Many times, when self-storage owners and operators think of ancillary income, they may be thinking about earning a few hundred dollars more per year on selling boxes and packing tape. The truth is, if you’re treating avenues for ancillary income as serious revenue streams, you can make serious extra...
Does it make sense to offer rental rate discounts? That is the question every self-storage operator faces at different times. During the past few years, the lack of new self-storage facilities entering the market is one of the reasons the industry has seen high occupancy and record-breaking rental rates...
It is exciting to see the self-storage industry evolve to capture the growth of available technology to enhance the customer experience while meeting the operational requirements of running a real estate business (i.e. the rental of space to be used for storage of goods). It is therefore not unusual...
It seems like the question on most business owners’ minds at the moment is, “are we headed for a recession?” Regardless of the answer to that question, one true thing is that even in times of recession, there are businesses that continue to grow and ones that barely survive....
A self-storage facility, like all businesses, is subject to the risk of dissatisfied customers. Unfortunately, with the use of social media, the megaphone for that dissatisfaction can be widespread. Therefore, if a dispute does arise with a customer and the matter can be resolved, it is important for the...
“You either love self-storage or you don’t,” states Kari Kaltenborn, president of locally owned and operated Kaltenborn Enterprises & Rancho Storage Center. “It just clicked for me, and I’m still enjoying it!” Kaltenborn took an interest in the self-storage industry back in 1990, when her father bought his first...
Everyone has them, the employees who are difficult. Maybe they’re late each day, call in excessively, or they aren’t filing reports nor making bank deposits as required. “No one usually wakes up and decides they want to be a difficult employee and do a terrible job,” says Beau Agnello, senior...
As more and more facilities move to contactless rentals and unmanned facilities, one of the lingering questions has been whether it is legal for a self-storage facility to require that their tenants pay only through credit cards or ACH (electronic check) systems. In other words, can a facility reject...
Is it just me, or has customer service become more complicated in the past few years? Customers and employees are expecting much more from businesses. And it only makes sense. Consumers are frustrated from higher prices, longer wait times, supply shortages, and the “over-it” mentality around COVID. Employee pain...
Close your eyes and imagine a Jeep. What do you see around it? People typically see Jeeps in the great outdoors, maybe in the snowy mountains or in the deep woods rolling through the mud. “Immediately, your mind associates Jeep to the outdoors emotion and how you would love...
Businesses are grappling with recurring supply chain issues in the wake of a rebounding American economy, shipping disruptions caused by the Russia-Ukraine wear, and inflation. Faced with robust consumer and commercial demand, companies are beefing up costly inventories and wooing second-level suppliers to help close the gaps when shortages...
There are so many urban legends that just will not die: the Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, and aliens at Area 51. Another modern myth, at least within the self-storage industry, is that operators should be striving for 100 percent occupancy. “There are two camps: the occupancy camp and the...