Knowledge is Power

Knowing more about your industry will help you become a better sales person. When I began working in the PhoneSmart call center I didn’t know a lick about self storage . I had no idea how many people need storage. I was pretty naïve in the beginning and I thought it was a peaceful, hidden industry. Boy was I wrong! Self-Storage is a tough industry and you really have to work at it.

Whether you’re a customer or the owner, the more you know the better your decisions will be. The customer for example, will make more informed decisions once they learn about security features, deposit and admin fees, locks, etc. And the owner will be able to make better decisions for his business with the more knowledge he gains about his industry. It’s a good idea for owners and managers to attend a few expos or Self Storage Association seminars.

Things like call centers, secret shopping, and sales training are all part of what sets some facilities apart from others. To get the cutting edge on these trends you have to keep up on new technologies and services and associations are a great place to meet vendors and see what your competitors are up to as well.
Even a well seasoned business person has to keep up with changes and even take a few risks on new ideas, but the more you know about your industry’s needs and preferences the better your decisions will be and less guess work will be involved.