It is best to shop around for storage as a serious customer. When you call in for prices, it should be time to do business. You should be ready to move in and you should have your plan of action in mind on how to get your belongings to the self storage facility. You are not calling around to get an idea on self storage, you are calling around to figure out who wants your business. Pick up the phone with that mindset.

 
Specials come and go. Just because there was a special when you called a couple of months ago does not mean that it will still be available. For this reason you should not be solely dependant on the special to help you out. Maybe there is something else that you need from the self storage unit. Whether it is great security, location or what not. Ensure that you are not just relying on the special to tell you where you want to rent from.

 
Pretty much anything that you could ever need as far as moving and storage supplies can just be picked up at the store you are renting from. Most storage facilities now pride their selves on being a one stop shop for self storage. So do not bother going to the hardware store looking for a lock or what ever else you need, just visit  your local storage facility to help you out.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Bogart storage units in sunny Georgia were filled up during this boom time for the south.  Another reason business liked moving to the south so much too was sick days.  Yes, sick days.  It seemed that people took off from work for sick days in the cold climates of the north in the United States of America compared to the southern half.  Snow days too were a problem, as workers could not get to work when the temperature and snow of many inches hit the cities every winter.  There were more expenses too with snow like snow removal and people slipping on ice and getting hurt.  This all brought up costs and lowered profits.  States would also tax these companies more than let us say Texas, so why stay with all that hassle and hard ship.  Might as well pack up and leave Chicago.

Bogart storage units benefited from all of these reasons to move down to sunny Georgia, and a lot of people did.  Atlanta is often called the new south, modern and exciting.  It is a city where young people flock to for the nightlife and all the wonderful things there are to do.  We think the south will keep on growing unless the north gets it together and makes it better for business to come.  As a matter of fact, the entire country of the United States of America could benefit from a lower tax rate on business and the private sector too like people like us.  We all need a little tax break to go with our corn flakes in the morning.  How about no food taxes at all?  Would not that be nice?

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Hopefully the answer is forward and upward.  Once you’ve established yourself in your community the way to make that happen is to grow.  This means growth not just in terms of your market share, but also in the physical size of your business and your staff.  This growth process can be made easier and more affordable when you use Williamsburg, New York self storage.

If you’re really successful, physical growth could mean opening additional locations or moving to one larger location.  If this is the case you can prepare for expansion by acquiring the building materials, fixtures and equipment you need and keeping them in your own warehouse Williamsburg self storage unit.  Planning your move or expansion over a period of time allows you to disperse the cost of these materials and take advantage of sales and discounts as they happen.  It’s this kind of proactive thinking, rather than reactive, thinking that probably put you in the position to expand your business to begin with.

Now it could be that your already have plenty of space at your current location, but you’re not making the best possible use of it.  Storage is one of the primary wastes of space in a commercial environment.  Whether you own a retail business or operate an office environment, you can maximize the space you have by keeping on hand only those items you need.  Turn your storeroom into a new conference area, or maybe use the space for desks for your new employees, by keeping archived records, surplus supplies and backup computers and equipment in a climate controlled Williamsburg self storage unit, where they can sit safely and securely until you actually need them.  After all, why take up space at your place of business with items you won’t immediately need?  Any part of your store or office that isn’t being used to make you money is effectively costing your money.

As a successful business owner, you can no doubt recognize other businesses that are operating the right (or wrong) way.  When looking for storage solution, seek out well-trained and knowledgeable location managers and staff willing to work with you to find the solution that best fits your company’s needs and budget.  Additionally, look for Williamsburg self storage facilities that can offer a level of security that meets, or exceeds, that of your own office.  Perimeter fencing surrounding grounds under 24-hour video surveillance that can only be accessed via secure keypad access ensure your valuable equipment and records will be well taken care of.  As a business owner, you will also appreciate the convenience of storage units accessible to you and your staff 24 hours a day.

If you’re in a position where expanding your business is a legitimate endeavor, you likely don’t need much advice.  However, in case self storage didn’t occur to you, you might want to take the time to do some research.  You might find out we can help you grow your business even faster and more efficiently than you thought possible.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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One of the jobs that Kayla was responsible for was helping the office transition run smoothly. She has so many to do lists running she felt like she needed a personal assistant to handle it all but she knew that the craziness was just a temporary problem. Soon the office would be completely moved and the business would return to a normal pace once again.

Today Kayla was working on labeling the filing cabinets with a number that corresponded with a room in the new office space. They were being moved over today and if the cabinets could make it all into the correct room it would be one less hassle that she would have to oversee. As she was labeling the cabinets with the correct corresponding number she quickly realized that many of the filing cabinets contained files that they could not get rid of but that they did not need on a daily basis or on any type of regular basis. A few of them were old customer files that they kept to reference and the majority of the cabinets were old employee files that had to be kept for a certain number of years. They took up a considerable amount of office space and it would be great if they could find a place to store them off site.

Kayla began to research Wyandotte County, Kansas storage options and found that located just a few miles form their new office building was a self storage location. Further research of the Wyandotte County storage facility and she was able to see that they had great rates, safety and security measures in place to insure that their customers belongings were safe.

Kayla made a small presentation up about how the Wyandotte County storage would benefit their company by allowing them to have off site storage for the files that they had to hold on to but did not need to keep and how by storing them in a self storage unit they would have more office space for the employees and be able to open up more spaces for the companies continued success. She pitched her presentation to her boss and he loved the idea.

When the office relocation was finally over and everyone was settled into their spaces life in the office returned to normal. Kayla went back to her normal duties and was happy to throw away all of her scratched out to do lists. Her boss was so happy with how she had handled all of the responsibilities that he had given her during the move and even going above and beyond to find them a storage solution for their files that he was adding a bonus to her next check as a way to say thank you. Kayla already had great plans for that extra money including this great pair of shoes that she had been eyeing in the shoe store window.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Downtown Kansas City storage is needed by the city dwellers who like to buy stuff too, and need a place to put it.  Some lofts may be only six hundred to eight hundred square feet total and that is with very little space to store things.  Some people store their winter things in the storage space, than drag it out and replace it with summer clothes and summer activities things like boats, swimming gear, and inner tubes and floats, and everything else.  Hobbies are stored in spaces too and some people have their storage spaces as workshops with tools and workbenches in them.  Some have electricity in them or the customers bring generators.  Downtown Kansas City storage has climate-controlled units that keep things from not getting too hot or too cold.  Items can contract and expand and things like computers can be ruined in very hot small spaces.

Storage units come in all different price ranges and sizes, from tiny two by two feet to large ten by forty feet units.  Some are inside where people wheel provided carts around, and some, one can drive right up to their unit to get things out or put things in.  People store cars, boats, tools, clothes, and furniture.  Some things can not be stored like hazards and chemicals and of course animals.  Do not put your animals in storage.  Not a good idea.

Most storage spaces are tall enough for large items.  Small businesses use storage units to save money and warehouse expenses.  Very smart.  Why spend a ton of money to start a business when it might fail or struggle for a few years.  The times to get in your storage space can vary, but some have twenty-four hour access that can really help small business.  Downtown locations are great and Downtown Kansas City storage will appease we believe.  Storage has become so popular in recent years one can see them in a lot of different places.  It makes sense for a lot of people who are trying to get rid of clutter, but do not want to throw items away that are sentimental or valuable.  Baseball cards and antiques and old toys or old beds or anything else that matters can be stored safely and well.  There are millions of square feet of storage in America and if you need one there should be one nearby.  So go out, buy things, help the economy, and put people back to work.  Get storage and fill it up.  Visit flea markets, garage sales, and swap meets and fill up your storage space.  Who cares?  Be a hoarder if you want.  Maybe you will be on that TV show for hoarders.  You might get famous.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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• In order to begin the business you have to have a dedicated place to work. Many people look to turn a guest room or a basement space into a dedicated home office. Whatever space they choose to turn into their dedicated work space having a self storage unit to clear out the beds, clutter, or stuff can provide a work space that is well organized and clean to work in. with a storage solution you can create a work space and still be able to hold on your belongings that you move out in creating your work spaces.
• Working from your home you will have to have everything that you would expect from an office. Even though technology has come along way to making business less reliant on paper there still is a considerable amount of paperwork that needs to be kept and filed and organized in a way that is easy to access. Having a storage unit can offer you the perfect space to keep the older files or files that you wouldn’t need on a daily basis. With a self storage unit you can maintain your work space and keep it clean and organized so that you can work more efficiently.
• Having a self storage unit can help outside of the home office as well. Since you are running your business out of your home there may come a time when you need to entertain clients or suppliers or support personnel to run your business in your home. You not only want to have your office space looking organized and professional but you want to be able to maintain the rest of your house to be able to be organized as it is an extension of your home office space.
• If you have any type of inventory or product for your business you will realize that it can quickly overtake your home storage spaces. To be able to run your business better and more effectively it can help a great deal if you utilize a self storage unit to help with maintaining inventory. Having a dedicated self storage space for inventory will keep you from storing it in different locals in your home.

As you can see having a self storage unit can greatly increase your ability to run your home based business in a more efficient and effective manor. You will be able to have an organized office space in which to work and your home can become your office. What a short commute that would be. Self storage solutions offer you the opportunity to become your own boss and build up your own success.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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There are different types of storing units made of steel. The first type that can be considered are the self storage buildings for agricultural purposes. These metallic storing units give superior quality protection from pests and have longevity. If one has to store agricultural products then nothing can be better than the steel storing units offered by reliable companies. Steel storing units are also used as aircraft hangers. Of course there are number types of aircrafts and hence their storing requirements are different. They vary in sizes and designs and there is a steel unit for each and every aircraft. If you think about different aircrafts, there is a hanger for every type of aircraft.

Steel can also be used to construct a church edifice. These self storage buildings can be used to build extensions of existing buildings or construct entirely new structures. There are companies that have the expertise to offer the best steel structural solutions in constructing new churches or modifying or repairing existing ones. The church construction group can take the advice of these experts to get an idea of the type of steel structural units that they should select for building a church of the desired size and type. The church constructions can be built at very cost effective rates. 

Commercial steel structures are also very much in demand by many business houses today. These self storage buildings can be used to build a new retail outlet or a fast food chamber. One can get buildings of desired sizes and shapes designed by the companies selling these steel structures. Steel structures can be used to build gymnasiums. The conventional methods of building gymnasiums might prove to be quite expensive. For building a gymnasium the structure that one chooses should be strong, flexible, durable, efficient and of a reasonable rate. Institutional edifices are also constructed using steel. They should be made of highest commercial grade steel and should conform to the most sophisticated and precision-oriented technical specifications.

The self storage buildings made of steel can be used as manufacturing units. The units made of steel can be so designed that the space in the units can be arranged well to accommodate the highest number of items possible without compromising with the quality of the manufacturing process. An efficient structure will lead to efficiency in production and increase in output. Steel structures can be used to build recreational facilities which require some good designs. The steel structures can be used to build economical and flexible recreational facilities. Sometimes pre-engineered steel building systems are used to construct recreational facilities. Steel can be used for building riding arenas. It saves upon the traditional methods of building riding arenas. 

Car Storage in Lenexa

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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The self storage jobs can be roughly categorized into four types. They are different management jobs, call center jobs, delivery driver jobs and finally the IT related and the corporate jobs. Make sure that you are a dedicated person because the industry depends on its human resources than anything else and your performance is crucial for the well being of the company and in turn will ensure your prosperity. You can visit the website of any self storing company to search for available for different jobs and apply as per your qualification. The expanding industry will surely throw up something for you.

Of the self storage jobs , the job of the property manager is to manage sales, work with the customers, supervise the operations and maintain the facility. All these jobs are very important in the well being of the company as you will be directly involved in the operations that the company is for. It is ideal for those who prefer customer contact or retailing. A manager of properties does not always need to be from the same or related background to be in this job. He can be from the retail industry or even hotel and restaurant management. Most of the companies have an initial training period for their managers and he gets regular pay for the period. The training takes one through the requirements in the self storing industry and he needs to take to the ways very soon as he would often act as the advisor to the customers who seek suggestions on moving, packing or truck rental.

The other self storage jobs are the call centre jobs, IT and corporate jobs. The companies operate call centers to take incoming calls from the customers as well as answer questions of the interested people. The corporate jobs related to self storing are many and varied. They range from accounting, finance and tax management, human resources management, IT, legal and marketing management. People trained in all these faculties are also in demand in the industry.

Self storing industry is diversifying into mobile storing facility and this has generated a new type of self storage jobs . It requires a team of professionals who can take the self storing facility to the customer. The team comprises of the client service representative, the delivery drivers and the warehouse maintenance experts. The team needs to look after the customer interaction over the phone as well as on the ground and resolve the situation in a very amicable manner. Since the whole system is computer operated these days the team also needs to be efficient in computer related matters. Then is the matter of actual storing which includes receiving the materials, inspection and billing and also handling the cash.

RV Storage in Overland Park

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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If you are going to set up one of those self storage companies , you must be very clear about the legal definition of such a facility. On the overall it states that a real property that has fifty or more enclosed space which are rented out to individuals or businesses or to both for the purpose of warehousing is called a self storing facility. This definition holds good for all the states but the other minor rules may differ from state to state. Fifty units is a standard that is safe across all states but some states allow lesser number of units to start with. So it is your duty to get it clear what is your state law regarding self storing facilities. Also it must be made sure whether your start warehousing facilities or facilities for storing vehicles can be termed self storing facilities.

As one of the self storage companies the first criteria to qualify as such should be to let out or lease out your property which is designed and used for storing purpose only. These units are rented out individually to the occupants who have access to such units for the purpose of storing or removing there personal properties. You must make it clear that the self storing properties are not warehouses as per law. So you should not issue any warehouse receipt, bill of lading or any document of title for any personal property that is stored in your facility. However, some states need a proper written agreement for renting out. Renting covered parking space and open lots has no clear definition as self storing facilities.

The occupant is a person who hires an individual space in the facilities provided by the self storage companies . This does not include the rent of space that is not particularly defined or the services like container rents for storing which are stored in the warehouses of the storing companies. If the space where a person stores his vehicle is covered and defined clearly then it has a remote chance of getting termed as a self storing facility.

When you are going in for a business of self storage companies you must make sure that you are insured against any default on the part of the hirer and make sure that you can recover your dues in case a customer does not pay his rent. If you fall within the purview of self storing facilities you can then have the legal support of lien on the properties of the defaulter and his storing unit. In any case you will be doing business on stored property of someone else and there are a number of legal matters that are beyond the scope of vision of an ordinary person. So it is best to consult an attorney before starting any business involving self storing.

Furniture Storage in Waldorf

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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For this reason, people looking to start a company of their own might choose to invest in a mini storage business. It is no secret that people are running out of room in their basements, closets and garages. Many families are just looking to simplify their lives by cleaning out their space. In addition, families that are downsizing in order to meet their bills often find that storing some of their belongings and moving to a more affordable home or apartment is more cost effective than living at their current residence.

If you are a savvy entrepreneur who is considering starting your own mini storage business, there are several things that you can do beforehand, to determine if it will be a viable opportunity for you. Researching the industry itself, learning all that you can about it, and finding out what the industry standards are as well as the typical rate of investment and return, is the first step that you will likely take before you jump right in.

Once all of the preliminary research has been conducted, your next consideration in beginning a mini storage business will likely be determining just how much money you have to invest in it. If you are operating on a shoestring budget, you will want to search for less expensive ways to build, market and run your business before you commit to it. You will need to make allowances for a dormant period from the inception of your company before you will begin seeing financial gain.

When considering the type of buildings to use, you will want to choose whether or not you will acquire an existing building to convert into units, or build new ones. Steel is the material of choice for many of these facilities. It is more economically viable, and you can often purchase prefabricated buildings that will serve you and your tenants well for many years to come.

Another aspect of the mini storage business that you will want to consider is the location where you intend to build as well as the market for your services in that area. Check out the competition. What kind of turnover rate do they have? How do they advertise? Do they seem to be flourishing? What kinds of services do they offer that you could compete with? How many others are there in the area? Choosing the right location is important. If your services are not needed, or if competition is fierce, then your company may not make it.

Yet another consideration that you will need to take into account is insurance. The laws vary by city and state. You will need to purchase insurance for your company, and many of these facilities offer their tenants the opportunity to purchase insurance through the facility itself. See if you can make this happen in your area.

Starting any new business takes time, dedication and money. A mini storage business is no different. Conducting adequate research before you go full throttle is a good way to evaluate the potential success of your company.

RV Storage in Hopkins

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Even in the industry surrounding the growing use of self storage software has been created by a few different companies to help meet the growing needs of business owners. These programs have the capacity to keep track of your business, from security to accounting, and on down the line to tenants files. In fact, with very little set up and installation, it is possible to automate just about every aspect of your business, leaving you with much more time to spend actually interacting with tenants and potential customers alike.

Self storage software can be used whether you own one facility or a dozen facilities. No matter how small your empire is, paper invoices and manual book keeping and record keeping methods are increasingly becoming a thing of the past. Current industry standards in the self storage software field have way too many benefits and features to negate at least checking them out.

These programs can not only store and organize your entire database of clients, past, present and future, but they can also allow you to offer instant credit and debit card payments, automatic billing and even send email reminders to tenants automatically. Some of these programs offer graphic layouts of your exact facility, color coded to allow you to instantly see which units are rented and paid up, which units are vacant, which units will soon be available and which units have outstanding balances. There is even a self storage software program that allows you to effectively lock the gates to tenants who have fallen too far behind on their payments. Sending a delinquent account to collections is automated, as well.

These programs also create expense reports, track money coming into and going out of your accounts, and provide a wide range of services to enable your financial records to be maintained in an easy, up to the minute format. In addition, all of your information is stored, backed up in a database, and archived, which alleviates the fear that one systems crash would wipe out all of your files. Your records are protected. 

Self storage software can assist your business by allowing you to focus on the most important aspect of what you do, which is assisting customers. Without it, you may be wasting time and energy, as well as taking up space with rows of file cabinets to dig through every time you need to find a purchase order or go over a tenants rental history. For a business to succeed, it has to keep up with the times. Installing computer programs to assist you in maintaining your business is really becoming the rule, rather than the exception.

RV Storage in Columbia

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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In many self storage buildings it is very inconvenient to walk up stairs and use elevators to arrange bulky items into a unit. It is also inconvenient to maneuver a large truck through many properties, because the aisles and driveways are very narrow. This prevents people from accessing the unit if there is a large truck in the way. However, there are numerous designs that can create a more efficient storing building.

One idea for contractors is to erect a building that would be easily accessible for large trucks. Drive up access units are important for many customers, but to find a building that one could drive into while enclosed inside a building is rare. Customers enjoy the benefit of unloading under a roof that protects them from the elements. It also has the benefits of being climate controlled, and controlled by the customer inside the units. Creating a U- shaped self storage building is an excellent idea for those interested in a new innovative building. This building is U-shaped, and is square so that the units obtain the ultimate square footage. There is a roof over the entire building that is eleven feet or more in height. The units are taller and depending on how large the facility is, more than three large trucks may be backed into it at one time. There should be two doors on the unit. One roll up door inhabits the inside of the U-shaped building and another outside. A few cons of this form of building are that vehicles cannot be parked inside for a prolonged period to time to allow for other vehicles to unload and load. This building takes up a lot of space, so a large piece of land should be purchased prior to building to allow for numerous buildings throughout the property.

Another idea that seems to be the main design for an easy accessible self storage building is the row design. There are drive-up access units in row that one can drive up to.  This design although the most prevalent may not be the most economic. The main problem is that the majority of these cannot be climate controlled because it is not sealed similar to a garage door and does not have a roof to unload out of the elements. An alternative to this is to provide an overhead that extends two feet from the roof to create a barrier from the elements. The ceiling height on the roof will need to be at least eleven feet high and the door can be air-tight, so climate control is possible. All of these ideas for a self storage building although beneficial to the customer is costly, so the price may increase slightly, but it should be worth it to those who care.

RV Storage in Columbia

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Of course, the most obvious and wide spread tactic of advertisement and marketing is the internet. This is an easy, fast and great way to get your services broadcast for everyone to know about. You can direct either local or national lookers to your site through different search engine techniques, and you can try in this way to appeal to a great variety of different customers for self storage companies , or in fact, any company. With the internet, like anywhere that you advertise, you will need to make your ad jump out and grab the attention of the customer. The internet is brutally competitive, and if you do not have something that practically leaps from the screen with originality and a look at me theme, it will not do you  much good. And though it is competitive, if you find the right way to bring across your product or service to the customer, it will reward you 100 fold in the end. This is the great thing about the internet. From self storage companies to at home businesses to big name businesses, it does not matter. As long as you are creative, trite and somewhat trendy, the internet is not prejudiced as to the type of scale of your company.

Following the internet theme, there are different things you can do online for self storage companies. For instance, you can go more low scale and just advertise on other websites. Or you can choose to actually make a website of your own that is exclusively for your business and specifically draws people to your type or product or service. Also online, much as you can do offline, you can place classified ads.

This leads into offline marketing. Of course, newspapers are still a very popular forum for advertising services or goods, perhaps most especially if you are a locally owned business or small business owner. Flyers are another good way for local or small businesses to get their name out and about the town, community, or district. And of course, once you begin with these types of advertising techniques, you will get the free and very effective strategy of marketing called word of mouth! The more good things people say about your business, and the more they tell their friends or family about it, the more it expands from there. This brings in more customers than many people would believe.

Business cards are a good and inexpensive way to advertise on a small scale. When someone comes into your place of business and speaks with you, you hand them a card. Also, you can set your cards at other businesses for people who are interested to pick up or pass onto someone else who might be interested. Make sure your business card grabs attention, and have all relevant information on it, such as web address, phone numbers, and of course, your company name.

With every forum and tactic you may use to market for your business, it is always important to remember to remain professional and accurate. Double and triple check your website, business cards, newspaper ad to be certain everything is correctly spelled, etc. No one will trust that you can run a good business if you cannot even spell the business name!

Furniture Storage in Kansas City

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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With her company moving in the right direction and growing more than ever imagined, Elizabeth is in need of a place to store a lot of her incoming inventory. Elizabeth will need over one thousand square feet of space. This is the part in which the business skills of Elizabeth are front and center. She will be the one that is going to make the decision on which facility is going to house her prized inventory and her financial future. 

So Elizabeth set out to find as many facilities that were in her area and call them all. She is a very fair person so she felt that she would call and ask each facility the same questions and see how they reacted. She would ask where they were exactly located, what is the price of one thousand square feet of space and what kind of specials are running at their facility.

Elizabeth picked found only four facilities in her area that she could call. She picked up the phone and called the first facility. They answered the phone with a pleasant greeting. Elizabeth asked them where they are located and the associate on the phone told them where they were located. Elizabeth told them they needed about one thousand square feet of space and what were their self storage rates ? Without hesitation, the associate told them that they do not have one thousand square foot spaces. Elizabeth kind of chuckled to herself realizing that no one would have that big of a space, but they would have the self storage rates on a couple of spaces that would equal what Elizabeth needed.

She called the second facility and they gave them the self storage rates on a couple of different spaces that would equal the price she needed. Elizabeth then asked the associate about a special or deal they could discuss in order to make a good business deal. The associate had quoted her five 10 x 20 spaces. The spaces were going for 200 dollars a space. The associate said that there is not a special available for the caller on those specials. Elizabeth told them she maybe will call them back.

Not wanting to pay one thousand dollars on storing spaces, she called the last facility on her list to find the best self storage rates . Being discussed from the previous conversation with the self storing facility, she did not really have high hopes for this facility. The associate answered the phone and started talking to Elizabeth. The associate listened to the customer and then started to ask more questions to determine their storing needs. Elizabeth liked the personalized service and best thing of yet, they gave her a good deal on the space she was requiring. Elizabeth now uses this company and has recommended this company to all her corporate friends. It was more than just finding the best self storage rates for the caller. It was treating Elizabeth like a person instead of a bank account.

Car Storage in Secaucus

Tron Jordheim , director of operation at  PhoneSmart ( a subsidiary of StorageMart ) will be interviewed by Syndicated News on 7/23/2008 6:00 PM. The topics of discussion will include Self Storage , Secret Shopping , property management , Self Storage Advertising and Self Storage Marketing . 

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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The main streets have been cleared to some degree here in Columbia, MO. If you have four wheel drive or front wheel drive with high clearance, you can get out from the secondary roads. But even if you can get out, if you do not have winter tires, you will slip and slide and end up in a snow bank marooned.

Portions of interstate 70 are still closed as tractor trailer rigs are scattered all over the place, either off the road or buried by the snow plows that were trying to keep a lane open. None of the third and fourth priority roads have been cleared, so many of our reps will be unable to get on the road. We are open today with a skeleton crew. I apologize in advance for the fact that there will be very long hold times today and many dropped calls. We thought it would be better to answer as many calls as possible, rather than send calls to voicemail for another day.

Thank you for your patience as we wait for the plows to let us out.

PhoneSmart is an Off-Site Sales Force, located in Columbia, Missouri, the home of the snow monster of 2006.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Winter storm closes everything in Central Missouri…even The PhoneSmart Off-site sales force.

The last time we had a winter storm with this kind of impact in central Missouri was in 1995. It shut down everything.

Well everything is shut down again today. The University of Missouri cancelled classes this morning for only the 4th time in its history. The local courts are closed. The Missouri Book Service, MBS, one of the largest text book exchange services in the nation has cancelled its first and second shifts. MFA Oil, one of the Midwest’s largest gas station operators and gasoline distributors has closed its corporate office. And PhoneSmart, the off-site sales force dedicated to self storage owners, could not open.

Interstate 70 even had to close for several hours early this morning.

I had over a foot and a half of snow at my house. Even my four wheel drive pick-up high-centered in the snow in my driveway this morning. No one else was able to get out of their driveways either. So all incoming phone calls are going to the voicemail systems for the individual stores we service as their sales back-up.

Last night we had to close by 5:00 PM central time as the roads had been treacherously iced over with a layer of freezing rain, topped with a layer of sleet, and then another layer of snow. We were concerned that people would not have been able to get home safely. At the same, the people on the evening shift had been unable to get away from their homes by the building ice and snow.

We will have to see how fast the road crews are able to get the main roads cleared. We will evaluate the situation again early this afternoon to see if we can answer phones later today. In the worst case scenario, we will not be able to answer phones again until Saturday morning.

I will let you know as things develop. I guess if we lose a day to the weather once every 10 years, that is not a bad record.

Thanks,
Tron Jordheim

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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The client wrote:

“Tron,

I need your advice.

Thanks!”

I replied:

“Hello,

I hope that is helpful.”

Here are a few items you should keep in mind…

We are getting ready to announce two new exciting developments at PhoneSmart:

Thanks for reading.

Tron

Your local self storage unit provider in 718 Atlantic Ave. Brooklyn, NY. 11217

Total Quality Assurance Services maintains service quality.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Welcome to the PhoneSmart self storage blog an insider view of the self storage industry.

Self Storage in Florida Great Key West location, only 4 miles from the Navy base, on stock island. Call Gina 305-294-0940.

Assured Quality Service at Total Quality Assurance Services

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Welcome to the PhoneSmart Call Center blog. We offer an inside view of self-storage

PhoneSmart Your Offsite Sales Solution
Secret Shopping Blog Your inside peek
Self Storage Search Engine Self Storage in Tennessee

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Are you prepared?

Last night our area was hit with the worst storms of the year. Tornados touched down in many areas. Golf- and baseball sized hail came down to wreak havoc as well as high winds. Hundreds of people were displaced when homes were destroyed.

After the storms passed and people came out to see the damage it became clear that businesses in many industries would see a surge in sales activity as they were called in to get things back to normal.

Insurance companies would get a barrage of claims. Rental car companies would be busy putting people into cars as body shops hurry to repair windshields and dented doors. Construction companies would be called in to fix roofs, windows and siding.

Apartment complexes may see more rental inquiries from those whose homes were destroyed and storage facilities may see a surge as well as people sift through what’s left of their homes and belongings.

It makes one stop and think. Natural disasters can happen at any time. If the business community is able to step up and lend a hand to get everyone’s lives back to normal they create a great opportunity to help and also to create future repeat business. When our basement was flooded a few years back our insurance company set us up with contractors and cleaners to help us get through and clean up the mess. We used those companies for future jobs as well.

Being prepared to help people through the worst can give those people a little peace of mind and help businesses greatly increase their customer base for many future sales transactions as well. Making sure staff makes a connection with each customer and are willing to work hard to meet their needs can ensure loyalty in the future. It’s a good investment.

Angela L

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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I got an email from Teri Lanza the other day. Teri is the editor-in-chief of the Inside Self Storage magazine. I write a monthly column for Teri that deals with selling. I’ve had had some fun with it and I get some great feed back from readers on occasion. Teri likes to put interesting and thoughtful quotes on the bottom of her email signature. This is the one she is using now…

“We don’t see things as they are. We see them as we are.”
~Anais Nin

This is very true isn’t it? It is even true in our business life. We often decide what prospects are going to do before they even know what they are going to do. We often look at employees without thinking about who they are or how they are. We sometimes even look at our performance figures and inject our own meaning into them without having any real-world reason for doing so.

As an example, I have a friend who is a history buff. He likes reading about the American Revolution and American Civil War periods. I told him I read a good novel by former president Jimmy Carter called “The Hornet’s Nest”, and told him I thought he would enjoy it.

He told me that The Hornet’s Nest referred to a Civil War Battle that he had read about a few years ago and that I must be mistaken about the name of the book. I told him I was unfamiliar with a Hornet’s Net battle in the civil war, but had no doubt one happened, since he told me it did. Since I had just finished the book, I was pretty sure I remembered the title. It seemed likely that there were two different things of the same name. He refused to accept this. Months later, he came to me and said he looked “it” up and I was right.

How many times do you hear your prospects, customers and co-workers say something and paste your own ideas over what they said? Try taking things as they are and withholding your own interpretation. You may find you write more rentals, keep current tenants longer and see your co-workers become more successful

Tron

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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How much business is missed?
Stores are missing a lot of phone calls. We talk to about 50 live callers on average per month in the summer for our stores on the overflow call service. Since about half of the people we talk to are current tenants, you can assume the average store is missing 25 rental opportunities in a month.

There is a wide variation in the actual number of calls we take for a store. Some smaller properties in smaller markets only send us 20 or 25 callers. And some larger stores are sending 75 or 100 callers.

Anyway you slice it, it amounts to a lot of money left behind. The bulk of the calls come during office hours while the manager is busy doing something else or while the office at the store is full of tenants and prospective renters. We also get a good amount of calls in the hour or two just before and just after opening and closing.

We also see very little late evening calls from the west coast. Many believe that people like to shop after work. The bulk of the calls we get late in the evening are from the east coast. In our experience, west coast shoppers are done shopping by six or seven in the evening.

What we don’t know is the value of talking to current tenants. Does reaching a friendly person on the phone rather than a busy signal or an answering device help a tenant stay an extra month or two? If that were true, than there would be some real value in making sure all callers got a live voice. We must assume that any excuse a person can come up with to leave their belongings in storage is a good one. If the pain of paying the bill is less than the pain of going and removing the stuff, than the stuff stays. So if the phone experience is not painful, it must help in the long run.

Driving People to store:
The old tale says that if you can get someone in your store, you can rent to him or her. This proves to be truth time and time again. So our mission is to get people to our client’s stores. We have found the best way to get someone to the store is to take a credit number to reserve a unit. If this option is not available, a conditional hold or a first-come, first-served reservation is good.

If this option isn’t available, for instance the caller does not know for sure when a unit is needed, a site tour or visit works. When all else fails and we can’t do anything to get the caller to the store, a follow-up call from the store staff can do the job. Between the time we talk to a caller and the store calls back, the situation may have changed. Or the store manager may know enough about the local market, that this knowledge can help the caller overcome any hesitancies and come on down to the store.

bye for now,
Tron

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Look at how new car dealers have dealt with consumer resistance in advance. One reason people don’t like buying a new car is because they have to pay sales tax on it. So now you can get cash back with your purchase, so you can pay the sales tax without having to dig into your pocket. There is one obstacle removed. Many people hesitate to buy a new car, because the payments are high. So now you can finance a car out 60 or even 72 months. This makes the monthly payments smaller and do-able. Another obstacle removed. People used to shy away from buying new cars because they were afraid of maintenance issues. Well, witch manufacturer does not have extended warranties, drive-train protections, discounted or free maintenance, etc.? You can look at every offering the car industry uses and know that it was in response to a selling obstacle. As competition heats up in our industry and as rents increase, it will become more and more important to be able to create desire for storage. I’d like to hear from you some of the reasons people give you for opting not to rent at all.

Bye for now, Tron

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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