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Taking calls at the call center keeps me on my toes as I may be answering a call from the east coast one minute and the west coast the next.  With self storage everything is repetitious with the exception of the price.  It becomes challenging when I end a phone call about storage and then answer a call for an apartment.  I then become an apartment call center representative. 

Answering the phone for the apartments is very similar to that of answering phones for storage.  The trick to answering phones for apartments is to learn how to include the five agreements, (timeframe, location, size, security and price) with professionalism and grace.  For an example a typical storage question is, ”Do you know what size unit you need or can I help you determine that?”  Of course you do not want to say this when discussing apartments.  A more appropriate question for apartments is “How many bedrooms or bathrooms are you looking for?”  Either question you are determining size, which is one of the five agreements. 

A common phrase that we can use in the call center when answering phones for storage is that we can say that there is not a long term contract as it is done month to month.  This phrase does not work with apartments, as generally there is a lease and the lease is for 12 months unless otherwise noted.  With a storage call, we are trained to ask for a credit card reservation but this is not needed for an apartment call.  The one similarity in both calls is that I can ask the caller to come in for a site visit or an appointment to see the lay out of an apartment.  Although it is different being in an apartment call center rep, it is fun to do from time to time and offers a change of pace.

Written by Angela Perry, PhoneSmart call center trainer and business blog writer.

Thank you for visiting the PhoneSmart call center blog, where we offer and insider view of the property management industry.

Great Self Storage location in KC, MO, at 75th and Wornall by the Walgreen’s and Wendy’s. All units are inside, climate controlled and have roll up doors.

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Communication within your management company is key. PhoneSmart manages sales and training for over 100 clients; this is in addition to taking their inbound sales calls. It’s important that each of the administrators and managers within our company maintain an open line of communication with one another regarding changes occurring to each individual client’s account.

Although the tools are in place for us to note conversations and mark changes, we sometimes become busy, or make a change and say to ourselves we’ll write it down later. Later, we get busy doing other tasks and forget to write it down. Every now and then we can trip over one another, trying to fix the same thing or fix something that was already addressed and not written down.

Learning how to work together as a team is an important fundamental to any business, small or large. With each of us filling in our niche, it could become easy to isolate ourselves from our coworkers. Left unattended, communication withers away. It has to be a focus point and kept in the front line in order to work properly.

After a small miscommunication occurs people can become frustrated or offended, and that can be harder to overcome that the communication problem itself. Neglecting communication is a destructive practice.

Think about what gaps there may be between the top of your ladder and the middle or bottom. One good idea may be to have a monthly or quarterly meeting just so you can see faces you may not otherwise see on a day to day basis. How can your daily communication improve? What are you doing now that works well?

Written by Sarah Little, PhoneSmart Total Quality Assurance Services Executive

Thanks for reading our property management blog, where we discuss the life of our self storage and apartment call center.

Self Storage in Texas
1575 Thousand Oaks 
San Antonio, TX 78232 
Manager: Zach Goetz & Nicolas Morales 
Ph:(210) 494-0628 
Fax:(210) 494-3328 

Have access to your storage unit 7 days a week. Call today to receive your $50 coupon.

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More self storage and other industries are moving to call centers and apartment call centers for their customer service needs. If you answer for one of these industries, the minute you pick up the phone you are the company. There are many different factors that lead to a positive impression to the callers. One of the five main factors is the willingness to assist customers.
 
One day I needed assistance from a cell phone customer service line to explain why my phone couldn’t connect to the Internet network. I had already called the customer support call center and the rep told me that I should purchase an additional plan to get Internet service for my phone. I needed the Internet so that I can download ring tones for my cell phone. When I called the customer service rep, she informed me that there was no such plan. I tried to explain what I had been told but she kept cutting me off. She advised me to contact technical support and have them send information to my phone. I told her that I had already gone through those steps. She said, “I guess you need to get a new phone.” That was not only unprofessional, but that was extremely rude.
 
It’s always important to make a good impression on the phone to make the experience as positive has you can for the customer. This is especially important in the self storage and property management business because people are already on edge about speaking with someone not there locally on site. Self storage associations across the country should learn how to implement the willingness to serve in all of their sales techniques. This would create more positive trends with call centers being noted for positive customer service rather than the bad impressions already associated with them.
 
By Ronald Smith, PhoneSmart call center reservations operator, and business blog writer.

Thank you for reading the PhoneSmart call center blog, where we explore the ins and outs of the property management industry.

Need Storage in Jefferson City, MO? We are located at 2420 St. Mary’s blvd, between Remax and Staples. We are the only JC facility that is on pavement. Call 573-634-4474 for details.

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Recently, our local paper did a business article on my parent’s restaurant. They were thrilled that even after 18 years in business they were still news worthy. Excited to see the actual story, they waited for it to go to print. It finally came out and the reporter had taken one small statement and made it into the whole story. If you read the whole story it leads the reader to believe that the restaurant was newly put up for sale. While that is true, many readers are somehow getting the impression that they are closing the doors, which is not true. We have been getting more than 5 calls a day asking when the restaurant is closing (and they mean for good, not just the hours). Customers are coming in and asking what is going on and that they can’t believe it. CJ’s is not closing, they are for sale and the person with the biggest check can own a little bit of Columbia’s history.
Is all publicity good? It really can’t be answered yes or no, but both. Yes, it drives people to your business, but not everyone wants to be in the limelight. Yes, it was free but what is the extra time we are taking on the phone and in person trying to give the correct information.  Learn how to manage your property successfully to say on top of the property management industry.

By Natalie Thomas, business blog writer and call center blog writer.

Thanks for reading PhoneSmart’s property management blog, the ins and out of property management trends.

Are you a night owl? Need Storage that will accomidate a late schedule? We have a Storage Facility in Merriam, KS that has 24 hour access, outside restrooms, and lights in each unit. Call 913-432-2225 for more information.

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I have had the privilege of working in both sales/customer service and telemarketing. I have had good experiences in both fields. I never thought that I would have the patience for telemarketing. I have heard a lot of horror stories about it, so I was expecting the worst. It was the same way with sales. I have had little experience with sales other than the basic sales techniques. I’m starting to see distinct differences and I like sales more.  Working on the phones in an inbound call center is a lot different than an outbound cold call center.  While we do outbound calls as follow ups and to generate leads for sales increases for our client’s stores it seems much less intrusive to have the potential customers calling us.

Telemarketers learn how to be more on the aggressive side. That aggressiveness automatically turns customers off. You have a better chance to build a relationship with the customer. The customer can also be turned off by telemarketing calls either early in the morning or during the weekend while they are trying to relax.  In sales/customer service, the customer comes to you. This is important because they are more open to hear what you have to say and more open to give information.

I’m definitely not saying that working sales is an easy job. However, in telemarketing you have a matter of seconds, whereas, you have minutes to work with in sales. My final reason for liking sales/customer service over telemarketing is because you have a chance to help the customer out. In telemarketing you are seen as all about the sale. Working in customer service/sales you have a chance to provide a service to the customer. I have had good experiences in both sales and telemarketing. If I have to choose a career, then I would choose sales over telemarketing. This applies to nearly every business including self storage.

Written by Robin Turner, PhoneSmart call center manager.

Thank you for visiting the PhoneSmart call center blog.  We offer and insider view of the self storage and property management industry.

A note from Sarah: Answering for both residential and commercial property management companies, the PhoneSmart call center has perfected its selling technique over the past 6 years and has taken more than 1 million calls. If you’d like information on learning our proven sales techniques contact us today.

Self Storage In New York
980 4th Ave. 
Brooklyn, NY 11232 
Manager: Doug Aldrich  
Ph:(718) 499-3999 
Fax:(718) 369-0029

Call Doug for your $50 coupon!  

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What can you do when you have a caller who needs self storage?  This sounds simple until they tell you they do not need it for 4 more months.  What do you do?  Handle the call as you would any other caller.  Give them all of the information that they need so when it comes time for them to rent their storage unit, they will be prepared.  Most likely if they are calling you 4 months from the time that they need it they are probably taking notes, as they are most likely also shopping other stores as well. 
 
Don't give them the short end of the stick just because they are not going to store for 4 months.  Don’t rush your call thinking it’s not worth your time.   In 4 months they’ll need to rent self storage somewhere. Maybe they are selling their home or moving to the area.  You can still be as inviting to them as you would be to someone who needs storage tomorrow.  Give them your full attention and follow through. 
 
Ask your caller for their address so that you can send them some information.  You may not want to send them all of your prices, but maybe a brochure that tells all about your facility.  A brochure will leave a lasting impression, even when you’re done with your call.  The customer’s eyes seem to brighten up when offered a brochure to be mailed out to them.  They know you care enough to keep in touch with them.  If you ever offer coupons, maybe you can throw one in there for them.  Maybe even add a personalized note about what you talked about. They’ll be sure to rent from you, as your competitor may not have been so nice as to offer them the same courtesy as you have. This is a very powerful sales technique once you learn how to use it.

By Robin Turner, PhoneSmart apartment call center manager.

Thanks for reading PhoneSmart’s business blog, where we give you insight into the property management industry.

Self Storage in Georgia

1891 N. Columbia Street 
Milledgeville, GA 31061 
Manager: Jonell Hinton 
Ph:(478) 453-9035 
Fax:(478) 414-1113

Call Jonell today to receive your $50 coupon!

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Blogging has been the up and coming marketing tool for some time now.  Perhaps you’re just learning about the benefits a blog can bring to your business.  As a management company, you can reach everyone from the tenants who use your facilities to your next client.  The reader margin can be as wide or narrow as you deem appropriate and the cost is absolutely minimal compared to some of your current marketing campaigns.

Once you learn how to blog the sky’s the limit.  Whether you write once a day or ten times a day is up to you.  But one thing is for sure; it will all pay off in the end.

The great thing about a business blog is that it allows employees within your business to feel like they’re contributing to your growth and you’ll gain more perspective from within your company one you begin to see everyone’s viewpoint.  Your readers will enjoy the diversity.

PhoneSmart uses entries from our Director, Tron Jordheim; all the way to our part time call center reps and even some of our outside independent contractors.  We enjoy the input from our diverse group and hope our readers see the vastness of our text.

More than just getting everyone on board your new blogging adventure, a well groomed blog can provide price less advertising for your business; large or small, In fact, a blog can be a small business’s best friend.  Now that you’ve finished reading my blog entry, write one of your own and get it out there.

By Sarah Little, Total Quality Assurance Executive and caretaker of this business blog, shares the importance of this new property management trend.

Thanks for reading our PhoneSmart’s self storage and apartment blog, you’re inside scoop of the property management industry.

Need Storage in Pompano Beach, Florida? Convenient location on South Federal Hwy, near Boat USA. Call Rob 954-942-0091.

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In this property management business blog, I will discuss how long it took me awhile to adjust from selling storage units to selling apartments. There are a couple of things that helped me adjust. I had to learn how to apply the same sales technique to the property management industry and self storage industry. During training, we took a site tour of the storage units so that we could have a mental picture of what the storage units look when we are describing the units to potential customers. I also take calls in for property management as an apartment call center. I recently needed to apply for an apartment with that property management group. I went to go look at the apartments that I was inquiring about. I got to see where the office was located. This helped me visualize things when I’m giving directions to the office for potential customers. They also let me see one of the actual apartments so that I could see how they were setup. This helped paint a visual picture to me so that I can better describe the apartment rather than just giving the square footage. I also got to see where the on-site laundry facility, exercise room, swimming pool, and the other amentias. Seeing the product you are trying to sell to a customer helps you to better convince the customer they need the product. I hope this apartment blog helps property management to see how important “seeing is believing” is.

By Ronald Smith, PhoneSmart call center blog writer and reservation specialist.
Thanks for reading the PhoneSmart property management blog, the ins and out of the property management industry.

Great Storage location in Miami, Florida. Call Enrique 305-718-8283 for this location with carpeted hallways, covered loading and unloading areas.

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Many times I’ll have customers ask:  Do you have problems with rodents, or bugs? flooding or break-ins?  These are all reasonable concerns, I might add.  We should always be prepared to answer those questions as upcoming property management trends.

At PhoneSmart we have limited knowledge of specifics for these types of questions; however we’re here to represent the company and give the most accurate information regarding any of these situations to assist with increasing sales.

Our typical responses, for any of these scenarios would be something like… well, if we had problems with them any of these, then we would probably be out of business.  Making light of the concern.  Which in fact, if the storage facility did have major problems with any of these issues, then they probably would be out of business.  You know how word of mouth spreads like wild fire.  

Always tie it in with something to help ensure their confidence of the property too.  Learn how to give them advice on how to pack will help alleviate some of their concerns.  Such as use the plastic wrap offered at the store to wrap up your furniture pieces so dust won’t settle into the fabric.  Another good one, which I also use at home when storing my own boxes in my laundry room, is to tape up the box on all sides so that there are no open holes, or slits for dust to get in to.  

These little tidbits are useful for the caller.  They probably didn’t think about the little things that they could do… that’s why we’re here to help them…. In any way we can.

Are you ready to overcome all concerns? These sales techniques will help.

By Robin Turner PhoneSmart call center manager and business blog writer.

Thanks for reading the PhoneSmart property management blog, where we offer an inside peek at the property management industry.

Looking for storage or parking in Lombard, IL? Great location just 2 blocks east of I-355, between Main Street and Route 53. Call Brad 630-268-9508.

 

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If they receive a brochure in the mail, that’s a bonus. So don’t let your callers walk away without utilizing your resources, especially if they expected a call back. Then they could think that you forgot about them and they’ll rent elsewhere. A real desire to help the facility you are serving have sales increase will drive you to do all you can to find them.

By Robin Turner PhoneSmart call center manager and business blog writer.

 

Thanks for joining us today in the PhoneSmart property management blog, an insider view of the property management industry.

 

Looking for storage in Merriam, KS? Roger and Jean would love to help you with your storage needs. Call 913-722-1991 or stop by for a site visit.

 

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