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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September 2006 Property Management Blog Archive

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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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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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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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Self Storage Article Directory. Visit our Self Storage Locations by State Section.

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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

TN Storage Units

Self Storage Article Directory. Visit our Climate Controlled Storage Section.

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Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS agent.

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Self Storage Article Directory.  Visit our Climate Controlled Storage Section.

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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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Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive.

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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.

Total quality Assurance Services is brought to you by PhoneSmart – A quality assurance firm.

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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

Total quality Assurance Services is brought to you by PhoneSmart – A quality assurance firm .

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

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Let me explain what I mean by the last line above. Some of us decide not to tell our self storage customers about any additional costs there are to rent (lock, admin costs, etc) until they come down to the facility. The customer does not deserve that. If they come down ready to move all of their belongings and bring enough money to cover their unit and tax, they will not be very pleased to pay more than what was quoted on the phone. Ensure that the caller knows what they are paying for and any extras they need before they rent with you. You can maintain that great relationship with the caller if you do so. 

Trying to get the caller to reserve a space with a credit card, could be handled differently than I sometimes hear. Instead of just offering to have the space held, tell the caller why they benefit from giving you their credit card. A customer can understand limited availability or ensuring that they get the great special that was offered. They will not enjoy the fact that you are pressuring them to give you their credit card with no tie-in to why they should give it to you. Would you just give you credit card to a person that says, You can hold this space if you give me your credit card. In that statement, I figure they have many spaces so I do not need to give them my credit card over the phone. Show the caller some value when asking for their credit card. Their credit card is their identity.

We are here to help the customers that call or come into our building. Take the time to treat them, as you want to be treated. Do not pressure them, develop a relationship and take care of their needs. Do not surprise them with extra costs, as you would not like to be. Take care of them now and they will refer people to your facility or rent with you for a long time.

Joel Little, Experience manager.

Thanks for reading our secret shopping blog. We offer sales techniques that will help you rent more units.

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I have heard many great greetings in self storage and on the flip side, greetings that I’d rather not mention. Some people decide to have greetings that are scripted and are a paragraph long it seems; others just answer the phone with the name of the facility. I think a happy medium is in order, to ensure that the caller knows where they called, whom they are speaking to and to know they are ready to be helped. The tone, inflection of voice and sincerity can all make a difference on the delivery of the greeting. 

In self storage, there is a lot of competition out there. No one is above making some tweaks to their performance or doing some self-evaluations. With a proper greeting, you are setting the stage for the call. Now, setting the stage is the easy part, what song and dance you do afterwards, while offering a self storage quote, is also crucial for gaining new tenants.

Joel Little, Experience Manager

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65202 Wine Storage

Rent storage at 14985 Old Hickory Blvd, Nashville, TN 37211

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I secret shopped a gentleman yesterday and he did a great, no he did a phenomenal job taking care of me as if I were a potential client. He explained how his facility was laid out in terms of amenities and how I would be saving so much more money if I rented today. I gave him praise for doing a great job around the bulk of the call. When I went to give him feedback on something that would help his presentation, he did not receive it well. He went on to tell me that he has been in this industry for more than a decade and he understands how the caller thinks and what they respond to. I was trying to let him know that not all customers are the same and some want more than just a great price. They want to know what they are getting for the price and a good practice is to build value in the facility before the self storage rates are given. He did not agree with that and once again went into how he knows better.

While secret shopping this individual, he had some valid points, but the whole idea of feedback shops is to get some constructive criticism and better yourself, even if you already to a great job. This manager needed a bit of a reality check if he believes that all the people that call him want to be talked to and care about the same thing. If he uses a cookie-cutter presentation for he will lose a percentage of potential clientele that need to hear the value and convenience of location before hearing the price. Take all feedback as a way for us to help you better succeed. Reality is, if what he is doing was very effective he would have 100% occupancy. We also shop his competitor a few blocks away, they use the price stall technique and currently have very near 100% occupancy.

Like they say, You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.

Joel Little, Experienced Manager.

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65803 Wine Storage

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The next phase you’ll probably go through is a threatened phase. Your staff is going to feel like, well, geez, do they think I’m not doing my job? What are they doing? Are they setting me up to get canned? They will probably be a little threatened by the ideas in this book and the practices I am advocating. I understand. They are probably also thinking, Hey, I’ve been doing this a long time. I know what I’m doing. You can’t tell me how I should do things. I rent a lot of units. There are no new ideas.  New ideas and new practices always appear threatening at first.

You can help get your crew through the threatened phase by assuring them you would not invest training and education in an employee you did not have confidence in. You can tell them about some of the successes people and companies have had implementing what I suggest. This will help them feel less threatened.

The next thing you’re probably going to see your people go through is a period of resistance, and that’s okay. They’re thinking, what are they telling me I don’t know already? I don’t really need this. They may tell you that the strategies and tactics I promote do not work. They may try something once and feel awkward about it and then tell you they will not try it again. But if you reassure people that there is additional business to gain by learning and practicing what has been successful in other businesses and in other self storage operations, they will go along with your experiment. At first they may go along just to humor you.

The next thing you’re going to see people go through is the tentative phase. They will come to accept that some of these ideas might be worth trying. They will say something like this, like Okay, I’ll try it. I’ll read it. I’ll listen to it. I’ll put in the time. I’ll give it a chance.  I understand why they will act tentatively at first. I’d do the same thing if I were in their shoes and felt as if someone was giving me grief.
 
The next thing you’ll go through is a curious phase. Your people will try a few things that work. Customers will respond in a positive manner. Your crew will begin to think Hmm, that’s not a half-bad idea. Oh, well that’s one way of looking at things.

And the next thing you know, people will begin to get a little excited. In this phase of excitement your staff will begin to see some successes and will want to try more new ways of doing things and saying things. You may even become a little excited. You’ll try one of my suggestions one day, and you’ll go, I’ll be danged, it worked! And you’ll get excited and try something else and go, Hey that worked too! And you’ll sit down and look at some of the structures I’m going to give you and say, You know, that halfway makes sense. That is how it works when you’re selling self-storage. And you’ll start working with this selling system, and you’ll get into it, and you’ll use it, day after day and with prospect after prospect, and you’ll rent more units, and you’re going to love it! And then you’ll experience bliss, and that’s the place I want you to get to.

Written by Tron Jordheim, Director of the PhoneSmart Call Center.

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Self storage available at 3700 Centreville Rd. Chantilly, VA 20151

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How you help people accept your offering is by understanding before you counter. If someone is raising a concern, allow them to tell you what their concern is. You may have heard this concern 57 times today, buy if you cut that person off thinking you know what they’re saying, they’re not going to like it. So let people finish what they have to say. Understand what they said. Try to look between the lines to understand their emotional position. Use paraphrasing to help them to explain it some more, and then assure the person that what you are offering is a good thing. That’s how it works. Understand before you counter. Assure that person that their concern is not a new concern. Show them how your offering takes these concerns into account and makes everything better.

Written by Tron Jordheim

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Rent self storage at 8401 Contee Rd, Laurel, MD 20708

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Even when talking to a customer who seems to know their stuff, self storage managers should pay close attention to the caller to make sure they’re following along with the conversation.

It’s important to be sensitive to how comfortable your caller, or the customer in your office, is with your conversation. Make sure they are following along with you and understand what you’re saying. If you leave them behind somewhere along the way, when it’s time to close the sale your customer will still be lingering in the self storage abyss where you left them- pondering the meaning of Bob Bader.

The solution is easy. Don’t overwhelm customers by listing too many details in one breath. Don’t clutter their mind by telling them irrelevant details for their self storage needs, like telling them the name of the pest control company you use or how many steel rafters are holding up the roof. Certainly, these things are beneficial, so mention them quickly.

And the second half of the solution, relate to the customer what you’re talking about. If you say, We have an onsite manager, follow it up with, which means that the manager lives on the property and it’s very secure.

Keep the caller by your side through the entire presentation and don’t leave them behind.

Written by Sarah Little, TQA Account Executive

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33126 Self Storage

Rent storage at 8255 Baltimore/Washington Blvd, Jessup, MD 20794

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So here are a few ways to find out whether it’s true or whether someone is trying to put a move on you and dodge a decision. Ask the prospect, Well, have the two of you already talked about storing? Oh! And have you decided what you’re going to store? And have you decided when you’re going to need to store? If they have already talked about it, then the risk to that person of getting in trouble with their spouse by reserving a storage unit with you is next to nothing. The risk to them is making the phone call and not reserving the unit; because if they’ve already discussed all of this with their spouses they will not get a good response at home if there has been no reservation or no rental. If he goes home and says, Honey, I called the craft storage place; it sounded great, his wife is going to say, Did you reserve a unit? and he’ll say, No, and she’ll say, Well, why not. What are you waiting for? Can’t I trust you to get anything done? This conversation will go like this no matter which spouse you talk to and no matter what sort of a marriage or partnership it is.

Written by Tron Jordheim, Director of PhoneSmart

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Self storage available at 10 Leecon Ct, Southampton, NY 11968

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Feel-felt-found goes like this: I understand how you feel about paying that much rent for a storage unit. Some of our other customers felt that way too before they moved in to their units. But what they found was our place is a great place to store. That’s why a large portion of our business comes from repeat customers and referrals.

That’s how the feel-felt-found works, and it works with every concern that people have when they talk to you. I understand how you feel about the price of our 10x 10. Some people felt like it was a lot of money, too, but what they found was that with the features and amenities that we offer at this store, it was a great storage experience. So I can assure you you’re going to like renting here. Would you like to move in today, or would tomorrow be better for you? It’s a powerful technique. You can customize it to your own way of speaking and you can use it all day long in you self storage, wine storage business and never get tired of it. It’s a great way to boost your secret shopping scores.

From Tron Jordheim, Director of PhoneSmart.

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Storage available at 363 Huguenot St, New Rochelle, NY 10801

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60622 Self Storage

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This is also why it is difficult for some people to tell jokes. If they do not tell it just right or do not deliver the punch line exactly as intended, the joke falls flat or bombs all together.

When you have mastered these phrases and know how to get the right reaction from self storage prospects, cause them to think the right sorts of things and paint the right pictures in their imaginations, then you can put these phrases in your own words to suit your personal style or to suit the person you are talking to.

Improvising sales phrases before you know how to use them is like letting someone go target shooting in the woods with a pistol before they know how to handle the pistol in a controlled environment like a shooting range.

Written by Tron Jordheim, Director of PhoneSmart.

Thanks for reading our TQAS blog, a blog that deals with stories about the self storage industry, selling self storage, training ideas, customer service, how to give the best self storage rates and more.

Storage available at 39-25 21st St, Queens (Long Island City), NY 11101

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30045 Self Storage

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

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Tron Jordheim’s entrepreneur life from age 6.

Thanks for reading our property management blog, a blog about the ins and outs of the property management industry.

Find your next car storage, boat storage or self storage at your StorageConcierge – Your premier national and local self storage search engine and free quote provider.

Storage available at 255 Exterior St, Bronx, NY 10451

33165 Self Storage

Planning on a move to West New York, New Jersey? Visit our partners at the West New York, New Jersey moving information center.

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

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I know you’d like to think half of your phone calls are new rental inquiries. Is that fantasy or reality? Find out, it will help your property management business prosper in the end.

 
Written by Tron Jordheim, Director of PhoneSmart.

Thanks for visiting our property management blog, a blog that deals with the property management industry.
 
33165 Self Storage

Planning a move to St Paul, Minnesota? Visit our partners at the St Paul, Minnesota moiving information center.

Storage Available at 1880 Bartow Ave, Bronx, NY 10469 

Find your next car storage, boat storage or self storage at your StorageConcierge – Your premier national and local self storage search engine and free quote provider.

Self Storage Owner — Where Self Storage Owners meet Self Storage Customers

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

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The Hip-Hop culture continues to thrive all over the world. You see young people who appear to be into the hip-hop culture, and you think that all you have to do to be able to get into the hip-hop culture is just say Yo every once in a while and wear baggy, low riding pants.

Written by Tron Jordheim, PhoneSmart Call Center Director and provider of self storage quotes.

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Storage available at 200 E. 135th St, Bronx, NY 10451

33040 Self Storage

Planning a move to Chicago, Illinois? Visit our partners at the Chicago, Illinois moving information center.

Find your next car storage, boat storage or self storage at your StorageConcierge – Your premier national and local self storage search engine and free quote provider.

Self Storage Owner — Where Self Storage Owners meet Self Storage Customers

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

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Most companies know when they will have some vacancies, yes some are spur of the moment but most are planned. This allows the manager to be able to provide the best customer service available. Letting calls go is like letting future business go, and while their property is full today it may not be tomorrow.

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive and business blog writer.

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Find your next car storage, boat storage or self storage at your StorageConcierge – Your premier national and local self storage search engine and free quote provider.

Need Storage at 1352 Holton Ln, Takoma Park, MD 20912

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

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When speaking about the facility, I personalize it with the words, we, us or our and say, our facility has excellent security because we have (add your own benefit).  This sentence is better than saying, at that facility they have yacht storage (or some other vague description).

Another personalization technique that I like to use is when I speak about the property managers.  At the call center, we have access to the managers’ names and should use them to better help us personalize our calls.  Saying, Angela and her husband Ralph are the managers who live on the premises for added security. This sentence not only tells the caller that there is an on site management team (security) on the site, it helps them connect the storage facility with a name(s).  This also creates a family atmosphere and who would not want to store with family?  The next time that you answer a call, I challenge you to build rapport by personalizing the call and see the difference it makes with the caller.

Written by: Angela Perry PhoneSmart Sales Rep and business blog writer.

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We have storage at 8401 Contee Rd, Laurel, MD 20708

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Self Storage Owner — Where Self Storage Owners meet Self Storage Customers

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

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To make sure our location will be convenient for the customer we try to give easy directions and landmarks.  The caller may have never noticed our location on Main Street, but they probably have been to the McDonald’s that is next door!

When we are describing the security features, we try to use descriptions the caller can relate to.  A good example of this is, Our management team actually lives on the property, so they take care of it like their own backyard!

Probably the most important visual we give is in relation to unit sizes.  Most people have no idea what a 10×20 storage unit is or how much it will hold.  That is why we explain that a one-car garage that will hold a two bedroom house plus major appliances. It is especially important to emphasize the amenities for a wine storage unit. With this description a light bulb usually goes off in the person’s head, and they know that is exactly the size they will need.  (We even have cheat sheets in every cubicle to help phone reps depict the different sized units.)

It is always important that the customer has a clear understanding of everything to do with the storage facility.  Using visuals is a great tool to help accomplish this task.

Written by Ann Sheehan

Thanks for reading our secret shopping blog. We offer sales training and quality asurance to the self storage industry.

Visit our Self Storage Pod Cast

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Find storage at 14150 N. Cleveland Ave, Fort Meyers, FL 33903

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

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When it comes to increasing sales, the best thing that you can do is to get your offerings in front of interested parties. In other words, the best sales technique is a good marketing plan. You should consider marketing your business both online and off in any way that you can think of. Even if you have to spend a bit of money on marketing, you will get paid back many times over in the long run. You should expect to incur marketing expenses as you continue to build your self storage business.

Another great way to increase sales is to offer more than the competition. This is often times overlooked because owners want to find all of the tricks. Instead, consider how increasing your offerings can help you to move above and beyond the crowd. PhoneSmart’s call  center services allow you to stand above the crowd of self storage owners and capture more sales.

All in all, there are many sales techniques that can help you to grow your self storage business. The more that you employ, the better chance you have of increasing profits.

Written by our Guest Blogger

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Rent a storage unit at 111 Danbury Rd, Wilton, CT 06897

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

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• I am not ready to reserve yet.– Have you done any shopping around to other facilities?  How do we stack up?
• I am still shopping around. – I understand that you want to see what else is out there.  But since availability is limited, it is a good idea to hold a unit with us.  That way when you call us back a unit will be waiting for you.
• I need to speak to my husband. – I understand, my husband and I like to discuss everything too. By putting a unit on hold you know you have it while you finalize your decision.  Plus, he’d probably be relieved that you’ve already taken care of everything. 
• I don’t have a credit card. – Do you have a check card with a Visa/MasterCard logo on it?  Or maybe you can borrow one from someone, since we do not charge anything on the card. 
• I’ll just come to the store. – We want you to come to the store and take a look around.  However, the reason you are talking to me instead of the store manager is because he is out showing storage units to a customer.  That is why it is important that we reserve a unit for you now, so we will have a space for you when you come into the office.
• The price is too high. – What were you expecting to pay?  If you do any shopping around you will find we have an excellent value for the area!

Often customers just need a little extra help to get them to commit to reserving a space.  At PhoneSmart we go that extra mile to help our callers make the decision.  And we always do it in a very nice and polite way – and always with a smile!

Written by: Ann Sheehan

Thanks for reading our secret shopping business blog. We offer sales training and quality assurance to the self storage industry.

Visit our Self Storage Pod Cast.

Are you moving to Oakland, California? Visit our partners at Oakland, California moving information center.

Rent self storage at 12901 Culver Blvd, Los Angeles-Marina, CA 90066

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

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For example, I had a customer walk in to my work and wanted to buy a 37-inch TV. That TV was going for $1299. The customer decided that even though we took great care of them and they could not find this kind of customer service anywhere else, they wanted to shop around. Well, since we are an outstanding research and development company, we had all the competitors pricing right there on one sheet of paper. We gave them the lowest price that any company offered on the TV ($899) and they still were not happy. They said we should give them free installation, accessories and a service plan. I was outraged. Here I am trying to assist a customer in finding their ideal TV for their family and I feel that I was taken advantage of. For this customer it was not about the service, it was just about the price. 

In our self-storage world, we try to win the customer with excellent service, a super clean facility and all the other amenities that would make anyone drool. When you are taking the time to discover the customer’s needs, just ask them, What is the most important thing to you in looking around for storage? You might be pleasantly surprised that it will be price. However, some people out there will not even blink at the price of the self-storage unit, if the amenities are great. Therefore, before giving out the price, maybe you can throw the question out there for the customer, Have you been shopping around? If so, what did you like/dislike out there? This way, you gain insight just on what the customer is thinking and you can cater your presentation around the insight into their thinking.

For the customer in my example above, if I knew that it came down to price, I would have spent less time trying to razzle dazzle them with my unique sales approach and just sat them down and crunched numbers. That would have been a better experience for them.

Written by: Joel Little, Experienced Sales Manager

Thanks for reading our secret shopping blog. We offer sales training and quality assurance to the self storage industry.

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Rent storage at 9420 De Soto Ave, Chatsworth, CA 91311

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

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Most customers don’t begin by telling you exactly what their needs are and they may not even know what they are. It’s your job to seek out the information vital to giving them the best solution.

The simplest way to know your customer’s needs is to do a little investigation and ask some questions. Begin with the basics and build from there; the following are a list of essential questions:

• How soon will you need that?
• Are we a convenient location?
• What will you be storing so that I may find you the best size?
  OR 
  If the customer already knows what size they want, confirm that it’s the best size by comparing it to a familiar size. Ex.: Ok, a 5×10 is about the size of a walk-in closet. Does that sound about right for you?

All of these questions will guide towards the final sale and can have an effect on which option is best for the caller. Because these questions should lead to the sale rather than follow it, you must ask these questions before giving a price and before closing the sale.

Getting agreement from your customer in each of these areas will lead the callers to selling themselves on your facility. They’ll be in the yes mode and ready to close the sale. Nurturing your customers’ needs not only gets your customers what they want, it will build excellent rapport and loyalty towards your business.

If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful.
Jeff Bezos

Written by Sarah Little, TQA Account Executive

Thanks for reading our mystery shopping blog. We offer sales training and quality assurance to the self storage industry.

Rent storage at 2006 Williamsport Pike, Martinsburg WV.

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Find your next car storage, boat storage or self storage at your StorageConcierge – Your premier national and local self storage search engine and free quote provider.

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

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Suddenly an employee of the airport shuttle service tapped me on the shoulder.  I explained my situation and Pam kindly offered to help.  Her company could get me to my house for $240 – more than the cost of my flight!  I told her, thanks, I’ll keep that in mind, and then I expected her to just walk away. 

Instead, she stuck around and helped me go over all my options.  In between customers we discussed things like one-way rental cars, staying in an airport motel, catching a Greyhound Bus, etc.  It was so nice just to have someone to talk to!  Luckily, I was able to get a hold of some friends and they gave me a ride. 

I was not able to use Pam’s shuttle service this time, but I certainly will in the future.  And I have told all of my family and friends what great customer service this company provides! 

What kind of property management customer service do you give your callers and walk-ins?  Even when someone just needs to buy one box, go ahead and give them that warm and fuzzy feeling!  Who knows, they might become your best customer!! Property management is more than managing your property; you have to be aware of the customer. Provide great customer service and your property will shine.

Written by Ann Sheehan, PhoneSmart phone rep and business blog writer.

Thanks for reading our property management blog, a blog that explores ideas in the property management industry.

Storage available at 4920 NW 7th St, Miami, FL 33126

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Planning on moving to Brooklyn, NY? Visit our partners at the Brooklyn, New York Moving information center.

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

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If you don’t overcome that feeling with reasons why you shouldn’t be uncomfortable, then you’ll never overcome that insecurity and you’ll lose each and every person who says they need to check with their spouse. It can be overcome if you’re sincere with your caller and you care about them.  If you don’t, then you’ll let that caller slip by.  When you’re uncomfortable with it, it’s simply because you haven’t understood yourself, why it’s important for them to reserve now.

Instead of thinking I can’t interfere with their personal life.  You should be asking yourself, why wouldn’t I want to help this caller understand the importance of reserving now, and not waiting until it’s too late? In the self storage and property management world, if you think that reserving a unit for someone who truly needs storage is a bad thing, then how will you feel when that caller calls back and nothing is available for them, because you didn’t explain the importance or stress to them how urgent it was to reserve during the first call? 

It’s simple to explain to the caller, without much effort on your part.  You just need the right choice of words, the right attitude, which can only be a sincere one otherwise you’re not going to help them.  Statements that would include such words as limited, if you definitely need it, it could be gone and it’s only. Some may think of this as a sales technique, but those are also the people who think that sales people get over on their customers, instead of seeing it as helping them. 

Written by Robin Turner, PhoneSmart Call Center Manager and business blog writer.

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Need storage in 1300 W 49th St, Hialeah, FL 33012?

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

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This week in my store, there is an outside team that is coming in resetting some key areas in my store. Of course, they can not do it while the store is open because it would leave a chaotic mess that customers would have to navigate around. So each salaried manager is taking a turn and having to stay overnight to help this project team reset these areas of the store. Well, all salaried managers except for the GM. The GM is not staying overnight on any of the assigned nights for whatever reason, while his assistants have to find a way to stay up through the night and trying to overcome the terrible amount of boredom that they face. On top of that, one of the assistants injured his ankle and cannot work for the next four days. When the GM heard that they might have to close down the store on a particular day, which meant he would have to work the whole entire day (which many of his assistants have been forced to do), his response was infuriating. He said he was going to get on the phone and make the manager who was injured come in to work on his crutches to walk around the floor for his 10 hour shift. 

Now, what does this have to do with anything? If you hope to run a successful business and there is some sort of hierarchy on your property, the head person needs to do a good job at managing his/her team. I am not just talking about sales, I am referring to ensuring the morale of your team is up, and you should be willing to take one for the team time to time.  In the story above, the GM of my store, rarely stays to close down the store or works his shift that is laid out on the schedule. If he could his managers that he cares enough about them and make them feel like everything is a team effort, managing his property would go a lot smoother. He would have the buy-in from his staff.  With buy-in from your staff, managing becomes a lot easier.

Written by a manager in a large retail market.

Thanks for reading our property management blog and inside view at the self storage and property management industry.

Rent a storage unit at 12430 Bandera Rd, Helotes, TX 78023

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

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So why then, do we overlook it in our self storage sales presentations. Location and convenience are the number one reason a customer chooses a storage facility. After all, self storage is sometimes a luxury and convenience in and of itself. Tenants enjoy being able to park in their garage rather than stumble over boxes and junk. But they still want to be able to shuffle through their boxes when they’re looking for the Christmas decorations.

Selling the convenience of your location is a sure ticket to gaining new renters. Building value around convenience should be at the top of your list when talking to a customer.

Written by Sarah Little, TQA Executive

Thanks for reading our property management blog and inside view of the self storage and property management industry.

PhoneSmart is your offsite sales force and call center in Columbia, Missouri.

Rent a self storage unit at 7332 Tolbert Rd, Nashville, TN 37209

Find your next car storage, boat storage or self storage at your StorageConcierge – Your premier national and local self storage search engine and free quote provider.

If you’d like to be a guest blogger, send your entry for consideration to Sarah Little, Blog Editor.

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

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At first glance, it seems obvious that this person is in need of some movers. But when you take a closer look there are some holes to the story. Why do they need movers? When are the moving? Where are the moving? Are they moving everything they own or just a few things? Will they leave some of their belongings behind? Will they need to move again soon or is this move permanent for a while? The questions could become endless.

It’s important to realize that in sales, How much does this TV/Car/Laptop/House/Self Storage Unit cost only means that the customer doesn’t really know the right questions to ask. It’s up to the salesperson to determine which model, size, etc suites them best.

So when a prospect calls your facility and says, How much are your boxes? You should tell them and then say, do you have a place to store those boxes or would a storage unit be more convenient for you?

Written by Sarah Little, TQA Executive and Blog Editor.

Thanks for reading our secret shopping blog. We offer sales training and quality assurance to the self storage world.

PhoneSmart is your offsite sales force and call center in Columbia, Missouri.

Rent a storage unit at 5407 Locust Ln, Harrisburg, PA 17109

Find your next car storage, boat storage  or self storage at your StorageConcierge – Your premier national and local self storage search engine and free quote provider.

If you’d like to be a guest blogger, send your entry for consideration to Sarah Little.

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

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The flier advertised a three day sale. I had to work, but Joel decided to take a look around and see if all the low prices they had advertised were really all that low. He must have seriously wanted to look because he took both the boys with him. He called me before he left and said he was going to stop by and he’d call me if he thought there were any good deals.

Five minutes later he called me back. (This was either really good or really bad.) He was annoyed and already in the car driving home. I could tell he was annoyed and he told me that man was the rudest sales person he’d met in a while. He said he told the associate what we were interested in and the associate asked him where his wife was. Joel told him I was at work, but that I could get off early if we found a deal.

Apparently, this associate wasn’t interested in selling that day. He let Joel walk right out the door. Had the salesman offered us a deal in a car that I liked I may have given it some serious consideration. Instead of asking a few qualifying questions and trying to find something to meet our needs, or wants rather, he just played dead and let us go home.

But perhaps his qualifying question was Where is your wife. Maybe he doesn’t make deals when both partners aren’t present. And this leads me to say that you should take a look at your qualifying questions and consider that there are exceptions to every rule. Joel and I are not home together as much as we’d like so why would we waste our time together at the car dealer who probably doesn’t have anything to offer us? That’s why Joel went alone, to see if it was worth our time to go back together. And it wasn’t.

Written by Sarah Little

Thanks for reading our mystery shopping blog and inside view of the self storage and sales industry.

PhoneSmart is your offsite sales force and call center in Columbia, Missouri.

Rent self storage at 1810 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10460

Find your next car storage, boat storage or self storage at your StorageConcierge – Your premier national and local self storage search engine and free quote provider.

If you’re interested in being a guest blogger, email Sarah Little, Blog Editor for more information.

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

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Written by John Morse

Thanks for reading our property management blog; we know the self storage property management industry.

PhoneSmart is your offsite sales force and call center in Columbia, Missouri.

Rent a storage unit at 4615 National Park Hwy, Carlsbad, NM 88220

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

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For many reasons such as debt, membership fees, utilities, mortgages, gas and more, many American’s already spend more than their means allow. When a sudden need for storage pops up it puts many people in a pinch. Even though these storage seekers may have no other option, they still want to feel like they’re getting the best deal around. They may already feel cornered by a landlord, slighted by an ex-spouse, sadden by the death of a loved one, etc; the last thing they want to feel is cheated by the storage company. Therefore, most customers will compare a few places.

The customer weighs in his or her mind the convenience of the locations, prices, access hours, so on and so forth. They go into a self storage experience not really knowing all the details that can be involved. Once they learn about the admin fee, deposit, lock, insurance, access hours, blah blah blah it can all become overwhelming.

That’s where the manager steps in. A pleasant customer experience should be the primary focus because it will play louder in the caller’s mind than all the other competitors when the customer is making a decision. Take this scenario for example:

Say a customer calls three storage facilities. Storage A is friendly enough on the phone. The manager gives the prices and also tells the customer he needs a lock. (Now our caller has been educated a little and realizes those doors don’t lock themselves. He makes a note to himself to search through that old box from high school and look for his combination lock.)

Feeling a little more confident, our customer calls Storage B. This manager is busy in the store with other customers and quickly spouts off a price that is a bit cheaper than Storage A. (At this point, our customer has no feelings or opinions about either A or B and would probably choose the one closest to him.)

Now our customer calls Storage C. A cheerful manager answers the phone and greets our customer. The manager takes the time to ask what items the customer plans on storing. It turns out that our customer has been asking for the wrong size all along and a much smaller storage unit would work just fine for him. After giving the customer a few storage tips and letting him know about the security features at Storage C, the manager tells the customer the price. The manager talks to our customer about locks, insurance, etc. Our customer proudly says he still has his combination lock from high school. The manager informatively talks about the security risks that type of lock can pose and suggests a disc lock, which is conveniently sold at the front desk. (Now our customer feels a little grateful that he found that out before something unfortunate happened.) The manager offers to reserve the unit. Our customer may reserve it right there on the phone, or maybe he needs to talk to his wife. So he goes back home to tell her and all he remembers about Storage A and Storage B are their prices—but then he realizes those prices are for a size he doesn’t need. Then he tells her all the information about Storage C. (Almost certainly, our customer won’t remember the phrases onsite manager, access controlled gate, etc, but he will remember the experience.)

You can see that the experience not only provides the customer with the best service, it builds rapport with the customer. Educating the customer during your contact with him will not only ensure he is prepared, it will more importantly build trust with your company. Trust is a valuable thing in self storage; after all, people leave their treasures in your care. Putting them at ease and giving them peace of mind will guarantee that your business succeeds.

Written by: Sarah Little, TQA Exec and Blog Editor.

Thanks for reading our secret shopping blog and inside view of the self storage and mystery shopping worlds.

PhoneSmart is your offsite sales force and call center in Columbia, Missouri.

Rent storage from 3600 Quakerbridge Rd, Trenton, NJ 08619

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

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Suggestive selling is a huge concept in retail sales. Have you ever been at a clothing store, and at the checkout counter the clerk tells you they have jewelry that is fifty percent off, a shell necklace would complete that outfit, or if you had a chance to look at their new hand bags? This is suggestive selling! Fast food restaurants are also notorious for suggestive selling. Do you want fries with that?

Here at the call center, the sales technique of suggestive selling is used in nearly every rental inquiry. We use it by telling the customers that we also have an extensive selection of moving and storage supplies! Boxes, tape, bubble wrap…whatever you may need. When the sales representative tells customers that they can pick up the lock for their unit when they get to the store, this is another good example of suggestive selling.

Written by Shauna AuBuchon

Thanks for reading our secret shopping blog. We offer sales training and quality assurance to the self storage industry.

PhoneSmart is your offsite sales force and call center in Columbia, Missouri.

Rent storage and buy storage supplies at 12311 Parklawn Dr, Rockville, MD 20852

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

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At my company, we only have 30 minutes for a lunch break. So if I didn’t bring any food with me from home, McDonald’s gives me the option to get some food that is close to the store at a reasonable price.  If McDonalds weren’t there, I would have to drive further and maybe not have the opportunity to enjoy my lunch. 

For people in the self storage business, it is important for the managers to ask the customers if the location of the building is convenient for them. The manager of the self storage business can use that fact as an advantage over their competition. Most people don’t want to go out of their way to get things out of their storage facility. Make it a point to ask the caller’s so they realize in their head that your facility is the best choice for them because it can easily be part of their daily routine.

Written by Joel Little

Thanks for reading our secret shopping blog. We offer sales training and quality assurance to the self storage industry.

PhoneSmart is your offsite sales force and call center in Columbia, Missouri.

Rent self storage at 8195 Jumpers Hold Rd, Pasadena, MD 21122

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

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CALLER: This store is close to my house and on my way to work but I think I want to call a few more places.

PHONESMART OPERATOR: I don’t blame you.  I always want to know I got the best deal, but since this storage facility is so close to your home and one your way to work, you won’t have to burn any extra gasoline to get to your unit. The few dollars another store might save you could cost more in extra gas consumption.

The weather can also present opportunities.

CALLER: The place down the road has that 5 x 10 in a standard unit for $20 less per month.

PHONESMART OPERATOR:  That does seem to be a savings but our 5 x 10 is a climate controlled unit.  This can better protect you big screen TV from extreme temperatures and humidity.

To change things up and keep on your toes sometimes the daily news is your best friend

Written by Kay Johnson, PhoneSmart reservations specialist

Thank you for visiting our storage business blog and insider view of the self storage industry.

We are PhoneSmart your offsite sales force call center in Columbia, Missouri.

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

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Why pay __________ for a _______, when for a few dollars more, you could have ____?

We may cost more, but we are worth it. Why don’t you come by and see for yourself.

Self storage is not as expensive as you think.

You’re paying for quality self storage.

Isn’t it worth paying a little extra for ___________   (peace of mind, better security, etc)

There is no comparison of our site and down the road.

Don’t settle for second best.

No other self storage company comes close.

As a further convenience, we offer (bathrooms, office center, parking, etc)

Seeing our site will make you a believer! (Love this one)

Are some customers still going to have sticker shock? Sure! It is your job to make sure the customer knows all that goes into the price of a storage unit. Compiled with your excellent customer service and listening skills, this customer is a shoe in.

Written by Natalie Thomas, TQAS executive and business blog writer.

Thanks for reading our secret shopping blog. We offer sales training and quality assurance to the self storage industry.

PhoneSmart is your offsite sales force and call center in Columbia, Missouri.

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

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Don’t let that be the end of the conversation.  Many times the customer will be in a hurry to rush off to find a storage facility that has exactly what they’re looking for… a 10x 20 unit. Because they don’t have time to sit and chat.  They have a million things to do on their list.  In the self storage business, you have to make adjustments and explain to your customers how they can benefit from those minor adjustments that need to be made, in order to satisfy their needs. 

Okay, so you don’t have a 10×20.  You don’t even have a 10×15.  And of course they don’t want to pay more by getting a larger unit, so what do you do?  Offer the two smaller units to accommodate everything that they need to store.  Maybe you have two 10×10 units that would work.  Even if you have two 5×10’s and a 10×10.  At least make those options available to them before they even have a chance to head in the other direction.  In our Call Center you may can often hear us offering two smaller units to equal a lager size. Sales is all about options.  What is it that you can offer the customer? What if you don’t have what they need? Can you offer a special in order to make up for it? Offer options and let them decide which one works the best for them. 

Written by: Robin Turner, Call Center Manager

Thanks for reading our business blog. We put sales and self storage together for you.

PhoneSmart is your offsite sales force and call center in Columbia, Missouri.

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

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