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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As a property manager we have all kinds of responsibilities to ensure the store runs well. Not many customers know or pretend to know what we do on a daily basis. We try to have a list or responsibilities to do every day and we try not to get behind on our duties. Now of course we do have to also take care of our customers which have the highest priority on our list. In fact I know I would put a stop to anything else I was doing in order to take care of the customer, especially if it is a new renter. This is of course no matter what time of night it is.

A new renter of a storage unit arrived at their unit about 45 minutes before the store closed last night. They had a moving truck fully loaded with movers. The only problem was there was an orange lock on the unit, which meant that we had placed it on their unit. We do that so that no one puts their stuff in a lock when they are not supposed to. Regardless of the explanation, she was so upset. She just bought the unit and wanted to know why the store would place that on her unit, although earlier that day, I did tell her to put a lock on it before she left. It is for the safety and protection of the company and the customer that we lock up each unit that is empty before I leave for the night.

She was happy to know that the property manager was available to assist her in taking it off and that the reason why they had it on the unit was so no one could move their things into the unit accidently. She had plenty of time that night to move her belongings inside the storage space. The customer is our number one priority when it comes to our daily duties, so I am glad that we could make another customer happy.

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Facility clients get a customizable, easy-to-update website that’s proven to convert visitors into tenants. Users upload their facility logo and photos, and customize brand messaging. SpareFoot’s intuitive content management system (CMS) makes it easy to make changes anytime, without having to call in the expensive web developer or designer. Storage companies may even point a new or existing custom domain address to their SiteBuilder page.

SiteBuilder websites feature all the details consumers are looking for when they search for storage on their computers and smart phones. The tool integrates seamlessly with storage facilities’ existing management software to keep unit pricing, amenities and available inventory up-to-date. With complete performance analytics, facilities can track website visits, phone calls and online reservations. Self storage companies can even listen to raw feedback from local consumers through recorded calls and complete call statistics.

The tool joins GeoPages, SpareFoot’s local search supplement for facility operators who already have websites. The company’s flagship AdNetwork product grants facilities highly visible, search-able listings on SpareFoot.com, SelfStorage.com and over 50 other high-traffic partner sites that serve storage and moving needs.

“Every self-storage company needs a website, an online headquarters,” SpareFoot Co-founder and CEO Chuck Gordon said. “Our web experts designed SiteBuilder to be the best affordable turnkey solution. It modernizes your business, so you can reach and convert new tenants.”

Through its products, SpareFoot aims to evolve the storage industry by making the world of web marketing more accessible to facility owners and managers. Learn more about SiteBuilder here: http://www.sparefoot.com/business/facilities/sitebuilder.html.

About SpareFoot:
SpareFoot is the largest online marketplace for self-storage, making it easy for consumers nationwide to find, compare and reserve storage units online. The company also offers a suite of leading web marketing tools for storage facility operators. SpareFoot is an Austin-based start-up backed by Silverton Partners, FLOODGATE and Capital Factory. For more information, please visit http://www.sparefoot.com.

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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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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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In addition to that bags can’t hold very much (unless you use a garbage bag), and they don’t stack.  That makes it really hard to organize your space.  If they rip, ALL of your things come out, and they fall over as well. It is definitely not a great idea to keep your belongings in a bag.

You can usually find free boxes at your location discount retailer, so why waste your time on bags? You can definitely drive around to your different grocery stores in the area to see if they have boxes that they want to throw out. You could find gold with finding some sturdy boxes. If you can’t find good boxes, you can always use totes. They are good to stack and keep safe in your storage unit.

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If you are looking to rent at a facility that has too high of a price, you may want to continue shopping around to see if you can get a lower price from one of the competitors. You may be able to get the first facility to match the price. That way, you are able to get the space that you want at the facility you want at a price that you want. It is ok to ask the property manager what they think about matching another one of their competitor’s prices in order to gain your business.

Of course It is completely up to the property manger to decide whether or not the change in price is valid and they want to gain your business that bad. In reality every manager will want to gain as much of the business they can, but they might be in a comfortable place to where they do not have push as much to reach their occupancy goals. In some markets managers will do what they can to get people in to their stores. There have been many self storage properties that will advertise that they will beat any advertised or local price. They of course will make sure that they are comparing apples to apples.

For the facilities that believe they need to advertise they will be and or match any local competitor they have to be careful. Some facilities are sneaky and crafty to the point in which they will match prices in their local area without advertising it. So if a customer wants to rent there at the price given, they are happy to accept those people. They will match a price or special from time to time. For the facilities that decide to match prices consistently they are missing out on charging their regular prices for the customers that chose them without shopping around. They are almost pushing the customers to shopping around. Be careful and fully think through your strategy for matching prices.

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Self storage can be used for so many things. Many people typically think that you only need self storage when you are moving from one place to another. There are so many reasons that people inquire about storage from the different property managers that are in your local area. Not only are these managers available for you to ask those many questions, they are also there in order to help the customer with some ideas.

One common use for self storage that people overlook is when they are remodeling. Often times a customer will try to move all of their belongings to another room in their house or to their garage. This is of course they have an extra room in that house. If not to the garage it goes. For the people that actually use their garage as a place for their car, their car is left to fend for itself in the driveway or even worse, on the street. If you want the property manager will also help you find a place for your car.

When moving your belongings from one room to another or to self storage, always remember to work smart. Bookshelves can be hard to move without having anything on the shelves so put boxes on them it will also save room in the truck, or in the storage room. Most times the bookshelf is only going to be wide enough for large boxes, so be smart and only put boxes that will fit on the shelves. You can put larger boxes on the shelves if you are push one bookshelf against another. Of course if you move one bookshelf you might have a falling box on your hands.

Take your time when moving your belongings to your self storage unit when moving. Really take your time in thinking about what items need to go and what you do not need for the length of your remodel. Typically you would want to move your belongings to your local self storage facility if you do not need them for anything. Otherwise you would try to fit your things somewhere in the house.

If you are moving one room at a time, your local property manager will recommend a 5×10 for your storage needs. That should not cost you very much and you can have your belongings out of your way as you remodel. Take advantage of your local storage facility and your local property manager. They will hold on to your belongings until you have completed your project.

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Many self storage companies want to ensure they have all the customers need so they will not have to go looking to their competitors for solutions. The property managers take a lot of time to figure out what their competitors is doing and what they need to do to gain the business of people who need and want storage. Many customers like to shop around and look for the best value. The property managers want to inform the customers that they have the best value. Many of them will use a moving truck in order to seal the deal to get the customer to rent from them.

If you need a truck rental, you may be able to rent one from the facility that you are renting your storage unit from. Just ask the manager when you call in. The property managers will ensure they are pitching that to you quickly so know what they have to offer. Some managers will be laid back and discover the customers’ needs before they offer anything. Both methods are acceptable, just make sure as a customer, you ask the property manager about their moving truck options.

A free move in service will usually include a free truck and driver. You will not get movers to help you with everything. That is a common misconception and customers tend to be put off by that fact. They do not do it all by their selves but they know that not many companies will just offer a free truck and movers. If a property manager or company could figure out how to incorporate that or even give that to the customer at a discounted rate, they could be ahead of the game.

Having a moving truck could be crucial to your move. Having one large moving truck could have you make one big trip versus many small trips. You will only have to fill up the truck one if that versus filling your vehicle up many times depending on the trip. Property managers will tell you the stipulations on how their moving service works if they have one. Take full advantage of their service if there is one. Why would want to pass up a free truck to help you to move?

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As property managers you have to ensure that you are doing whatever you can to protect the customer as well as your business. Without customers coming in to rent you will not have a business to run. So for those property managers who are all about their business and put the customers on the back burner, they might want to rethink their stance. Believe it or not some property managers actually do not know that most of things they are selling to the customer as a feature are actually ways to ensure the safety of the customer. These features include a secure gating system, security cameras and also some type of coverage on their belongings.

Insurance coverage or some other sort of protection plan is not easily accepted by some people, including those who rent a self storage unit. You may notice more storage companies are taking the route of requiring or at least offering and encouraging renters to have coverage of their items they store. With the torrent of natural disasters that have occurred over the last few years, you can say those who had coverage whose unit was caught in a tornado or such were lucky to at least have something they could recoup. Those who did not, unfortunately were out of luck.

This time the caller I just spoke with decided to play it safe and make sure to ask about the coverage so he could apply for it. They felt they could never know when something could happen to their belongings so they wanted to have a security blanket. Just like insurance on their car, home and also on their life, self storage insurance is there to protect what you hold dear. Not everyone can come out of pocket to purchase the things they want or have lost. So when a property manager is offering you self storage insurance, do not give them a hard time. If you did not think what you were storing was important, you would just take it to the dump and be done with it. Instead you are storing these belongings. So ensure that your belongings are insured.

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#StorChat is hosted by Kenny Pratt (@SellingStorage), President of Crescendo Properties and Editor-In-Chief of Selling Storage, along with Rachel Greenfield (@SpareFoot), Marketing Analyst at SpareFoot and Editor-In-Chief of the Storage Facilitator. The hosts will ask three questions relating to the topic at hand over the course of thirty minutes, and everyone participating is encouraged to answer, discuss and exchange ideas and opinions via tweets.

“The great thing about a Twitter chat is it brings users together from all over country or world to a place where they can interact in real time, rather than communicate in a delayed manner as they might through email or forums,” Pratt said.

Many self-storage operators currently use Twitter as a promotional tool to reach potential customers, but #StorChat hopes to demonstrate there’s more to the platform. It presents a progressive opportunity to meet new connections and learn from knowledgeable peers on anything and everything self-storage business. Twitter chats have been popular and successful in a variety of niche industries, from real estate to multi-family housing to blogging.

Social networks like Twitter can feel overwhelming, so #StorChat offers self-storage professionals the chance to cut their teeth with a group of supportive people they can relate to. Everyone in the industry is encouraged to join in, learn and socialize with their fellow smart and creative storage owners, investors, managers and employees.

The first #StorChat on Wednesday, Sept. 7 from 3-3:30 CST will cover the use of social media marketing in self-storage. To participate, simply sign up for a free Twitter account on Twitter.com (or log in to your current account), then follow the hash tag #StorChat by searching for it in the Twitter search box. Be sure to type the hash tag “#StorChat” at the end of every tweet you send during the chat. Get more tips, advice and details about #StorChat here: http://sellingstorage.com/self-storage-twitter-chat-unleashed-september-7th

About SpareFoot:
SpareFoot is the largest online marketplace for self-storage, making it easy for consumers nationwide to find, compare and reserve storage units online. The company also offers a suite of leading web marketing tools for facility operators. Across multiple properties including SelfStorage.com, Apartments.com and others, the SpareFoot Ad Network helps facility owners and managers find new tenants— all through an entirely pay-for-performance model. SpareFoot is backed by Silverton Partners, FLOODGATE and Capital Factory. For more information, please visit http://www.sparefoot.com.

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People go to college for many years to become counselors. These people really want to be able to help those that are in need. They want to be able to help turn the hard, emotional life of a person around for the better. They stay deep in the books and they do a lot of research to be able to speak into the life of a person that is going through some dramatic and hard times. Counselors know that people will come to them with their concerns and they feel they must find a way to help them out. Many get involved in counseling where other people get involved in counseling for the money potential. It would seem though that people find other methods in order to get their problems off of their chest without paying a counselor.

I spoke with someone who was in an unfortunate situation due to some recent hard times. She was very tight on money and needed to move from her current living situation immediately. She did not know how she was going to pay for everything. I told her I would try to get her the best possible deal.  I found her an inexpensive unit that included the first month for rent free of charge. She only had to come up with about twenty five dollars to get moved in to a large unit. That just made it that much easier for her to pay for a few other things that were greatly needed. She was so happy she was crying.

Sometimes when a customer calls in they have a situation that they do not know how to solve. With that said, some property managers actually become counselors because they are there to listen, help and make suggestions for the customer. When the customer realizes that the property manager knows what they are talking about, they will be more than happy to take their advice and their suggestions. Usually you will find that the customer will be pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Property managers have helped so many people in the self storage industry not just with self storage, but also with their situation. It would seem as if most self storage property managers are self storage counselors.

People go to college for many years to become counselors. These people really want to be able to help those that are in need. They want to be able to help turn the hard, emotional life of a person around for the better. They stay deep in the books and they do a lot of research to be able to speak into the life of a person that is going through some dramatic and hard times. Counselors know that people will come to them with their concerns and they feel they must find a way to help them out. Many get involved in counseling where other people get involved in counseling for the money potential. It would seem though that people find other methods in order to get their problems off of their chest without paying a counselor.

I spoke with someone who was in an unfortunate situation due to some recent hard times. She was very tight on money and needed to move from her current living situation immediately. She did not know how she was going to pay for everything. I told her I would try to get her the best possible deal.  I found her an inexpensive unit that included the first month for rent free of charge. She only had to come up with about twenty five dollars to get moved in to a large unit. That just made it that much easier for her to pay for a few other things that were greatly needed. She was so happy she was crying.

Sometimes when a customer calls in they have a situation that they do not know how to solve. With that said, some property managers actually become counselors because they are there to listen, help and make suggestions for the customer. When the customer realizes that the property manager knows what they are talking about, they will be more than happy to take their advice and their suggestions. Usually you will find that the customer will be pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Property managers have helped so many people in the self storage industry not just with self storage, but also with their situation. It would seem as if most self storage property managers are self storage counselors.

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CEO Chuck Gordon coordinated the nine-week project, in which duos of employees moved a growing pile of possessions from one storage facility to the next around Austin, adding their own creative items for the next teams to discover and move. Each duo was responsible for finding storage near one teammate’s home, with or without the help of the company’s own self-storage finder site.

All employees – from developers to salespeople to marketers – booked units, signed leases, obtained locks and optionally rented trucks to cart the pile around town. Moving forward, every new employee to join the SpareFoot team will pick up where things left off and complete the task themselves.

The idea sprang from Gordon’s realization that most SpareFoot team members had never personally used self-storage, but he wanted them to understand the challenges storage customers face. He hopes Adventures In Storage inspires improvements to SpareFoot’s website that will make finding, reserving and executing self-storage easier than ever for everyone.

“To speak intelligently about anything related to the consumer experience, everyone at SpareFoot should have personal experience renting a storage unit,” Gordon said. “Everyone will learn what it really means to rent storage, and see how much of a pain it is. This should help guide everything we do to make the process easier for consumers.”

The project was documented through filmed interviews with each duo at SpareFoot’s office, and some scrappy video footage taken at the storage facilities. Weekly blog posts will unfold the story in a narrative style similar to that of a typical TV reality series. A short video, featuring interviews and photos, will accompany each written post. New blog “episodes” are released every Monday for nine weeks at 6 p.m. CST, starting June 20.

In tandem with the June 1 release of a teaser trailer for Adventures In Storage, SpareFoot is running a social media contest whereby the first three people to correctly guess one item in the final storage unit win $100. All in all, the series should reveal a lot about how a fun high-tech start-up staffed by a team of smart, nerdy personalities operates. It will also be an experiment in pushing the social media reach of a niche industry. Follow along on Twitter @SpareFoot with hash tag #adventuresinstorage.

About SpareFoot:

SpareFoot is the leading online marketplace for self-storage. With more than 5,000 self-storage facilities listed nationwide, SpareFoot offers consumers the most complete comparison shopping experience in the storage industry. Across multiple properties including SpareFoot.com, SelfStorage.com, Apartments.com and many others, SpareFoot helps storage facility operators find new tenants— all through an entirely pay-for-performance model. SpareFoot is backed by Silverton Partners, FLOODGATE and Capital Factory. For more information, please visit http://www.sparefoot.com

Sparefoot Adventures In Storage Teaser.

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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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Franklin Park self storage places in Illinois are close to the airport.  This means there are a lot of hotels close by and great places to eat.  Even the hot-dogs taste great here as they are lovingly cooked and prepared.  Hot dogs are special here and the whole city of Chicago and most of the suburbs take great pride in cooking and preparing hot dogs here.  The Chicago dog is a hot dog with peppers on it, a tomato, mustard and a pickle.  There is no ketchup on a Chicago dog, and do not ask for some either.  Many places in Chicago and suburbs, take offense to this question.  Polish dogs are great too.  They are not really hot dogs but Polish sausage in bread.  They are good let us tell you.  We love the hot dogs in Chicago and they are always worth eating them. There are a few great famous hot dog eateries here, so go see one.

Franklin Park self storage places in Illinois are near Chicago.  Chicago is known for many things and food is one of them.  Most places to eat in this great city are pretty good.  Steak houses are fantastic, some are rather expensive, too, but what the heck, go for it.  Eat a great steak at a great place and enjoy the whole vibe.  Chicago has places to eat at that are very cutting edge too.  These new places pop up all the time as the trendy people go from one place to another, and by word of mouth, this place is now the in place to be.  Do not get us wrong though, these places have great food too.  Chicago wants great food, including great pizza and great steaks.  There are great pork chops here too and, wait are we hungry yet?

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Why we move so much is debatable, I guess.  One reason is all these dot com companies that hire people all the time that quit for greener pastures and chasing the best companies and the best paychecks.  Northland Kansas City storage is not a hotbed for this type of consumer, but has seen their share.  People move back and forth from Kansas City quite often keeping the Northland Kansas City storage places busy indeed.  When the economy went south recently, people must move where the jobs are, and must move their things to and must find storage in between spots.

Moving is often stressful and managers of these Northland Kansas City storage places must be almost like bartenders listening to people’s problems and why they are moving.  Divorce causes a lot of moves and a lot of stress too.  Death in the family can cause people to need storage and move too.  A very mobile society needs storage too.  College kids need storage as well as senior citizens leaving their homes to smaller places to live.  Business needs storage for inventory.  Sometimes it beats building a warehouse.  Churches and boy scouts store things.  Your neighbors might have storage to keep all their extra stuff in.  Pharmaceutical reps use storage often to store their inventory.  Vending machines, pinball machines, poker machines, slot machines are all stored in these facilities.  Cars and boats are stored too.  Jet skies and other big recreational items fit nicely in storage space too.  Many neighborhoods will not let you put a boat in your driveway or on the street.  They are eyesores we guess or just more rules and laws.  Whatever the case, storage facilities make money storing these things.

Most of the new storage facilities are climate controlled meaning the temperature is controlled.  The storage units are warm in the winter and cooler in the summer.  This is great for furniture and computers or records and cds.  It is also great for moving in your stuff or using your storage space to work in which some people do.  In Key West, for example, people would sand their boats sometimes all day in their storage units.  I saw an airplane in one storage unit.  It was a homemade kit kind of plane, a glider or something like that.  It is very hot in Key West and a little climate control relief is a very good thing indeed.  One thing though is always cover your mattresses if you store them.  They get bad very easy and germs and bacteria grow on them and in them.  People can get very sick from them.  Managers of storage facilities throw out many mattresses.  Glass breaks too and never store family photos.  You may never see them again if you cannot pay your bills.

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We had a lot of planning to do and we needed a Kansas City storage facility to use.  The internet makes everything easier, we found a Storagemart facility on the web, and the plans started.  We needed a truck, a big truck to load our three-bedroom house.  The websites helped us with everything including the prices and the size of storage we needed.  We got good deals on both, so far even though our company would pay for the move; we wanted to experience the whole thing ourselves.  We would drive the big truck across the country, pack ourselves and get the kids into the car.  The pets too are coming and goodbyes are everywhere.

The Kansas City storage website was great and we even knew how many boxes to buy for our stuff.  We had lots of stuff and little time to throw away what we did not need, we thought.  No toys made it to the trash.  They were all important.  The house sold and we were off to a new job and a new way of life.  We would have to become Kansas City Chief Fans we thought, but that would be the easy part.  Driving a big thirty-foot truck is the hard part, especially in traffic.  The wife, kids followed behind, and we would take turns in the truck.  The open road was fine, but when traffic hit in big cities it was a little nerve-racking.  Thank goodness, we had an automatic transmission to drive.  Those big hills looked daunting with a clutch.

Well, of course, we made it and the Kansas City storage facility owned by Storagemart was great and ready for us.  Everything fit inside and we could finally relax in our hotel room after we walked the dog and ate.  It was good and the sites in Kansas City were starting to look better.  There are casinos here too, we smiled, and a big city has big city things to do and see.  Branson being close too is nice, we never had been there before, but we do like country music.  Our son like fast cars and go-carts are fast in Missouri, he was glad to hear.  Jazz, blues, music, lakes, hunting, fishing, and museums are all here too.  We miss our friends of course, but change is sometimes good and a new position and promotion will help the family.  We are in the show me state now, so let us see what we can see.  Snow should be fun too; our kids have never seen it up close and personal.  All in the entire move was not too bad, and the missed friends will become new friends here, and we move on with life in a new state and a new home.  Like the song says, I’m going to Kansas City, Kansas City here we come.

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The great American Mall is what most people know about Minnesota and that makes sense.  People take vacations to Minnesota just to see the mall.  A winter vacation sounds like a good idea if one just stays in the mall and avoids the cold weather.  You can stick your belongings in the Minnetonka storage facility owned by the great American company Storagemart if you happen to buy a week’s worth of products at the mall.  Going to a mall for a whole week and not buying anything would be a very peculiar thing to achieve.  I wonder how many people could do that unless you were broke.  Vacations can make you broke.

Moving can be very expensive too.  Trucks, boxes, gas, and all the time it takes to do it can be very stressful.  The planning alone could take months and even years.  The Minnetonka storage facility can help families with all that and ease the stress.

Malls can be stressful too though for those of us who would rather do something else than shop.  They have a lot of shoes in that mall don’t they?  They have a lot of clothes in that mall too don’t they?

Maybe spending time with all the tools in Minnetonka storage is better.  Tools are comforting.  The storage space I have gives me room to move around in to look at things like my tools.

Some people use every inch of space of their storage space and save money.  They open the roll up doors and things spill out in the hallway.  The Minnetonka storage facility has a whole lot of options to choose from so choose the right size for you.  So many people move to Minnesota for all the things it has to offer like great hunting and fishing and all the great outdoor activities.

The Vikings have a great history here.  We are talking about the football team not the real Vikings like Eric the Red or others.  One can walk from building to building in some places to avoid the bitter cold at times.  Many people like the winter because of winter activities.  Hockey is a great sport as well as ice fishing and ice-skating.  Snowmobiles are a blast to ride or drive.

The uninterrupted snow is beautiful to make a path through, and the hot coco afterwards is great too.  Snowmobiles can be stored too in Storagemart facilities and all the other winter things one needs to play in the great outdoors.  You could be remiss though, if you do not see the mall, even if you do not spend all day there.  Buy some ice skates there or a hockey stick than store them in Minnetonka storage until needed.  Get outside than and skate around without loosing your toes to frostbite.  The skating will warm you up enough though, so do not be afraid all my warm weather friends from Texas or Florida.  You will like the cold, the snow, and the ice.

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It is important to schedule a time for the Midtown Kansas City self storage caller to come in to rent the space. A lot of storage salespeople get excited when they get a reservation or schedule a site visit and they forget to schedule a time. You will usually tell the caller the access hours when they call in. This could be mistaken for store hours if you do not make it clear what the difference is to the customer. They may show up after hours expecting to rent a space only to find that your office is enclosed. This could cost you a customer and a lot of revenue at the same time. If you schedule an approximate time for them to come in, you will avoid this problem.

People are busy in Missouri so they may be running a little bit late when they come in to rent a space. You should schedule appointment no later than thirty minutes before close. This is important for a couple of reasons. This will ensure that they will have plenty of time to get paperwork done without people in a rush. This will also give a little extra time just in case they are stuck in traffic.

Some Midtown Kansas City self storage employees do not factor in holiday hours when setting up appointments. At the beginning of each month you should take time to go over what holidays are coming up that month so that you are able to avoid scheduling appointments for that day. When people need storage, they are usually on a strict schedule so setting them back a day may lose that customer.

Knowing your hours for specific days is also important. Some Midtown Kansas City self storage sites may have a day or two where they close early. Pay attention on the call so you do not schedule afternoon appointments on those days.

You should also go over everything they need to know so there are no surprised when they come in to rent. There is more to the storage cost than just the monthly rent. You know this, but the caller probably does not. Assume that they do not when they call in and go over everything they will need when they come in. Cash customers need to know the total they need to bring. Not everyone uses a debit or credit card. Everyone needs to bring in a photo id when they rent. These are simple things that will prevent the customer from making multiple trips to your facility. Multiple trips can cost you storage customers, as well because some are not patient.

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Some owners are great at running a Lyndhurst self storage company from a customer service standpoint. You can have the happiest customers in the world, but that will not ensure that you are doing everything right on the paperwork side of the business. You need to make sure that you are saving all of your storage documents that you need to throughout the year. The reality for most Lyndhurst self storage companies is that they will be audited by the state of New Jersey and the federal government at some point.

It is important to get a good accountant so that you can run your business the right way from the start. Get an accountant before you even open your business. This will make sure that you do not miss anything. The accountant office will be responsible if you do something wrong. You should spend a lot of time finding a good accountant that you trust to handle the tax side of your Lyndhurst self storage business operation.

A good accountant will save you a lot of time and money. There are a lot of deductions that you will be able to make to save money on your overall tax burden. There are also a lot of deductions that you will not be allowed to make so it is important to have an accountant that knows what you can and cannot deduct.

Some storage sites try to save money by only hiring an accountant around tax time. It would be better to hire an accountant year around so that you do not miss anything throughout the year. Most accountants will agree to a modest monthly fee so that you do not need to spend any money that you do not have to.

It is great to hire an accountant just to make sure that everything is organized. You may want to consider hiring someone that works for your company to ensure that someone is always double checking to make sure that the best decisions are being made for your company. A good accountant can even make a mistake every now and again. As an owner of storage properties, you already know that mistakes can cost thousands and not hundreds of dollars.

With all the paperwork that you will need to keep and organize just in case you get audited, you may find that you do not have enough room in your office for all of the necessary paperwork. The good news is that you own a storage facility and you can just use one of your open storage units for your own storage needs. You will want to develop a system for organization from the start so that you are able to retrieve important documents when you need them.

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The key to getting all of the possible information from callers is rapport. It is kind of difficult to build rapport with Kansas City self storage callers in a traditional sales kind of way simple because you do not have a great deal of time to do so. Asking the caller how their day is going can go along way to show that you care about them and not just their business. This may seem out of place right after they tell you what they need at the beginning of the call. Let the caller know that you would be happy to help and it will take a couple of seconds to get the price list. Then you can ask them how their day is going.

Good rapport can be built by giving the caller your full attention and going over everything they need to rent the space. A lot of Kansas City self storage companies will just go for the reservation after giving the price. You should give them all of the information, such as the total move in costs after all is said and done. Then you can ask when they can come in before you ask for the reservation, one step at a time. If the caller agrees to come see your site, then you can ask for a name and number. This is important information to have so you can schedule a time for them to come in. You can also follow up with undecided callers if you have a number to reach them at. This will help you pick up some extra sales because it will give them time to call other Kansas City self storage sites to see how you compare.

Do not stop there. Try to get their email and mailing address so that you can send them promotions later on. If you send them specials that come up later, they will remember your company when it comes time for them to rent in the future. They may also refer a friend of family member because they will have a coupon. Most Missouri storage sites offer discounts, but they do not get the information out to the potential customers. You can do this if you have a mailing and email address.

Ask the caller how they were able to find out about you. This will let you know if you are spending your marketing dollars in the right places. They may have found out about you by driving by your facility, in the phone book, or online. You can adjust your marketing budget accordingly if you know that one of the channels is not producing good results.

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The turnover in the Jefferson City self storage job market may be higher than other fields, so you may not want to offer a bunch of benefits to new employees. You should start the benefits package at the six month or one year mark. This will give you time to figure out which employees are going to be committed to your company. Everyone is ready to go when they are interviewed. Some employees will become less impressive when it comes to down to the actual work side of the industry. You want to find the employees that are passionate about the industry.

You should offer health insurance to your Jefferson City self storage employees. Not every storage site in Missouri will offer health insurance. This will usually result in more professional job applicants; which will lead to better customer service, and that is really what you are after here. The thought of health insurance may scare some storage owners, but there are ways to make it affordable to your company. You could offer a health savings account with a higher deductible. These are pretty affordable on your side after you factor in the contributions that the employee will make from their paychecks. Health insurance of any kind will lead to better and more loyal employees.

Dental and vision plans could be a nice bonus as well. They will typically be more affordable than health plans so they are a nice compliment to an employee benefit package. Shop around with different companies until you find one that works for you. The best Jefferson City self storage companies will also offer other benefits.

Some options are a 401k plan that you should match the employee contributions. This will set you up for long term costs and help retain employees which will lower you training costs by a great amount. Training is one of the biggest costs for many storage companies so to eliminate that would be a great benefit to your company.

Vacation time is a great benefit to offer your employees. You could offer one week for each year that they are with you up to four week. This will make sure that your employees get a little break from the day to day grind that storage can be. They will love you for this a come back refreshed and ready to go. Sick days should be offered as well. Happy employees will take care of customers better since they are more invested in the company. There career success will be directly linked to the success of the company which is great. Do not break the bank. You may not be able to offer all of these benefits, but this article should provide you with some ideas of what benefits to offer.

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Many people though Kate was crazy traveling away from home so much for work but she liked to explore new places and see things that she had never seen before. She loved getting on the plain at O’Hare and looking up where she was going to be flying to. During her flight she would plan out places to visit between her meetings.

One of the many hassles that Kate faced in her early days of travel is leaving her car at the airport for an extended period of time. She had a budget for leaving her car at the airport but she was never really comfortable leaving it behind there. Twice her car had been scratched or dinged when she had returned and she had to turn it into her car insurance to get it repaired.

After the second time that her car was scratched upon her return she began to consider other options that were available for her. In the end she decided that renting a space at an O’Hare International Airport, Illinois storage location for her car was the best bet for her.

She checked out the O’Hare International Airport storage location that were convenient to get to and from the airport and that also had easy access to transportation the rest of the way to the airport. Most importantly she wanted something that was not going to go over her budget and that would provide the necessary safety and security that she needed. She did not want to return home anymore and find that her car had been dented or scratched. She wanted to return to her car exactly as she had left it.

Kate found the perfect O’Hare storage car storage location. The first time that she was set to go out of town on business she took her car to her spot and parked. She took the bus to the airport and was able to get right onto her flight. When she returned her car was safe and sound just like she left it. She was glad that her car was finally able to be left in a secure location while she was gone and she didn’t have to have the stress and worry that she had in the past about leaving her car behind while she was working.

Kate no longer had to worry about her car and could focus on enjoying her flights and getting her work done while she was traveling. When she got back to Chicago she would take the bus to get her car and head back home. It was turning out to be one of the best decisions that she had ever made when dealing with traveling.

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As the manager of the admin department Karen was working with her boss to find the best layouts for the employees under her as well as all of the filing systems that they had. The office was going to be closed for the renovation and the deadline to have the optimized plans done before then was quickly approaching.

While Karen was looking at all of the filing cabinets that she was going to have to organize in the new office space she quickly realized that several of the cabinets contained files that they used maybe once or twice a year, as well as employee files that they only used for performance review and had to keep for legal reasons. There was really no reason that they needed to keep all of these filing cabinets in the office spaces where her employees would have to work around them.

Karen began to research Shawnee, Kansas storage units that would be convenient to access from the office and that were budget friendly. They also had to have good safety and security so that their files and employee information would be safe while it was stored away. Searching the internet lead her to the locations and amenities of each Shawnee storage facility and from there she was able to narrow down her choices for the best self storage spot.

All departments had to present their plan for the best way to layout their section. Who knows better how to set up the section than the people who run it on a day to day basis? When it was Karen’s turn to present her boss was so impressed with her layout, how she utilized all of the space, and how she though outside the box with the Shawnee storage solution to add space for her employees.

Her boss was so impressed with her use of the Shawnee storage space that he wanted all of the department heads to consider if they would benefit from having a self storage space as well. He already planned to get a storage space so why not get one big enough that several departments could utilize the space?

The time came for the office renovations came and everything was taken down, moved around, and reorganized. The filing cabinets were moved out into the self storage unit and Karen was there to make sure that everything was placed in the storage unit in an organized manor so it was all easy to access. The office renovations took a few days but it was worth it when the employees came back and they got to see all of the work spaces that there were now and how everything was organized a flowed in a great direction. In the months that followed Karen was proud to present to her boss the increased work productivity and great efficiency that they had achieved post-renovations.

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Jeff was graduating and he was having a terrible time finding a job. He had been on dozens of interviews and no one was looking to hire. With no job prospects and his bank account getting low Jeff was forced to move back home and into his old bedroom.

Karen was happy to help her son out and assured him that he was always welcome to come home anytime that he needed it. As she prepared for her sons return she was trying to work out where her furniture and stuff would go so that Jeff could have a bedroom again.

Karen began to research Hillside, Illinois self storage facilities that had a unit that she could rent to get the room cleared out of her desk and her book cases. She did not want to spend a lot of money each month on the storage unit, but she was willing to pay for something that was clean and had some type of security so that her stuff would be safe while it was being stored away.

Karen looked into a few of her options and found the Hillside storage unit that had what she was looking for and a unit that was the perfect size for her boxes and furniture. Once that was taken care of Karen began to box up her books and all of her office stuff. She made sure to label the boxes with what was in each one in case she needed anything, and she marked the boxes of books with a stripe of pink tape on the top so that they would be easy to spot. Those boxes were a little heavy and she did not want anyone getting hurt.

When the room was cleared out and everything was moved over to the Hillside storage unit she began to transform the space back into a bedroom for her son. Jeff felt bad for causing his mom so much work, but he really needed a space to stay while he continued to hunt for a job.

Six months of job hunting and Jeff was finally able to find a job that was in the field that he had his degree in. he was going to continue to stay with his parents while he saved up some money. He was definitely glad that his parents were so supportive of him and he was grateful to his mother for sacrificing her space and moving her stuff into a Hillside storage unit so that he could have a bedroom again. He was glad that he had found a job and was going to try and help his parents out as much as he could while he continued to live here. He had already offered baby sitting duties for his siblings so they could have a nice night out on the town.

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1. When starting your home business you want a dedicated place in your home that is nothing but your business world. No distractions to look at or encroaching things from your home. You want it basically to be a separate part of your house while still being under the same roof. Many people use their basement or a spare bedroom to dedicate to their home business space. So where does all of the furniture that is already in those spaces go to? By having an Athens storage unit you can move out the furniture from whatever space you pick to be made into your office space.
2. Depending on what type of business you have your files and paperwork will vary. Even in the electronic age that we live in paperwork is still a necessary thing. Files can quickly begin to overrun your space and some files are required by law to be kept a certain length of time. When the files become to overtake your space with filing cabinets then having an Athens storage unit added to your life may just be the solution that you need. You can store all of the files that you don’t currently need without having them over take your house spaces. Plus with convenient locations you can easily access them whenever you need them. Additionally with the safety and security that you can find at Athens storage you don’t have to worry about you and your customer’s information while it is being stored away.
3. Some home based businesses come with products or inventory that can be difficult to store in your home. By having an Athens, Georgia storage unit you can find a safe and secure location to keep your inventory. With a good organization system your products will be well maintained and easy to find in your self storage unit and you won’t have to give up additional living space to be able to maintain your inventory. You can keep it all in a convenient off site location that is easy to access whenever you need your products.

Starting your own business can be a frightening thing sometime. There are no sure things in the business world and stepping out to create your own business can be a big step. Just remember that Athens storage is waiting to help you grow and expand your home based business, and as your storage needs grow we will work with you to make sure you have the spaces that you and your business needs.

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First and foremost, reader, you are going to want to be sure that you rent a unit that comes equipped with all of the industry leading security features. Principally, here, you are going to want to be sure that your unit has an alarm system hooked up to it. If you do not have an alarm system hooked up to your door, then you are essentially begging would be criminals to take a shot at breaking into your unit. What you want to look for, ideally, is an alarm that is hooked up to the local police station. That way, you know that you are not going to have to take any risks when you leave your unit behind for the night.

Moving on, here, you are also going to want to be sure that you are renting a self storage unit that comes fully equipped with good, reliable video surveillance technology. You are going to want to be sure that your property manager has a great way to keep an eye on your unit when you are not there. And, of course, a video surveillance system is going to prove to be a powerful deterrent for crime. When burglars see that they are being watched, they are not going to want to take a chance with your self storage unit.

Aside from all of these things, you are also going to want to be sure that you are keeping your eyes open for all of the basics. When you are touring your unit for the first time, you are going to want to take a look around and make sure that there are no obvious signs of water damage. The last thing that you are going to want to do, here, is rent a unit that is going to leak considerably, as this could very well ruin all of your belongings. Likewise, you are going to want to be sure that your unit has not been used for vehicle storage before. If you see any large oil stains on the ground, then you are going to want to be sure that you are cleaning them up before they have the chance to break or harm any of your belongings. While these bits of advice might seem a little bit silly at first, they are going to make the difference between healthy belongings and broken belongings.

As you can see, here, there is very little that goes into renting a safe self storage unit. You just have to be sure that you are exercising your common sense, here, and that you are not neglecting to pay attention to the things that really matter when it comes to your self storage unit.

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First and foremost, reader, know that you do not have to store your entire home or apartment. Indeed, if you are like me, then you could definitely stand to get rid of some of your belongings before you even consider renting a self storage unit. Begin this process by taking an inventory of what you have. As you are doing this, sort your items in accordance with your priorities. You may like that TV stand, but it may be financially silly to keep it if you can replace it cheaply. You may love that old sofa, but you may also find that you would be better off selling it than paying to keep it for several months. Of course, you may very well find that your attic and your basement are stuffed with spare belongings, meaning that you are going to have to go through them and see if you really want to keep everything. If you have enough stuff to sell, then you might even consider having a garage sale. If you do not have enough stuff to warrant a garage sale, then you might consider donating your furniture or selling it on the internet. Truly, there are tons of possibilities, here.

Next, you are going to want to remember that you are not simply renting the floor of your storage unit. Indeed, you are renting all of its vertical space as well. Thus, if you stack your belongings, then you are going to be able to save yourself a great deal of space. Because space is money when it comes down to renting a self storage unit, saving yourself space is going to mean that you can get away with spending a lot less money to keep your belongings safe.

Finally, here, you are going to want to be sure that you are installing shelves in your self storage unit. When you install some shelves, you know that you are going to be able to keep your smaller items out of the way, leaving room for the bigger, bulkier items on the floor. By making full use of your vertical space in this fashion, you are going to be able to make sure that you are getting the worth of your money out of your self storage unit.

As you are shopping around, keep this advice in mind. You are going to find that by following these simple tips, you can shave tons of money off of your monthly self storage bills. And at the end of the day, spending less is going to make you much happier.

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Of course, part of being confident is knowing, really knowing, that you are doing a good job. If you do not think that you are doing a good job, then you might very well end up putting off your customers. Your customers are going to be able to tell if you are not confident in the services that you offer, so it is of utmost importance that you get a handle on your operation and smile with confidence each and every time that a new customer comes walking through your doors.

Part of being confident, here, is making sure that you are doing your work as efficiently as possible. Thus, if you do not have all of the self storage software that you are going to need to do your work quickly and well, then you are going to have to be sure that you are looking into precisely what your options are. Be sure that you buy some software that is going to be able to help you keep track of the day to day happenings of your property, tracking such things as late payments, security breaches, and the like. If you do not have a software package that can achieve these sorts of things for you, then you are truly wasting your time and money.

Of course, the last thing that you are going to want to do, here, is let your stress level show when you are dealing with employees and customers. If an employee or customer can tell that you are very stressed out, then they are going to lose faith in the services that you provide. Thus, no matter how much you are dealing with, be sure that you can set your problems aside and don a smile when you are dealing with another person. Your attitude, and your general disposition, are going to make or break a sale, and very easily.

Finally, here, always be sure that you are not forgetting about the competition. You do not exist in a vacuum. As such, you have to be sure that you are adjusting to the deals and specials that your competitors are offering. If you cannot match a special, then you had better come up with something of your own, or you are going to lose your tenants left and right. If there is no way for you to offer a special at the time, then you are going to have to be sure that you are giving a sales pitch that justifies the absence of a special at your property. You are going to have to make it seem that much better.

At the end of the day, you are going to be able to rope in all of the customers that come your way. It is all about appearances, reader. Put on a good presentation, and be sure that your mood and your disposition do not putt off your incoming customers.

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First and foremost, reader, know that the typical moving service is going to be able to help out with every facet of your move.  Starting out, here, most moving companies are going to be able to help you figure out how much stuff you actually have.  They may sound silly at first, but when you really think about it, it is very, very convenient to have someone helping out with this part of the process.  Typically speaking, they can show up at your place of residence and help you run through what you are going to be storing.  They will be able to recommend the kind of truck that is going to fit your needs the best, and they are going to be able to help you figure out which supplies are going to keep your belongings the safest.  When it comes to cutting down on stress, you are not going to find another service that even compares to a moving company.

Of course, moving companies are also enormously convenient in that they can move all of your heavy belongings on your behalf.  You are not even going to break a sweat, and all of your belongings are going to make it to your self storage unit or your new home.  Of course, you are going to have to factor in that, typically speaking, movers charge by the hour.  Really, though, you are usually going to find that you would much rather part with a few extra dollars than deal with the hassle of muscling all of your belongings into a moving truck.

Finally, here, it is good to know that moving companies are typically going to be able to provide you with a moving truck.  What that means, here, is that you are going to have one less phone call to make.  That is right.  When you feel like you have already placed a million phone calls, a moving service can really cut back on your stress levels.  They will allow for you to consolidate a few of the services that you are going to need.  And really, you are going to appreciate that a lot more than you would think when it comes down to the final hours of your moving plans.

At the end of the day, reader, you are going to find that most moving companies and moving services are well worth the extra money.  If the very notion of moving horrifies you, and if you would much rather avoid the physical stress associated with moving, then you are going to want to be sure that you call a few of these services to get a feel for how much it is going to cost you.  Just take a deep breath, reader, and know that there is nothing to worry about.

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