» Self Storage Trends

The call center is busy this evening.  The end of the month is coming and all of the people who have put off getting a storage unit are now starting to try to get one.  For the next week there will be fewer requests for a quote on a unit needed in 3 months and more people needing one tomorrow.  The busy spring season is upon us and there are several storage facilities starting to be sold out of popular sizes. One caller this evening was very angry with me as he stated that he had checked in 2 weeks ago and the store had small units for $29.95 per month.  The smallest unit available today was priced at $42 per month.  Somehow he seemed to feel that I was lying about the price or perhaps hiding the $29.95 units for some underhanded purpose.  It tried to maintain a professional demeanor while explaining that those units had been rented. (I wanted very much to tell him that he should have taken it when he had the chance, but that would not have been acceptable)  He told me that I was worthless and I thanked him for calling.  He cursed and hung up.  Many callers later, a lady called and had a fit about the price of a unit.  The calls in between were from better mannered people who made most of the evening pleasant.  I even took a call from a competitor with our client store checking price comparisons.  I asked him if he had anyone catching his calls and he said no;  I told him to check us out because he could be missing a money-call as we were speaking.

I am not certain that we have been close to sold out so early before.  I have been taking calls in the PhoneSmart call center for nearly 3 years now and every spring seems the busiest.  Each spring has had its own challenges.  We have survived cataclysmic natural disasters that created need.  College semesters will soon end and students will be going home while graduates will be moving on to new lives.  We are still having troops deployed to combat zones (pray for them all), people are selling homes and remodeling homes, marriages are breaking up and newlyweds are consolidating households.  It is hard to say how busy the self storage business can get.

PhoneSmart is gearing up for a very busy upturn in business.  New people are being trained and put on the phones, new departments and services are being added.  We have experienced a remarkable growth from the original 2 or 3 people on the phones to the 35 now on the roster.  There is construction and remodeling to add new workstations and facilities.  I have seen many changes in the past 3 years but this expansion is the most exciting.  We are ready for the future in storage trends and ready to partner with you to help turn your missed calls into profit.

Written by Kay Johnson PhoneSmart call center customer service specialist

Thank you for visiting our storage business blog an insider view of the self storage industry.

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

Self storage is waiting for you at 640 SW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33130

Tweet This Post 

Mid Missouri weather has been very nice lately.  The birds are out chirping in the trees, the sun is out shining and there’s been a really nice breeze coming through.  Granted, it’s been a bit rainy lately and overcast but I’ll take that any day over mid-summer humidity and winter freezing rain with below temperature degrees.  Every year at this time of year everyone at the call center jokes around about needing to get out the portable cubicles and placing them outside to enjoy the weather.

As a matter of fact, we are renovating the call center by adding additional stations, phone lines and sound proofing too, as we do ever year. We’re getting prepared to handle the added business that the self storage industry creates for us by opening new storage facilities.  It seems like there just aren’t enough storage facilities around and they keep popping up.  As our reps will tell you, they don’t mind one bit.  They are glad to take your calls. 

Customers create storage business for us as well, as it is time for spring cleaning, moving into new homes and then there’s the ever-so-dependable yearly college students preparing for the new semester.  If you are in a college town, you can always depend on a large amount of business from them.

It’s Spring.

Written by: Robin Turner, Call Center Manager

Thanks for reading our business blog; we know the self storage industry inside and out.

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

Tweet This Post 

I was sorting through some old paperwork last weekend and came across some old check stubs. As I was leafing through them, I saw some made out to storage. I can’t remember the date (more than 20 years ago) but the amount was $7.42 for storage. The area I rented was in a large warehouse and my storage “area” was small, maybe 5X5, sectioned off with chicken wire. You could see all my treasures and even poke at them through the wire.

I am sure that there are probably still storage companies that have that kind of storage but I am glad our clients don’t. Most of our clients have state of the art security and often have an on-site manage for added protection. Surveillance cameras, watch dogs, gates, access codes, fences, and well lit areas round out some of the security features a number of of our clients have. What are you really paying for when you rent a storage unit? You are paying for peace of mind, peace of mind that your items will be safe and secure, out of your way, and conveniently located. Shop around and you will find that the cheapest storage is not always the best deal when it comes to value. 

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQA’S executive and business blog writer. 

Thanks for visiting our self storage blog, a blog that explores the world of self storage and rental units. 

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

Find self storage at 1810 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10460

Tweet This Post 

As a general rule, there is no band practice allowed in a storage unit. At some storage facilities, however, band practice is allowed.  Some people may not understand why that is allowed, while others think it makes sense to allow musical bands to play their instruments.  So long as the instruments are played during daytime hours, it makes but a perfect business idea to rent a unit to someone who wants to bring his/her buddies to play some instruments for a couple of hours. 

Since no one lives in a storage unit, no one would be bothered by the noise, or music being made. Charging a standard month to month lease, you could also charge a practice fee per session/practice. You could have a couple of storage units solely used for the purpose of bands to practice in. You should set the hours they can use the unit and allow unlimited number of times they can use the space, but once again, the fee would be per practice session. It’s a win-win situation.  The band members find a comfortable and safe place to practice while the storage facility makes extra revenue.  Allowing music bands to practice inside a storage unit not work at every self storage facility, but in my opinion, it is definitely a nice way to make up for flagging rentals during the slow season.                
 
Written by Carmen Huff, PhoneSmart call center reservations specialist.

Thank you for visiting our business blog an insider diary of the self storage industry.

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

Rent a storage unit at 7225 Bush Lake Rd, Edina, MN 55439 .

Tweet This Post 

I recently came across an article about a self storage facility that invested in a solar electric system to power some 78,000 square feet of self storage. I was intrigued at the idea of the self storage industry actually storing the power of the sun. The article went on to say that the power system would pay for itself within 6 years.

I’d say this company has not only made a statement for the environment, but a wise choice for their own pocketbook. The cost of gas and electricity will only rise. Consider this, six years from now a self storage unit will cost more for various reasons including covering higher utility costs. A self storage facility with solar power won’t have higher utilities, allowing them to offer lower prices and gain more business or raise their price to match the market and make more profit.

Going green has become a growing trend not only in the self storage industry, but also in every industry from banking to retail. Environmentally friendly technology is a great investment for any business and a bigger investment for our environment. There are things we can all do in the workplace and home in order to cut down waste and use more of Earth’s renewable resources. 

I look forward to solar technology and other green business practices becoming a self storage trend. It’s worth looking into and worthy of investing in. Green technology is likely be the “indoor plumbing” of this century. You don’t want to be left behind.

Written by: Sarah Little, TQA Executive

Thanks for reading PhoneSmart’s self storage blog, your source for self storage news.

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

Your storage unit provider at 3487 S. Chevrolet Dr, Ellicott, MD 21042

Tweet This Post