I’d like to discuss a challenging topic: managing vagrancy in self-storage facilities. This is not [...]
We recently came across an article on Yahoo.com that spoke to using AI for your [...]
Carol Mixon and Jenny Rodrigues of Ohana Self Storage in Honolulu discuss preparing a vehicle [...]
When discussing in-person customer service, the focus should be on key areas for improvement: Improving [...]
Practice, Practice, Practice those Sales Skills! We’re going to discuss a variety of topics to [...]
The first time I heard about how dangerous lithium batteries can be was on a [...]
“A perfected security interest is a security interest that has been publicly registered or otherwise [...]
Online self-storage auctions have become the industry standard, transforming the way self-storage operators process their [...]
Who’s Pulling Your Strings? Over the years, I’ve had a variety of managers—many different types, [...]
We need to discuss the current state of the self-storage industry in relation to falling [...]
Experience Matters! When considering a job in self-storage and contemplating today’s self-storage manager compensation rates, [...]
Throughout the five steps of SkilCheck’s Telephone Sales Evaluations, GREETING, INQUIRY, COUNSELING, INVITATION, AND CLOSING, [...]
While I was at a recent Self-Storage Association conference, I received several comments about our [...]
Great Sales Skills Help Every Aspect of Store Operations Improving sales skills is essential for [...]
There Are Different Types of Self-Storage Fees In self-storage, there are various types of fees [...]
First and foremost, SkilCheck has in-house evaluators—real people who have listened to, graded, and given [...]
The folks at Toy Storage Nation are experts in the RV/Boat storage sector and are [...]
While chatting with Jeremy Rollwitz, the Regional Manager at The Jenkins Organization, we discovered that [...]
I understand that advancing your position in self-storage can be challenging, and it often depends [...]
I want to drive more traffic to your store by leveraging Amazon’s services at your [...]
Do You Have a Lazy Ear? When it comes to selling and having great customer service, listening to and interacting with your customers thoughtfully is crucial, rather than just reading from a script. This is a big part of what SkilCheck evaluates with our telephone mystery shops. Engaging the prospective customer in conversation is vital, […]
You Must Handle a Tenant’s Change of Address Correctly In self-storage, in order to handle a tenant change of address correctly and modify the management software or the rental lease agreement, you must have a written change of address signed and dated by the tenant. It is essential to have this document; you cannot accept […]
Gary Sugarman, Chief Operating Officer at The William Warren Group / StorQuest, explains how SkilCheck’s self-storage mystery shopping program fits into their training model. How Do You Utilize the Performance Evaluations And Mystery Shops That SkilCheck Performs For StorQuest? I’ve had many experiences over the years with various people and mystery shopping companies, and the […]
We sat down with Sue Haviland, owner of Haviland Storage Services, to ask her how their management company has incorporated SkilCheck’s self-storage mystery shopping into their ongoing training and evaluation process. How Have You Utilized Our Self-Storage Mystery Shopping Programs Over the Years? We rely on several methods for evaluating calls. One method we use […]
Carol Mixon has been working with Wentworth Properties for several years, assisting with due diligence self-storage audits on the West Coast. These audits are essential for any property being acquired, as new ownership requires someone to thoroughly assess the property on-site. Due to the many nuances involved in self-storage operations, it is crucial that a […]
Why an Operational Audit? Rather than a financial or theft audit, self-storage operational audits aim to ensure that all policies and procedures are appropriately organized and implemented. Operational audits are essential if you have multiple locations, as you want them all to operate consistently. This means using the same forms and following the same processes […]
The Variety of Telephone Mystery Shoppers is Key SkilCheck Services is one of the first telephone mystery shopping companies that job seekers encounter in their quest for mystery shopping employment. With over 40 years of experience, we have established a strong presence in the mystery shopping industry. We utilize an exceptional mystery shopping platform, ISecretShop.com. […]
It’s Not Always About Occupancy Every time I’m called in to assist a store that is struggling with operations with a full property audit, more times than not, my first inclination is that the property is striving towards a high occupancy and ignoring red flags at the store. So, one of my first jobs before […]
Why Even Evaluate? Before there was a SkilCheck, and before we had the need for consistent SkilCheck evaluators, when I first started in storage, we had a training program. An evaluator came in to assess our course. One of the key points he made was that while we were doing a great job with training, […]
So, What if We Miss a Few Sales Calls? One of the most critical aspects of our self-storage industry is understanding the cost of missed sales calls. Research shows that 5-50% of sales calls go to the first company that answers. If that’s true, we must ensure we answer the phone every time it rings. […]
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