» Self Storage Trends

I recently attended a webinar hosted by the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA). The topics focused on how to effectively provide mystery shopping and also how to effectively use mystery shopping. The presentation began by busting a few myths about mystery shopping. A common myth PhoneSmart battles is that the shops or calls should be 100% ideally perfect. Often the client, or user, may feel that it’s unfair to use any hesitation or concern when our shoppers call the store. However, this is an unrealistic expectation because customers in real life do have concerns or may hesitate to hand over their credit card. This is not to say that phone shops shouldn’t contain some types of rules and guidelines; they definitely must meet a quality standard. The best way to avoid misunderstandings between the provider and user is to clearly communicate what each role expects are obtainable goals and write them down.

We have also seen the cost of perhaps the most deadly mystery shopping myth: mystery shopping is the magic pill that will fix all your troubles. While secret shopping can certainly increase your ROI, the program must be implemented by a supervisor or training manager within the business. A mystery shopping program can not run itself. The key to building a strong mystery shopping program is to create buy-in with the staff. There will always be those who can become upset or take secret shopping personal, and that’s where the program manager should step in to reinforce a positive experience.

PhoneSmart would like to build a strong relationship with each of our mystery shopping clients. We understand that each of you have different needs and expectations. The beauty of our program is that it’s completely customizable to fit your standards. If you have unmet expectations or if you just want to freshen up your program a bit don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’ll be contacting each of you soon to discuss how your program can be tailored to meet your needs.

Mystery Shopping tip: Some employees can translate the words Secret Shopping Program into Gotcha Program. Rename the program as you’d like. Try something like: Snapshot, 360 View, or Inside Peek – be creative and make it fun.

Written by: Sarah Little, TQA Account Executive

Thanks for reading our mystery shopping blog. We offer sales training and secret shopping with the goal of increasing your bottom line.

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While making some secret shopping calls today, I came across a self storage company that seemed to offer it all. The manager listed a healthy list of security benefits and let me know how great her property was before offering me any self storage rates. A free truck was also part of the package deal. She then said that her facility had a business center that was open during their normal office hours and provided items like, faxing, internet, copies and even a conference room that all tenants can use for free. What a great idea; keep customers on the property longer and it will help you build rapport, and add value to their storage unit. And the best feature of all was that they were a mini US Post Office who could provide everything but money orders. I hate going to the post office and if I could stop by my storage area, make a few copies and buy stamps, I’m sold. It truly was a one stop, storage, business, postal, moving, and truck rental all under one roof.

Not all self storage or property management sites can offer this much. Do what you can to help your customers feel safe, secure and help them save time in their day. They will show their appreciation by staying loyal tenants and giving referrals.

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

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There are many self storage and property management trends that you may want to be aware of. Even if you are not currently involved in the self storage or property management industry, there is nothing wrong with keeping a close eye on the way that the trends are moving. After all, you have no idea of knowing when you are going to get involved, or how this industry will affect the way that you live.

Right now, one of the biggest trends in self storage is the number of people who are renting units. As you probably know, this is becoming very popular so that people do not have to store everything in their home.

Another trend is that home buyers are using self storage units to aid their move. Instead of having to take everything from one property to the next, you can leave some items in a self storage unit instead. This will not only help you to make your move less stressful, but it can even clear up some space for you once everything is said and done. A lot of people rent a self storage unit when moving, but think that they will get rid of it soon enough. But of course, they end up hanging onto their unit because of all the benefits it offers them.

As you can see, the trends in self storage and property management are geared towards the consumer. More people than ever before are interested in renting a self storage unit. For this reason, developers are forced to keep up with the pace!

Written by guest blogger.

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The first impression you give your customers should show them what type of service to expect. They should feel confident in your professional and friendly manner, comfortable enough to let you know what they need, and assured that you care about their needs.

You can accomplish all of this in a quick, upbeat greeting. To begin, you should present yourself in a happy, smiling tone of voice, making sure you are speaking clearly and at a reasonable speed.

It’s best to script or create a standard greeting. Consistency is a plus when it comes to customer service. When choosing a greeting you should be sure to include the following:

• The Company, or Store Name
• The employees name
• An offer of service (such as How can I help you?, How may I be of assistance? or another question that leads the caller to open up.)

Of course you can always go with the standard, Thanks for calling (company name), this is (employee name). How can I help you? This greeting is to the point and meets all the requirements, when paired with a friendly voice.

A more unique or personal greeting can also benefit your business by setting it apart and making it a little more memorable. Try adding a little information about your company in the greeting. If you’re the only company in your area who offers complimentary cookies try saying something like, Thanks for calling (company name), where the cookies are always fresh. This is (employee name). How can I help you? Or if your business has a slogan, try inserting that into the greeting.

Be creative and original, but make sure that each element serves a purpose and meets a need.

Few have strength of reason to overrule the perceptions of sense, and yet fewer have curiosity or benevolence to struggle long against the first impression: he who therefore fails to please in his salutation and address is at once rejected, and never obtains an opportunity of showing his latest excellences or essential qualities.
Johnson: Rambler #166 (October 19, 1751)

Written by: Sarah Little, TQA Account Executive

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I need four new tires. It couldn’t come at a more inconvenient time! Joel and I have been trying to take a little weekend vacation for months. Every time we get the money saved, another thing pops up that needs immediate attention. Ok, the speeding tickets were totally my fault, but nonetheless, they had to be paid.

I need those tires today. Tomorrow we’re going to travel to St. Louis for my dad’s birthday. I’d hate to have to cram us all into our little car. We need to take the van. As I drove to work this morning, I was thinking about a plan for the rest of my day. I have an appointment with the doctor, and then I’ll try to get some tires. Maybe I’ll just get them at Wal-Mart, where I can finish picking up a few things while I wait for the tires. Yes, Wal-Mart will be the easiest because if I need any prescriptions from the doctor, I can just pick them up there. But I have to be done in time to pick up Isaiah from the babysitter and hopefully Jordan, the baby, won’t be fussy while we’re waiting at WallyWorld. I’d better make a list of what I need before I forget.

This is just one example of what goes through the mind of your customers. If you pay close attention, I decided to go to the place where I could get the most done. It’s more convenient for me. I didn’t even make phone calls to compare prices because sitting in a shop waiting would be too much of a hassle with a small baby and a long list of things still left to do before the day is over.

You can draw in customers by offering everything they might need for their storage experience. Boxes, locks, trucks, tape, markers, and you could even provide them a small ledger to record their items and keep at the front of their storage unit so they can quickly access items. Convenience is sometimes even more than just location. It’s the amount they can accomplish in your store in order to avoid making other trips elsewhere. Written by

Written by: Sarah Little, TQA Account Executive and busy Mom.

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Do you ever wonder what it is like where other people live?  I do all the time and I can’t help it with all the locations for self storage that we handle.  When I get a person from Hawaii calling I can see the person kicked back on the beach asking about pricing on a self storage unit.  Now I know that sounds a little far fetched but that is what I imagine.  Now when I get a person from New York City I imagine them running down the street and trying to get a quote for self storage at the same time.  That is because when I talk to a person from New York City it always seems like they are in a hurry and in Hawaii they seem like they could stay on the phone all day!  These are some regional differences that we come up against daily here at PhoneSmart.  Sometimes we have to be careful because of what we say in different regions can be different. When I talk to someone down south I have to slow down the phone call so they can understand me because things are a little more laid back and they are not in a hurry like the New Yorkers.  Voice inflection is one way I can do that and keep control of the call and also gain the customers trust with a particular self storage facility. I myself generally tend to talk a little faster on the phone so speaking with people from the north doesn’t bother me all the time except when they go into super speed talking!  So next time you speak with someone wherever they are just remember that even though we are one country we do have several ways of speaking throughout the different regions.

Written by Wendy Lane, PhoneSmart sales rep and business blog writer.

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Self storage available at: 3340 Elm Farm Road, Dale City,VA 22192

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It’s the beginning of a new month, that means we start our secret shopping cycle all over again. This month is promising a lot of growth for the TQA. I’d like to credit all that growth to myself, but it’s probably more honest to say that the temperature in the self storage market is pressuring owners to capture every prospective renter.

Self storage owner/operators need to find a way to out-sell their competitor. The best plan of attack is to begin PhoneSmart’s comprehensive sales training. We’ve broken the mold on secret shopping and have begun offering sales training management.

This comprehensive package is much like an all-inclusive stay at a resort in that we take care of everything from hiring, to training, to monitoring, to coaching and evaluating your employees’ sales performance.

It’s the newest self storage and property management trend we’ve seen at PhoneSmart. Corporations see the need for consistency and accuracy throughout their sales team. They understand the value each customer has and they realize that PhoneSmart maximizes each prospect to their fullest potential.

If you find yourself out of time at the end of the day or dreading the task of keeping up with the endless training any sales team requires, then point your index finger and dial our number!

Written by Sarah Little, TQA Executive

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

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Last week I saw the manager of our local StorageMart location outside on the grounds picking up trash. This was outside of the secured and gated area that most would consider a public area. She puts extra effort into keeping her property looking nice because she knows that curb appeal has a lot to do with the company’s image. When she takes potential customers on a tour of the lot with her golf cart she always carries a bucket and broom so that she can pick up any debris that might be blowing around the property. This manager lives on site so the property is really her backyard and she wants her backyard to be well kept.

Keeping a manager on site is a great added security benefit for your property. Even after office hours the manager can keep an eye on the property and lessen the time trying to contact someone in case of an emergency. By allowing the manager to live on site, pride for the property comes with the job. This also saves on travel time and absences. If the manager is on site, they will be able to make it to the office far more often than someone living off site and having to commute to work. Does your property have a manager on site? Think about it, it’s a great idea.

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

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