Q & A

Thanks for surfing over to the self storage blog. We try to share some great information to help you rent more units. Here are a couple of questions a new client just asked. These are probably good for all of you to look at.

First Question… We are getting CC reservations which we are following up on immediately with no response from that caller. While this is not something you can control, I was wondering how often you hear about this occurring.

Response…It is pretty standard that people are already away from the phone by the time our clients’ store staff calls back the leads and reservations we send.

This is why it is so important that we get to talk to the callers for you…they usually only devote a short period of time to their storage search and then they are on to the next thing. Whoever talks to them when they are ready to talk about storage gets the deal.

We have found that an answering machine message is effective in this case. Your staff can leave a great follow-up message for those who are already gone from their phones after we have taken the lead or reservation.

Whether you say this in person or on the voicemail, it will be equally effective in giving the person a great feeling about choosing your facility and will boost your conversion rates tremendously.

“Hi, I am the manager at XYZ storage, I just wanted to follow-up with you to say we got your reservation for Saturday for the 10×10 climate controlled unit. We have processed your $10.00 pre-payment, which is not an extra charge, but counts towards your first month rent. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday. We’ll be in the office from 10 am to 3 pm. If you need anything to help your move like boxes, supplies or a rental truck, let me know and I’ll take care of it. My name is Bob and you can call me at 212-555-1234. Thanks again for choosing WYZ storage.”

Second Question… We have gotten several reservations
sent to the stores for the completely opposite size than what they
needed (i.e. a customer wanted a 5×5, and the sheet said that your
center recommended a 20×10)

Response…When we select a unit type and then write in the manager notes “really needs (a different size)”, this means you were sold out of the size that the caller wanted. Our system only shows the units that you have available. It will not show a unit with zero available. And our sytem will not allow us to creat a lead without selecting a unit type. So in this case we select any old unit, so we can create the lead.

However, we will not tell a caller, “Sorry we don’t have what you are looking”, for and let them hang up. We will tell the caller that we don’t know what units are coming available shortly and that the unit they want may come available just when they need it. We then take the lead and send it to you so your staff people can look at their customer list and follow up with the caller to get them into the unit they want as soon as it opens up.

This is also why it is important to keep your unit mix and availability up to date. Your odds of renting to someone we can get a credit card reservation from is far greater than someone who we just create a lead for on a unit that you don’t show open.

I hope this helps everyone manage their leads more effectivbely and rent more units!

bye for now,
Tron

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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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