The Key Ingredient For Choosing A Great Manager

(Michelle)      It's amazing to see the transition of one personality and management style to another go so smoothly. And that is what we are witnessing with the transition of management teams at Star Storage. One successful manager moves on to manage another property and a new manager takes over. Both successful in their prior careers and both with different personalities and management styles. Both have backgrounds in different industries. So, there must be a common denominator. What makes both a good choice to manage the same location? Great customer service skills, that's what, and a love for the people who walk in the front door.
     I was thinking about the week I spent training Joe, our new Manager. Although we only had a week together before I headed to the Pacific Northwest, when I left, I felt I had known him for a long time. Our customers who seemed a bit apprehensive about the transition in the beginning, seemed to really like Joe. Joe has an amazing personality and is very customer service oriented. He understands the needs of both the business and the customer and balances both very well. His background in management prepared him very well for this position. When you understand the needs of the business, it is easier to understand how to serve your customers. It takes someone who is able to withstand some hard punches as well as some big hugs. People are still people and their current circumstances often follow them inside. To know and understand as well as know how to draw boundaries from the beginning without making them feel unwelcome are all key to success. I knew after spending the first day with Joe that the owner made a wonderful decision when he chose to hire Joe.
     So, as I transition into my new position co-managing a facility with my son in Washington, I pass the baton to Joe and ask him to begin with this blog a contribution of what customer service means to him and why it is equally as important for him to serve the needs of Star Storage, both business and clientele, in a manner that makes us all proud to be a part of that entity.

(Joe)      Famous philosopher and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer says it well when he states that "Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility." A readiness for responsibility is the keystone to good management and in-turn is also the keystone to good costumer service. I very much believe that great costumer service begins with great management and, anyone who has managed people knows that 'yes' is not always the right answer. Good management and customer service does not always except the easy and safe answer, but instead is always looking ahead in foresight.
     Foresight, defined in two ways is 1) provision for or insight into future problems, needs, etc., and 2) the front sight on a firearm. Foresight, like the front sight of a firearm keeps us aimed in the right direction and always focuses in on what the true problems and needs that lie ahead are. Foresight simultaneously lives in the past, the present, and the future. Foresight understand needs before they arise, but also uses the sources available to move forward. This is where the costumers and tenants come into the picture. Without great insight from our clientele we lack foresight, but with great communication and ongoing dialogue we strive for what is best for the community as a whole.
     So, as we move forward through these new transitions and times, we look forward to hearing your input in how we can better serve you. Swing by, see us, tell us where you read this, and ask us how you can get a free month worth of storage.

At Your Service:

-Joe Goodwin-

Are You Prepared For The Move?

I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed lately.  I'm not going to lie (not a good practice for anyone to fall into) however, moving isn't easy.  So, I thought I would write about it since moving and self storage often go hand in hand.  Many years ago, my Mother taught me this wonderful trick, pack what you own in plastic totes.  They don't fall apart, don't collect mildew, don't have to be taped and re-taped each time you want to search for something and they are easy to carry.  You can normally use a dry/erase marker on them and if not, write with permanent marker on masking tape because the masking tape removes easy.  So, totes have been my friends for a long time.  I would highly recommend stocking up when you see them go on sale.

Once you have those in place, you can begin to sort through items to keep and items to toss/sell/give away.  Because I had already packed our items in totes during the last move, I took two empty totes and we brought out one tote at a time and went through each item, three totes: keep, toss, throw.  Doing it that way made it go so much more quickly.  Once we were finished, we took clothes we no longer needed to the donation center, thew away what we couldn't give away and then gave away the items we didn't need.  This drastically reduced the amount of items we knew we would ship later.

Once you have "purged" your household, the easiest thing to do is rent a storage unit.  Yep, that's the business we are in but let me tell you, it truly is the best way to prepare for a move.  You can then begin to pack the items you are keeping in the totes and place them in a storage unit so you can focus on staging your home or pre-cleaning your apartment prior to move-out.  Prior to moving there is often much cleaning involved.  "What?!" You may exclaim, "I'm a very clean person!".  Well, you would be very amazed once you begin to move items around how much dust hides from your eyesight.  And, what about filling nail holes from the pictures which adorned your walls?  Then there is the touch up paint job that follows. Oh, and have you dusted your baseboards in a while? It all takes time.

Saving all of these items until moving weekend can be very exhausting.  Plus, if you are working and have little time during the week, you will suddenly feel panicked, overwhelmed and stressed while trying to juggle it all.  And this is where I have been finding myself as of late.  This is with everything you see above in place and with the exception of part of the pre-cleaning and touch-up painting.  I'm ahead of the game but still wanted the pre-cleaning and painting finished by now. I know, I know, I really should be patting myself and my son on the backs.  High fives are in order.  But, as the old adage says, "It's not over til the fat lady sings".  So, in my eyes, I still have a lot to accomplish in a short amount of time.

If you find yourself preparing for a move, I would highly suggest making a priority list.  Here are the most important things to list:

1)  Purchase several totes
2)  Place totes in each room
3) Start with the front room and make your way to the back, there is a method to this madness.  People have a tendency to pack more junk in the back of the house out of a person's sight. You put the things that mean a lot to you out for everyone to see. So, once you have packed the kitchen, living room and front bathroom, you are ready to get rid of everything.  This will make packing and purging things in the back part of the house much easier.
4)Rent a storage unit and start taking your totes to the unit
5) Assess what cleaning needs to take place in your home
6) Assess the painting that also needs to take place
7) Make your shopping list
8) Go through one room at a time until finished
9) At this point, you may even decide to go through items again, if so, the great news is that you can open your storage unit, go to the tote you want to go through and take care of it at the storage facility.  Most have dumpsters you can use.  Take a few extra totes with you when you go in the event you purge more items.
10) Relax, you have accomplished a lot.  Take yourself out for a nice meal, gourmet cup of coffee or a movie.

All in all, moving is stressful and no matter how much planning you do, it will be impossible to knock out that feeling of being a little overwhelmed.  However, if you put a list in place and have the materials handy that you need to get the job accomplished, you will have a feeling of structure and order and will be able to accomplish this huge endeavor and you will succeed and be able to enjoy the move a lot more than you would have had you not planned at all.

Have a great week!

Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300

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 Second Worst Decision I've Ever Made (What Not To Do With Abandoned Units)

Have you ever tried something new thinking in your mind it was such a simple yet perfect idea?  I am a huge proponent of researching marketing trends before trying new ones (not researching that can be very costly in the long run) but recently I found I had a dilemma of different sorts.  I had a unit that had been abandoned.  I couldn't auction it.  No one would bid, their responses were more of a snicker coupled with rolling eyes.  It looked quite possibly like a hoarder's unit. At the time, we had limited access to a truck here so I tried to auction it...again, but to no avail.  People would come back later and ask if we still had it, would take another peek and then ask how much we would take for it.  My suggestions went from $10 to pleading them to just take it.  I was sick of looking at it.  Even "free" to my storage auction experts was not cutting it. No one wanted to deal with this unit full of trash bags, piles of clothes and stuffed animals (and oh, there was much more).  And who could blame them?

So, I came up with this grand idea that maybe I should put it on Craigslist for free. Well,  I am a little accustomed to the ways of the Pacific Northwest, laid back, easy going, not forceful, I was never yelled at by anyone there.  Patience is most definitely a virtue in the PNW. People actually slow down to waive you in on the freeway instead of purposely speeding up so you can see them give you their salutatory sign.  I decided about two months after staying here that the ways of the PNW are decidedly different from the ways of the Midwest and my ongoing situation with this unit totally confirmed this. I posted on Craigslist that I would allow people access to this unit beginning at 2 p.m., first come, first serve.  I specified they needed to leave it completely empty and clean.  Well, was I in for a surprise....

People began lining up about an hour in advance.  For the most part, they were kind but some were a little aggressive and most asked for "special favors".  Their stories ranged from having a house fire to being unemployed to being homeless. I am not doubting their stories were true at all.  Each one wanted a special favor which entailed letting them in for a "sneak peek" before anyone else.  I knew that wouldn't be fair so I made everyone wait.  However, when we ran out of parking spaces here and across the street (a totally different business not belonging to us) I opened the door 5 minutes early.  People by the droves ran back to the unit as if there was a prized jewel in the midst of it all.  As I watched the people land on that unit like flies on potato salad, a woman walked up to me and cursed me out for allowing people in 5 minutes before the advertised time.  My "Hello, McFly" moment arrived in the middle of trying to explain to her why I did what I did. As her fist came a few inches from my face, I backed up and started to walk in the office. As I watched her storm off to get into her car, I turned to look at the crowd of people going in and out the unit with bags full of items. The evil cursing lady peeled out of the parking lot screaming "Witch! Witch!" as she sped down the road.  If it wasn't the holiday season, I would have thought it was Black Friday.

As the hour went on, there were still people arriving and carrying out items. I looked back and wondered how they continued to find more items after an hour.  Was there more hidden in a black hole that had eroded away beneath that heap of hoarder gold? I swallowed over the lump in my throat and taking a deep breath, walked to the unit.  I wasn't prepared for what I saw.  It looked worse than when I initially opened the unit.  It was as if a tornado had blown through.  I cleared my throat loud enough for all to hear and exercised my authoritarian voice and as I began to force the air out of my mouth, my voice cracked like a 15 year old boy hitting puberty, "Um, uh, don't forget you all promised to clean this out when you were finished". They all looked at each other and then continued with their pillaging and plundering while I stood there in disbelief looking like the village idiot.

As I walked back to my office, I realized that this was the second worst idea I ever had. The first being the time I climbed on the school roof in high heels during my high school senior year right after an ice storm.  I thought I had learned my lesson in bad ideas since then.  Apparently the years had wiped my memory clean of that one.  In any event, I knew deep in my heart this was going to hurt as bad as it did when I fell off the roof and into that second story window on that cold winter's day back in my days of being young and stupid.  Only this time, I knew I wouldn't garner the prestigious honor of being chosen the 'Senior Class Clown'.  There was no reward for this feat, only rotten tomatoes.

Two hours later, two women and a child were still in the unit.  I walked back there and one of the women said, "I'm really sorry, we're trying to put everything back the way it was".  I said thank you and again walked away knowing my brilliant idea had miserably failed.  It was a lesson learned and one that has not been repeated.  After that, we hired someone with a truck and we pay them to clean up the units that we are unable to auction. The truth is, I inherited quite a few unwanted and abandoned units when I began managing this facility which prompted me to quickly change the collections process.  As a result, auctions are now (gladly) rare here.  That still doesn't keep people from moving "most" of their belongings out and leaving behind what they don't want.

The culture shock still hasn't worn off but I have wised up a bit since that day.  I put nicer items on Craigslist, maybe one or two items at a time.  It makes it more manageable when there are only one or two items.  I give people a time limit and never leave my phone number on the ad anymore (yes, I had done that, too).  I don't do "favors" for anyone because then I could be holding the items forever.  It is on a first come, first serve basis.  If they don't show within the hour I tell them I will call the next person.  I regained control and have the upper hand now.  It feels kind of good.  Quite a change from the mass chaos that took place here a few months ago in that unit.  I know I'm not the only one who makes mistakes during the learning process.  Maybe I shouldn't be admitting to them at all.  However, there was a lot of humor in this sad mistake and if we can see the humor in our mistakes while learning from them, it might make us better people for it. And if it doesn't, at least someone has laughed.

Michelle Armstrong
Manager
Star Storage
816-765-7300