Self storage industry has gained from the popularity of the concept and it has grown so fast that in the last twelve years the use has grown from one in every seventeen households to one in every ten. Converted to percentage growth it comes to sixty-five. The concept of self storing has caught on so fast and the revenue generated has been so lucrative that many companies have joined the fray tough the primary income of these are from other sources. There are almost nine thousand such companies operating in the country. These statistics are based on the actual figures that are available to the authorities. The actual size of the industry is larger and there are many facilities that are lying beyond the record of the authorities.

Self storage industry has a variety of members. There are companies who have multiple facilities all over the country and there are some that end in themselves. There are quite a few operators who just operate a single unit and it is the source of primary income. Of the large companies that are doing business in the country, the top five operate about one facility in every ten that are operated in the country. The rest are operated by over thirty thousand companies spread all over the country. An estimate provides that the current area available for self storing in the country is over two billion square feet which converts to about six square feet per person.

The users profile has shown that the self storing facility is quite popular among the military personnel and the usage near the domestic military bases grows higher with sometimes the military personnel using almost all of the available storing units. The self storage industry values the military personnel and the associations of self storing facility operators often provide discounts and incentives like discounts on rental rates, free period of usage, gift certificates, and no change in rent during overseas deployment, waiver of deposits and fees, etc.

The competition within the self storage industry is hotting up with a survey saying that the market is overbuilt at almost every level, local, state or national. The industry has confessed that at every instance a self storing facility has to compete with anything between three to twenty facilities to get customers. This is the urban scene. The rural scene is not very different as each facility has to compete with three to ten facilities. The rapid growth in the self warehousing industry that was seen during the late nineties and early parts of the new millennium has slowed down considerably though it has not stopped altogether. The last two years has added fewer facilities that what was added in the previous years.

Boat Storage in Kansas City

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The positive influences of American business persons who are offering advice about what they have seen work and what they have seen fail, is, in some parts, creating a more rapid growth in the Canadian self storage industry . The growing pains of the American market can certainly be a lesson to the Canadian, and other markets beginning to develop the storing market.

The supply and demand ratio in the United States has caught up in many rural and urban markets. Storing facilities are typically anywhere from 75 to 90 percent full, depending on the region and the season. Whereas, the demand still largely outweighs the supply in Canada and rural and urban facilities alike are commonly enjoying the luxury of having their facilities 85 to 95 percent or more full.

Perhaps the difference in occupancy is a contributing factor to the vast difference in customer service between the American and Canadian industries.

In a study conducted in May, 2008 by a self storage industry call center in Columbia, Missouri, an astonishing 94 percent of Canadian store room facilities did not ask the customer for a phone number and only 18 out of 63 facilities asked the customer for his or her name. This is either indicative that the Canadian market is doing a very poor job or a very great job. Perhaps a very poor job because the lack of asking fundamental and imperative questions such as this could indicate a deeper sales and service problem rooted in complacency or inexperience.

Perhaps a very great job because asking for a name and phone number is unimportant, for now, to the Canadian market because they are experiencing great success with the occupancy of their businesses. Why ask for a name and number when you know the unit will be rented out within the week? This may be their mind frame. However, they should take a cue from their neighbors to the south and keep a close eye on how the market is changing.

The self storage industry is no secret to business owners looking for property in Canada. Like the American industry, soon enough, Canadian owners will find themselves battling with competition and looking at their sales and customer service practices to get an edge over their competitor.

Already, in cities like Okotoks, Alberta the market has a cluster of storing facilities within a short radius of one another. And while larger cities like Toronto can easily host a handful of storing facilities, the guarantee of filling up after the first few weeks of your grand opening is narrowing as likeminded business men and women are opening their own facility.

Competition is what morphed the American storing industry from a few metal sheds crafted from wobbly aluminum and chicken wire to top notch steel constructions equipped with individual alarms and video surveillance. It would benefit a new business owner in Canada or the States to learn under the wings of well established storing associations and business persons.

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Depending on who you ask and where their experience is in the storing industry, you will hear different answers. Some will say that a housing slump means people will stay in their homes collecting clutter and needing a place to store it. Others may say that a lull in the housing market is bad for the storing industry because people are not moving.

No doubt about it, rising gas and food means families have less money on discretionary funds. Just how that filters down to local storing facilities remains to be seen.

The truth of the matter is that self storage companies have not seen as great a moving season as it has in past years. The typical busier months are not over yet, and it could make a comeback, but if the past few months are indicative of the coming months, this year will be less than the growth the industry has seen in the past, with 10-20 percent less rental volume than last year.

So what about the newest face of moving? Mobile storing pods advertise to be a quick, easy answer for families who are relocating. While they romanticize the idea of moving or relocating, they do not disclose the ugly side of the business. It is often hard to get the units delivered to your doorstep the same day or even the next day, especially if you live in a densely populated city. Mobile storing companies usually deliver 2 units and the cost of bringing you more than that begins to add to your bill. Additionally, there is a high cost to deliver the unit upfront. Moreover, there are more costs to redeliver your box to a new location or back to your existing home. Add to that, the monthly rental cost, per pod, per month. In some cases, there are extra costs for accessing your box in the warehouse where it is kept and it usually takes 45 minutes or longer for the company to get it down and ready for you.

No matter what the dark side of mobile storing is, customers do draw to the convenience that these companies advertise. If a customer phones the mobile storing company to inquire about prices and the sales associate is any good at all at his job, then self storage companies have just lost a tenant.

So what can self storage companies do to battle the new kids on the block? Well, if your facility is in a rural area, you are not likely to be affected, by these mobile companies, yet. No matter how your local business is feeling the affect of mobile storing, there are things you can do to attract renters and impress them once they call or stop by your facility.

For starters, you should make sure the store front appearance is neat and fresh. Peeling paint or missing siding only indicates to a prospective tenant that you do not maintain the facility well.

Also, when customers call your self storage companies , they should be impressed with the friendly service and even more impressed with the informative and helpfulness of it. The managers of your self storage companies should guide the customer to the best unit size, based on their needs. The manager should offer the caller choices and get agreement from them. Selling the amenities and security features is also important in helping your facility stand out from all the other self storage companies and mobile options. And most importantly, your managers should be great at closing the sale and reserving a unit on the phone.

The idea of mobile storing is hard to combat, but perhaps the self storing industry has lucked out a little bit with a lull in economy. If moving families already have less money to spend because of gas and food and rising interest rates, then paying expensive delivery, redelivery, monthly and hidden fees may be out of their price range.

But make no mistake, mobile units are not going anywhere in the long run. So, as they say, if you can not beat them, join them. Exploring the cost and profitability of adding a mobile service to your self service facility may be worth a look.

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After working for 30 or more years these people suddenly want to work for themselves. The average age of someone likely to begin a new business ranges from about 55 to 64 years of age. These people are ready and have the money and experience to be their own boss. They have the contacts built up from years in the workforce.

This business is a good investment for these baby boomers. It is relatively low in risk, with a high reward. Some of the rewards are below:

There is a good chance for success. The self storage business has a low failure rate, about 8 percent where many commercial real estate ventures have a rate of 50 to 60 percent, a rate nearly six times as high.

The loan can be paid off quickly. The average occupancy of these buildings is around 80 percent. Even with a loan against your land, material, the construction and everything else, you should be able to pay your entire loan off within six years.

You can manage the business yourself. The low maintenance might require you to hire one or two others for the day to day upkeep of the business, but most of the management can be done by you. After working in corporate world among thousands of others, the minimal workers you have might just be a blessing.

The self storage business is a growing industry in demand. It is one of the fastest growing areas of commercial real estate for at least 30 years. Revenues in 2006, for major facilities were on average over 400,000 dollars per facility.

All new businesses are risky. Those risks should be taken into account before taking the sinking any money into the venture. The risks of this business are lower than much other start up commercial ventures. Familiarize yourself with the self storage business in general.

Success in this business may look easy, requiring an empty building and a simple security system. But to be successful, the would be entrepreneur should develop a business plan that includes these risks as well as how they plan to market and grow the business. You should address your advertising plan, employee pay and lots of other issues related to continued growth. Write your plan to help get your startup funds and guidance for your workers.

There is no guarantee the business will survive, but with such a low failure rate, this enterprise is more secure than many investments.

It is not only a safe industry, but has steady growth and high demand. Many different people need places to store their goods. Businesses might need space for extra office supplies and equipment. Students returning home for the summer need to store their things when they go home for the summer and the military personnel use the space for their stuff when they are overseas. Even the homeowner uses the extra space to store their overflowing belongings.

The low risk and initial investment makes a self storage business a perfect retirement career for the baby boomer.

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Who are all these Texas Self Storage groups? They provides a great opportunity for property owners to share best practices, and improve on their own businesses. Their entire mission is to improve leadership, give opportunities to grow in your own business and to promote the code of ethics.

Why would someone want to join a Texas Self Storage group? There are many benefits of membership to an association for the property owners. One of the benefits includes a reference manual with details on state and federal statutes that speak about renting spaces in Texas, as well as,  step by step produces on foreclosures and evictions.

Other benefits include standardized forms so no one company has to try to create a form on their own. Texas Self Storage organizations allow property owners to save his or her company thousands of dollars in fees because they check and double check to ensure the rules are being followed. They review state and federal property ownership and rental contracts so that no one in the association is sued. Also, members have the pleasure of receiving a newsletter that gives you updates in the rental world and helpful tips on how to grow your business.

There seem to be many more benefits than what was listed above, so how do you join? You can look online for an application. Make sure that it clearly details the dues needed to join and how everything works. You have to make the decision whether or not this venture would benefit you and your company. It seems that over 3000 other property owners believed that joining the association was a good idea. You could also talk to fellow property owners and ask if they are members of any association and if they find it beneficial.

Some of the Texas Self Storage groups and organizations have been around for over twenty years now helping out the industry and trying to improve it. It looks like they bring a lot to the table in terms of training and organization of important federal and state documents. They do not look for any one company to fail and give you many tools to be successful. Some groups also have memberships for those companies that assist the industry and supply products and services to the facilities. By being the largest storing industry in the country with as many members as it has, it seems like everything really is bigger in Texas.

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However, it will also mean higher costs. If energy costs continue to rise and if it takes more power to cool and dehumidify climate controlled self storage facilities, then rents will need to increase to keep up with the rising costs. There may be a point where the cost of renting a climate controlled self storage unit puts climate controlled self storage out of reach of the average self storage consumer. However like most purchases, climate controlled self storage is a purchase of perceived necessity. If you think you need a climate controlled self storage unit, then you will figure out a way to pay for it. You might not stay as long as you would if it was priced lower, but you will use it if you think you need it. As more baby boomers retire and down size, they will be passing their nice furniture and the furniture of their ancestors down to the next generation. All this furniture will need to go into climate controlled self storage while the next generation figures out what to do with it.

There are other unexpected costs associated with global warming that will impact both climate controlled self storage and non climate controlled self storage. Our call center is headquartered in Central Missouri. Historically our winters have brought more snow than ice when we get precipitation. But global warming is changing the flow of gulf moisture and the power this flow has. This winter we have gotten many freezing rain and ice storm events because the powerful flow of warm moisture from the Gulf of Mexico has ridden over the top of cold arctic air. In years past, the warm flow would not have been as powerful and these precipitation events would have brought snow. Snow is much less costly than ice and freezing rain from every perspective.

The cost of salting and cleaning up ice on a self storage property is far higher than dealing with a few inches of snow. Ice causes car wrecks, electricity outages and lost work time. A few inches of snow has very little impact on self storage or other businesses.

However, one cannot anticipate how changing weather can impact costs, consumer behavior or forecasting a return on investment. This may be where the next group of mathematical geniuses and actuarial wizards will create huge wealth. The forecasters who can help companies and governments anticipate and manage changing cost structures and new events of financial consequence will put their organizations in a powerful position. Those who go to work everyday thinking that things are as they always have been may wake up one day so far in the red that hey have to sell off assets at bargain basement prices or just close the doors and walk away.

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Company Chairman Ratan Tata promised the Indian people a 100,000 rupee car, equivalent to $2,500 dollars, and that is exactly what he has delivered. India has seen a growth of per capita incomes now nearing $1,000 per year. Indian families most commonly travel by scooter, which pose dangerous circumstances for transporting a family, and specifically carrying small children. The Nano’s low cost is a promising step toward safety and convenience for India’s growing middle class.

Supporters of the Nano, and certainly Mr. Tata, are proud to highlight some of the cars environmentally friendly features. Although the basic Nano model has no radio, no air bags or passenger-side mirror, it boasts an impressive 50 miles per gallon, something U.S. cars could certainly improve on.  

Analysts say the Nano may compel other car makers to lower their costs as well. This is certainly undesirable news for the automobile industry, but consumers would welcome a break in auto prices. Pre-Nano, the least expensive car for Indians was $5,200 compared to the U.S where the cheapest option is $10,030, four times the price of the Nano and not nearly as efficient as 50 miles per gallon.

In fact, U.S. consumers can expect to pay upwards of $20,000 to get a hybrid car offering about 48 miles per gallon.

There are fewer than 10 cars for every thousand people in India, 40 per thousand in China and 450 per thousand U.S. citizens. This is where environmentalists raise concern. In 2005, Indian vehicles emitted 219 million tons of carbon dioxide, which is the leading greenhouse gas and catches a lot of blame for global warming. The Asian Development Bank predicts that this number will increase by 1.5 billion tons over the next 30 years due to the expanding middle calls and a rise in demand for low-cost cars.

A representative from the Asian Development Bank claims this is a major concern for urban development. If there is an increase in the percentage of India’s population who owns a car, there will be even more traffic on crowded streets, traffic jams and long commutes.

Tata Motor’s Nano will have a rippling effect on other industries as well. As the number of car owners in India increase, the demand for parking and car storage will also increase significantly. The Indian self storage industry and marketplace should take notice of this new storage trend and look at the possibilities ahead. Parking garages, automobile self storage and streetside parking will be prime real estate for self storage owners.

The U.S. has one of the strongest self storage industries and could be a help to Indian self storage owners by showing them the successes and pitfalls within the industry. As the economy and middle class of India expands, so will residential and commercial real estate along with self storage and the niche car storage market.

Written by Sarah Little, TQAS Director

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Introducing, Ellen Jordheim, Co-Designer for Hinge Collective in Denver, Colorado. Ellen is BSID and IDSA certified and has been creatively involved with Hinge since 2004. Hinge is an industrial design and building firm that is based on the philosophy that good designs improve the quality of life. Each piece of furniture is designed, prototyped and built in house with materials that have a lower impact on the environment.

If you would information about how to enter the Build It Green Design Challenge, please see the official contest rules.

Please submit your 200 to 400 description of your design the website to which it is posted to and call Tron for his email and put “green design” in the subject field.

Entering the Build It Green Design Challenge is a great way for you to get your name and Green ideas out into the self storage community. This will be a chance for publicity and networking to promote your Green self storage construction ideas. Submissions remain the property of the designer so don’t be shy to send your ideas in, we want to share them not keep them. 

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A designer in California is building a bike out of bamboo. The design and bike have been winning awards across the country.

Turning an old water heater into a passive solar water heater, producing enough hot water for two people and saving the emissions of a regular hot water heater produces.

These are just a few things that I found on the Internet but I am sure that there are many more. There is even a show on TV that has this group of guys traveling around looking for great inventions. Many of these inventions fall into the green category with either the output or the materials the invention uses to power itself.

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive and business blog writer.

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The green initiatives demonstrated in this year’s Tree include installing an Ice Storage plant that will reduce energy used during peak periods and is powered by energy purchased from wind generated facilities, using 30,000 LED energy-saving bulbs to light up the Tree and hand cutting the tree in order to reduce energy use. The equivalent of all these green practices is equal to removing over 300 cars off the road each year or planting 450 acres of trees.

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree isn’t the first to use ice as a cooling system. The idea of using blocks of ice to cool rooms can be traced back to the 1800’s when a Floridian physician blew air over buckets of ice to cool hospital rooms.

Looking for green technology sometimes means looking back rather than forward and taking the time to find the efficiencies that history has to offer.

What could be more fitting than the world’s most famous evergreen symbolizing the Christmas season and environmental awareness?

Written by Sarah Little, TQA Director

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PhoneSmart will have a booth on the Trade Show Floor and plans to send several of its executives, including Tron Jordheim, PhoneSmart Director.

Some exciting topics at the 2008 ISS Expo will include

• Green building practices – discover how green design increases your ROI and learn how to lower cost and reduce long-term expenses
• Cell tower leasing – learn how to add more monthly income from tenants like Sprint/ Nextel, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon
• Legal matters – learn about the operational concerns of homeland security and how it’s related to your self storage facility
• Boat storage and RV storage – learn about the construction and development of this growing self storage trend
• Self Storage Around the World – take a look at the self storage market in Europe, South America and the Caribbean
• …and much more.

To be sure, at least one of these will perk your interest and may just be your next great self storage business venture.

Written by Sarah Little, TQA Director

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The StorageMart Green Design Contest judges are as follows:

Phil Allan
Dave Cramer
Gary Debode
Bob Francis
Paul Fried
Shelley Geiler
Ellen Jordheim
Jim Moita
Paul Nuthcer
Jim Whitesides

These judges come to the StorageMart Green Design Contest with many talents, views, education, life experience and they all have the desire to see more Green designs put into our world. Some of these judges have had their bios showcased already on this blog; stay tuned for the remainder of the judges to be showcased. We would like to Thank each judges in advance for their time and interest in this important topic of environmental support.

StorageMart is prime provider of self storage across America and now locations in Canada. If you need self storage that has great property management, call StorageMart for all you self storage needs. StorageMart has Illinois Self Storage Units, Georgia Self Storage units, Florida Self Storage units and more.

Compiled and written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive.

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Paul is currently a Principal associate with AFC Realty Capital, located in New York. Here are some of Paul’s other qualifications:

• Member of the Urban Land Institute
• Previous COO and Principal for Allegiance Capital Partners where he co-developed an industry first
• Past Director of Deutsche Banc Mortgage Capital, member of the Investment Committee and overseer of the firm’s loan processing system
• Counselor to Herrick, Feinstein law firm
• Past attorney with Milbank, Tweed, Hadley and McCloy, representing investment banks
• Graduate of Rutgers College where he graduated with distinction and a JD from Rutgers University Law School
• Past Law Review editor

PhoneSmart Green Design Contest is a way for you to get you name out there with you green designs for the self storage industry. The self storage industry is a perfect example of how we can change the impact of our environmental footprint. If you have ideas and plans on how you can help the self storage industry be more green, contact Tron Jordheim for details on the contest. Call 1-866-639-1715, today.

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive.

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Mr. Paul Nutcher is Vice President and a marketing consultant for Green Apple Group, LLC based out of Orlando. Paul enjoys working with building professionals on the issue of sustainability. He writes often about green building for industry journals and talks frequently on the topic across the country, mostly to manufacturers of building products. He sees the self storage industry as having a lot of potential for self storage facility developers, and owners and operators, especially those who want to introduce renewable energy and green building practices to their self storage properties.

Check out Green Apple Group’s web site and you will find a very modern, very practical approach to the ideas and implementation that the company strives for. The web site is easy to navigate and I especially like the page where the key employees have some information about themselves. This helps future clients see that Paul and his associates are real people with real solutions to making design and marketing better. There are also pages with examples of work and business references.

It’s going to take all of us to help make our live more Green, Thanks Green Apple Group for helping with the cause.

Compiled and Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive.

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Edison properties carried out the renovation of the Hippodrome Building by giving it a new glass façade, new elevators, renovating the lobby and including a new electrical and HVAC systems.

Mr. DeBode, who joined Edison Properties in 1993, actively leads strategic planning, development, construction and operations for all of Edison’s businesses.  A few highlights of his career include:

• Served as Lieutenant in U.S. Navy as a Naval Submarine Officer and Naval Nuclear Propulsion Engineer.

• Worked for Tishman Realty and Construction as a Project Engineer on commercial projects in Atlantic City, Jersey City and Manhattan.

• Led Manhattan Mini Storage in the development of eight projects totaling over 1.5 million square feet.

• Repositioned the Hippodrome Commercial Office Building while 90% occupied, including a full curtainwall recladding, structural alterations, marble and limestone two story lobby, and MEP system upgrades.

• Works closely with team of Edison employees and outside consultants in the development and construction of various parking, self storage and residential properties, including The Ludlow, a new 80/20, 243 unit multi-family project in the lower east side of Manhattan.

• Served on Board of Directors and as President of the Self Storage Association, the national industry trade association.

• Serves on the St. Philips Academy Building Committee, which has helped this private school acquire and develop a new Leeds Certified facility in Newark, New Jersey.

• Actively working with a green consulting firm on new development projects, as well as operational changes and alterations to existing buildings for LEEDs accreditation.

Mr. DeBode earned a BS degree in Computer Science from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, 1984.

The StorageMart Build It Green Challenge wants you to help transform the self storage industry in to the greenest, lowest impact industry imaginable. And that’s something we can all be grateful for on this Thanksgiving Day. Submit your ideas to Tron Jordheim, PhoneSmart Director.

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For information, call 866-230-2311, today. Registration discounts are available for those who register early and are members of the Self Storage Association. 

This Inside Self Storage Expo show will prove a valuable resource in your self storage business. Networking, personal contact and beneficial information and well, just a fun time in Vegas will be had by all attendees. Attendees will appreciate the 1.2 million-square-foot Sands Expo and Convention Center.

Join PhoneSmart in February at the Inside Self Storage Expo at the Venetian and Sands Expo center. Stop by our booth and say hello, we would be glad to meet you.

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive.

Self Storage Blog is brought to you by PhoneSmart – Your Premier Offsite Sales Force.

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This is the perfect opportunity for everyone to submit their own ideas on how to make self storage the prevailing leader in Green Design construction. This can be attained in many different areas. Just a few examples of the contest categories include:  sustainable construction materials (bamboo wood), energy positives (solar power), and carbon negatives (grass rooftops).  And these are just to name a few! For a complete list, check out the contest rules and regulations at www.selfstorageowner.com .

Simply submit your entry to: tron@phone-smart.net. In 200-400 words describe your great design ideas and your visions to help make self storage the green exemplar for ALL types of construction.

Going Green is important for us to do today, and it is essential for future generations. The StorageMart design Challenge hopes to make the next generation of self storage facilities the most eco-friendly construction on Planet Earth!  Help us lead by example!

Written by Ann Sheehan

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So, what is the mixture comprised of? In its purist form, papercrete is paper, water, and portland cement. People often add sand for extra strength, fly ash to make the mix set harder or dirt in place of cement for a more earth-friendly, adobe like substance. Three years ago there were about twenty structures made up of this compound; that number is up to around 100 homes now. The structures range from single family homes to an experimental building on the campus of the University of Arizona. I believe this green idea to be amazing, to say the least.

What prompted this paper house movement? The environment. As we try to find alternate ways to preserve our environment and make things more energy efficient, papercrete is the next revolution to help decrease environmentally harmful material that comes from building houses today.  Paper is a great insulator and is a great way to use recycled paper. In addition, it keeps building costs way down. 

So, with all the positives about the environment, costs, and construction, why aren’t there more homes being made of paper? It’s due to the lack of IBC testing and acceptance of the idea. Enthusiasts say what is needed is someone to step up and be that person or business owner to take on the idea and bring it into the public eye.

That person might have been found in Zach Rabon. He is the president of MasonGreenstar, an alternative building company that plans to open a papercrete-block factory by year’s end.

We’re getting ready to put in a little over a million-dollar plant here in Mason, Texas, that will be able to create 7,500 blocks in a 10-hour cycle — or up to 15,000 blocks a day, says Rabon. In doing so, the plant will use up to 30,000 pounds of recycled newspaper, phone books and lottery tickets daily. In addition, Rabon notes, We’ll definitely have a block in the near future that is going to have zero cement.

Rabon hopes to have the plant up and running by 2009.  The papercrete blocks will cost around the same as a cinder block. It costs less to do it yourself, but it’s a lot of less mess and effort.

Still, homeowners that were surveyed think that for the near future, papercrete will not catch on and will be considered odd. However, Eric Patterson, papercrete’s inventor believes that it will eventually get there because it is a smart, economical and environmentally-saving idea.

So in short, houses made of paper are in the near feature. It’s just as sturdy as other material used to build houses, a great insulator, cost efficient, and environmentally safe. When you hear someone talking about it in a joking manor, you might not be too sure the structure in which you stand in, is not made out of paper itself. 

Written by Joel Little

Thanks for reading our self storage blog. We believe the self storage industry can lead the way into a greener self storage industry.

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StorageMart believes sustainable self storage facilities are the next generation of self storage facility.

In the United States, buildings account for 38% of carbon dioxide emissions and 68% of electricity consumption. Green self storage will make one of the most earth-friendly businesses even more so by allowing self storage facilities be have a low impact on the environment and even give back in some areas.

The Challenge:

StorageMart challenges you to help make self storage the greenest construction on earth. If you have ideas about sustainable self storage building design and how to make self storage a leader in sustainable green design and construction, send in your submission.

StorageMart is looking for entries in the following categories:

Sustainable Construction: Green materials, low emissions, clean supplies and the newest revolution in eco-friendly materials.

Renewable Energy: Ideas to produce positive energy by way of solar, geothermal, wind, rain or innovative techniques not yet used.

Carbon Negative: The use of environmentally-friendly roofs, walls and parking lots and recycling carbon by use of ponds or new ideas that decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

Nature Friendly: Building properties that promote the natural habitat of the local environment.

Amenities and Customer Experience: Improving the customer experience through design elements that help the customer and environment.

Green Functions: Technologies to ease property management and create efficiencies in managing self storage.

Outcome Based Results: Cost Analyses and ROI guidelines to bring profit through greem design to the self storage industry.

Recycled / Re-Purposed Materials: Re-using materials for new purposes.

Graywater: Recycle waste water for non-potable purposes

Rules for Submission:

• Post your designs and ideas online at your website of choice.

• Email Tron your intent to submit the idea. Then send a 200-400 word proposal that clearly summarizes your idea. Include the website where we may view your submission in its entirety. If your proposal and ideas are accepted, we will inform you and it will go before StorageMart’s panel of judges.

• You will then post on your website that your green design has been accepted for consideration to the StorageMart Build It Green Design Challenge. You must also link to our site promoting the contest. You are also encouraged to promote your acceptance into the StorageMart Build It Green Design Challenge by way of your own networks, subject to approval by StorageMart. A logo will be provided for use on your site.

• StorageMart will promote the accepted submissions through website networking, blogs, self storage press releases and national media.

• Websites include: www.storage-mart.net , www.storage-mart.com , www.selfstorageblog.com , www.propertymanagementblog.com , www.totalqualityassuranceservices.com , www.selfstorageowner.com

• Entries will be promoted at the Inside Self Storage Exp held in February 2008 and also at the Self Storage Association in September 2008.

• Three winners will be announced in October 2008 for  each of the above categories. The winners will be promoted through our online networks, industry press release and national media outlets.

This is your opportunity to offer your ideas to some of the most respected people in the self storage industry. The submission will remain your property. You will receive free publicity and a chance to be featured as a winner.

StorageMart has more than 60 properties in the US and Canada and has the capacity to make a difference in our environment and the self storage industry. You can find more information about StorageMart at www.storage-mart.net

Please send your 200-400 word green design summary and the URL where we may find your full submission online to tron@phone-smart.net and write Green Design in the subject field.

Reported by Sarah Little, TQA Account Executive

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78251 Wine Storage

Rent storage at 1352 Holton Ln, Takoma Park, MD 20912

Are you moving to San Antonio, Texas? Visit our partners at San Antonio, Texas moving information center.

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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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I’ll be at the Wisconsin Self Storage Association annual meeting and convention in Wisconsin Dells. I will be one of the featured speakers doing a concurrent session I call Inside the Renter’s Mind.

We all want to rent more self storage, wine storage, and car storage units and keep renters longer. In order to do that you have to know what is going in inside the minds and emotions of your renters. What are they really looking for? What are their concerns? What are they afraid of? What do they think of you?

For the answers to these and other questions, come to The Dells this week. The convention is this Friday , the 12th of October. I hope to see you there.

Thanks for reading our self storage blog, a blog that keeps you up to date on the happenings of the self storage industry.

Storage available at 400 Olmos Dr, San Antonio, TX 78212

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Self Storage Owner — Where Self Storage Owners meet Self Storage Customers

33312 Climate Controlled Self Storage

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

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I have read the hot news post on insideselfstorage.com, the Build it Green Design Challenge. If I could make a suggestion, I think it would be beneficial for StorageMart to consider adding an Urban Infill category to the competition.  This category would promote developers, builders and banks/investors who choose to creatively redevelop urban areas for self-storage.  Emphasizing Urban Infill through creative self-storage development would achieve several goals. 

The area our company specializes in, Brownfields restoration and redevelopment is almost exclusively an urban core problem.  I have focused on goals related to Brownfields redevelopment, which means, urban infill redevelopment.

1. Redevelopment of a Brownfield is almost as difficult, often more difficult, than implementation of all of the eco-friendly building practices emphasized in the current competition combined. 
2. Redevelopment of Brownfields is a significant issue toward promoting sustainable living practices.  There is a strong push toward urban infill and the reduction of sprawl by urban planners and other urban visionaries.  The U.S. Conference of Mayors has identified redevelopment of Brownfields as a significant problem toward achieving their goal of urban revitalization and the reduction of excessive land development, which encourages higher carbon use, among other things.  Urban areas that include self-storage can also benefit other urban redevelopment, including residential, commercial, and industrial, by providing extra space that is often not available in existing urban landscapes, which will make urban areas more attractive and help the cause of urban infill.
3. Redevelopment of Brownfields saves on resources by taking advantage of existing building structures and existing infrastructure.  Promoting redevelopment of Brownfields is also playing to a current and permanent trend in self-storage development, conversions.  As land prices increase, and municipalities continue to restrict self-storage development in suburban areas, conversion continues to become more popular.

There are many benefits to promoting Urban Infill as a category in your Build it Green Design Challenge.  I would encourage this category as an addition to your design challenge.

Michael T. Frede, Caleb Acquisitions

Editors Note: We will be adding an Urban infill category to look for some innovative concepts for using old urban spaces for new and Green self storage projects.

Thanks for reading our self storage blog, a blog that cares about the self storage, car storage and property management industry.

Storage available at 38-01 47th Ave, Long Island City, NY 11101

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31061 Self Storage

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

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•  
  • One in 10 Households Uses Self Storage
  • From Rental Agreements to Lien Laws and Back Again
  • Motivating Managers: It’s Not All About the Money
  • Facility Maintenance for Managers
  • Putting Together a Winning Management Team: Screening and Hiring For Keeps
  • Mobile Self Storage: A Viable Diversification?
  • In Pursuit of Zoning: Success Strategies for Tougher Zoning Laws

Also on the agenda will be roundtable discussions on just about every topic that has to deal with the self storage industry. Thursday night’s opening reception will be the theme, At the Hop with music, entertainment, food, drinks and networking.

Representing PhoneSmart will be Director, Tron Jordheim and TQAS executives, Sarah Little and Natalie Thomas. Please stop by our booth with any questions you might have about call center, secret shopping, training and more. Or just stop by to say hello!

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive and business blog writer

Thanks for visiting our self storage blog, a daily blog about the self storage industry.

Planning a move to San Antonio, TX? Visit our partners at the San Antonio, TX moving information center.

Storage available at 2445 Crain Hwy, Waldorf, MD 20601

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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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Tron will be racking up lots of frequent flyer miles this time of year. His itinerary looks much like a giant Where’s Waldo puzzle so chances are you’ll be able to catch his seminars and roundtable discussions near you.

Take a look and be sure to attend his dynamic seminars:

August 22-24 Missouri Self Storage Association
Tron will be conducting roundtable discussions on Using Call Centers to Create More Rentals.
 
September 5-8 Self Storage Association at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Meet Sarah Little and Natalie Thomas from PhoneSmart’s Total Quality Assurance department. Tron will also present roundtable discussions, which are always popular.

PhoneSmart will also have a booth there, stop by to find out about our awesome new sales training and secret shopping services.

October 12 Wisconsin Self Storage Association at the Wisconsin Dells.
Tron will do a breakout session on Getting Inside Your Customers’ Minds.

October 30 through November 2 Florida Self Storage Association.
Tron is giving a seminar on Training Your Staff to be Great Sales People.

PhoneSmart will also have a booth at the trade show.

November 8-9 California Self Storage Association
PhoneSmart is a sponsor and Tron will be leading a roundtable discussion on Top Notch Sales Training.

If you’d also like expert advice on quickly getting through airport security lines and effective suitcase packing, then Tron is your man.

Presented by Sarah Little, TQA Account Executive

Thanks for reading our self storage blog. We offer selling solutions to the self storage industry.

Visit our Self Storage Pod Cast.

Are you moving to San Antonio, Texas? Visit our partners San Antonio, Texas moving information center.

Find self storage at 115 Park Ave, Basalt, CO 81621

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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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I was shocked. What would happen if I called your store? Would you and your staff ask if I needed storage?

Written by: Tron Jordheim, PhoneSmart Director

Thanks for reading our self storage blog. We take you behind the scenes of selling self storage.

Rent self storage at 112 168th St. S, Spanaway, WA 98387

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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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With the local geography providing rainfall runoff in the area little place to go, the Metropolitan Area Outer Discharge Channel (promoted under the G-Cans Project name) is a yet-to-be-completed set of pumps and series of underground concrete channels totaling 6.3 km that are connected by massive down shafts acting as entry points for overflow from rivers in the region. At the point of final discharge (in the city of Kasukabe) massive pumps send the flood water into the Edogawa River, which in turn empties into the Pacific Ocean. Between the pump system and the channel’s terminus is a massive room of smooth concrete. As long as two football fields with 59 piers reaching to a 25-meter high ceiling, the scene takes on the look of something suitable for a sci-fi movie set or an ode to ancient Greek architecture. Since 1979, six major floods have affected the area. Two floods resulting from typhoons in 1982 and 1981 each impacted over 30,000 homes. Planners for this project claim that had the discharge channel been in place during these periods, the flooded area would have been reduced by roughly 80%. The system, in which construction began in 1993, will be able to welcome its first floods in 2006. The large columns and twisting channels of this 240-billion yen project have been featured in Life magazine and 2004′s live-action robot film “Tetsujin 28 Go” (Gigantor T-28).

It really looked like something out of a futuristic movie and you can even take tours of the facility as long as you know Japanese or have an interpreter with you or your group. This is for safety reasons and you should do some homework before you arrive at the door.
So don’t think that the only storage is self storage. There are lots of storage ideas and storage solutions out there. And if you can’t find something make it for yourself.

Written and compiled by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive and business blog writer.

Thanks for reading our self storage blog, a blog that explores more than the self storage industry.

Rent storage at 1125 Wyckoff Ave, Ridgewood Queens, NY 11385

Find Self Storage at your premier national and local self storage unit  finder.

Want to be a part of our self storage blog? Contact Sarah Little, Blog Editor for information.

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

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Where will the event be held?
The event will be held at 53 InStorage sites.  Ours is held here at 542 Evans Ave.

When is the event?
The Charity Garage Sale will be held Saturday August 11th between 8:00am and 2:00pm.

How does the Annual Charity Garage sale work?
-Tenants, non tenants and businesses rent tables at our sites. The price of renting a table depends on their status (tenant/non-tenant/corporate).

-Those who rent a table can sell anything they wish and keep the profits from goods sold.

-Each site will hold a BBQ on the day of the event, selling hot dogs, drinks, and other snacks.

-Each site will host a site table. Donations acquired by staff from local businesses will be given away by selling raffle tickets. There will also be a donation box on the site table where we will accept either cash or check on behalf of Kids Help Phone (This donation box will also be on site for the weeks leading up to the event.)

*Proceeds from table rentals, the BBQ, the site table, donation box and any financial donations acquired from local business by staff or from suppliers by Head Office will go directly to Kids Help Phone.

Why should you care?
The Annual Charity Garage Sale isn’t just an opportunity for InStorage to give back to the community, it is an opportunity for each of us to take some social responsibility and donate our time and talent to the cause.

Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only toll-free, 24-hour, bilingual phone and web counseling service for children and youth. Every day, professional counselors provide immediate, caring support to young people in urban and rural communities across the country.

Get a free t-shirt, everyone loves a free t-shirt!

On behalf of the kids Thank You!

Content From: Kelly Byrde, InStorage Self Storage

Thanks for reading today’s self storage blog. We believe the self storage industry can help make the world a better place.

PhoneSmart is your offsite sales force and call center in Columbia, Missouri.

Rent self storage at 111 Woodside Ave, Gloversville, NY 12078

Find Self Storage at your premier national and local self storage unit  finder.

If you’d like to be a guest blogger, send your entry for consideration to Sarah Little, Blog Editor.

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

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This means they’ll need storage for one reason or another. Perhaps they want to buy a boat or RV. Maybe they’ll want to pack up the house, sell it and travel for a while. Maybe some will move into a condo and let someone else take care of the yard work. Possibly, they just want to remodel the house they’ve lived in for so long and update it. Who can really say, but one thing is for sure; Baby Boomers are ready for a change, which could lead to a boom in the self storage industry.

Is your self storage company ready to accommodate this demand? What can you do to take full advantage of this sales increase? Is there an unused spot of land that could hold more storage units? Do you offer easily accessible spaces? Is your staff ready to give the kind of service these Boomers will expect?

PhoneSmart can make sure you and your staff are well equipped to handle not only the Baby Boomers, but every rental inquiry that walks through your door or rings on the phone. Selling self storage is what we do best.

Written by: Sarah Little, TQA Executive and Blog Editor

Thanks for reading our self storage blog. We keep you up to date with the latest self storage news.

PhoneSmart it your offsite sales force and call center in Columbia, Missouri.

Self storage is waiting for you at 255 Exterior St, Bronx, NY 10451

If you’d like to be a guest blogger, email Sarah Little for more information.

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

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In any case, you should look at demand at your self storage operation and put your finger to the wind. Are you ahead of where you need to be for June? Has the demand hit you yet for this month? What can you expect for the rest of the month? At PhoneSmart, we are looking for very strong demand over the next week and a half. Gasoline prices have eased off just a tad in many markets. June has been busy for our self storage clients, but not as busy as it could have been. We think there is a good deal of pent up demand and some end of the month demand coming. Good luck and good selling.

Written by Tron Jordheim, Director of PhoneSmart

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PhoneSmart is your offsite sales force and call center in Columbia, Missouri.

Rent a self storage unit before the holiday at 1065 Rte. 47 S, Rio Grande, NJ 08242

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

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Concern: It has come to our attention that sometimes PhoneSmart is INSISTING that a perspective tenant provide a credit card

Reply: This is a good issue to talk about.  We tell people hat they need the credit card to hold or guarantee the unit. This takes the caller off the market. In the vast majority of cases, the caller will either give the credit card and book the unit, or say they don’t have one and we tell them to come in ASAP before the store sells out of the size they need. This creates a win-win-win situation. The store gets more rentals, because both of these types of callers go in and rent without shopping around any more. The caller gets the unit he or she needs. In many markets, stores can fill up and it is not good customer service to let someone think they will be able to get a unit later, when they might end up disappointed. It also creates a good bonus event for our reps. Having the credit card as a bonus event helps us triage the callers, keeps talk time down and helps create urgency for the callers.

However, this excellent plan can back-fire on occasion. There are a few callers who are very sensitive about credit card issues and shy away form the credit card to guarantee a unit concept. There are also times when we might not correctly gauge the caller’s sensitivity and we might try a little too hard for the credit card. We are overwhelmingly friendly, helpful and persistent. There are a few customers who like the friendly and helpful part, but not the persistent part.

So, there is a bit of a trade off. If we did not use the credit card to guarantee a unit, many, many people would keep shopping around and end up renting elsewhere. People like to postpone decisions and like to do business where they feel wanted. We want them to know we want them.

Without the credit card plan, a lot of people would slip away. This is also why some of our customers have adopted the same credit card reservation plan for their locations that we use in the call center. With the credit card, there will be a few people who might feel put off and they may be lost as a customer. So when given the choice of gaining a lot and losing a little with the credit card strategy, or gaining a little and losing a lot with no credit card strategy, it is clear why we do the credit card reservation for 96% of our client stores.

If there is a case where someone is put off by the credit card and complains, we want to know the who, what, when and where of it, so we can pull the recording of the call and listen to it. If our rep handled the call well, then we did the best we could and we will chalk that call up to, win most, lose a couple. If, however, we did not handle the call well and we were insensitive, too aggressive or the like, we will make sure the rep understands the error and will make sure this sort of thing does not happen again for a very long time.

Written by Tron Jordheim, PhoneSmart Director

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PhoneSmart is your offsite sales force and call center in Columbia, Missouri.

Rent storage at 3487 S. Chevrolet Dr, Ellicott, MD 21042

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

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I have been employed in call centers where only my 43 years of experience in customer service made it possible for me to actually assist callers.  The attrition rate was staggering as new employees, given 2 or 3 hours of half-hearted training were put on the phones to deal with complex questions and angry callers who became angrier when they discovered that they would not get the service promised.  It was not a pleasant experience.  All of my suggestions for improving customer service went unheeded as the trainers were as poorly paid, trained and motivated as the staff.  Managers were always out of reach and we were on our own if the computer screen did not contain the necessary information.  Needless to say, I approached the prospect of working for PhoneSmart cautiously.

To my delight and comfort not only is the pay scale comfortably above minimum wage but also the opportunities for earning are substantial.  The one-on-one training gives a new representative the tools to start earning commissions on the first day on the phones.  Trainers, supervisors, and co-workers are always ready to help a newbie with complex questions.  The standard for customer service here is very high and monitored by our Quality Assurance evaluators.  It is the standard of customer service that I was taught many years ago, before the customer service department became the lower level stepchild of business.

I am approaching my 3rd anniversary with PhoneSmart.  I still enjoy coming to work every shift because I am allowed to be effective in my job.  I pick my days and hours of availability to work.  I dress comfortably and no longer am required to invest in uncomfortable and over priced business dress.  Training is ongoing and new opportunities are offered often.  I am planning to continue working here even when I begin drawing Social Security. 

There are other call centers that you could choose for your self storage business but none are better than this one in training, performance or spirit.

Written by Kay Johnson, Customer Service Specialist.

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We are PhoneSmart your off site sales force call center in Columbia, Missouri.

Reserve a storage unit at 4001 Southwestern Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21229

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

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