Maximising Profits - SiteLink

10 Ways To Automate Your Self Storage Business

r6digital — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 02:10:59 +0000

What does it mean to have an automated self-storage business?

Perhaps it is best to think of automation as a spectrum. On one end, you have a fully-automated unmanned storage facility. On the other end, you have a facility implementing a cloud-based self-storage management software for the first time.

Automation does not mean all of your employees will be replaced by algorithms and digital assistants. Instead, automation often means creating more efficient ways for customers to interact with the business. This frees up your employees to spend more time with those customers that prefer personal assistance when renting a self-storage units.

Automation is also not an all-or-nothing proposition. You can automate as little or as much of your storage business as it makes sense to do so. However, many operators discover that the more automation tools they implement, the greater the benefits they experience in regards to everything from operational efficiency to demand generation.

Below are several key components of an automated self-storage facility. You will find many synergies between them if implemented together, but even on their own, each of these tools can benefit the way your facility does business.

1. Offer online payments

Offering your tenants the ability to pay their rent online cuts down the amount of time your employees spend chasing down late payments. It also reduces wait times at your front desk because fewer customers need to pay in-person. Automated credit card payments can save you a lot of time and reduce outstanding debtors.

2. Communicate with 2 way SMS

Instead of having to chase payments with staff making phone calls you can use more cost effective channels like SMS. Many customers prefer communication in this channel and respond quicker and more positively to payment reminders and other communications in this channel. It also takes notably less time for your staff, meaning it much more cost effective than making phone calls.

3. Use digital documents

Implementing the use of digital rental agreements is becoming a widespread practice in the industry, and for good reason. Not only does it make it possible for customers to rent from you anytime of day or night, but it also makes the rental agreement accessible to all parties at any time or place.

4. Install a self-service kiosk

These are not overly common outside of the US market but we have seem some great benefits achieved there using this technology. If you aspire toward an unmanned facility, then a self-storage kiosk is a must-have. Storage kiosks can also augment busy staff or allow you to conduct business after hours. For whatever reason, many customers today show a preference with conducting transactions via a screen as opposed to face-to-face.

5. Create a website with online booking capabilities

Creating a responsive website where customers can browse available units, make a reservation and sign a lease is a form of automation that many operators are still yet to embrace. As the consumer shift to digital continues, not having a website is a surefire way to send potential customers to your competitors’ corner of the world wide web. Since the start of the Covid pandemic consumers have increased their preference for online self service and contactless bookings. If you have not implemented this yet, it is one of the biggest automation wins you can make. Check out RapidStor as an example of a great online booking platform which integrates natively with SiteLink.

6. Leveraging digital marketing channels to generate leads

Generating and following up with leads used to be a time-consuming and burdensome process for self-storage managers. Today, self-storage operators can leverage the power digital marketing to generate leads with channels such as paid search, organic search, social marketing and map results. Facilities that only take walk-in or call-in reservations are essentially turning away tenants who start their search for storage online. This can be done in house but it is usually more cost effective and successful when working with an agency partner.

7. Automate communication channels

There are many instances when you need to communicate to tenants, whether you are sending a mass update to all customers or you need to send a friendly payment reminder to a particular tenant. With the right management software, you can automate certain aspects of your communication needs. Such tools allow you to schedule emails or text messages in advance, or send messages under certain conditions (such as payment being overdue).

8. Use auto-generated data reports

An overlooked part of automation is the kind that takes place behind the scenes. Manually creating spreadsheets to analyse the state of your marketing, operations and financial situation is not the best use of your time. Smart management software analyses and reports the data you want, when you need it in real time. This allows you to make more timely business decisions with confidence. If you have a specific report that you produce regularly and is key for important decision making, consider getting a custom report developed to be automated which can save your staff time producing it and also speed up the time to get the information so you can make decisions sooner.

9. Install video cameras

If you are moving to an unmanned model, or even partially automated, an internet-connected video surveillance system is a must have. This allows you to keep eyes on your property, even when staff are not present.

10. Hire the right staff

Again, the goal of automation isn’t to remove the human element completely. In fact, it is essential to have a technologically-proficient staff in place to oversee the smooth operation of automation tools. Even with an unmanned facility, you will likely need some help behind the scenes.

Putting it all together

As the industry moves into the 21st century, some level of automation is inevitable. Ultimately, automation is about enabling your employees to do more. Automation works best when all the different pieces are working together in harmony. If you need help or advice on how to better leverage automation in your facility get in touch and we can work through a plan for your business to maximise the sue of automation, and ultimately maximise profitability.

The post 10 Ways To Automate Your Self Storage Business first appeared on SiteLink.

The latest Insight on Self Storage Online Marketing Spend

r6digital — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 04:52:44 +0000

Our recent trip to the Self Storage Association Fall show in Las Vegas was, as usual, revealing. We want to share our latest findings from sessions we attended, and information found. We are only the messengers!

Search is costing more

Extra Space were gracious in sharing some of their online cost information and it really is reflective of what we see here in Australia, with same store marketing expenses escalating online since 2016.

They have seen close to 50% increase in online “cost per click” since 2016 and they revealed that common search terms like:

“Storage near me”, “Self Storage”, “Storage Units” and ‘Cheap Storage Units” were all in excess of $10.00 USD per click.

They had also discovered that as the industry matures evidence of larger institutions are being prioritised by Google search.

They also commented that non Self Storage businesses were aggressive bidders, like “Clutter” on top spots, working to build market share. These operators do not have the investment in real estate that traditional operators do and were spending up big to grab search results. This model is like UBER, no cars but aggressive ads.

Further investigation reveal that the average Self Storage site spends between $2000 and $3000 on online marketing monthly to attract leads, one group spends $2400 per month on ad spend in established markets.

Arguably, demand is higher in the US for Self Storage and its estimated 10% of the population use Self Storage.

The biggest increase though has been in the numbers of storers originating their Storage rental online.

8 out of every 10 rentals are now attributed to the journey starting online. Ensuring your Self Storage website’s up to date and has the best offers will help you reduce the chances of losing that customer who is online now on your own website from going to the opposition!

In 2018 Extra space budgeted for a 15% increase in online ad spend for its sites. Reality is spending is up by 24% by them to remain competitive.

Public Storage with more than 2,200 sites reports double digit cost increases in online advertising spend and its more in competitive markets.

The average Self Storage site has more than 10 competitors in the US. We are a bit luckier here in our region with the average at less than 1.

Maximising the spend may not be the answer: Targeting the spend is a better choice and the Self Storage experts at R6 Digital® can help you target your ads to get the best value and lowest cost per click. (CPC).

The is no doubt that online marketing is costing more. Essential to this sped is the correct targeting of ads that can deliver. Ask us how.

The post The latest Insight on Self Storage Online Marketing Spend first appeared on SiteLink.

The latest strategy for Online Move Ins

r6digital — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 04:26:55 +0000

Pricing could be the key.

The recent update to SiteLink Web Edition allows for pricing of units for the web. A new button “Batch Edit Web Rates” can be used to show different rates for the web. This new feature will work with RapidStor online rentals.

Why is this useful?

Just about every business uses rates to attract clients. With more than 80% of all rentals originating online, keeping customers incentive and urged to rent can be enticing with a web rate.

Recent research by some US operators reveal that close to 40% that rent online change their preference for the unit selected when shown attractive upgrades by staff skilled in upselling more space.

Using online rental rates to create store traffic gives the Self Storage manager the opportunity to upsell a better unit option, closer to the lift or gate, or sell Insurance or even merchandise adding more profit to the sale.

Value pricing is where a determination is made for the price of each space. Not all Storage spaces are created equal – not all can be just outside the lift, or office or even undercover.

Web rates can be used to show value, the unit selected might be a value unit, bit not a premium unit and this allows staff to sell upgrades.

Don’t assume that customers won’t spend up to 14% on more on premium units. These might have less travel time and be closer to stair of lifts or exit. This can save a customer money when using removalists or posting people to move their stuff.

We are used to paying for extra leg space on planes, topping to the edge on pizza’s and better rental cars. Use Web rates to get the customer to the negotiation table, then upsell a higher priced unit for higher profits.

Tech savvy staff can use these new tools to help them sell more space and increase Net lettable areas.

Are you using RapidStor for your online rentals? Don’t miss out on this valuable tool for your website. RapidStor allows you to rent space 24/7, delivering even more customer service.

To learn more, visit our FAQ’s page.

The post The latest strategy for Online Move Ins first appeared on SiteLink.

How do I set up social media for my Self Storage facility?

r6digital — Tue, 26 Dec 2017 23:00:22 +0000

There’s no denying social media usage is on the rise in Australia. As time goes on, popular social media platforms are being used across more and more demographics. This means reaching your target audience online is becoming easier and easier for businesses, including Self Storage facilities. If you know your facility should be taking advantage of all the benefits social media platforms can provide but aren’t really sure how or where to start, R6 Web Design’s Ultimate Guide to Social Media for Self Storage Facilities is here to help you out.

We’ve previously mentioned how important it is to have at least a Facebook page for your Self Storage facility. But how do you create a Facebook account for a business? Here are a few key things to keep in mind when you’re creating your account.

You’ll need a high-quality profile and cover photo

Social media for Self Storage is all about the visual, so you’ll need to make sure you’re prepared with high-quality photos of your facility. To have a clear, professional looking cover photo, you need to make sure it’s at least 820 x 312 pixels.

Create some content pillars

It can be difficult to figure out what kinds of content you should be posting. Creating some content pillars can help you brainstorm new ideas. Come up with two or three pillars, and keep your content consistently in line with them. For example, your facility might use the pillars of Self Storage and Organisation, so your content should be surrounding these ideas.

Create accounts for social media tools

Creating content and managing your social media accounts can be difficult, but there are plenty of tools that can help you out. Canva, for example, can be used to create visually appealing graphics and images for free.

Use a calendar to create a schedule

Having a consistent schedule for posting content can help you feel less overwhelmed. It can also help you to plan out your content in advance so you don’t feel rushed or under pressure.

This article is an except from an article originally published on R6 Web Design, The ultimate guide to social media for Self Storage facilities.

The post How do I set up social media for my Self Storage facility? first appeared on SiteLink.

Use Christmas lights to attract new Self Storage customers

r6digital — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 23:00:18 +0000

How can your Self Storage facility get some extra ‘cut through’ this festive season?

By participating!

Self Storage sites over the last decade have been built in high profile locations. Main roads, busy arterials, and intersections all help focus travellers on Self Storage facilities.

Unless your site is a victim of ‘site blindness’…

Owners are too close to their own sites to realise when this is happening. ‘Site blindness’ comes from consumers who have no interest in your site until they need Self Storage.

Five years ago, I was upgrading the computer gear for my own Self Storage site. The manager had stepped out for lunch and I said I would cover the lunch time rush! A lady came in and started to talk about renting a space. Great, I told her, that’s what we do here!

As she got talking, she said this:

‘Oh, I never knew this was storage here!’

I was a little taken aback. We had over 100m of frontage, good signage, and even had the unit contents painted on doors. There was no way she couldn’t know our building was a storage facility.

But she didn’t know.

‘I’ve been driving past for four years and I’ve never noticed it…’ she said.

What did this mean for our facility?

Well, did you notice all the red cars on the road on your way to work this morning? Of course you didn’t! There was no reason for them to spike your interest.

Armed with this information, I decided to give our store the chance to stand out during the Christmas season. I allocated a budget for Christmas decorations and focused them on the outside of the buildings.

My only mistake was to try and do it myself… It wasn’t the best display of Christmas lights you’ve ever seen!

Tips for a successful Christmas awareness campaign

During construction, allow some extra power points outside to connect light displays
Utilise a professional to install your lights – it will look much better!
Market your display locally and invite locals to come and see the lights
Enter local Christmas light competitions – this will advertise your business for free
Donate some Christmas presents to local charities – don’t forget to promote it!
Offer to be a present drop off point for local charities
Hire a variable message sign with a Christmas message – they work!

Thousands of families drive around looking at Christmas lights. If your Self Storage facility has a good display, expect extra traffic! This extra traffic will more than likely be from locals.

And locals are 95% of your business!

Expose your Self Storage business during the festive season. Make it stand out from the rest with some lights and decorations! SiteLink Software can help you manage the daily processes involved in running a storage facility. Contact our team today to learn more.

This article was originally published on Self Storage Startup as Christmas can expose Self Storage to new renters.

The post Use Christmas lights to attract new Self Storage customers first appeared on SiteLink.

MAXIMISE PROFITS THROUGH BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE

r6digital — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 23:00:16 +0000

We all know the importance of good customer service in any business. Without customers, your business won’t be successful, and without good customer service, your customers are less likely to return to your brand. Getting your customers to become loyal to your brand can be a great way to maximise profits. If your Self Storage facility is lacking a little in the customer service department, here are a few simple tips you can implement to keep your customers as happy as possible.

Attention to detail

When a customer is utilising a unit from your facility, there’s not a lot of time for staff-customer interaction. You might see your customers for a few minutes when they first move in and when they move out, but that’s most likely the extent of your interactions. Because of this, you need to make sure you pay attention to the details that can make these interactions as positive as possible.

For example, you need to make using your facility a great experience for your customers. To do this, you need to ensure it’s kept clean and secure. While you might only interact with your customers for a few minutes when they move in and out, they might visit your facility several other times. There’s no point having great customer service skills when you’re interacting with your customers if other aspects of your facility don’t maintain this reputation when you’re not there.

Automate your processes

If you can automate a lot of the time-consuming daily processes associated with running a Self Storage facility, you can spend more time going the extra mile to make your customers happy. With SiteLink Web Edition, processes such as invoicing and notice creation are completely automated. SiteLink Web Edition was designed to be fast, with transactions like payments taking less than three seconds. There are so many other features and benefits to using this Self Storage management software. These benefits can help you better service your customers. Automating processes can also increase your facility’s efficiency, helping to maximise profits.

Hire the right staff

Your employees are the face of your brand. If you don’t take the time to make sure the people you’re hiring are a good fit, they could be destroying your facility’s reputation. There are plenty of strategies for hiring staff, but if there’s one thing you cannot go without, it’s a passion for helping customers. A potential employee who loves to help people and enjoys interacting with customers is probably going to give better customer service than one who might have years of experience but doesn’t have that passion. Following these tips will help you improve your customer service skills and can lead to your facility being able to maximise profits. If you’d like to learn more about SiteLink Web Edition, contact our team of experts today.

The post MAXIMISE PROFITS THROUGH BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE first appeared on SiteLink.

USE SITELINK TO UNDERSTAND OCCUPANCY RATES

r6digital — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 23:00:36 +0000

It’s easy to understand the importance of measuring and inspecting the success rates of your Self Storage facility, but how do you actually do that? You might already be gathering this data through SiteLink; however, do you know how to interpret it? Here are some tips for understanding the abundance of information available and how you can apply it to your facility.

Know the goal of your facility

In order to evaluate the success of your facility when looking at reports, you need to know what you should be expecting. Without clear goals and key performance indicators, there’s nothing to evaluate the data against. Knowing what your facility is trying to achieve can help you set your expectations and provide a lens for you to examine and interpret the data with.

Know the difference between unit rates and tenant rates

The unit rate is the set price for a certain type of unit in your facility. The tenant rate is the amount each specific customer pays for their unit/s. For some customers, the unit rate and tenant rate will be the same; however, this won’t always be the case. It’s important you don’t confuse the unit rate and the tenant rate when interpreting your reports. For example, if you want to give a particular tenant a discount, you need to adjust only the tenant rate. Adjusting the unit rate in this instance can significantly lower your future profit margins.

Know your occupancy rates

When you’re looking at your reports, it can be easy to focus on the physical occupancy rates; however, you should actually focus your attention to the economic occupancy rate. While the physical occupancy rate measures how many units are filled, the economic occupancy rate measures how much money is in the bank. If your unit and tenant rates are the same, then your physical and economic occupancy rates will also be the same. If they’re different, you need to carefully examine the economic occupancy rate.

For example, your facility has 10 storage units available and the unit rate is $1o0 per unit. If all 10 of these units are rented, the physical occupancy rate is 100%. If all 10 units are rented at the unit rate, you’re making $1000 and your economic occupancy rate is also at 100%. What about if you’re renting four units at $100 and four units at $50? You’re now only renting eight units for an 80% physical occupancy rate. With an income of $600, your economic occupancy rate is now only 60%.

You’ll need to examine your reports carefully for any gap between your physical and economic occupancy rates. You might be inclined to rent all your units for cheap in order to achieve a physical occupancy rate of 100%; however, this can dramatically limit your profit margins.

Use SiteLink to manage your reports and maximise profits

Using Self Storage management software like SiteLink can make analysing the success of your facility a whole lot easier. You can access your reports in real time and on any device you own. If you’re ready to switch your facility over to SiteLink, contact the team of experts today to learn more.

The post USE SITELINK TO UNDERSTAND OCCUPANCY RATES first appeared on SiteLink.

MANAGING YOUR FACILITY WITH STORAGE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

r6digital — Sun, 24 Sep 2017 23:00:15 +0000

The effective management of a Self Storage facility is absolutely essential for success. Without any storage management software, effectively managing a Self Storage facility would be next to impossible and very impractical. SiteLink is the best storage management software when it comes to managing your facility to maximise your success. Here are a few reasons why.

Reporting for analysing data

When it comes to effectively managing a Self Storage facility, the ability to report on and analyse data is incredibly important. The ability to access real-time reports on any computer or mobile device is a huge advantage as it allows you to analyse your data quickly and easily. This data analysis can help you establish the successes of your facility, which can show you what you need to do more of. It can also help you establish the shortfalls of your facility and help you establish solutions to turn these aspects around.

Automation to save time and money

The essential daily processing tasks associated with effectively managing a Self Storage facility can take up a lot of time and effort. With a storage management software like SiteLink, these daily processes are completely automated. This automation means you’re able to spend more time focused on activities that will bring more value to your Self Storage facility, which can lead to more profit and success in the long run.

Storage management software with excellent support

SiteLink offers customers an incredible amount of support. If there’s an issue with your storage management software, our support services are there to help create a solution. With the excellent customer support SiteLink provides, your problems can be solved quicker and easier. This can lead to a more effective management process and in turn, to more profits.

SiteLink’s excellent customer support, automation processes, and ability to access real-time data makes it the best storage management software available to Self Storage owners. If you’re looking to maximise your profits through an effective management process, make sure you take advantage of the benefits of SiteLink Software. Contact us today to learn more.

The post MANAGING YOUR FACILITY WITH STORAGE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE first appeared on SiteLink.

SELF STORAGE SOFTWARE WITH AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY

r6digital — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 23:00:29 +0000

Technology in the 21st century is improving exponentially; however, this growth probably won’t be slowing down any time soon. One of the important improvements in different technologies is the ability to automate several processes. Automation technology can help businesses in several ways. It can align your processes with customer expectations, increase customer satisfaction, and maximise your business’ profits. For the Self Storage industry, SiteLink is the Self Storage software that provides any automation opportunities for facility owners.

Align your processes with customer expectations

As technology grows and improves, it becomes more integrated in the everyday lives of consumers. The more automation technology becomes mainstream, the more consumers expect automated processes. By implementing automation technology in your business, you’re aligning your business processes with the expectation of your consumers.

Increase your customer’s satisfaction levels

Utilising automation technology can be one of the best ways to improve your customer satisfaction levels. If your business is better meeting the expectations of your customers, they’re going to be more satisfied with your level of service. Having more satisfied customers can have many benefits for your business. These benefits can include more and better customer reviews, which can generate more potential customers.

Maximise your profits

At the end of the day, your facility is a big business investment, so you need to utilise a Self Storage software that can help you maximise your profits. When you’re able to take advantage of automation features, you can spend less time on the daily painstaking but necessary tasks essential to making your business successful. This has the potential to open up a lot more time for you to spend developing and growing your business.

There are plenty of other benefits that using a Self Storage software with automation features can have for your facility. If you’d like to learn more about SiteLink’s automation technology and what else it can do for your Self Storage facility, contact our team today.

The post SELF STORAGE SOFTWARE WITH AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY first appeared on SiteLink.