to time, so it is actually critical that you give yourself plenty of time to call around and place your reservations.

At the end of the day, you are going to be very happy that you adopted an actual plan when it comes to moving your home.  When you do not have a plan, you very quickly fall victim to bouts of extreme stress and doubt.  By setting your chores in stone, though, and by giving yourself a rough understanding of when you are going to do them, you can guarantee that things do not become overwhelming when they do not have to be.

Tweet This Post 

Of course, the first thing that you need to know, reader, is that lifting heavy furniture is not exactly safe.  If you lift your furniture correctly, then you are not going to run into any serious problems.  If you fail you lift your furniture in a safe way, then you might very well end up injuring yourself.  Thus, it is important to keep all of the basics in mind. 

First and foremost, be sure that you are not lifting with your back.  If your only grip on an object is close to the floor, then bend your knees until you can grab it with your hands, and use your LEGS to pull the object up.  If you bend over at the waist, you are going to end up doing some serious harm to your back, and that is never fun.

Second of all, be sure that you are not attempting to lift things that you cannot lift.  It sounds simple, reader, because it is.  If you know that you are not strong enough to lift something, then call in some extra help.  It may take some extra time, but calling in that extra help could truly make or break your back.

Third of all, reader, you are never going to want to underestimate the value of your legs.  Really, you want to make the most of your legs when it comes to heavy lifting.  If you feel that you are losing your grip on an object, tell your lifting partner to wait, use your leg to prop the object up, and find yourself a better grip.  While you may be a bit shy when it comes to holding up progress, the last thing that you are going to want to do, here, is drop an object and break it when you could have prevented it.

When it comes to moving, and moving safely, there are a few things that you simply cannot forget.  Your number one priority should always be safety, reader . Safety is what really matters at the end of the day, not your sofa.  While I may have told you to use your knee when your hands fail you, but if you knee is not doing the trick, then you might simply have to drop the item to avoid injuring yourself.  Just be sure that you are not injuring your helper when you drop an item.

Moving services are great, but you do not have to fret if you cannot afford one when it comes time to move.  Just be sure that you are reminding yourself of all of the basics, and you are not going to run into any problems that you cannot solve.

Tweet This Post 

First and foremost, reader, we should get the obvious things out of the way.  Yes, your self storage units are going to be perfect at keeping your miscellaneous items and your spare furniture items safe while you are not using them.  If you find that you can barely move around in your house because it is just that packed with spare junk, then you are going to want to be sure that you are not forgetting about your local self storage options.  Rent a nice, cheap unit and stuff all of your spare belongings in it.  They are not going to bother you any further.

Of course, you do not have to stop there.  Even if you do not have any spare belongings to store, you might still benefit from a timely self storage rental.  Are you in a band?  Are you finding that it is hard to practice your music without getting the cops called?  Well, then you might want to think about renting yourself a self storage unit.  When you rent a storage unit, you know that you are always going to have a nice, safe place to practice, and that the cops are never going to come out in response to a noise complaint.  Granted that your property manager has given you permission to practice in the space, you are not going to have to worry about a thing.

Do you paint?  If so, then you may decide to rent yourself a small self storage unit.  When you try to paint in your own home, you end up running into a lot of problems.  I mean, you end up getting paint all over the floor and the walls, and it becomes a major chore to get all of it out.  This, of course, is not to mention that it is nearly impossible to lay down tarps in your own home.  Well, by renting a self storage unit, you can kiss these problems goodbye.  You can lay down tarps and give yourself all of the space that you are going to need to practice your craft.

At the end of the day, there are tons of ways in which you can put your self storage unit to good use.  This article has only covered a few of these ways, so feel free to get creative when you are considering a self storage rental.  Oh, and always remember that you should never settle for the first site that you come across, and that you should never give up too early.  If one site cannot offer the accommodations that you are going to need, then simply pick up the phone and continue shopping around.

Tweet This Post 

First and foremost, reader, you simply have to be sure that you are renting yourself a truck.  If you do not rent yourself a truck, then you are not going to be able to move with any efficiency whatsoever.  This, of course, is not to mention that you are not going to be able to move safely.  When you cram all of your belongings into a small trailer, or worse yet, your standard vehicle, you are virtually guaranteeing that they are going to smack up against each other and break.  Especially if you are going to be moving a considerable distance, you are just going to have to spend the extra money and get yourself a moving truck of some sort.

Once you have your moving truck, you are going to have to be sure that you are equipping it with as many cables as you are going to need to keep your larger items from sliding around as you are driving.  If you do not secure your larger items, then they ARE going to slide around in the cabin as you are making your way to your new home.  By locking them down with tight chords, you can virtually guarantee that you are not going to run into many problems, here.

Finally, reader, you are always going to have to be sure that you are going the extra mile when it comes to your moving and packing supplies.  If you do not take the time to wrap your delicate items in bubble wrap, then you are only going to be able to look forward to disaster in the near future.  Get boxes that are not too big, wrap your items in bubble wrap, and fill what is left in your boxes with packing peanuts.  If you want to go super cheap, then you can actually use popcorn instead of bubble wrap.  It is all up to you, but if you are not keeping your items safe, then you are not going to be very happy at the end of the day.

As you can see, reader, none of this advice is very complicated.  It is all rather simple.  The only trick, here, is that you have to follow up on it.  You cannot simply toss your belongings into the back of a truck and hope for the best.  You cannot simply drive carefully and guarantee that your furniture is not going to slide around, causing untold amounts of damage.  You truly have to be proactive in these regards, buying all of the packing and moving supplies that you are going to need to keep your belongings nice and safe during your trip.  It will cost you a little bit of money, but it is well worth it.

Tweet This Post