New Self Storage Technology

In our call center we take overflow call for self storage facilities nationwide. Calls come to us by call forwarding when the on site managers cannot get to the phone or when the office is closed. I do not think that call forwarding is all that new a concept but it seems that many of our callers just do not grasp it. Many times when I explain that the office is closed they excitedly demand to know why managers are not available and when they will receive a return call. If I tell them that I am not on site and that the call has automatically transferred to me and they could call back in a few minutes or I could transfer them to voice mail, they demand to know what the telephone number is. I assure them that they have the correct number but store personnel were not available to take the call so it forwarded to me. Next they want me to tell the store manager to call them. I advise them that I can put them through to voicemail so they can leave a message.

Next the caller may demand to know where the manager is and why they did not answer their phone. I advise them that the manager may be on the lot with a customer or even on another phone line. They ask again what the number for the self storage business is and you are right back into that same loop where the caller does not wish to acknowledge the possibility of call forwarding. There does not seem to be a good way to explain this.

You might believe that only elderly people would not understand this technology but you really would not believe the number of people who find it impossible to understand.

I do understand that elderly people have a problem. Technology has changed so rapidly and there is so much that is different from they childhood. I have had a call from an elderly lady who was concerned that she had done something wrong and that she was being charged for a long distance call. I did manage to explain it to her so that she understood it.

Now many storage companies are on line. We are helping customers pay bills on line; we are using the Internet to help customers rent units for other self storage facilities. As technology changes are implemented in more companies that we serve there will be opportunities to have new sales techniques and tools that will lead to sales increases.
We will just need to be on our toes to help customers understand them.

Written by Dana Shields PhoneSmart call center head supervisor

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