Get Out There With A Conference

So, it is time to go to a self storage conference again. Traveling to the conventions usually gives one some time to think about business. One thing that seems pretty evident is that the customer service capabilities of most self storage companies are pretty weak. Yes, it is true we are talking about self storage and not heart surgery, so maybe the customer service does not need to be stellar. Yes, many self storage companies have online payment set up or they can do automatic credit card rent payments for customers. Some self storage facilities use a call center to extend the hours when customers can get an answer to a question or new renters can make reservations. But very few pieces of the puzzle work together very well in self storage. Many customer issues cannot be resolved immediately. Many customers have to try several times or go in to the office in person to get something taken care of. And there are many software pieces that do not fit together as far as managing the property, rentals and billing.

Last week there were terrible storms all across the central and the southern states. Flying from St. Louis through Dallas to get to Las Vegas means when weather is bad in the central states, flights are delayed and cancelled and people often get only half way to where they want to go. Weather can sometimes cause problems for self storage too. If ice and snow are not removed promptly, people have a hard time accessing their units. Storms can cause roofs to leak. Even though self storage facilities do all they can to stay dry, big winds and hard rains can win out over a good roof.

What response strategies and new protocols do self storage owners use? Self storage owners are trying more self service strategies and are looking for ways to improve. But self storage is still very focused on new customer acquisition and is not paying much attention to current self storage customers, even though surveys will typically say that anywhere from 5 to 20 percent of renters come from referrals or previous customers.

Airlines are making better progress. Yes, they make a lot more money than self storage and airlines depend on repeat business. The airlines also realize that when travel plans go wacko, things can get very ugly for customers. One airline has added a very nice feature to its customer service and reservation system. You can enter your cell phone number into their system so when you call in, you are recognized and your itinerary is referenced without having to go though any steps. So while sitting on the runway hoping to take off, a traveler can easily call in to the reservation center and rebook connecting flights before even taking off. Although this does not cure weather delays, it does make the whole process of rebooking much easier and far less stressful. It makes getting to a self storage conference a lot easier. I realize most self storage operations do not have the capital to invest in this kind of infrastructure. But the cost of technology continues to drop as time goes by. Maybe we are not far away from a time when self storage companies can offer some very easy and very friendly ways for current customers to solve their problems.

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