» Property Manager

As a property manager, we have to try to be ready for anything that comes our way. Now of course we can only do so much to prepare for different things. In reality we just hope that we do not have to deal with certain things that could possibly come up. If they do, we have to take a deep breath and try to find a solution for the issue. For instance, people will call about billing issues, trouble with the gate, and so forth. This morning, I had a very common problem that had the chance to go either way in terms of it being trouble.

This morning a self storage renter called me who was at her storage unit trying to get the door to open. She was a bit flustered because she was in a hurry to get to a wedding. The wedding gift she purchased was inside of her storage unit and she couldn’t get to it. She didn’t know what to do. She said she came to the office, but couldn’t find anyone to help her. She said was able to get the lock off the door but couldn’t slide the latch over. She ended up calling the number to my facility and I was there to answer it. It was a roll up door so I told her to step on the handle which pulled the door down further so she could slide the latch over. She was elated, grabbed the gift and away she went to enjoy the wedding.

This was a situation in which it could have been very bad. The door was stuck, and I might have had to go out there to calm the customer down or get someone to the facility in order to get the door over. That would have cost the company money. Luckily, I was quick on my feet in thinking and I was able to get the customer taken care of. I was very happy it wasn’t anything serious.

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Many times when someone rents a it storage unit they may not visit their unit very often as with the caller I spoke with a few days ago. I’ll never forget how frustrated they where to begin with and how the call ended.  They arrive to the storage facility and could get their gate code to work. They thought the store made a mistake. When a customer comes in and uses their gate code, as a property manager, we do not change it at all. We leave the codes alone so the customer can use it again. If we do need to change it, we will make sure we contact the customer. Unfortunately, many customers do for them.

More times than not, It turns out that they had forgotten to simply use the symbols before and after the gate code in order to enter the gate. Although it was written with their code, it wasn’t entered. They felt a bit silly but were extremely happy that they didn’t have to wait until the next day when the store reopened. They are happy now, but they sometimes again need to be reminded of that when they have to access their storage unit after months of it being idle.

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In our current would nothing is for sure. There have been times in which you are expecting one thing, but unfortunately another thing actually happens. That is not what you were expecting. So what you need to do is ensure you do everything that his possible to get what you are expecting. In self storage it would seem that people do not think ahead and they think that something will be there when they call upon it. People end up calling a self storage facility and tell them that they needed a self storage unit yesterday. Well the property manager will most likely tell them they might be able to help them still, but there will be times in which the customer will not be helped. They should have called ahead and reserved a unit.

People will often make phone calls while they are driving. If they call a property manager and the manger has exactly what they are looking for the customer should go ahead and reserve the space. If you are driving and cannot get to your card to reserve, you should pull over to get your card so that you do not miss out on the space. For the most part you will be in an area soon that you will be able to pull over and reserve the space.

There are a lot of reasons to reserve, but the most important one is that the unit will actually be there when you go to get it. The worst thing that could happen is that you wait to long to reserve the space and then you have to get something that you did not want. If you call ahead enough the property manager can actually put the space you want on hold. That will defiantly make your day a little easier knowing that you have the space you want.

If you reserve a storage unit, then the price and specials that you were quoted will be locked in. If you do not, then the quote may change. That is one of the worst situations when you think you are getting a space for the price you are looking for then the price changes. Now you are paying more for the space that had originally though would be cheaper. If you like the deal you are quoted by the property manager, don’t wait, go ahead and reserve the space now.

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If you talk to a property manager they will tell you that your shopping is over and you should rent form their facility. Well those are the self storage managers that are actually doing their jobs and asking for the sale. Some property managers will tell you that there is really no perfect way to shop for storage. Just find what you feel is important and go with it. You may feel that the price is the most important thing and that is fine. It is up to you. Just keep in mind that the cheapest may be a little sub standard in terms of cleanliness and security.

It is very important that property manager really sells a customer on what they have to offer. If they are not able to do this then the next manager will sell the customer that they have what they need. Most times the customer will go for it. Sometimes the presentation of the property manager will be great while others will leave something to be desired. Please do not be sucked in by promises that seem to good to be true. Make sure that you find a way to ensure that what the property manager is saying is what they will deliver.

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The key to getting it right the first time is to be patient and wait for the perfect deal. Now, you cannot sit back and wait for the perfect deal if you are in a hurry to get a space. Just make sure that you do not wait until the very last minute to start looking for a space. This is not the way to go. If you ask any property manger, they will always tell you if you know you need self storage, always reserve something sooner than later. You can never know if the storage space you need will be available.

You do not want to start the search too early, either. The best time to look for a space would be with about two to three weeks left before you need it. Typically the property manager that you talk to will be able to hold on to a self storage space for that long. They of course will want some type of commitment from you like a down payment, prepayment or holding the space with a credit card. The main point here is to ensure that you go ahead and get a storage space when you can because you want to ensure that one will be available. The worst thing to think about is not having a self storage unit when you when need it.

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Who doesn’t love a rousing game of how to stack your storage unit as tight as can be? Ok well no one probably is seeking out a game like that, but many people probably should ask their property manager how if there are any good tips that they can use in order to make good choices. Most storage units are eight feet high but not many people utilize that space. That is not good money saving ideas. Your property manager is there for a reason, why not ask them questions. One thing that people have to realize is that typically there are more storage units available in addition to the one they are looking at. Let your local property manager help you.

The best way to use the space in your storage unit efficiently is to know how to pack everything into the space. You do not just want to throw everything into the storage unit and worry about it later. Some people do not plan properly and they run out of time with having to return their rental trucks and so forth. So they end up just throwing their belongings into the storage space. That could be very bad because of trying to find something later and also in the amount of room you are wasting.

You will probably be spending extra money that you do not have to because you could actually go with a smaller space. A good way to get everything efficiently into the space is to use boxes for your things. They sell a variety of boxes at the site so you should definitely check it out. With boxes, especially getting ones that are the same, will allow you to stack high and take up all the floor space. If you are one who needs to get to all their belongings, maybe you should talk with your property manager about getting a larger space so you can maneuver around. Just ask about the cost difference.

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It is very important for you tell your local manager what you really want to do in terms of your self storage needs. The worst thing that can happen is that you try to make the manager on site guess what you want instead of telling them what you are looking for.  One of the keys to self storage is the partnership of the self storage customer to the self storage manager. There is not a need for each side to make the other side feel pressured or stressed.  This is especially true whenever there is money involved.

Finding out your self storage needs shouldn’t be a mystery or something like that. It should be as simple as you telling the property manager what you need. It should be that simple. The more you tell the property manager, they more they will know. Sometimes it is the simplest or smallest detail that could really help the property manager find out exactly what you are in need of. Telling the manager on site if you are staying more than a month, a year or indefinitely could really help drive the down the cost of your monthly rental. If you are guarded about them knowing to much information could really hurt you in the long run.

One thing that happens is when a customer just tells the manager they are looking for a place to store their home. The property manager will most likely try to get more detailed in what you are storing so they can find the right size for you. Some people just say household things. That does not always help the property manager. One person’s household things could be a lot different than another person’s household items. When customers are vague the manager’s hands are tied. They might end up offering you something that you do not particular need which could come across as if you are selling you something you don’t need.

It also helps the property manager if you have a preference when renting a storage unit such as easy access, a drive up unit or a climate controlled space. If that is the case, let the property manager know. Some people really believe the less amount of information they give, they can trick the manager into giving them deals they wouldn’t normally give. This is not always the case. The special they give might not fit what you need, and that just turns into an unnecessary argument. Help the property manager help you find the best solution for your self storage needs.

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It is very important for you to ensure that everything you pack up will be safe and packed carefully as you are moving from place to place. You can go to your local self storage facility and talk to the property manger there to see if they have some products to help you. They will have bubble wrap, tap and even boxes to help assist you in your packing. Below are a couple of tips that you can use when you are trying to pack up for the big moving day. In addition to these tips, do not hesitate to talk to the property manager to see if they have any additional tips for you to pack.

Not many people want to repurchase everything they have in their homes. They want to ensure that what they are bringing with them is property wrapped whether they deem it valuable or not. In the same respect you do not want to do a lot of clean up or scrubbing of your valuables when unpacking. When wrapping up your glassware and not to get ink all over them you can get unprinted new paper. Putting items in the dishwasher to have they cleaned versus scrubbing them with your fingernail or scrub brush is a lot better.

When planning to pack or packing your valuables in a hurry, you could run out of packing paper. In a pinch and you don’t have enough paper to wrap your dishes use paper plates between them. Not many people think of this as a way to pack their dishes or other valuables, but it makes perfect sense. This way you do not have to worry about the dishes jostling around.

If you are going to store items for long term get totes and you can color coordinate them to know what is inside. When you go back to your self storage unit to visit or to get something out, you do not want to move everything around in order to get to that one item. Organizing the self storage unit in a manageable way is ideal. If you have questions about packing, or how to store your belongings properly, talk with your property manager.

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As a property manager you are going to have to be the expert when it comes to determining what people need. You will have people call into your self storage facility telling you they want one thing, but they will really be in need of something completely different. You have to be the one to be able to tell them straight with confidence that you have their best interest in mind. You have to earn the trust of the individual and in tern they will rent a storage unit from you.

I spoke to a young woman on the phone last week.  She was looking for a storage unit to hold various bins and furniture.  She was adamant on a standard, non climate controlled unit.  When I asked her specifically what was going into the unit, she explained there would be some electronics and their computer.  I advised that she really did need a climate controlled space to protect those things.  She still wanted a standard unit.  However, once I pulled up the rates, I found we only had climate controlled units available.  I explained that they were actually cheaper with the special being offered.  I joked that it must have been meant to be.  She decided in the end to go with the climate controlled space.  Her things will be much safer and secure because of her smart decision.

Even when a customer calls or comes by your facility and they are adamant about one thing, you have to stand your ground as a property manager. You are the storage expert and most people who are calling in looking for storage are not experts on storage as you are. Customers are better off taking your advice and make sure they are making the best decision when it comes down to renting a storage unit. Sometimes you can save the customers from their selves.

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There are many ways to store a car. To find out what would be the best option for you depends on a lot of different factors. If you are looking to store a nice car in the winter or in the summer where there are a lot of bad storms, then you will probably want to get an inside space so that it is protected from the elements. If you do not car about all of that, outside spaces are going to be a lot cheaper. As always, you have some choices to make. Depending on the area in which you live, you might be limited to a couple of options.

For most people when they are trying to find somewhere to park their car, they know that right now they are storing it in their driveway instead of some sort of covered offering. Naturally they would like their car covered in some way that’s why they are looking at getting a self storage unit. As stated earlier, depending on how they appreciate their car and the value of it, they need to decide between inside storage and outside storage. If the facility that is closest to you offers those options, they will give you the choice.

When you ask the self storage manager questions about inside car storage or outside car storage they will automatically gravitate to the inside storage units. They are more costly and thus making the store more money. In the same thought, inside car storage will protect your car against the weather conditions. Depending on your area, inside car storage can set you back some money monthly.

There are many reasons that people use car storage but one of the biggest ones is that they are using their garage as a storage unit. Thus there is not any more room for the car. It could be in the shopper’s best interests to put all of the belongings they have stored in their garage into storage. They can sometimes get a smaller space and cost them less money than storing their car. For the most part people would like to keep those things they are storing in the garage close to them and maybe able to do without their second or third car.

Car storage is very simple and all you need to do is ask the facility manager what is needed in order to store. They will tell you that you need to have insurance on the car and that it needs to be registered in your name. Other things the facility will tell you are that you can not do mechanical work on the car and the body of the car needs to be in good shape. The facility does not want their lot to look like a junk yard. Ask the facility manager many questions before storing your car there so there is no confusion on the rules and regulations of storing your car there.

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