I used to be what you'd call a technophobe. In college, the wee hours of the morning would frequently find me writing out papers by hand and then reproducing and editing them via typewriter. My roommate, who had a Macintosh computer with a word-processing program, would have finished the identical assignment hours before, but still I insisted that there was something romantic about my adherence to anachronistic modes of communication. Years later, however, when I completed my Master's thesis, I was forced to succumb to a technological revolution. I simply could not maintain the same level of quality and efficiency through my old work methods. And I never did myself a greater favor.
Each year more owners recognize the advantages to utilizing software designed specifically for the functions of this industry. Its use can not only increase your efficiency and bolster security, it can also assist users in maintaining financial accuracy, selecting appropriate marketing strategies and delivering higher-quality service to their customers. This month's article on self-storage software identifies the most current and up-and-coming features of self-storage software products. Also included is advice from industry experts on selecting and purchasing the right software package for your facility.
Using software or any other enhancements to ensure customer service is a surefire way to secure loyalty from your customers. Jill Griffin discusses how to transform customers into advocates for your products and services, encouraging word-of-mouth advertising. Continuing his discussion on hard-nosed marketing, Harley Rolfe points out that examining different segments of the market empowers self-storage owners to understand the needs of their different users. While appealing to the different market segments is always part of the challenge, one way of meeting that task is through strong Yellow Pages ad representation. Pamela Alton provides sound advice for constructing a Yellow Pages ad that's sure to keep the phone ringing.
For those of you who are managers or other facility staff, at some point in your self-storage career, you may be faced with a change in owner or supervisor. This can be a source of apprehension, especially if you had a good relationship with his predecessor. Kim Alton offers ideas to make the transition to the new supervision a win-win situation for everyone in her article "New Supervisor? Don't Panic."
I wish all of you attending the Inside Self-Storage trade fair and seminar series to be hosted at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Miss., early this month a great excursion. Please be sure to stop by the booth and introduce yourselves--we are always eager to hear feedback from our readers.
Best Regards,
Teri L. Lanza
