I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together

We all know that seasons change.  Not only within nature, but within humans as well.  I remember the moment I realized I was already homesick for Washington state, it was the moment I saw the top of Mt. Rainier as I drove East on I-90.  However, personal and family matters called us to the Midwest and as the tears rolled down my face, I continued to drive.  When we arrived in KC after spending some time with family in Indiana, I had no idea what was going to happen.  I was working a temporary night job but searching for something to fit my marketing background.  It just so happened, my new landlord also owned a storage facility. I asked him if he was hiring and he was.  I was up to the challenge and was available to work the hours he needed to fill on a part time basis.  Two months later, I became the full-time manager for this little diamond in the rough.  I had a huge challenge facing me, to put Star back on the map, raise our occupancy rate and lower our default rate (including eliminating as many auctions as possible).

Having a background in non-profit development, sales, marketing and database management, I was able to utilize everything I knew and put it to test while learning the self-storage business.  I had extensive experience with property management laws in other states so understanding most of the self-storage legalese was not an issue, either. I succeeded in doing everything he asked from me (and more).  However, what came out of working here went far beyond the scope of anything I thought would be possible: the gift of my customers.  I've worked with Governor's, Senator's, major league athletes, major motion picture executives, tourism professionals, CEO's and financial gurus.  But never have I had the blessing of being able to meet people who aren't forced to put on a presence for all to see.  Blue-collar workers, the unemployed, homeless, military men and women, you name it, these are the people you pass by every single day and the people who visit me.  The one's who serve you at McDonald's.  The one's who serve you at Ruth Chris.  The one's who scan your Fruit Of The Looms at WalMart.  The ones who process your payments and pick the perfect units for you at self-storage facilities.  People who are clad in t-shirts, jeans, capris, tennis shoes, tired, circles under their eyes sometimes, no holds barred, real people.  

Not saying that the other people in my life prior to this weren't real.  That was my lifestyle for a long time.  Heels, suits, meetings, blackberry's, shaking hands, perfect grammar, we know the routine.  It's what is expected.  And contrary to popular belief, these are also pretty incredible people.  Spending time with many of them people after work hours proved they were no different than anyone else I see here every day.  Each possessing his or her own set of heartaches, triumphs, struggles and victories.  The difference is that here, no one has to pretend.  I like that. I want my customers to know when they walk in that although there are set boundaries for payments and business items, they can still tell me about their day, their new grandchild, their lost job or anything that's on their mind.  It may be only a one or two minute conversation but it's still important to me, nevertheless.  

With all of that being said, I have built over a year's worth of amazing relationships with some very amazing people here at Star.  From the wonderful owners to my incredible co-workers (on the property management side) to working side by side with my amazing son, learning the business has been wonderful and has broadened my knowledge of property management.  I have met other people in the self-storage business, great people, and I have gleaned invaluable information from them.  I have met some of the most wonderful people who walk through my door each day.  From customers who have been here since day one of the business' inception twelve years ago, to those who have just moved in, I have met some truly amazing people.  

We weren't certain how long we would be here, one year, two years or more.  We were homesick when we arrived but we allowed ourselves to grow while here.  This was a new experience, one in which to gain perseverance and a wealth of knowledge.  So, when my Grandmother passed away in January, I knew it was time to think about returning home.  I spoke with the owner about a month later and we began the process of preparing for the moment.  It wasn't long after that we (my son and myself) were chosen for a team management position back in the Evergreen State with yet another great company.  With a couple of weeks to spare, we really wanted to take the opportunity to let you all know how blessed we are to have met so many wonderful customers here and how excited we are to meet many more wonderful customers in Washington in the coming years.  

Some of my fondest memories include going to my Grandmother's house each week to watch The Carol Burnett Show.  It was my favorite show and at the end of each show, she would sing a song to her audience.  During that song, even at a young age, I would well-up with emotion and have to wipe the tears.  Saying goodbye is the hardest thing to do sometimes. So, I won't say goodbye.  Instead, I will just leave you with this:

Have a great day!

Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-8300

What?!? You Didn't Tell Me That! (Why Communication Is Vital)

If communication is your forte, then no one should ever be surprised by anything you have to say.  I'm a firm believer in communicating well with people so there are few, if any, questions to be asked.  You never want to leave the door open for a customer, your employer, or anyone else to be shocked about anything.

So, I do my best to avoid getting that look from anyone who even crosses my path.  Now, I've given that look to others but I can't really control how other communicate with me.  However, I can control how my messages are delivered.  

We've had to overcome communication issues with our customers here which isn't always easy.  We have both a lease and an addendum that we require everyone to sign.  I tweaked our former addendum so it could also act as a summary, outlining our formal lease. Most of the people who walk through my door are on a mission, they need a place to store their items and are ready to come in and leave within 5 minutes time.  I have our leasing time down to 15 minutes per person, which is pretty good in my opinion.  When my customers arrive, I show them the sizes we offer, I discuss what they are storing to make certain they have chosen the correct sized unit, I collect their information, input it into the system and then the last 5 minutes are spent going over the lease addendum and answering their questions.  This is generally their least favorite part.  Yet, it is the most crucial portion of our meeting.  Maybe it seems trivial or silly and perhaps you are afraid to scare off or offend your customers, nevertheless, it is vital that you cover your bases for the sake of your customer and your business. 

If I do not communicate everything on this addendum to our customer, then they will be shocked when they are given late fees, are locked out at the gate, don't receive their deposit back,  find out we've rescued their cat out of their units (yes, this has happened) or receive an auction notice.  In the event I do not do my part, I not only get the proverbial "deer-in-the-headlight look", I also receive angry phone calls, get disappointed emails, drop-in visits from irate tenants, let's just say it's not good for anyone involved.  I want everyone involved to have a complete understanding of what they are signing.  Recently I posted this story at our front desk for everyone to read while I input their information into the system (feel free to use this at your place of business):

DID YOU READ YOUR LEASE?

Why is it important to always read anything before you sign?

David Lee Roth And The Real M&M Story

This is a short excerpt from The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande. Here explained is the reasoning behind David Lee Roth’s famous obsession with brown M&M’s:

“Listening to the radio, I heard the story behind rocker David Lee Roth’s notorious insistence that Van Halen’s contracts with concert promoters contain a clause specifying that a bowl of M&M’s has to be provided backstage, but with every single brown candy removed, upon pain of forfeiture of the show, with full compensation to the band. And at least once, Van Halen followed through, peremptorily cancelling a show in Colorado when Roth found some brown M&M’s in his dressing room. This turned out to be, however, not another example of the insane demands of power-mad celebrities but an ingenious ruse.

As Roth explained in his memoir, Crazy from the Heat, “Van Halen was the first band to take huge productions into tertiary, third level markets. We’d pull up with nine 18-wheeler trucks, full of gear, where the standard was three trucks, max. And there were many, many technical errors — whether it was the girders couldn’t support the weight, or the flooring would sink in, or the doors weren’t big enough to move the gear through. The contract rider read like a version of the Chinese Yellow Pages because there was so much equipment, and so many human beings to make it function.  So just as a little test, buried somewhere in the middle of the rider, would be article 126, the no-brown-M&M’s clause. When I would walk backstage, if I saw a brown M&M in that bowl,” he wrote, “well, we’d line-check the entire production. Guaranteed you’re going to arrive at a technical error… Guaranteed you’d run into a problem.  These weren’t trifles, the radio story pointed out. The mistakes could be life-threatening. In Colorado, the band found the local promoters had failed to read the weight requirements and the staging would have fallen through the arena.”

Bottom line is, how well you communicate with others can and WILL affect the outcome of your business.  You may feel you have beaten the world record for number of words spoken in a day by the time you leave work but you have actually made your job easier in the long run.  Your customers will have peace of mind and if they do call and act shocked, you can mention that you "went over that" the day they signed their lease.  Feel free to go over it again.  If they are insistent that they are clueless about the item, ask them to pull out the paperwork they signed and then if they have questions after reading it to feel free to call you back.  I can count on one hand how many phone calls I have had like this since we modified our lease addendum.  I know this works.  If you aren't using effective communication with your customers, it is time to give it a go.  Until next time, have a great week!

Michelle Armstrong

Manager

Star Storage

816-765-7300

When A Sale Is Not A Sale And Never Will Be A Sale

I think everyone who has read my blog knows by now how much I love my customers.  However, those who know me also know I have developed very good boundaries in my life as well.  I think it is very important to establish those boundaries with everyone who enters our lives. It is way too easy to get walked on today just because we budge a little too easily.  I remember several years ago when my now adult son was 4 years old.  I am very big on not spoiling children.  He had been spending a little too much time with his Grandmother (who loved to spoil) and it was very obvious when we went to the store that evening.  He wanted to look at the toys.  I said, "OK, but I'm not buying anything".  We walked back and he saw this "amazing" toy and he just HAD to have it.  I responded with a very calm, "No".  Much to my chagrin, he started throwing a fit.

Now, I do not believe in spanking but I do believe in setting boundaries for children through discipline.  So, what did I do next? I looked into his eyes and said, "You will sit on the floor and not cry for five minutes.  If anyone asks why you are here, tell them it is because you threw a fit".  His cute little bottom lip quivered and he nodded his head in agreement.  As he sat on the floor I watched from the end of the aisle (it was a short aisle). After that, he never threw a fit again.  He always knew my "No" was a "No".  The boundaries were established and that made raising him even easier.  And now, he is learning about making and keeping them as well.

So, what happens when you have a potential new customer walking through the door and they disrespect those boundaries (which should already be in place, if not, see: Boundaries)?   I remember about 4 months into my job two men walked through the front door.  I greeted them with my usual friendliness and began telling them about our facility and our specials.  Sadly, I knew from the moment they walked in the door that "something wasn't quite right".  They acted anxious and couldn't stand still.  They were on the defensive and responding with sarcasm to everything I said. I assumed they might be on drugs although wasn't positive about that. They both tried to pick a fight with me over our rates and move in costs.  I refused to fight back.  That made them angrier.  For some reason they just seemed to want to start something with someone for some reason but I wasn't taking the bait.  When one of them leaned over the counter and stretched his arm towards my face and pointed his finger towards me and demanded a better deal, I looked at him and said, "Sir, I do not have to rent to you, please leave my business now".  The arm fell, their mouths dropped open, they backed up and walked out the door.

As I watched them walk across the parking lot I realized they hadn't driven here.  I had this "gut" feeling that I wasn't the first business to be picked on by these two.  They were on foot and on a mission.  Our location isn't in an area where our customers arrive by foot.  I was glad I handled it like I did.  On occasion, I have had other situations arise where the boundaries have been crossed and I have had to risk losing a potential customer.  Most of the time, making the boundaries very clear has actually made the situation better and all has worked out.  On a rare occasion, I've watched a potential customer walk out the door and go elsewhere.  And there have also been times when they have gone to other facilities only to take a bite of humble pie and come back to rent from us (if I would have them back after a sincere apology).

So, what circumstances would determine whether or not to refuse a customer?

In her article "The Right To Refuse Service Or Discrimination", Stephanie Tallman Smith states:

"As a general rule, your right to refuse service can be based on one of the following five reasons:

-Partons who are unruly
-Patrons who would place your business overcapacity in violation of local fire laws
-Patrons who wish to be served after hours or just before closing, necessitating the expenditure of overtime for your employees
-Patrons who bring non-paying customers with them that require more space than one person would be reasonably be allocated.  IN other words, if a paying customer brings three non-paying customers, he or she can be refused service because it requires the use of more than the one booth allocated to the paying customer.
-Patrons who exhibit such poor hygiene that results in numerous customers leaving."

See the entire article at:

Right To Refuse Service 

Of course we always must be mindful to not refuse someone based upon our own beliefs.  This is where we can cross a fine line that is not only illegal but can also be very hurtful to the other person. 

We need to always remember that refusing someone based upon: age, race, sex (or sexual orientation), gender or religion, is a federal crime.  That's an easy one for me.  The more difficult ones are the ones listed earlier, the "gray areas" or rather, the ones that make you scratch your head and go, "Hmmmm".  Those are the ones we need to be wary of so we don't become targets ourselves.  If you read this and are still uncertain, sometimes it's a good idea to consult an attorney just to make certain we are within our legal limits to make that decision.  However, I think most circumstances are very obvious and I am a firm believer in following intuition.  It's usually right on the money.  In the meantime, here's to hoping you never have to use the information in this blog; may many happy customers come to greet you throughout your life.  

Michelle Armstrong

Manager

Star Storage

816-765-7300

Try A Little Kindness

I have been thinking about kindness a lot lately.  Listening to the lyrics to Mad World yesterday (written by Roland Orzabal of Tears For Fears) put such a sadness in my heart.  My son said, "Wow, he must have been really depressed when he wrote this". You would think, listening to the song that he was on the verge of jumping from a building.  In all actuality, Orzabal was just simply making a statement based upon his observation of people while peering outside his window.  A simple observation told him there were a lot of hurting people in our world. Yesterday, I was running through my Twitter feed and saw a tweet about anger being nothing other than the depth of someone's hurt (not a direct quote). If we could get into the habit of seeing things this way, perhaps our responses would not only change our perspective of others but maybe it would be a catalyst for change in this world.

You know, I think it would be quite wonderful if we didn't see this as a "Mad World".  Would it be too difficult to extend a kindness to someone else today?  A simple hello or how are you just isn't enough anymore.  Those greetings have become too cliche in America.  We all know when we ask someone how they are that more often than not, we don't want to hear.  It has become a superficial way of being polite.  Now, when people come into my office and I ask how they are, I DO want to know.  It means a lot to me and it also helps me to be a better service provider to them. We cannot tout ourselves as being top notch with customer service if we truly don't care. Knowing someone's circumstance can make all of the difference in the world to them and to me. I understand there are days when the office is so busy you may not have extra time to listen. In that case, bypass the socially acceptable, "How are you?" when people come in the door.  Just greet them with a huge smile and hello.  Let them know how special they are not only because they are your customer but because you see them as a person.  You can do that by complimenting them or by sharing an encouraging message when it is obvious they are down.

Allow me to elaborate, when I say encouraging, I don't mean sharing religious quotes or asking if they have been to church lately (that gets my goat more than anything when people do that to me).  We need to be very wary about doing this in any business setting. We can be encouraging by saying, "Hey, I can tell you're feeling really down today and I would like you to know that things will get better.  I've had some hard times in my life, been unemployed, lost a loved one (etc, fill in the blank with something brief, not your life story) and man, I wondered if it would ever get better, but it did.  So, hang in there, you're such a good person who deserves good things and they are just around the corner."  I remember reading a story not too long ago about a man who was planning to commit suicide. It was someone's kind words (not a friend, just a stranger) that gave him the encouragement to keep pressing on.  We don't know how many people are ready to just end it all.  In the self storage business, we see people from all walks of life and many are here not because they want to be, but because they have to be and we should be mindful of that when renting to anyone who walks through our front door.

Take some time today and think about how you would like to extend kindness to others.  When you give it, you often get it back as well.  As a matter of fact, the rule of thumb is: whatever we give, we get back.  And sometimes we get it back twice as much as we gave it.  The television show "My Name Is Earl" gives a great depiction of how it works both ways.



Now, keep in mind, being kind to everyone doesn't always mean THAT particular person will reciprocate.  However, they have their own "Karma" lesson to learn.  What normally happens is an unexpected kindness directed at you in another circumstance and sometimes even bigger than what you extended.  Just don't get caught up in being offended by the person who didn't reciprocate to miss what good things you have coming to you.  And it WILL come back to you.  It is all very much worth it.   Give it a try today.


Have a great day!

Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300

The Problem With Homelessness

Many of your customers are homeless.  That might come as a surprise to some of you.  It is estimated that 3.5 million people in America are homeless.  Of that, 23% are children.  770,000 homeless children are currently enrolled in the public school system.  These are astonishing figures and we see many homeless families in the self-storage business (more information at http://www.nationalhomeless.org). Self-storage laws state that it is illegal to reside in a storage facility.  The main reasons are that it is not safe for the person living inside and it is also a liability to the owner.  The statistics are overwhelming at best and when we are faced with this situation, we must respond quickly.  What is the best way to respond?

First of all, we are all human beings and deserve the right to be treated with respect despite our economic situation.  It is not up to us to judge who is at fault for their situation. Unless we have walked in their shoes, many people will never know the stigma that accompanies being homeless.  Most of the time you won't know a customer is homeless.  In the event someone shares this information with you, as a storage facility, you can't really offer much to them aside from a free unit (which I am definitely not suggesting anyone should do).  Keeping this in mind, this is the first step in making certain your boundaries are always established from the beginning.  More often than not, someone renting a unit is in a hotel or a shelter and drawing a small monthly income from somewhere which enables them to pay their unit rental bill.  I have customers who have been paying on time for months and I am just finding out they have been in this situation the entire time.

Many of these families have at least one working parent. The majority of the time they have children and are in a hotel. But, in most cases, they don't have enough income to afford to get out of the situation they are in, which is living in a tiny hotel room.  They need the money for the deposit and after a credit check, they will probably need more than that. Each paycheck drains their income to go towards a hotel room so they are unable to save for a deposit for a rental.  If there is a large family, there are occupancy laws in many cities that say six people in a two bedroom is too many.  Therefore, renting an apartment that is large enough seems like a far off and distant dream.  Plus, the waiting list for HUD and Section 8 housing is generally very long, if they even qualify.  So, what can we, as a business, do to help?

During one conversation with a homeless family, I came up with three possible solutions that no one had even shared with them during this entire time. There are currently three programs that are not widely advertised in this area whose main priority is to get people off of the streets and out of hotels and into permanent housing.  When I gave our customer the information (it took me less than one minute to look up the names and numbers) she was so glad there was a possible light at the end of the tunnel.  After this, I realized that if there is a need, I need to make solutions available to those our customers who have a need.  Not only is it a part of good customer service practices to go above and beyond the call of duty, it's also being a good humanitarian.

In the United States, there is an available program that was put into place two years ago called Rapid Rehousing.  It is available in every state (sometimes funding is limited in some areas but it always helps to send someone to the one in your city).  You can easily go to a search engine (Google, Yahoo, Dogpile, etc) and type in rapid rehousing and your city's name.  In our instance, it is Rapid Rehousing Kansas City.  The next step is to look through the first few results.  Rapid Rehousing is a program that is actually not a "stand alone" entity.  Non-profits in your area integrate the program within their organization and then you can apply through them.  Therefore, you will not have a direct number Rapid Rehousing. but instead it will be a local non-profit organization dedicated to helping the homeless. Calling these organizations (there is generally more than one, tell your customer to call them all) will open the door (generally) to a wide array of homeless prevention programs available in the city either through their organization or others.


Another good resource is through the HUD web site.  It is: http://www.hudhre.info/index.cfm?do=viewLookingAssistance

Make certain you bookmark this site so you can easily open it when a customer comes in who is in need.  It also gives resources for food assistance, medical insurance and more.  You can also give them information if they are at risk to become homeless.

Understandably, we don't have all the time in the world when we are at work, especially on very busy days.  So, you can also create a sheet with these links as well as phone numbers they can call.  You can have those ready to either discreetly hand to someone in need or you can even leave them setting out for people to take.  I like things neat, tidy and professional, so my idea would be a small pamphlet in a brochure holder.  In the long run, you are giving adults and children a chance to lead normal lives, giving back to the economy (more money in pockets means more into retail) and helping the nation as a whole.  The ROI (return on investment) is a much bigger picture than you may ever realize.  Until next time, thanks and have a great day!



Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300

Have A Great Day

The owner came in with a sign the other day and asked what I thought about it.  He thought it might be fun to mount it onto the back of the gate so our tenants would see it upon exiting.  We have a little "mascot" man on our logo and a lot of people who drive around our various properties recognize his face when they see him.  He's a cute little guy with a 1940's look.  I loved the new sign and thought it would look marvelous so he proceeded to hang it up.  When I look at our security camera monitor from my desk, I see the sign and it makes me smile.  So, what is on this sign that makes it so special?  "Have A Great Day!"

Now, you may have let out a little chuckle but I can say that there is a psychological effect which takes place when a person hears the words "Have a nice day" or "Have a great day".  Inspirational speaker and writer Norman Vincent Peale said, "To have a great day every day it helps to think great thoughts and to concentrate on at least one every day".  Sometimes it is absolutely necessary to have the extra boost, isn't it?  Today was a particularly good day at work. A lot of my regular customers came in to make payments.  I love the people who came in today.  All full of smiles and greetings.  Despite the fact they were paying their bills and it was gloomy and cold outside, they didn't care.  They came in sporting smiles and really good attitudes.  My son (also an employee) was standing in the room and I turned to him and saw him all smiles (as always) and at that moment I realized how much I loved what I do.

Now, don't get me wrong.  My work doesn't define who I am.  I am a firm believer that we aren't defined by our jobs or anything else in life, it's us who defines whatever we are doing at that moment.  We have the power to change any situation at any given time simply with our attitude.  So, why is that so difficult sometimes?  Truly bad situations can happen in someone's life that reshapes their lives.  Those defining times in our lives can leave us in a space where it is difficult to recover.  When those people enter our lives, we can either look at them and determine they just have a bad attitude or we can assume it is a combination of bad situations that have taken place in their lives.  When we change our perspective of other people's situations, it makes it so much easier to respond to them on a more compassionate human level.

How do we do this?  Well, it takes time and practice.  It can start with a simple smile and a warm greeting.  Give them a chance to vent if necessary.  Respond with understanding (empathy and sympathy go a long way).  Apologize, "I'm so sorry you are going through this right now" means a lot to a person who thinks no one else cares.  A hug.  That's right, I have hugged people who have walked in and just lost a loved one or a job.  I keep a box of tissues close to me and hand them out freely while listening to stories of divorce, lost homes, lost jobs and lost loved ones.  And when they are finished, they feel as if, strangely enough, this is a place of refuge where they can come and reflect.  That's nice to know we can do that for people.  Business goes way beyond that simple transaction that takes place behind the counter.  We should always convey that message to our customers and let them know how much we value them as people.  Warren Schmidt made quite the statement when asking this of himself in the movie, About Schmidt:  "I know we're all pretty small in the big scheme of things, and I suppose the most you can hope for is to make some kind of difference, but what kind of difference have I made?  What in the world is better because of me?" I suppose that is something I can ask myself each time someone leaves and I say, Have a great day".

Michelle Armstrong

Manager

Star Storage

816-765-7300

Hurt People Hurt People

Bill Cosby once said, "Hurt people, hurt people".  Working in the retail industry puts us in the position to work with people from all walks of life and many of them are hurting.  If we work in an industry where we have the same return customer's each month, we get to know them a little more intimately (if we allow ourselves to do so).  I think it is important to get to know our customers as people so I do.  I'm going to let you all into my life a little bit and say that my son and I have been through a lot of hurt and heartache for several years.  He had a chronic illness for many years, therefore we have moved from state to state so I could get him the best medical treatment possible.  Home after home (our own or staying with someone else) and surgery after surgery, we have learned to live with daily exhaustion.  It's tested us both as individuals in every aspect humanly possible, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  I think that perhaps this is why I have so much compassion for the human heart yet on the other hand why I can also easily wear my heart on my sleeve.  Why wouldn't that affect anyone adversely?  We are, after all, human.

So, throughout all of our travels, we discovered something we love to do together, laugh.  It has been such a joy to see my son learn to cope with the circumstances using laughter.  We watch comedies, comedians, write comedy, make up jokes, laugh at situations, etc.  Whatever it takes, we laugh.  I remember many doctor's visits where we would sit in the exam room knowing they were hearing our laughter down the hallway.  In most children's hospitals, it was a welcome sound.  People love laughter.  We can cover up the pain in front of others but often it is too much to bear so sometimes it comes out in an adverse way.  This is where I have learned so much more from my son, who through hurt in many different circumstances has learned to love people unconditionally.  He says, "Mom, hurt people, hurt people".  It's true, we do.  I've done it often through my own fears and wish I could take back the words that sometimes come from this hurting soul.

After several years of working behind the scenes in the non-profit and for profit sector, I am now on the front line dealing with people who are going through a lot.  I've been yelled at, cursed at, had fists in my face, doors slammed on me and I have had to learn to not lash out.  These are hurting people.  But more so, I have had the privilege of hugging and comforting people who were in tears while listening to their stories of dying parents or children, lost jobs, lost homes and domestic violence.  These are also hurting people.  Sometimes they are personal friends and other times they just need to unload.  I let them.  Maybe I'm the 20th person they have unloaded on or maybe I am the first and only.  In any case, it's important to me that I hear them out.  It's been a learning experience for me and one that I have failed at times.  I'm still healing, too.

It's easy to love on someone when they are vulnerable but how do you do it when you are also hurting?  How do you love on them when you have already had a miserable week and they come in and take their miserable week out on you?  This is where it can be a little tough.  In the working world, we have been taught that "you leave your personal life home" and that is true to some extent.  However, by doing this, you aren't dealing with your current issues.  So, you bury it at work and go home and all of that pinned up emotion goes out to your loved ones or you just learn to keep it buried.  So, you become a volcano that is either active or dormant but active.  Dangerous either way.  But, you can't talk about it at work, either, can you?  This is where I have learned to become creative.

"Everything that happens to me is the best possible thing that can happen to me", when I first read this quote from Chris Prentiss, it changed how I saw things.  Not immediately, though, I had to say it over and over and I still say it over and over.  That still wasn't enough, though, I made copies and taped it on my desk, my car and at home.  I need the reminder.  We have to find something positive.  If prayer works for you, then pray.  If meditation works, then meditate.  If changing your applied philosophies works, then do it.  But, you must find positive outlets in your life.  I have found that old habits die hard.  If you are used to handling situations the same way over and over again and they are detrimental to yourself and everyone else around you, then that reaction will be the first thing you run to when faced with negatives in your life.  You must retrain your thinking habits.  It doesn't happen over night so you mustn't give up if you fail sometimes.

My Grandmother passed away two weeks ago.  I've known for quite a while that she was dying but was still so unprepared for the moment I received the news.  She was my second Mother.  She helped raise me and the memories all came back.  There were regrets that I was unable to be there before she passed.  I came to work each day and told myself I was handling everything well, but I wasn't.  I knew I had to take time to grieve.  So, I did.  And it worked.  I came to terms with her death, she was in a lot of pain and I knew it was a blessing for her to no longer be in pain.  I came to terms with the fact that someday, I will see her.  She knew we lived out of state and I am certain she understood.  Our last memories together were good.  That's how she would have wanted it.  I still have my short-lived moments but taking time to grieve was the best decision I could have made.  Maybe you need to grieve your current circumstance?  Perhaps it will take 5 minutes or maybe you need more time to reflect and heal.  In any case, you can't be there for others unless you are also in the process of healing.  It is also more difficult to handle a dire situation if your thinking is clouded by hurt.

Every day that we leave our home we face people.  We can either walk around them and pretend they aren't there or we can face them with a smile.  Unless we are living in a bubble, there is no way we can avoid people.  And let's face it, sometimes it would make life so much easier if we could.  But, we can't and shouldn't.  If we try, we might miss a life changing experience. So, today is the day to make a decision, how are we going to deal with people?  When we have a customer walk in the door looking upset, are we going to roll our eyes and think, "Oh great, what now?" or are we going to greet them with a smile and let them know someone cares?  Are we going to begin dealing with our own hurts or are we going to continue to bury them?  Bottom line, when are you going to start living and loving?  I know I am ready to do both.  I've been ready.  It's more than business, it's life.  Your business is people and people are your business.  So, whaddya say?  Anyone up for a group hug?   Try it, you might just like it.

Do you have any life changing events or stories that have changed your perspective on life or business?  If so, we would love to hear your story.

Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300

Still Everything Happens For A Reason

I am a huge John Mayer fan.  I make no bones about the fact that the lyrics to his music have changed my life in many ways.  And much of what he preaches in his music I apply to my daily life.  I try to be the same at work as I am off the clock, with the exception to a few rules (it's familiar but it's not home).  And to be honest with you, this is the first place I have actually had the freedom to be myself (thank you, Kip).  This isn't to say I walk around with a rose up my nose.  I'm human, aren't we all?

As a result of this freedom, it has been an amazing journey to rediscover people.  And that result has led to increased revenue.  What? Yes, I said that.  It wasn't my goal, either.  Maybe it's just learning that despite what has been taught over the years, you can still be genuine and professional at the same time.  Often, through fear, companies will teach that we need to stand up straight, iron our clothes, wear a suit and tie, be uncomfortable in hose and high heels and make certain your grammar is perfect and every...single...word....is enunciated per-fect-ly.  Because we want to deal with uncomfortable and rigid people every day, right?

Have you ever watched someone perspire abnormally when everyone else is just a little warm?  The sweat just saturates their every being.  They are obviously miserable.  And it makes us miserable watching them.  We want to just find the closest pool and help them in.  Well, when I walk into a business and someone is standing there trying to be as professional as possible, barely cracking a smile and the pain from those pointed shoes shows in their brow, I hurt for them.  It's not them.  The real them is wearing their favorite weekend sweatshirt and jeans and most comfortable shoes.  The real them wants to joke with you but they are afraid that showing their true self will endanger their job or the business they represent (because that's what they have been told).

Maybe it's just how things are done in the Midwest. I don't know. I grew up around farmers and they were the highest paid people around.  If they saw you prancing around the farm in a suit and tie they would think you were the guy from the bank wanting to loan you money (farmers used to be the ones to keep banks afloat, not the stock broker down the street or your friendly politician).  Things were so relaxed back then and the economy was staying afloat.  People were friendlier and everyone knew one another and their first and last born child and their children.   You could go to any local business and talk with one another like you had known each other for life.....and you probably had.

But now, with the age of technology and social networking, we no longer have to worry about getting personal with anyone in person.  We can take care of everything online.  We can pretend to be whoever we want and no one ever knows what is really going on inside.  We can walk into a business and be on a strict time limit and get in and out in a flash.  No one has to know anything about you, your hurts, your cares, your triumphs.  There is no need to share that with people anymore.  That's why we have Facebook and Twitter, right?

So, where does John Mayer come in (who, by the way, only has a blog account)?  Well, in the song, Why Georgia?  He tells the story of driving through Georgia knowing he is going to a temporary home that he will try to make into a home but it's still so empty to him.  He wonders if he's "living it right?"  These are the lyrics that I was reminded of while writing this blog: "Everybody is just a stranger but that's the danger in going my own way. I guess it's the price I have to pay, still everything happens for a reason is no reason not to ask myself, if your're living it right?"   So, are we living it right?  Is this just a job where people just come in and go out of your life every day?  Do you just exist in the world of social networking or even just exist?

As a writer, I write about people.  As a manager, I meet and serve people.  As a person, I just want to know that I'm living it right.  Mistakes and all, am I?  Are we?  What is real anymore?  Can we find a way to get back to the way things were before?  Can we recapture authenticity from each other?  I sit in here alone most of the time and yes, it gets to me.  People pay online and I spend time trying to figure out what else I can do via social networking to draw people in via technology.  I read about the latest marketing tools.  But, my favorite still is seeing YOU and learning about your life....and sharing a bit of my own as well.  I don't have a personal Facebook.  I tried it and several hundreds of friends later, I deleted it.  I stay in contact with about ten of those people.  The rest have never left that world.  Occasionally I will get an email from someone begging me to come back to Facebook because they miss me.  Wow, they truly believe I have moved to another country and can only be contacted on rare occasion via email.

In defense of technology and social networking, we have been able to successfully bring in new customers due to internet marketing.  It does work.  However, it does not have to be a way to end real relationships or the beginning of new ones.  Let's see this as a new (or "renewed") way to do business.  Actually, let's look past the word business, that's still too impersonal.  This is life and we need to always make certain that we are "living it right" no matter what the circumstance.   And who wants to ever do that alone?  Not me and I doubt you do, either.  So, let's start now.

Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

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