» Sales Techniques

There are many opinions out there in the self storage world dealing with the topic of stalling to give the price. In property management, some owners believe that it does not matter whether you give the price before or after you talk about the amenities. Some want to make sure they explain what you are getting for the price. Let us look at both sides of the picture.

The pro of stalling to give the price is that it helps you build value in your storage facility and allow the caller to see what they are getting for the price. It also allows you the opportunity build a relationship with the caller and helps you set up the reservation process. Stalling to give the price sets you up to explain how you are different from your competitors and shows that you are best place to store their belongings. In property management, the only cons of stalling that most can see is that if the caller is in a rush, they are getting impatient waiting to hear about the facility, etc. At that same time, they still should know what they are putting their money towards.  

It is good to look at the other side of things as well in property management. With the employees on your staff, you have to ensure that everyone is on the same path or believes in what you are trying to accomplish. The pros of giving the price without going over the amenities are that the caller can know up front what the price is. They do not have to wait through a spiel of amenities when their whole focus is the price. To them it will not matter what you have to offer as long as the price is within their expectations. The cons to this method is that as soon as you give the price to them, they may end the call right there with out giving you the opportunity to discuss your amenities. Then when they shop around, they will only be checking the prices and not the features. To most customers, they would not know why different facilities offer different prices and could potentialy make the wrong storage decision.

Being in property management, you have to ensure that not only your building is being maintained but also you have to maintain the performance of your staff. With proper staffing and coaching, you can see your facility benefit. If you are not nourishing your employees and getting their opinions, your staff might not believe in your vision or you goals. Most owners want the customer to be able to see the storage facility for what it really worth. If you are allowing your people to just give out a price, you are selling yourself short. No one in property management wants to lose money due to their employees not following a plan that they laid out.

The decision whether or not to give the price immediately or stalling until you have given them your amenities, is up to you. Just know there are pros and cons to both ways, but stalling to give out the price has proven to rent more spaces. The caller can see the facility for what it truly has to offer. Customers should not choose where they place their belongings on price alone.

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The most important part of every self storage, property management or manager calls for a PhoneSmart call center rep is the greeting.  The potential self storage customer can immediately tell if our self storage phone rep is distracted, or in a bad mood, or has a smile on their face, etc.  This initial greeting sets the mood and the tone for the entire call.  These first few seconds alone can determine if we will get a self storage reservation.

Oftentimes someone needing self storage is not in a good point in his or her life. Not many people wake up in the morning happy to spend money on a self storage rental. Because not many people have the extra money, transportation or drive to get a self storage unit rented. They might be going through a divorce, the loss of a job, a sudden move, or a death in the family.  The self storage caller is upset and terrified, and it is easy for them to think the entire world is against them. We get a large amount of self storage calls from people who are calling for someone else that needs self storage. These people are trying to get self storage information from the call center so they can help the friend or relative in their life manage a self storage unit.  

If a PhoneSmart sales agent answers the phone nonchalantly the caller will notice immediately.  They will simply assume we are just another person in the world that does not care about them or their self storage problems.

If one of our PhoneSmart phone reps answers the phone upset (because we did not leave our personal problems at the door) then our potential self storage renter will think we are uncaring.

But we here at PhoneSmart answer the phone at our call center with a smile on our face and a lilt in our voice (because we are focusing on the job at hand) then the customer knows that someone really does care about them; that life is going to get better. Which makes our job great that we can help someone in his or her time of self storage need and hopefully make his or her day go a little smoother? When you make someone else feel better, then the feeling will be returned. It warms the heart to know that you have helped another person in need. 

Today’s tip is: no matter what kind of mood you are in or what kind of day you are having, ALWAYS answer the phone in a cheerful and professional manner.  Even though you may be having a bad day, chances are pretty good your caller is having an even worse day than you are. Take a breath, push the button, smile and then answer the phone. Your self storage callers will appreciate your professionalism and you will brighten someone’s day with your friendly and helpful demeanor. When you are done helping them, they will feel relieved that they can cross find self storage off of their to do list.

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Remembering what it was like to know nothing about self storage sometimes feels like a lifetime ago. When I think back, the thing that impresses me most are all the amenities and security features the self storage industry has to offer, and yet most consumers are unaware that self storage is more than an empty garage space.

Before my career in the storage business, I’m sure I had driven past countless storage facilities without ever taking notice. Maybe this is true for many Americans who have yet to find a need for self storage. But what happens when they do need a place to store their daughter’s college dorm room for the summer, or put their parents’ houseful of items into storage? They might not have any idea that self storage is more than an empty shell to fill their stuff with.

Educating self storage customers should be at the forefront of every self storage owner and property manager’s mind. Consider that nearly every other industry and specific retailer has trained consumers about what services they should expect within specific industries. Customers shop around and look for the best deal when buying a new car, they know how to bargain for furniture, they compare the fine print between which cell phone provider offers what.

For example, today I bought a bed for my toddler. Several weeks ago, I knew I’d be purchasing a bed so I called my local stores. When I made the calls, I simply asked for the price of the cheapest twin mattress. There were a few furniture stores that refused to give me the price over the phone and insisted I come in, most rattled off a price between $150 to $200. Only one facility asked me what was creating my need for a twin mattress, told me about the features of their mattress, and reminded me I’d also need a frame and because kids tend to spill and make messes, I’d need a mattress protector. Although that facility quoted me the highest price, I was very close to going there to buy the product.

Consumers have been trained to seek out the best deal based on their needs. So when a situation arises that requires offsite storage, they expect the self storage manager to take care of them by understanding their needs and offering them the best solution. Asking the customer a few key questions is still, hands down, the best way to build an accurate self storage quote.

Tron has told stories about going down a list in the phone book and calling self storage facilities to measure their sales skills. You may or may not be surprised to hear him say that it takes several, sometimes 10, calls to get someone to sell their facility to him and ask him to reserve a storage unit.

Because consumers are more savvy than ever, they will find the facility they feel is the best value for their dollar. If you, as a self storage manager, fail to tell them about the access controlled gate and video surveillance, UPS and Fed Ex pickup services, covered loading docks, free truck, etc. but your competition tells their customers about those features, your customers won’t think you forgot to tell them. They’ll assume you simply don’t have that much to offer. (And isn’t it a shame that we use business as an excuse not to provide excellent service.)

Capturing every opportunity to earn a new tenant in more important than ever. One way to tip the scale in your favor is to teach your customers about the services you offer. Tell them during your first contact with them and you’ll leave a lasting impression that will bring them through your door.

Written by Sarah Little, TQAS Director

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Raise your hand if you want to have your storage facility at 100 percent occupancy? I expect to see everyone’s hand up, if I could actually see everyone who reads this blog. We all want to do well with self-storage and get customers to come through our doors. It is remarkable that we want a specific result, but we are not taking the time to ask the caller or in-store customer, enough questions to satisfy their self-storage needs.

I have heard so many people just give out the price without asking any questions. How do they expect to sell self-storage? You have to ask the caller questions. How many questions do you need to ask a customer in order to discover all of their needs? That is up to you, essentially but I believe there are seven basic questions you should always ask. Those questions are: what is the customer’s name, when do they need storage, do they know where my facility is located, is my facility convenient for you reach when you need your belongings, how are you getting your belongings to the storage facility, what are you storing, and why are we in need of storage today. There is no specific order these questions should be asked, but if you can get it to flow through all of the questions it will not sound scripted.

Let us dive into why we ask the questions from above.

• What is the customer’s name? This question is asked to build rapport. The caller or customer is most likely to buy from someone they have been introduced to. Additionally, without a name, who do we reserve a unit for?
• When do they need storage? This information can be used to create a  sense of urgency to rent soon and to check the availability of the space they need.
• Do they know where my facility is located and is my facility convenient for you reach when you need your belongings? A powerful tool used to make sure the caller knows how to get to your facility to visit and to ensure that they are not inconvenienced driving periodically to your facility.
• How are you getting your belongings to the storage facility? We can use that to find out if the caller would need the services of a truck or mobile storage.
• What are you storing? Knowing this helps determing the storage unit size they need.
• Why are we in need of storage today?  This one is not common in the self storage industry, but it is an awesome way to develop that you care about what their storage needs are and to further build rapport. Also, this will help if they are in need of other packing supplies or climate controlled storage.

If we take the time to ask the caller questions about their storage needs, we are in a great position to satisfy their needs. The more you know about the caller, the more that they agree to and the less objection they would have to reserve a space with you. It would be hard for the caller to say no to someone who has completely taken care of all their concerns.  So take the time to listen and then to accommodate. The caller will be taken care of and I am sure that they will recommend your services to a friend or family member.

Joel Little, Experience Manager.

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A national chain is opening a new restaurant in our college town this weekend. Yesterday from 11am until 7pm they gave free food to everyone that walked through their door. The only stipulation was one order per person.

What a fantastic marketing ploy! They did not advertise this event whatsoever; it was simply word of mouth. And how the word spread!!

Our office heard of it from a coworker that received an email from a friend two hours away. We all spent the day staggering our lunch breaks so everyone could get in on the giveaway. Of course the line was rather long, but the weather was fairly nice and the mood of the crowd was festive. (Free can do that to people.)

What a win-win situation! The restaurant’s new employees got to put their training to good use, the company relied on Word of Mouth advertising to promote their new location, and customers got a free meal. Secret shoppers co-mingled with the hungry patrons to help the store managers know what went well and what needed more work.  And there is no doubt this restaurant gained several new loyal consumers – as they do have a good product!

Written by Ann Sheehan

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Today’s daily tip is to always ask each caller and walk in self storage customer, How did you hear about us? Why is an important part of your customer service and sales duties? Because it can help you track your advertising and marketing dollars. Many self storage sites offer current tenants some incentive for self storage referrals. It is important to treat your current customers with great customer service, so that they will stay as renters and they will refer your site. If you ask every caller and walk in that question, then you can see if the phone book or other outside advertising is doing you any good. You might find that some of your business is coming from an unexpected source; this enables you to redirect that marketing focus to gain more customers. Some self storage businesses will have a verbal agreement with local moving companies or property management companies. You talk up our self storage business and we will talk up your moving company. It works both ways, and is a good business practice. Many people you ask might say that they looked your local self storage facility on the internet. This is becoming an increasing trend with the internet becoming more user friendly and the high cost of gasoline. So, do not forget to ask, you might be surprised at some of the answers.

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS agent.

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Last week I visited the local mall in Columbia with my husband who was checking to see if he could get in to the barber shop for a hair cut.  Since the store wasn’t far from the entrance I waited in the car, but it was taking a bit too long for him to get back.  I parked the car and went in to find him with a box in his hand and a young lady with a Santa Claus hat on talking a mile a minute.  When I walked up to the kiosk in the center of the store where they were, she quickly turned her attention to me and I found myself taking his place.

So here I was holding a box of nail care products listening to someone who’s wearing a Santa Claus hat, wondering to myself how I got into this predicament.  As I listened to her talk all I could think of was asking her to work for us in the Call Center.  Her sales techniques grabbed my attention.  She didn’t just tell me about the product but she showed me exactly how easy it was to use.  She demonstrated how to use the product on my hand and nails so I could see for myself how wonderful the product was. 

Not only did she have me thinking that I wanted to purchase this item, but who else I could purchase it for. In the self storage business you can utilize these same sales techniques to up sell your customers on the products you sell inside of the store.  Although they may not have intended to purchase boxes when they came to rent their self storage unit, they could leave your store with boxes in hand. 

Her attitude and confidence level was great.  She smiled and kept a positive attitude and she didn’t let my rejections for the product stop her in her tracks.  She continued as if to say she hadn’t given me enough information to appropriately make an educated decision.  She responded to my concerns.  Not just one or two of them but all of them. And when it came to the money concern  she was able to give me a cut in price.  Not only once, but she cut the price twice with the approval of her supervisor.

So with product in hand and paid for, I walked away.  Only to walk back past her to get to my car and leave, she approached me again and introduced another product the same way she did the first time.  There I was going home happily with 2 products I didn’t even know I needed.

Written by Robin Turner, Call Center Co-Director

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Today’s daily tip from the PhoneSmart call center is to SMILE when you are answering the phone. Yes, I said to smile when you answer the phone. The person on the other end will not be able to see you smile but they will be able to hear it in your voice. These first few seconds on the phone are critical when trying to build rapport and trust from a potential self storage customer. If you have a million things going on around you and you pick up the phone and blurt out a greeting, it will show that you are not ready to give your full attention to the self storage caller. You would be surprised to know the amount of self storage managers that pick up the phone and are still talking to someone else in the room and then they say Hello. It is almost like the person calling is an afterthought. If you are talking to someone else in the room, finish or put the conversation on hold and then pick up the phone, don’t forget to smile and give your best customer service. So, it does not matter whether you are answering for San Antonio Self Storage or Springfield Self Storage any self storage owner will want you to dedicate your attention to answering the phone with a smile.

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive.

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Can you teach a seasoned self storage manager new sales techniques?

One of our newest types of secret shopping is our Feedback Shop where we mystery shop the self storage manager and then right before the call ends we revel ourselves. We then ask if the manager has time to go over the call and then the call is discussed. We offer tips and advice on how to make the call better. The instant feedback is great because the call is still fresh in the manager’s mind and they have input on how the call went also.

Sometimes when we are going over the call the manager will hint that they have been selling self storage for a long time and that’s the way they always rent units. Why should I have to change my routine now when it has always worked in the past? It sort of reminds me of the saying; You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. But the saying is not true, you can teach an old dog new tricks just like you can teach a seasoned self storage manager new sales techniques, you just have to have the correct approach. Call 866-639-1715 and ask for the Total Quality Assurance Department, better known as secret shopping for information on how to teach your self storage managers new sales techniques.

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive.

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Happy Halloween Everyone!

Today is the day the ghouls will be ghoulish, the ghosts will be ghostly, and the witches, witchy. The last day of October also marks the oncoming of the winter months and depending where you are in the country, it could mean some cold weather.

I was just secret shopping a manager in North Carolina and she asked me if I was interested in regular storage or climate controlled storage. I asked what the price difference was and she said 30%, which seemed high. But she was quick to follow up with the helpful tip that November and February are the worst months for regular storage in that part of the country. She said that even though the nights are cold the days can warm up and that can cause an accumulation of condensation in the regular storage units. Now I am thinking 30% doesn’t sound so bad, if my stuff will stay dry, mold free and not stuffy smelling.

So, if you have a selling point to make, be able to back it up with why the customer should invest the extra money. Putting value in the price will help the customer understand why the price is set the way it is. It’s ok that you may offer services that vary in price, just be ready to explain why. Don’t leave the self storage customer wondering, why does that cost more?

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS Department

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