As I sit here slowly drinking my chai tea, I ponder the past year and my successes and failures as a manager. Many times I have heard business owners and managers make difficult decisions followed by the response: it's not personal, it's just business. And although they are probably telling the truth, in all honesty, that statement is likened to a child breaking a toy while trying to figure out what makes it work and saying, "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it". Maybe the child was attempting to fulfill an insatiable desire but nonetheless, he still broke the toy. As a manager, I have to look back over the past year and ask myself if I have allowed business decisions I have had to make affect anyone in an adverse way. If I decided to not waive a late fee, did I do it in a manner that was demeaning to my client or did I offer explanation as to why it would not benefit either of us? If I was forced to auction a unit, did I do everything possible to ensure that person would not lose their items? Did I represent our company well while also making the customer still feel they are very important to us? I wish I could say "yes" in every instance. Let's take a look at some bad customer service:
Ok, so that was truly bad customer service. Perhaps I have done a lot more right than I realized. In any event, It has been a year of learning for me. I can look at our numbers and pat myself on the back and say, well, we went from 56% occupancy to 80% occupancy in record time, so that makes up for all of my mistakes. But, I can't do that. I remember every single instance I wish I would have handled differently. I see 80% and think, if I would have handled that differently, we might be at 90%. Our customer service at Star is top of the line. We truly love our customers and love serving our customers. However, there are always those instances when a change in words or inflection would have been more suitable. However, a handstand or cartwheel was probably out of the question, spending time in traction doesn't suit me well. In any case, knowing this helps me to always strive to do better with each person.
With that being said, is it always easy being so nice to everyone? Not really. We all have days when we aren't feeling up to par and would rather hide under our desk than deal with another cranky customer. But, the rewards by far always outweigh those moments. With that, I can look back at 2011 as a year of learning and growth and look forward to 2012 as a new beginning. Goodbye, 2011. Hello, 2012.
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
Friday, December 30, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Instantly Gone: What To Do When They Abandon You (Self Storage)
So you've been overly honest with your customers. You want them to know they can trust you and your business. This is a good thing. We need to establish that from the beginning. We go over the fine print of the lease with them and cover everything we would hope someone else would share with us if we were the customer. However, there is also a fine line that can be so easily crossed. Many of your customers have had storage before and they know the routine. Naively, you may think this is all new to them (it's OK to assume they don't and still give them your sales speech) and they play along. So, what are some of the signs they have been down this road before? And when these signs reveal themselves, when do you place the cork in your mouth? Because now, one month later, some how, some way, you have just found out that....you have been duped.....
I've been in self storage management for a little less than a year. I have been in marketing and sales for several years and I can usually spot a fast talker a mile away. However, my heart really softened with all of the stories of people who have been hit hard by the economy. I also have a tendency to be transparent. I love people and serving them is a priority. However, working in self-storage I have learned that my client base is a lot different than that of tourists or philanthropists who are generally well-seasoned in their business/pleasure endeavors. It actually wasn't until about a month ago when I realized my transparency was causing me to be "scammed" on more than one occasion by these "frequent movers". Don't get me wrong, there are always exceptions, I don't want to lump everyone into the same category.
Bottom line is, I really like meeting new people and selling them a good product. And I like the challenge of working with customers to give them the best deal that won't cost us an arm and a leg in the long run. Now, granted you cannot control what people do or even predict their motives but what they say should motivate appropriate changes to your responses. And you need to be ten miles ahead if at all possible. You cannot be in panic mode that you are going to lose the sale. If you go that direction, you will fall into a "loose lips, sinks ships" mode. Although that ship may seem to stay afloat for a little while, it's going to sink.
The last three months we have had an amazing special going on. A $25 refundable security deposit will get your first month free on a 10X10. Sounds easy enough to sell, right? And yes, it pretty much is. We sold out in 6 weeks. So, when they come in and say they want this, move them in and keep the chat to a minimum. Be cordial and attentive to what they are saying and be sensitive to their needs and situation but don't go overboard. Go over the lease with them, thank them and let them know you are here for them if they have questions. Most of your customers will be fine with that. And if it goes that easily, you have done well. But, when do you know you have a seasoned self-storage veteran in your midst? Sometimes they will let you know or you just know because they have few questions and are very prepared. If they are seasoned but don't want you to know, these are the questions they will ask:
1) Do I have a grace period to pay rent?
2) How long before a late payment is assessed?
3) How long before my lock is cut?
4) How long before my items are auctioned?
5) If I am late, will I be locked out and on what day, if that's the case?
6) When do you overlock the units?
Your lease may or may not have these stipulations covered and you should ALWAYS check your state laws prior to making any changes. Before you consider changes to your rules or lease agreement, perhaps you should check how you need to respond to the above questions:
1) Do I have a grace period to pay rent? (if you have a grace period...):
"The rent is always due on the 1st."
They persist: "But, is there a grace period?"
"The rent is always due on the 1st, this saves you from getting late fees assessed to your account" but thanks for asking.
2) How long before a late payment is assessed?
"The late payment will be assessed on the _______ day of the month. However, keep in mind your rent is due on the 1st and the security gate won't allow customers who are late to have access"
3) How long before my lock is cut?
"I appreciate your concern but if you pay on time each month, it won't get to that point. Remember that your payment is due on the 1st."
4) How long before my items are auctioned?
See number 3
5) 5) If I am late, will I be locked out and on what day, if that's the case?
"Yes, you will be locked out. Just remember to pay by the 1st of the month and it won't be a concern for you"
6) When do you overlock the units?
See number 3
I don't want to ever encourage anyone to assume everyone has an ulterior motive. More than likely, they do not. However, establishing boundaries from the beginning is always a good idea in any business relationship. As the owner of our facility always says, we wouldn't want to encourage bad behavior from our children, so why would we encourage bad behavior from anyone else? If someone has a pattern of always being late and learning how to buck the system, then they should know the established boundaries where your system is concerned. If this is put into place from the beginning then you will have no issues and you will begin to have more dependable customers as well.
Most of all, you want to make the environment a good place for those who are always on time and always play by the rules. If this means having the occasional potential customer change their mind, then that's OK, too. You will make up for it with a shorter collections list in the long run. You will also have fewer "surprises" when doing your facility unit walk-thru.
And finally, if your state laws allow, consider removing your grace period (please check your state laws, not all states allow this) so they are unable to enter your secured facility until they pay. Also, consider a $25 security deposit refundable only if they give a 7 day or longer notice. We have been charging a $25 refundable security deposit for quite a while and no one seems to mind at all. Get rid of the Admin fee. There will be enough people who wait until the last minute and forfeit their deposit to make up for the admin fee loss. Offer an incentive for using auto-pay. Using auto-pay is one of the most effective ways to always make certain your rent is collected. Also, most people won't want it taken out if they move so that prompts them to let you know in advance.
I've shared all of this with you because I have learned the hard way. I have been duped not once, not twice, but several times in the past few months and I want you to know you don't have to fall 100 times before you learn to walk. I've tried to figure this out and have researched what other facilities do to stop this and am glad to say I'm not the only one. I don't want to stay on that list of facilities who are still trying to figure it out and I don't think you want to be on that list, either. Let's break this cycle and make some positive changes for the self-storage industry. Climb on board with me and let's ride this train together.
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
Grandview, Missouri
816-765-7300
I've been in self storage management for a little less than a year. I have been in marketing and sales for several years and I can usually spot a fast talker a mile away. However, my heart really softened with all of the stories of people who have been hit hard by the economy. I also have a tendency to be transparent. I love people and serving them is a priority. However, working in self-storage I have learned that my client base is a lot different than that of tourists or philanthropists who are generally well-seasoned in their business/pleasure endeavors. It actually wasn't until about a month ago when I realized my transparency was causing me to be "scammed" on more than one occasion by these "frequent movers". Don't get me wrong, there are always exceptions, I don't want to lump everyone into the same category.
Bottom line is, I really like meeting new people and selling them a good product. And I like the challenge of working with customers to give them the best deal that won't cost us an arm and a leg in the long run. Now, granted you cannot control what people do or even predict their motives but what they say should motivate appropriate changes to your responses. And you need to be ten miles ahead if at all possible. You cannot be in panic mode that you are going to lose the sale. If you go that direction, you will fall into a "loose lips, sinks ships" mode. Although that ship may seem to stay afloat for a little while, it's going to sink.
The last three months we have had an amazing special going on. A $25 refundable security deposit will get your first month free on a 10X10. Sounds easy enough to sell, right? And yes, it pretty much is. We sold out in 6 weeks. So, when they come in and say they want this, move them in and keep the chat to a minimum. Be cordial and attentive to what they are saying and be sensitive to their needs and situation but don't go overboard. Go over the lease with them, thank them and let them know you are here for them if they have questions. Most of your customers will be fine with that. And if it goes that easily, you have done well. But, when do you know you have a seasoned self-storage veteran in your midst? Sometimes they will let you know or you just know because they have few questions and are very prepared. If they are seasoned but don't want you to know, these are the questions they will ask:
1) Do I have a grace period to pay rent?
2) How long before a late payment is assessed?
3) How long before my lock is cut?
4) How long before my items are auctioned?
5) If I am late, will I be locked out and on what day, if that's the case?
6) When do you overlock the units?
Your lease may or may not have these stipulations covered and you should ALWAYS check your state laws prior to making any changes. Before you consider changes to your rules or lease agreement, perhaps you should check how you need to respond to the above questions:
1) Do I have a grace period to pay rent? (if you have a grace period...):
"The rent is always due on the 1st."
They persist: "But, is there a grace period?"
"The rent is always due on the 1st, this saves you from getting late fees assessed to your account" but thanks for asking.
2) How long before a late payment is assessed?
"The late payment will be assessed on the _______ day of the month. However, keep in mind your rent is due on the 1st and the security gate won't allow customers who are late to have access"
3) How long before my lock is cut?
"I appreciate your concern but if you pay on time each month, it won't get to that point. Remember that your payment is due on the 1st."
4) How long before my items are auctioned?
See number 3
5) 5) If I am late, will I be locked out and on what day, if that's the case?
"Yes, you will be locked out. Just remember to pay by the 1st of the month and it won't be a concern for you"
6) When do you overlock the units?
See number 3
I don't want to ever encourage anyone to assume everyone has an ulterior motive. More than likely, they do not. However, establishing boundaries from the beginning is always a good idea in any business relationship. As the owner of our facility always says, we wouldn't want to encourage bad behavior from our children, so why would we encourage bad behavior from anyone else? If someone has a pattern of always being late and learning how to buck the system, then they should know the established boundaries where your system is concerned. If this is put into place from the beginning then you will have no issues and you will begin to have more dependable customers as well.
Most of all, you want to make the environment a good place for those who are always on time and always play by the rules. If this means having the occasional potential customer change their mind, then that's OK, too. You will make up for it with a shorter collections list in the long run. You will also have fewer "surprises" when doing your facility unit walk-thru.
And finally, if your state laws allow, consider removing your grace period (please check your state laws, not all states allow this) so they are unable to enter your secured facility until they pay. Also, consider a $25 security deposit refundable only if they give a 7 day or longer notice. We have been charging a $25 refundable security deposit for quite a while and no one seems to mind at all. Get rid of the Admin fee. There will be enough people who wait until the last minute and forfeit their deposit to make up for the admin fee loss. Offer an incentive for using auto-pay. Using auto-pay is one of the most effective ways to always make certain your rent is collected. Also, most people won't want it taken out if they move so that prompts them to let you know in advance.
I've shared all of this with you because I have learned the hard way. I have been duped not once, not twice, but several times in the past few months and I want you to know you don't have to fall 100 times before you learn to walk. I've tried to figure this out and have researched what other facilities do to stop this and am glad to say I'm not the only one. I don't want to stay on that list of facilities who are still trying to figure it out and I don't think you want to be on that list, either. Let's break this cycle and make some positive changes for the self-storage industry. Climb on board with me and let's ride this train together.
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
Grandview, Missouri
816-765-7300
Friday, December 9, 2011
Are You Prepared For The Worst? When Technology Fails
When I walked into work on November 28, I had a little skip in my step and a little whistle on my lips. It had been a great November and we had three days to close out the month with a higher net than we had closed in our history. About midway through the morning I noticed the computer was acting strange and then I got the blue screen of death. Ok, so that's happened before. Probably a simple driver issue. So, I rebooted the system. Upon rebooting, I could not get to the manage portion of my computer. Using all of my computer nerd knowledge, I could not find the issue. And then I noticed our security gate software wasn't working, our management software went next and then the Internet crashed. It was like watching a technology apocalypse happen in front of my face. No virus, no funky little worm, nothing to be found whatsoever. Our computer guy wasn't able to get here until later that afternoon. There were beads of sweat forming on my upper lip, my heart was racing and my stomach felt like it did when I saw my best friend with my ex.
So, what happens when technology fails? I was totally prepared to lock the doors and hide under the desk when someone knocked. Yes, I admit I was being a coward. As much as I love my customers, there are a few I wouldn't like to see angry. However, I knew this wasn't the right decision to make. I took a swig of my iced chai and slamming it down on the desk said, "Let's do it!" I called the owner and we agreed to do everything the old fashioned way. With a deep breath, I decided to face this like a real woman and take something to calm my nerves: I reached into my lunch bag and pulled out the chocolate. Chai in one hand and chocolate in the other, it was time to make this work.
As the day went on, it was business as usual. I took payments and used paper receipts (always good to have carbon copy receipts on hand). I rented units and no one really seemed to mind that our system was down. For those paying their late fees, I gave them a temporary code to get in and out of the gate until I could update their payments in the system. The computer issues actually took close to three days to resolve (we have a great computer guy, he actually saved us from buying a new system). I was still getting caught up over the weekend because the 1st of the month fell on the first full day of having a totally restored computer. The biggest saving grace was the ability to close out the day on the last day of the month with only a few nets short of a goal we have long been anticipating (I am happy to report that goal was reached yesterday).
Because we are a locally owned facility with two locations and one office to run them both, it is imperative to make certain we are backed up in the event of a technology breakdown. We pay for a monthly service called Carbonite (http://www.carbonite.com/en) and it is more than worth the cost. There is a 30-day trial available. We also keep carbon receipt books as well. Make certain you have a paper shredder in the event someone gives you their credit card information. You can shred it upon computer recovery. Have a smile on your face and a good attitude whenever a customer walks in. They will know it if you are nervous. Be honest and say "I apologize but our system is down and we are working on getting it back up, would you mind if I write you a receipt and I will let you know as soon as the system is up and it is posted?" Or laugh it off (my way of doing things) and say, "Ahhh, technology, don't you just love it? Our system is down but we are working on getting it back up again. In the meantime, we have everything we need to take care of your needs and as soon as the system is back up, we will update everything for you".
I honestly thought I would have some irate customers last week but everything went so smoothly that I know we could operate for a few days the old-fashioned way again if it were necessary. Now, you will have some customers who are frantic that their payment won't be posted on time and they will get a late fee. If our system is down and they have paid, we are responsible for noting the date and removing that late fee if it goes that far. It will take some legwork and you will have to make some follow-up calls. I made it through the techopalypse, so can you. I have a quote by Chris Prentiss posted on my desk that says, "Everything that happens to me is the best possible thing that can happen to me". It is right in front of me so I have a constant reminder (even when I don't want to be reminded) that there is a purpose and learning experience from all things that happen to us in life.
So, now I can say that my experience last week turned out to be very positive and my confidence was boosted to a much higher level. I believe that if this happens to you, and it very well could if it hasn't already, you will be able to handle it well and make it a very profitable experience. You will learn that in turn for the compassion you have had for your customers in the past, they will now return that compassion to you. And if they don't just remember this: "How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours." ~ Wayne Dyer. One more last thought before we part ways today is this: Just when you think the worst possible thing is happening to you, there is always something worse that can trump that. So put on a smile and think happy thoughts, technology woes are never here to stay.
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
Friday, December 2, 2011
Finding Inspiration to Blog about Self Storage - Guest Blog
I saw Michelle’s recent post on Star Storage about overcoming writers’ block and thought to myself, that’s definitely something I can relate to. Blogging one of those things, everybody is telling you that you need to be doing it but where do you find the time and the inspiration to keep it up-to-date with fresh, interesting content.
Now, some people say how can you blog about storage and yes, hundreds of blog post-titles don’t necessarily spring to mind; but if this is something you live and breathe everyday then it shouldn’t be a problem. I can guarantee you’ll be able to talk all day about your business to whoever will lend an ear – the difficulty is transforming this into interesting posts and knowing where to look for new ideas.
Here’s my personal advice on what I do to generate ideas for blog content and how I make sure these end up going live on the World Wide Web.
Mind-set
You always need to be thinking: what do I know about what I’m doing? Can I share this with others? Will it be useful? You will be surprised at the amount you pick up that’s unique insight to you and, if you share, to others as well.
There are content ideas all around you – everything from what you do to go the extra mile for your customers to how you organise the most tedious of administrative tasks. Get in the mindset where you’re thinking about why you do what you do and it’ll improve the way you work, not just your blogging!Don’t go chasing readers or followers – do it for its own sake, writing down your thoughts will help to crystallise them in your own mind. One of my favourite videos is Seth Godin talking about how important blogging is:
There is some sound advice here. What matter’s about blogging is the ‘meta-cognition’ of what you’re going to say – how do you explain yourself; what you’re doing and why you did something.
Capturing Your Ideas
Once you’ve got yourself in the mindset that always bears in mind what could be feasible for a blog post, you need to make sure you capture these ideas and make them happen. I’ve found a really great tool for helping to do this: it’s called Evernote (there’s a quick introduction here).
Evernote is basically a notepad with one major difference: it allows you to access your ideas anywhere you’ve an internet connection and Evernote installed. The problem I often have is that the best ideas come in the most unusual places. With Evernote you can capture them on your phone and make sure they never slip your mind.Anyway, they are my two tips for finding inspiration for blogging about self storage and making sure you follow through with all your post. Would love to hear other people’s thoughts, tips and ideas!
We thank our guest Blogger, Michael Smith from Safestore in the UK, this week for sharing his thoughts with everyone. If you are in the UK and in need of storage space, please contact:
| We know the value of space Safestore - The UK's No.1 for self storage Proud supporters of Scope - Safestore Charity of the Year |
Safestore Ltd. Brittanic House, Stirling Way, Borehamwood WD6 2BT.
Telephone +44 (0)20 8732 1500. Fax +44 (0)20 8732 1510. www.safestore.co.uk
© Copyright Safestore self storage 2008. Registered company 5512707.
Telephone +44 (0)20 8732 1500. Fax +44 (0)20 8732 1510. www.safestore.co.uk
© Copyright Safestore self storage 2008. Registered company 5512707.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Turkeys, Reindeer and Father Time Cause A Demand For Self-Storage
We are heading into what some call "the most wonderful time of the year". Let the madness begin: Thanksgiving dinner, holiday shopping and picking out the perfect dress for New Year's Eve (if you are brave enough to go out that night). With all of these events coming up, wouldn't it be nice to have a temporary place to store items in your household that could make way for guests, trees, and that fat little man who criminally trespasses into homes each December 24th?
Just look at it this way, for two months, you could have the freedom to decorate as you please. And what may seem like something you would rather not budget for, think of the stress having a self-storage unit would relieve from the busy days ahead. Can you imagine for once Aunt Flo walking into your home without mentioning how crowded your house seems every holiday? Or having extra space to hide gifts, especially larger gifts? Santa can always use an accomplice or two, and a storage unit.
Have you also thought about freeing up that garage for things like, your vehicle? That project that has been sitting in the middle of your garage taking up space? You know the one. It was a Craigslist freebie: advertised to only need a $5 part and now you realize you are in too deep and no one in their right mind would take this thing. We will. Bring it on over and stick it in a unit until you find someone who isn't in their right mind, there are plenty of those wandering around.
Each holiday season brings its own unique stresses but there is always a solution, even if it is temporary, to remove a few of those headaches that are caused by everything but the spiked eggnog. My suggestions are to do a fair assessment of your home and on a sheet of paper draw a rough layout of your home to give you an idea of what you need to place into storage temporarily. Once you have determined your need, then you can determine an approximate amount of space you need to reserve in a storage unit. Unless you plan to move a lot of large items into your unit, more than likely a 5X10 to a 10X10 space would be all you would need.
Next item is a good lock. I would recommend a good disc lock. The only ways to remove a disc lock are via your key or a grinder (do not, I repeat, do not lose those keys). These are the toughest locks you can purchase. Also keep in mind that if your are not in a climate controlled unit, you will need to pack everything in plastic containers or cover larger items. This would be a good time to go back and refer to some of my earlier blogs which will help you determine the correct facility and give you good packing tips:
Just look at it this way, for two months, you could have the freedom to decorate as you please. And what may seem like something you would rather not budget for, think of the stress having a self-storage unit would relieve from the busy days ahead. Can you imagine for once Aunt Flo walking into your home without mentioning how crowded your house seems every holiday? Or having extra space to hide gifts, especially larger gifts? Santa can always use an accomplice or two, and a storage unit.
Have you also thought about freeing up that garage for things like, your vehicle? That project that has been sitting in the middle of your garage taking up space? You know the one. It was a Craigslist freebie: advertised to only need a $5 part and now you realize you are in too deep and no one in their right mind would take this thing. We will. Bring it on over and stick it in a unit until you find someone who isn't in their right mind, there are plenty of those wandering around.
Each holiday season brings its own unique stresses but there is always a solution, even if it is temporary, to remove a few of those headaches that are caused by everything but the spiked eggnog. My suggestions are to do a fair assessment of your home and on a sheet of paper draw a rough layout of your home to give you an idea of what you need to place into storage temporarily. Once you have determined your need, then you can determine an approximate amount of space you need to reserve in a storage unit. Unless you plan to move a lot of large items into your unit, more than likely a 5X10 to a 10X10 space would be all you would need.
Next item is a good lock. I would recommend a good disc lock. The only ways to remove a disc lock are via your key or a grinder (do not, I repeat, do not lose those keys). These are the toughest locks you can purchase. Also keep in mind that if your are not in a climate controlled unit, you will need to pack everything in plastic containers or cover larger items. This would be a good time to go back and refer to some of my earlier blogs which will help you determine the correct facility and give you good packing tips:
Next week, we will have a guest blogger from Safestore, one of the largest self-storage facilities in the UK. We look forward to partnering with Safestore and other facilities to bring a wider variety of blog information and tips from experts all around the nation and world. Check out their blog: http://www.safestore.co.uk/news/default.aspx and their web site: http://www.safestore.co.uk/
Please let us know if you are interested in being a guest blogger as well.
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
Monday, October 31, 2011
Writers Block....A Million Thoughts To Decipher
Blank. I'm just drawing a blank. That's frustrating to me because I am a writer before I am a manager, marketing professional or sales person. My writing has been inspired by events at my current workplace and the wonderful clients we serve. I have been a writer since prior to my college years and am typically never at a loss for words (just ask anyone who knows me). This has been a whirlwind week, one that has left my mind going in a thousand directions. Sales are high, collections are going well, I'm having fun learning more about the latest in social networking, I was able to hire a part-time employee and, as always, I have some amazing new customers. Yet, I cannot come up with anything to blog about, in general. How can this be?
I think it has to do with the whirlwind week I have had. I seriously have not had time to reflect on the wonderful things that have transpired. How often do we do this as business people? We have a business to run, we take time to deliver the best customer service, work on finances, sales, collections, marketing, etc. And when that proverbial five seconds of quiet hit, a barrage of thoughts enter our minds leaving us with little time to sort out what to do with that five seconds. And this was the case for me this week. I hit the ground running. It's been a great week and month regarding sales and collections. And now that proverbial five seconds is here and as I open that door I face an empty room with white walls and a bare floor.
"This is counterproductive", I think as I stare into space contemplating the first word to record. Somehow, I should be able to make something out of this five seconds. Surely there is a painting to hang and a throw rug somewhere. Anything would be better than this empty room. It's so hollow and even a whisper echoes and bounces off of every corner. Maybe I should just back out of this room for a while and look around the rest of the house. I haven't been in the collections room lately. When I walk in, I see a lot of familiar faces talking about their current situations. It's kind of an oppressed room with negativity bouncing off the walls. I walk in and turn the light on to be faced with a lot of unhappy stares. I decide I will take a few moments to share some of my life with them. I think maybe if they knew the trials and tribulations I have faced that maybe the atmosphere will shift as they gain some hope and encouragement. As we talk, I see many of their faces soften and even have some pull out their checkbooks and credit cards to pay. I make arrangements with a few others. Still a few are determined to stay hardened but the mood is much lighter than it was before. Now that everyone is much calmer than before, I decide it is safe to leave now.
The room across the hall is decked out in posters, screens with commercials playing, computers scattered about and every social networking site known to man on each one. At first, I think I have entered the Twilight Zone and then a closer look tells me it's the marketing room. It's overwhelming at best. I walk through it and try to decide what is applicable to our business at this point and time and what isn't. As I go through the room, I begin turning off the commercials and take a few posters down. I then look at the social networking sites and log off of those I want to try later and focus on a few that are serving us well now. The room takes a calmer ambiance and I pull up a chair and begin to work on a few items at a time until I have them complete. As I finish up, I look around and satisfied, I shut the light off and walk out.
The room down the hall is full of commotion. I walk in and about a hundred people all shout, "Surprise!!" As I stand there startled with a deer in the headlight stare I think, "It's not my birthday so what can this be?" All at once they come at me telling me about great deals, bargains, discounts, buy one get one free, first month half off and more, I can barely make out what each is saying. This is a room that needs taming. Without using a stun gun on each of these sales people, I calmly, with a smile and a slightly raised voice say, "One at a time, please!". As I sit and carefully listen to each one, I suddenly focus and realize that each person looks like me. I'm taken aback and realize that maybe I should take more time to process each sale as it happens (or have a drink). I often ask myself what could I have done better? But in the midst of a huge month of sales, I've not focused on this question as often as I would have liked. And although my sales seem to be doing well this month am I missing something? Because this room certainly was a bit overwhelming. I realize this room will take a while and while the party seems to be a little less overwhelming, I still need to practice on listening more and talking a little less.
I think it has to do with the whirlwind week I have had. I seriously have not had time to reflect on the wonderful things that have transpired. How often do we do this as business people? We have a business to run, we take time to deliver the best customer service, work on finances, sales, collections, marketing, etc. And when that proverbial five seconds of quiet hit, a barrage of thoughts enter our minds leaving us with little time to sort out what to do with that five seconds. And this was the case for me this week. I hit the ground running. It's been a great week and month regarding sales and collections. And now that proverbial five seconds is here and as I open that door I face an empty room with white walls and a bare floor.
"This is counterproductive", I think as I stare into space contemplating the first word to record. Somehow, I should be able to make something out of this five seconds. Surely there is a painting to hang and a throw rug somewhere. Anything would be better than this empty room. It's so hollow and even a whisper echoes and bounces off of every corner. Maybe I should just back out of this room for a while and look around the rest of the house. I haven't been in the collections room lately. When I walk in, I see a lot of familiar faces talking about their current situations. It's kind of an oppressed room with negativity bouncing off the walls. I walk in and turn the light on to be faced with a lot of unhappy stares. I decide I will take a few moments to share some of my life with them. I think maybe if they knew the trials and tribulations I have faced that maybe the atmosphere will shift as they gain some hope and encouragement. As we talk, I see many of their faces soften and even have some pull out their checkbooks and credit cards to pay. I make arrangements with a few others. Still a few are determined to stay hardened but the mood is much lighter than it was before. Now that everyone is much calmer than before, I decide it is safe to leave now.
The room across the hall is decked out in posters, screens with commercials playing, computers scattered about and every social networking site known to man on each one. At first, I think I have entered the Twilight Zone and then a closer look tells me it's the marketing room. It's overwhelming at best. I walk through it and try to decide what is applicable to our business at this point and time and what isn't. As I go through the room, I begin turning off the commercials and take a few posters down. I then look at the social networking sites and log off of those I want to try later and focus on a few that are serving us well now. The room takes a calmer ambiance and I pull up a chair and begin to work on a few items at a time until I have them complete. As I finish up, I look around and satisfied, I shut the light off and walk out.
The room down the hall is full of commotion. I walk in and about a hundred people all shout, "Surprise!!" As I stand there startled with a deer in the headlight stare I think, "It's not my birthday so what can this be?" All at once they come at me telling me about great deals, bargains, discounts, buy one get one free, first month half off and more, I can barely make out what each is saying. This is a room that needs taming. Without using a stun gun on each of these sales people, I calmly, with a smile and a slightly raised voice say, "One at a time, please!". As I sit and carefully listen to each one, I suddenly focus and realize that each person looks like me. I'm taken aback and realize that maybe I should take more time to process each sale as it happens (or have a drink). I often ask myself what could I have done better? But in the midst of a huge month of sales, I've not focused on this question as often as I would have liked. And although my sales seem to be doing well this month am I missing something? Because this room certainly was a bit overwhelming. I realize this room will take a while and while the party seems to be a little less overwhelming, I still need to practice on listening more and talking a little less.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
"Even Smile In Your Liver": A Good Customer Service Plan
Not long ago my son and I went through a fast food restaurant drive-thru and while there the voice came over the intercom and totally knocked me for a loop. I was so taken back when the voice said with a very "put-off" tone, "Whaddya want?" I looked at my son and we almost burst out laughing. Obviously someone had not been trained in customer service etiquette. I was a little floored and was very tempted to just leave. I ordered our food and my son said, "Mom, don't say anything, you don't know what kind of day they are having". More than likely if I would have said anything it would definitely not have been a Madea moment such as this one (oh if only I had her courage):
Another incident not long ago was an experience in a coffee shop with a girl who looked to be about 17 chomping on her gum and slowly strolling up to the counter. As she chomped her gum she looked up at me and said, "Yeah?" I leaned over the counter a little and responded with, "Excuse me?" and she quickly backed up and said, "Um, hi, like, what do you need?" It doesn't take long to notice that we are living in a day and age where customer service is not what it used to be. But, we can change that. I truly believe that smiles are contagious and encouraging words are worth a million dollars. Politeness will retain my business and cheerfulness will make me a repeat customer.
If you have ever gone to a Chick Fil A restaurant, you will quickly notice their customer service is exemplary. Why is that? Well, Chick Fil A has taken a "second mile service" approach to their customer service. Meaning that, bottom line, if you are going to go the first mile, why not go the second as well? This is why when you are greeted with a smile and very fast service, you say thank you and they respond with, "My pleasure". I once visited a Chick Fil A on a rainy day and was greeted at my car door with an employee holding an umbrella. Can you imagine the look on my face seeing a teenager with a huge smile helping me out of my car and to the front door so I would not get one drop of rain on me? While inside dining, I always receive refills and they throw my trash away for me. When I leave you will hear several say, "Bye! Thanks! Come back again!". And why wouldn't I want to? Their prices are a bit higher than most fast food but I am more than willing to pay for the customer service experience. And did I mention there is no tension in their restaurants? Ever?
Stepping back to look the Chick Fil A scenario, wouldn't one think that many of these cheerful people are also going through a lot in their lives? Yet somehow, they still place customer service as first and foremost. Let me go back to my point that smiles are contagious. Have you ever tried to be unhappy or upset while smiling? It is hardly possible. When my customers walk through the door, in all actuality, the last thought on my mind is making a sale. I love it when someone comes in and I can smile at them and get a smile back. And when they don't, it becomes my challenge of the day to see them smile before they leave. I have personal challenges I put into place and one of them is to gain feedback from people that "Michelle was one of the nicest people I've met" or "What a great place and the staff is so friendly!". I think I have mentioned in the past that I have customers who routinely drop in just to say hi, show me pictures of their children or grandchildren, grab some candy and leave. That is more rewarding than a sale.
One of my favorite books is Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love ". In the book she meets with her guru and he gives her some very practical but entirely necessary advice: "Smile with face, smile with mind, and good energy will come to you and clear away dirty energy. Even smile in your liver". I love practicing this. When you really smile, there should be no way of knowing there is any pain in your life. It is healing for the soul. Smiles like this are also contagious. People know when you aren't being sincere. This is something you can practice away from work. Go to the grocery store and pick out the people who look the most unhappy. Smile at them with a relaxed face. Don't worry if they don't return the smile, not everyone will. However, they may think about it later and when they do, that smile will catch up to them. As my son said, you don't know what kind of day they are having". You will also find that when you begin smiling like this, you will also draw that smile inward and eventually it will become a part of you. It will also make way for smoother roads over the rough patches in your own day.
Oh, and did I mention that it truly does impact your business' bottom dollar? It's all icing on the cake.
By the way, have a fantastic day.
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Which Hat Are You Wearing And Do They All Look Good On You?
This month, albeit a very productive one, has been a very challenging month for me. I have worn every possible hat that could fit me on this job. However, I will be the first to admit that some do not look quite as good on me as others. My sales and marketing hat has been particularly appealing. It goes fabulously with everything I wear. My IT hat has been so-so (meaning, I had to call the IT guy in over a few things). My collections hat was, "meh" but it still has time to look good. My operations hat, well, it depends on which "outfit" I am wearing that day.
"I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once" ~ Jennifer Yane. There are days when I feel so stretched I wait to break in half like an old rubber band. It never happens but it's come pretty close. I worked in the non-profit sector for several years and started as an assistant and by the time my tenure in that sector ended, I held a director's position. What was so fascinating is the fact that due to lack of funds more often than not, you learn to wear every hat possible. I am pretty certain if I wanted to start a non-profit business, I could run the whole show for a while. Nevertheless, as with the rubber band adage, you start to wear down quickly if you cannot learn to wear only one at a time.
So, what happens when you have no choice but to be all to All? Well, you keep a steady supply of hats available and grab the one that fits accordingly to the outfit you are wearing. How do you do this without your heart racing and letting your customers see the little beads of sweat on your brow? You stay joyful and keep the atmosphere light. It's not something I learned overnight. And it isn't something I have perfected, either. Take today, for instance (please), there were 6 people in here all at once and none of them were together. It was a juggling act. Some were late pays and I really needed their money. However, I had two people ahead of them who were renting storage units. What did I do? I took their payments and promised to mail them a receipt. Only one had a credit card and he was more than happy to wait. I joked with them, asked questions and focused on prioritizing by moving in one customer, then another, then taking a payment.
I have learned to keep a smile on my face and live by the old adage, "never let them see you sweat". Yesterday I had a claustrophobic moment (and I am not claustrophobic) when our IT guy showed up with friend in tow, my son was here helping with over-locks and cutting locks, our bookkeeper was here and the owner was here as well. And on top of it, I had customers coming in and out. Our bookkeeper was unable to work in her office due to our IT guy working on her printer. I remember at one point my eyes were beginning to glaze over so I looked to my right and saw that our bookkeeper was hugging the wall, her back was pressed against it and she was holding a book tight. Her eyes were already glazed over and she had painted a smile on her face. Yes, I knew that feeling all too well.
Most of the time, I am able to wear a hat for a few hours but we have had a wonderfully successful month and that means my marketing hat is on right now but more than likely will be removed in a few moments so I can put on my operations hat and close for the day. I haven't lost my mind nor has the rubber brand broke. I consider this a good day. Now it is time to put on my own personal hat and find some relaxation. Because one should always remember that "A life spent in constant labor is a life wasted, save a man be such a fool as to regard a fulsome obituary notice as ample reward". ~ George Jean Nathan
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
"I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once" ~ Jennifer Yane. There are days when I feel so stretched I wait to break in half like an old rubber band. It never happens but it's come pretty close. I worked in the non-profit sector for several years and started as an assistant and by the time my tenure in that sector ended, I held a director's position. What was so fascinating is the fact that due to lack of funds more often than not, you learn to wear every hat possible. I am pretty certain if I wanted to start a non-profit business, I could run the whole show for a while. Nevertheless, as with the rubber band adage, you start to wear down quickly if you cannot learn to wear only one at a time.
So, what happens when you have no choice but to be all to All? Well, you keep a steady supply of hats available and grab the one that fits accordingly to the outfit you are wearing. How do you do this without your heart racing and letting your customers see the little beads of sweat on your brow? You stay joyful and keep the atmosphere light. It's not something I learned overnight. And it isn't something I have perfected, either. Take today, for instance (please), there were 6 people in here all at once and none of them were together. It was a juggling act. Some were late pays and I really needed their money. However, I had two people ahead of them who were renting storage units. What did I do? I took their payments and promised to mail them a receipt. Only one had a credit card and he was more than happy to wait. I joked with them, asked questions and focused on prioritizing by moving in one customer, then another, then taking a payment.
I have learned to keep a smile on my face and live by the old adage, "never let them see you sweat". Yesterday I had a claustrophobic moment (and I am not claustrophobic) when our IT guy showed up with friend in tow, my son was here helping with over-locks and cutting locks, our bookkeeper was here and the owner was here as well. And on top of it, I had customers coming in and out. Our bookkeeper was unable to work in her office due to our IT guy working on her printer. I remember at one point my eyes were beginning to glaze over so I looked to my right and saw that our bookkeeper was hugging the wall, her back was pressed against it and she was holding a book tight. Her eyes were already glazed over and she had painted a smile on her face. Yes, I knew that feeling all too well.
Most of the time, I am able to wear a hat for a few hours but we have had a wonderfully successful month and that means my marketing hat is on right now but more than likely will be removed in a few moments so I can put on my operations hat and close for the day. I haven't lost my mind nor has the rubber brand broke. I consider this a good day. Now it is time to put on my own personal hat and find some relaxation. Because one should always remember that "A life spent in constant labor is a life wasted, save a man be such a fool as to regard a fulsome obituary notice as ample reward". ~ George Jean Nathan
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Collections, Auctions and All That Jazz
I was on a forum today and found a discussion regarding storage auctions. My thought is that I don't want to have an auction. I don't want to have a huge list of people in default (ouch! that makes the books look really bad) and I don't want people moving out. I want to work with them. I need to stay consistent with my collection calls. And as a result, we have gone from having 40 people seriously (more than 20 days) late in February to 7 as of right now (none of which are in default). Having auctions, I think, is a poor reflection on the business. It means we are doing something wrong with our customer service and collections efforts.
Now, we have 300 units here and I am the only employee. So I have to balance a lot of hats: marketing, sales, collections, management, etc. I have a priority list that I go by each week and although I understand most companies only do collections once per month, I call the late people weekly. I have a relationship with my customers. I get to know them and who they are. These are real people we are serving, not just another number. They all have a story and whether we think it is valid or not, it is valid to them. Of course there will always be those looking for a "free ride" but that is why you focus on covering the late fees, etc before moving anyone into a unit. If they sign the lease and they have no idea what they are signing and you have made no effort to have them read the lease prior to signing, then you cannot fault those people entirely. Your customer should never be shocked when they have gotten to the point of their unit going to auction because you know you have communicated what you expect from them and have tried to work out a solution to prevent that auction.
This is my step by step procedure for keeping people OUT of default and preventing an auction. I don't want anyone in default. And to wait on purpose so they bring in the late fees and someone can collect a bonus from that is just rewarding bad behavior from someone who should be a specialist in collections and sales. I know what it's like to have tragedy in your family and lose everything and have to start all over, that is where the majority of our late people are in life right now (and if they aren't, you still want to light a fire under them but let it burn a little at a time). Lest I digress, again, this is how I handle it and as I said, we have had no one in default, two months in a row.
Step one: Week One, call everyone on your list, be nice, Hi, this is so and so from so and so and wanted to remind you that your payment is past due on your unit, in two days I'll have to overlock and I don't want to do that, please call me so we can make arrangements.
Week Two: Be a little more stern but still nice, This is so and so from so and so and I need you to call me as soon as possible so we can make arrangements for your past due payment on your unit. This is very important, I don't want to see you lose your things. I want to help.
Week three: Stern, This is so and so from so and so, I'm concerned I haven't heard from you, you are on overlock and in two days we are cutting your lock and you will be considered in default, when this happens we have no choice but to place your unit on the auction list and call it in to the paper. Please call now to avoid this from happening, I do not want to see you lose your things.
This has taken a CONSISTENT effort on my part for 8 months. I have also posted some of our terms and conditions out where people can see them and I ask my new tenants to read these and their lease prior to signing. I answer their questions if they have any at that point. Many are not clear when they move in how strict we are and that we actually will auction their items. I have lost potential customers this way but I see that as weeding out the bad from the good. I WANT good paying customers. I understand bad things happen and I have worked with those customers as well. Many of them have become some of my best paying customers because they are so grateful I worked with them.
Let's learn to reward good behavior more often. If collections are below a certain percentage, give a bonus. Work with customers weekly. Let's operate our storage businesses with ethics and good business practices. I think that makes much more sense than the alternative, don't you?
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
Now, we have 300 units here and I am the only employee. So I have to balance a lot of hats: marketing, sales, collections, management, etc. I have a priority list that I go by each week and although I understand most companies only do collections once per month, I call the late people weekly. I have a relationship with my customers. I get to know them and who they are. These are real people we are serving, not just another number. They all have a story and whether we think it is valid or not, it is valid to them. Of course there will always be those looking for a "free ride" but that is why you focus on covering the late fees, etc before moving anyone into a unit. If they sign the lease and they have no idea what they are signing and you have made no effort to have them read the lease prior to signing, then you cannot fault those people entirely. Your customer should never be shocked when they have gotten to the point of their unit going to auction because you know you have communicated what you expect from them and have tried to work out a solution to prevent that auction.
This is my step by step procedure for keeping people OUT of default and preventing an auction. I don't want anyone in default. And to wait on purpose so they bring in the late fees and someone can collect a bonus from that is just rewarding bad behavior from someone who should be a specialist in collections and sales. I know what it's like to have tragedy in your family and lose everything and have to start all over, that is where the majority of our late people are in life right now (and if they aren't, you still want to light a fire under them but let it burn a little at a time). Lest I digress, again, this is how I handle it and as I said, we have had no one in default, two months in a row.
Step one: Week One, call everyone on your list, be nice, Hi, this is so and so from so and so and wanted to remind you that your payment is past due on your unit, in two days I'll have to overlock and I don't want to do that, please call me so we can make arrangements.
Week Two: Be a little more stern but still nice, This is so and so from so and so and I need you to call me as soon as possible so we can make arrangements for your past due payment on your unit. This is very important, I don't want to see you lose your things. I want to help.
Week three: Stern, This is so and so from so and so, I'm concerned I haven't heard from you, you are on overlock and in two days we are cutting your lock and you will be considered in default, when this happens we have no choice but to place your unit on the auction list and call it in to the paper. Please call now to avoid this from happening, I do not want to see you lose your things.
This has taken a CONSISTENT effort on my part for 8 months. I have also posted some of our terms and conditions out where people can see them and I ask my new tenants to read these and their lease prior to signing. I answer their questions if they have any at that point. Many are not clear when they move in how strict we are and that we actually will auction their items. I have lost potential customers this way but I see that as weeding out the bad from the good. I WANT good paying customers. I understand bad things happen and I have worked with those customers as well. Many of them have become some of my best paying customers because they are so grateful I worked with them.
Let's learn to reward good behavior more often. If collections are below a certain percentage, give a bonus. Work with customers weekly. Let's operate our storage businesses with ethics and good business practices. I think that makes much more sense than the alternative, don't you?
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Killing Trees Or Going Green
A few years ago I was hired on as part of a team to streamline a billing department for a large insurance company. Prior to this, I hadn't thought a lot about "going green" except in my own personal life. Sure I recycled but what about the companies I did business with? Were they doing all they could do to cut their costs so mine could be cut as well? Well, what was unimportant to me before, suddenly became an important venture.
As I traveled back and forth from the south to the east coast, I began to see the importance of streamlining. After seeing a multitude of boxes stacked in a storage area for just two processes, desks piled with files and an overflow of filing cabinets, the veins in my neck began a slow protrusion. Something had to be done. And that's where our team came into play. We learned the processes and together we defined new processes and turned the entire department around in 3 months. We were able to take on and streamline more processes and in 6 months, the entire department had converted to "green".
When I started my current position, the owner and myself both agreed we had a dislike for post-it notes, paper and files lying around. So, in the process of working on a new marketing plan, social networking, collections, operations, and more, I have been spending time trying to automate our processes. We have a lateral file we keep some files in, but that is still too much for me. That's where scanning becomes essential for business, whether large or small. Before you convert to green, it is important to have a good backup program to prevent data loss. We pay a monthly fee to have our files stored off site. It's worth every penny if your computer decides it is time to bite the dust. You can also invest in a storage drive that will automatically back everything up for you as well.
Once you have a data storage program in place to back up your files, you can begin to scan and store everything you have to new folders you have created. The beginning may be cumbersome and time-consuming but in the long run, it will save time and money. After, you can recycle your filing cabinets on various "freecycle" sites by donating them and saving them from going into a landfill. Once it becomes a habit, you will never want to return to the old way of doing things. It just makes life so much easier.
There are many other ways to add to the savings of going green in your business. Simple things that cost you no money at all are, turning all lights in the office off when you leave, turning the air conditioner to 75 or the heat to 60 (these can always be changed the moment you walk in) and checking for water leaks (did you shut the faucet off? is it dripping? etc).
Items that cost now but will save money over time include investing in energy-efficient light bulbs, recycling your own waste in your business (purchase small recycle bins and stick them in your back storage room). using "green" friendly ink for your printer (for marketing supplies or letters) and eco-friendly copy paper, toilet paper and paper towels. We are living in an age where time is money and we have little of both. We must think smarter in order to make profits. "Going green", to me, is one of the best possible ways to be successful in business. Don't procrastinate! The time is now.
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
As I traveled back and forth from the south to the east coast, I began to see the importance of streamlining. After seeing a multitude of boxes stacked in a storage area for just two processes, desks piled with files and an overflow of filing cabinets, the veins in my neck began a slow protrusion. Something had to be done. And that's where our team came into play. We learned the processes and together we defined new processes and turned the entire department around in 3 months. We were able to take on and streamline more processes and in 6 months, the entire department had converted to "green".
When I started my current position, the owner and myself both agreed we had a dislike for post-it notes, paper and files lying around. So, in the process of working on a new marketing plan, social networking, collections, operations, and more, I have been spending time trying to automate our processes. We have a lateral file we keep some files in, but that is still too much for me. That's where scanning becomes essential for business, whether large or small. Before you convert to green, it is important to have a good backup program to prevent data loss. We pay a monthly fee to have our files stored off site. It's worth every penny if your computer decides it is time to bite the dust. You can also invest in a storage drive that will automatically back everything up for you as well.
Once you have a data storage program in place to back up your files, you can begin to scan and store everything you have to new folders you have created. The beginning may be cumbersome and time-consuming but in the long run, it will save time and money. After, you can recycle your filing cabinets on various "freecycle" sites by donating them and saving them from going into a landfill. Once it becomes a habit, you will never want to return to the old way of doing things. It just makes life so much easier.
There are many other ways to add to the savings of going green in your business. Simple things that cost you no money at all are, turning all lights in the office off when you leave, turning the air conditioner to 75 or the heat to 60 (these can always be changed the moment you walk in) and checking for water leaks (did you shut the faucet off? is it dripping? etc).
Items that cost now but will save money over time include investing in energy-efficient light bulbs, recycling your own waste in your business (purchase small recycle bins and stick them in your back storage room). using "green" friendly ink for your printer (for marketing supplies or letters) and eco-friendly copy paper, toilet paper and paper towels. We are living in an age where time is money and we have little of both. We must think smarter in order to make profits. "Going green", to me, is one of the best possible ways to be successful in business. Don't procrastinate! The time is now.
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
Friday, September 23, 2011
Are You Ready For Winter?
Summer is winding down. There is a crisp feeling in the air. A feeling of things coming to an end to make way for new beginnings. The summer heat is almost over and fall is right around the corner. In the Midwest they call this, "Indian Summer". We are teased with a few chilly days enveloped by a warm day here and there. As we rummage through our closets we grab a jacket or sweatshirt and begin to dress in layers again. I see more smiles, caravans to football games, people lounging outside coffee shops in the evening and a more relaxed feel as people walk to and fro.
This past weekend I realized that it wasn't quite so easy to grab for my favorite sweatshirt because it was packed tight in a container. I didn't feel like taking the extra effort to find it so I grabbed a jean jacket instead. I looked at my son and said, we need to go through our clothes and start packing the summer clothes soon. It's not exactly an enjoyable way to spend the evening but a very necessary one. After all of this time, I decided two weeks ago to get a small storage unit. I don't like having too much "stuff" and would just prefer to get rid of it in lieu of putting it in storage. However, I decided that it was easier to get through our home if we weren't tripping over each other to avoid storage tubs in our hallway (we live in a loft apartment). So, I budged and took out a unit small enough to store some items over the winter.
Not long after, my customers began dropping by to take their winter clothes out of storage. I didn't feel quite so alone. I ran to the store and bought an extra storage container (never pack items in boxes or trash bags if you can help it). I still need to grab some sachets to pop inside as well (sachets are great to keep clothes smelling nice and fresh). When we are preparing for auctions, I sometimes gasp when I open the door and see trash bags and boxes strewn about with clothes hanging out. News seasons bring pollen, dust and other undesirables more often than not (unless your area has hard freezes prior to the first day of winter). This can get into your clothing and cause even greater problems. If they have been in bags or boxes, you most definitely would not want to wear them without washing first. My suggestion always is to pack clothing into plastic storage containers. These are also easy to label (you can get cheap peel-off labels at any dollar store) so you know what is in the container as well.
Now, what about electronics? With the changing of any season comes that dreaded word (unless you live in the desert) "moisture". It may hit 28 at night and 50 during the day. Drastic temperature changes almost always create moisture. With that being said, are you storing electronics? If so, you may want to consider a climate controlled unit if at all possible. If not, I would suggest insulating your electronic items with as much absorbent padding as possible. You can purchase egg crate mattress pads and cut them up to fit and wrap around your electronics for insulation and maybe the pad will absorb some of the moisture.
This isn't fail-proof, though. Read the question from a reader and answer from electronics guru, Dave Taylor at http://www.askdavetaylor.com:
"Every year I have a problem trying to figure out where to hide Christmas presents and this year I've finally decided to just leave them in a box in the trunk of my card. My only concern is the cold weather. Can cold mess up digitalcameras, iPods, etc?"
"Dave's Answer:I asked the folks at DriveSavers for their input on this issue, since they make their money recovering data from damaged drives and gadgets, and here's what they reported back to me:
Oh yeah, that's a serious problem, one that I have been thinking about myself since I realized that I couldn't leave my own iPod in my car on nights when it gets below 32F, which we've definitely been experiencing in the last week or so here in Colorado.
"Winter’s cold temperatures can certainly damage hard drives and electronic gadgets. This holiday season, expensive presents with built-in hard drives like new game systems, personal computers and MP3 music players require extra protection from the cold. DriveSavers, experts at data recovery, warns that hard drives can be damaged when the temperature drops below freezing."
Their advice to you is:
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
This past weekend I realized that it wasn't quite so easy to grab for my favorite sweatshirt because it was packed tight in a container. I didn't feel like taking the extra effort to find it so I grabbed a jean jacket instead. I looked at my son and said, we need to go through our clothes and start packing the summer clothes soon. It's not exactly an enjoyable way to spend the evening but a very necessary one. After all of this time, I decided two weeks ago to get a small storage unit. I don't like having too much "stuff" and would just prefer to get rid of it in lieu of putting it in storage. However, I decided that it was easier to get through our home if we weren't tripping over each other to avoid storage tubs in our hallway (we live in a loft apartment). So, I budged and took out a unit small enough to store some items over the winter.
Not long after, my customers began dropping by to take their winter clothes out of storage. I didn't feel quite so alone. I ran to the store and bought an extra storage container (never pack items in boxes or trash bags if you can help it). I still need to grab some sachets to pop inside as well (sachets are great to keep clothes smelling nice and fresh). When we are preparing for auctions, I sometimes gasp when I open the door and see trash bags and boxes strewn about with clothes hanging out. News seasons bring pollen, dust and other undesirables more often than not (unless your area has hard freezes prior to the first day of winter). This can get into your clothing and cause even greater problems. If they have been in bags or boxes, you most definitely would not want to wear them without washing first. My suggestion always is to pack clothing into plastic storage containers. These are also easy to label (you can get cheap peel-off labels at any dollar store) so you know what is in the container as well.
Now, what about electronics? With the changing of any season comes that dreaded word (unless you live in the desert) "moisture". It may hit 28 at night and 50 during the day. Drastic temperature changes almost always create moisture. With that being said, are you storing electronics? If so, you may want to consider a climate controlled unit if at all possible. If not, I would suggest insulating your electronic items with as much absorbent padding as possible. You can purchase egg crate mattress pads and cut them up to fit and wrap around your electronics for insulation and maybe the pad will absorb some of the moisture.
This isn't fail-proof, though. Read the question from a reader and answer from electronics guru, Dave Taylor at http://www.askdavetaylor.com:
"Every year I have a problem trying to figure out where to hide Christmas presents and this year I've finally decided to just leave them in a box in the trunk of my card. My only concern is the cold weather. Can cold mess up digitalcameras, iPods, etc?"
"Dave's Answer:I asked the folks at DriveSavers for their input on this issue, since they make their money recovering data from damaged drives and gadgets, and here's what they reported back to me:
Oh yeah, that's a serious problem, one that I have been thinking about myself since I realized that I couldn't leave my own iPod in my car on nights when it gets below 32F, which we've definitely been experiencing in the last week or so here in Colorado.
"Winter’s cold temperatures can certainly damage hard drives and electronic gadgets. This holiday season, expensive presents with built-in hard drives like new game systems, personal computers and MP3 music players require extra protection from the cold. DriveSavers, experts at data recovery, warns that hard drives can be damaged when the temperature drops below freezing."
Their advice to you is:
- Don’t keep gifts of electronic devices hidden in car trunks, especially: laptops or desktop computers, digital cameras, MP3 music players, game systems or hard drive-based video recorders.
- If your hard drive-based gifts experience extreme temperatures (below 30 degrees), allow them time to warm to room temperature before operating them.
- If you receive a new personal computer, be sure to backup all the files on your old computer before startier them to the new one.
- As an added precaution, always use surge protectors or battery backup systems to protect your new electronic devices. This will prevent damage from power spikes or surges, common during the winter.
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
You Found WHAT?!? Why nobody wants Harry (or, things left behind in abandoned storage units)
Being the only employee for a storage facility can get rather lonesome at times. I do a lot of research and reading during the week trying to find ways to improve marketing and sales. Our default rate is (gladly) very low in comparison to many facilities and our sales aren't too shabby, either. So, those "lonely" times can be very beneficial. But now, I have a guest who has been keeping me company since the last auction. We'll call him "Harry". The day after our last auction, one of the bidders came inside and plopped a large canister on my desk and said, "You may want this". Lo and behold I saw the label attached to it and it was the cremated remains of someone who had been stored in a unit.
As shocking as this may be to some, it happens. I was floored that someone would even leave remains inside of a unit let alone abandon it with them inside. So, I set out on a quest to find the owner. My B.A. focused on strong skills in historical research so I had hoped I could track her down. I knew it wouldn't be easy because I already apply those same research skills in finding customers who have defaulted on their units (refer back to "low default rate" comment in the first paragraph, pats self on back). Gladly our bidder returned the next day with paperwork to help with my search. I was able to piece together a car accident and the fact that this was a spouse of the unit owner. The accident was out of state as was the crematorium. The spouse? Well, still nowhere to be found.
So, I contacted the fine people at MSSOA (Missouri Self Storage Owners Association) who contacted their attorney who then said, "Don't Sell It!" I had to chuckle after hearing this. I understand the implications of selling something this personal but I'm quite uncertain there would be a buyer in that market to begin with...if there even is a market for selling cremated remains? He then suggested calling the police. However, that thought had already come to mind so I had beat him to the punch. I called the local police department who passed me around a few times and then concluded they had no area for remains and I should contact our attorney. Hmmmm......
I then called a local funeral home and the woman on the other end was completely baffled. She said she would research it if I would email her the information. As of today's writing, Harry is still with us. Last week we had a large event we worked and because it was a shortened work-week, I decided to wait out word from the local funeral home. First day of the week is always very busy so today, I decided to contact the crematorium listed on the side of the box. They, too, have no idea what to do with Harry. I sent the information to them but they are pretty certain they won't be able to do anything with the remains, either.
So, I sit back and envision taking a road trip with Harry to disburse his remains. I ponder if he was a lover of water. Should I travel to the ocean and spread the ashes into the wind as we bid him adieu with tears in our eyes? "Ahh, that Harry, what a wonderful navigator of the seas! Spending his final days rescuing orphans from evil lands afar. What an honorable man!" Or perhaps he ventured to kingdoms in foreign lands? "An avid climber, Harry once carried his wife, the love of his life, on his back as he effortlessly climbed to the peaks of Mt. Everest!" Or perhaps he was as simple man who loved to read while surrounded by trees in the forests of Northern California. "As Harry finished the last page of Great Expectations, his pipe emitting the soft scent of cherry tobacco, he reflected upon his own life. As he did this, a small sparrow flew down and perched upon his lap. Harry was a good man and lived a blessed life."
As I look up and see the time that has passed, I wonder in all actuality if Harry is having fun wherever he may be. I wonder where his wife is and hope that she is doing well and perhaps just suffering from partial amnesia (since I still cannot imagine why someone would leave remains behind for no good reason). If that is the case, perhaps she is also wondering where Harry is as well. Maybe she thinks he is still atop Mt. Everest searching the skies for his lovely wife ("Helloooo down theyah!"). Realistically, though, I know in my heart Harry was forgotten, left behind, abandoned like the other items in the unit. As I continue to give time to do more research, I still have a glimmer of hope of finding his family. I believe Harry deserves this. In the meantime, I hope I am good company for him. I tend to be almost as quiet as Harry most of the time but not quite as reserved, thank God.
UPDATE ON HARRY: Thank you to the Jackson County Coroner's office for picking Harry up and reuniting him with his son.
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
As shocking as this may be to some, it happens. I was floored that someone would even leave remains inside of a unit let alone abandon it with them inside. So, I set out on a quest to find the owner. My B.A. focused on strong skills in historical research so I had hoped I could track her down. I knew it wouldn't be easy because I already apply those same research skills in finding customers who have defaulted on their units (refer back to "low default rate" comment in the first paragraph, pats self on back). Gladly our bidder returned the next day with paperwork to help with my search. I was able to piece together a car accident and the fact that this was a spouse of the unit owner. The accident was out of state as was the crematorium. The spouse? Well, still nowhere to be found.
So, I contacted the fine people at MSSOA (Missouri Self Storage Owners Association) who contacted their attorney who then said, "Don't Sell It!" I had to chuckle after hearing this. I understand the implications of selling something this personal but I'm quite uncertain there would be a buyer in that market to begin with...if there even is a market for selling cremated remains? He then suggested calling the police. However, that thought had already come to mind so I had beat him to the punch. I called the local police department who passed me around a few times and then concluded they had no area for remains and I should contact our attorney. Hmmmm......
I then called a local funeral home and the woman on the other end was completely baffled. She said she would research it if I would email her the information. As of today's writing, Harry is still with us. Last week we had a large event we worked and because it was a shortened work-week, I decided to wait out word from the local funeral home. First day of the week is always very busy so today, I decided to contact the crematorium listed on the side of the box. They, too, have no idea what to do with Harry. I sent the information to them but they are pretty certain they won't be able to do anything with the remains, either.
So, I sit back and envision taking a road trip with Harry to disburse his remains. I ponder if he was a lover of water. Should I travel to the ocean and spread the ashes into the wind as we bid him adieu with tears in our eyes? "Ahh, that Harry, what a wonderful navigator of the seas! Spending his final days rescuing orphans from evil lands afar. What an honorable man!" Or perhaps he ventured to kingdoms in foreign lands? "An avid climber, Harry once carried his wife, the love of his life, on his back as he effortlessly climbed to the peaks of Mt. Everest!" Or perhaps he was as simple man who loved to read while surrounded by trees in the forests of Northern California. "As Harry finished the last page of Great Expectations, his pipe emitting the soft scent of cherry tobacco, he reflected upon his own life. As he did this, a small sparrow flew down and perched upon his lap. Harry was a good man and lived a blessed life."
As I look up and see the time that has passed, I wonder in all actuality if Harry is having fun wherever he may be. I wonder where his wife is and hope that she is doing well and perhaps just suffering from partial amnesia (since I still cannot imagine why someone would leave remains behind for no good reason). If that is the case, perhaps she is also wondering where Harry is as well. Maybe she thinks he is still atop Mt. Everest searching the skies for his lovely wife ("Helloooo down theyah!"). Realistically, though, I know in my heart Harry was forgotten, left behind, abandoned like the other items in the unit. As I continue to give time to do more research, I still have a glimmer of hope of finding his family. I believe Harry deserves this. In the meantime, I hope I am good company for him. I tend to be almost as quiet as Harry most of the time but not quite as reserved, thank God.
UPDATE ON HARRY: Thank you to the Jackson County Coroner's office for picking Harry up and reuniting him with his son.
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
Thursday, September 8, 2011
My How Time Flies - Organization And Time Management
I woke up this morning and on my mind was the pile of items on my to do list for work. Holidays are always nice but we generally pay for it the week after. And Murphy's Law took effect this week as well. When I left work on Saturday, the printer wasn't working well. It was smudging every letter that needed mailed out, important letters, too. I put in a work order to our computer tech who was also busy over the holiday weekend. I still hoped in the back of my mind it would be fixed when I came in on Tuesday. Maybe through osmosis it would fix itself. I will tell right you now, the use of osmosis is never a reliable plan.
When I came in Tuesday morning, I contacted our computer tech again. He couldn't come in until Wednesday evening to fix the printer. It wasn't faring well and neither was I. Murphy's Law: we have a show we are working this weekend to bring more revenue to our business. And, I have 2000 coupons to be clipped and ready to pass out at the gate Saturday. Not panicking yet, I figured he would come in and be able to fix the printer without a hitch. Murphy's Law: not only could he not fix it, but it stopped working immediately after he tried. The part we needed was not close and there was only one available at that location. No other store in the city carries this part. I ordered it to be sent Next Day to us. The confirmation showed that it would arrive probably Saturday. I called, their Next Day Air orders aren't placed until the 3rd business day. I cancelled the "next-day" order. I came in early and traveled to pick up the part this morning, at a store that opens when our store opens. Murphy's Law.
So, what happens when Murphy's Law strikes and severs your schedule and adds to your weekly tasks (during a short week, I might add)? You take another look at your priority list and rearrange it as best as possible. You then take the proverbial deep breath and ask yourself what has to be done first in order to accomplish the rest of your items. In my case, a working printer. So, I came in early today and readied the office for opening, placed a sign on the door letting my customers know an approximate time I would return, gathered the bank deposit and and began writing our weekly blog, which is a little behind schedule. Take a step back this week and think about the last time Murphy's Law took affect in your business and reflect on what you did to get through that time. Right now I am taking it a step at a time and laughing a little (it truly is the best medicine, you cannot be sad and laugh at the same time). So, as I rethink my priority list for the week I first decide what is the most important factor and that is properly functioning equipment. And with that in place now (we won't go into the rest of that little fiasco), I am able to continue with my list.
Several years ago I was on the human resources management team at a fairly large financial institution. One of my duties was managing the critical performance evaluation system. I trained management on the proper way to administer an evaluation. I believe these evaluations are critical to help improve any company. Well, when it was time for my evaluation, I received a good one with the exception of one area, time management. My desk area reflected my time management skills (or lack thereof) as well. I decided after my evaluation I was going to change how I managed the time I spent at work and learn to prioritize. It seemed archaic at first, I took out a notebook and listed all of my duties and then I put them on the computer so I could develop a system to check items off as they were accomplished. It took time to get the process down to an art and now, 10 years later, I carry this with me on the job and at home as well (still failing on the home-front more often than not). I have my "A, B, C List" and I keep a filing system as well. The owner and I share the same thought that leaving Post-It notes and stacks of paper lying around just doesn't look good to customers. Also, time is money, disorganization means it could take twice as long to find what you need when you have a customer walk in the door.
Entrepreneur Blogger, Carol Rice, has a list of 8 very important items to keep your business away from disarray .
You can read the rest of her blog here: http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/220053
Paul Wellstone said that "Successful organizing is based on the recognition that people get organized because they, too, have a vision". Keep in mind we are in the self-storage business. We should be sending a message that it is exciting to become organized. I know that having a storage unit enables many of our customers to organize their small and large businesses as well as their homes. We have homeschooling families who use storage for their children's books and assignments from previous years. Our climate controlled units serve as a wonderful means for off site storage for small businesses using electronics as well as documents. Get to know your customers when they walk through the door. Get a feel for their needs.
I have shared the story of my ultra-organized Mom (refer to first blog) with others and it has hopefully been an inspiration to people. I am quite certain she is the reason plastic storage container companies are still in business. Recommend large plastic storage containers to your customers to help them become more organized and talk to them about labeling as well (and show some excitement for pity's sake, organizing should make anyone feel good). Most of all, let the customer see how organized you are as you calmly reach into a labeled file for the document that you need or as you direct their eyes to the specials posted on the walls or the toy and sticker bin when they walk in with their children. Make it fun and easy for everyone involved.
When I came in Tuesday morning, I contacted our computer tech again. He couldn't come in until Wednesday evening to fix the printer. It wasn't faring well and neither was I. Murphy's Law: we have a show we are working this weekend to bring more revenue to our business. And, I have 2000 coupons to be clipped and ready to pass out at the gate Saturday. Not panicking yet, I figured he would come in and be able to fix the printer without a hitch. Murphy's Law: not only could he not fix it, but it stopped working immediately after he tried. The part we needed was not close and there was only one available at that location. No other store in the city carries this part. I ordered it to be sent Next Day to us. The confirmation showed that it would arrive probably Saturday. I called, their Next Day Air orders aren't placed until the 3rd business day. I cancelled the "next-day" order. I came in early and traveled to pick up the part this morning, at a store that opens when our store opens. Murphy's Law.
So, what happens when Murphy's Law strikes and severs your schedule and adds to your weekly tasks (during a short week, I might add)? You take another look at your priority list and rearrange it as best as possible. You then take the proverbial deep breath and ask yourself what has to be done first in order to accomplish the rest of your items. In my case, a working printer. So, I came in early today and readied the office for opening, placed a sign on the door letting my customers know an approximate time I would return, gathered the bank deposit and and began writing our weekly blog, which is a little behind schedule. Take a step back this week and think about the last time Murphy's Law took affect in your business and reflect on what you did to get through that time. Right now I am taking it a step at a time and laughing a little (it truly is the best medicine, you cannot be sad and laugh at the same time). So, as I rethink my priority list for the week I first decide what is the most important factor and that is properly functioning equipment. And with that in place now (we won't go into the rest of that little fiasco), I am able to continue with my list.
Several years ago I was on the human resources management team at a fairly large financial institution. One of my duties was managing the critical performance evaluation system. I trained management on the proper way to administer an evaluation. I believe these evaluations are critical to help improve any company. Well, when it was time for my evaluation, I received a good one with the exception of one area, time management. My desk area reflected my time management skills (or lack thereof) as well. I decided after my evaluation I was going to change how I managed the time I spent at work and learn to prioritize. It seemed archaic at first, I took out a notebook and listed all of my duties and then I put them on the computer so I could develop a system to check items off as they were accomplished. It took time to get the process down to an art and now, 10 years later, I carry this with me on the job and at home as well (still failing on the home-front more often than not). I have my "A, B, C List" and I keep a filing system as well. The owner and I share the same thought that leaving Post-It notes and stacks of paper lying around just doesn't look good to customers. Also, time is money, disorganization means it could take twice as long to find what you need when you have a customer walk in the door.
Entrepreneur Blogger, Carol Rice, has a list of 8 very important items to keep your business away from disarray .
You can read the rest of her blog here: http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/220053
I have shared the story of my ultra-organized Mom (refer to first blog) with others and it has hopefully been an inspiration to people. I am quite certain she is the reason plastic storage container companies are still in business. Recommend large plastic storage containers to your customers to help them become more organized and talk to them about labeling as well (and show some excitement for pity's sake, organizing should make anyone feel good). Most of all, let the customer see how organized you are as you calmly reach into a labeled file for the document that you need or as you direct their eyes to the specials posted on the walls or the toy and sticker bin when they walk in with their children. Make it fun and easy for everyone involved.
The end result of becoming organized means your day either goes more smoothly or when Murphy's Law hits, you are organized enough to handle it. So what's keeping you? Turn over a new leaf today, create that priority list, grab a handful of files to label and the document shredder and get organized before Mr. Murphy comes knocking.
Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300
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