Accessibility is Key to Your Customers

Warning: gzinflate() [function.gzinflate]: data error in /home/totalq/public_html/wp-includes/http.php on line 1787

In the self storage business, as in any business, the customer wants to feel welcome.  Accessibility is an important key.This summer, my husband and I and our five children moved to Connecticut.  When we arrived, I promptly called the local library and signed my 2-year-old and 4-year-old up for story time.  The day it was scheduled to start I made my way to the library, parked in the lot, unloaded my kids, put the 5-month-old in his stroller and made my way to the building.  When I got to the front door I realized that there were several steps leading up to the door, and no explanation as to why there wasn’t a wheelchair ramp on the sidewalk.  I looked around the sides of the building and could not find a ramp.  Going back to the front door, I left the stroller to take a peak inside the door.  All the while, all I could think of was, “This would never happen in St. Louis”. 

I went back to the stroller and pulled out the baby seat and carried it up the stairs with my other children in tow.  I then set the baby down and left my 4-year-old in charge while I went back outside to retrieve the stroller.  As I am walking up the stairs, I see the other children walking in line to go to story telling.  I put my two kids at the end of the line, while I set about returning the baby to the stroller.  After throwing all the baby gear back into the stroller, I raced after the children.  As I turned a corner, I realized that they were gone and the only available door was the one to the Library Director’s office.  I knocked on the door and explained to the director that I was looking for my children.  She very naturally turned and explained that they had come through her office and gone down the stairs.  More stairs!!  The director suggested that I go back to the circulation desk and ask permission to use the elevator.  Eventually, of course, I found my children. 

After story time, we registered for a library card, checked out about 30 books with more than a sideways glance from the librarian, and trekked up to the third floor to check out a video.  The whole time I am thinking that this is just too hard.  The whole experience was draining.  Generally though, I am pretty much a trooper and figured that I was simply going to have to come up with a new game plan for trips to the library. 

Preparing to leave, I again left the 4-year-old in charge of the baby and carried the stroller outside.  As we arrived at the car, I must have still been a good bit frazzled because the tears started to flow when I saw the parking ticket on my windshield.  Who ever heard of having parking meters in the parking lot of a public library?

It’s all a package deal when it comes to pleasing customers.  Customers calling in to our call center want it all – a friendly voice, a flexible schedule, and convenient facilities.  Making the customer feel welcome, that’s what it’s all about.

Written by: Kathleen Wilmes

Thanks for reading PhoneSmart’s property management blog; your offsite sales force and Call Center in Columbia Missouri. We can help you learn how to make the most of your self storage business.

Your local self storage unit provider in 2310 Paris Road, Columbia MO 65202

Tweet This Post 

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