Gabfocus Self Storage Podcast

The lease is probably the most important document for your self storage business. It's the agreement between owner and tenant, outlining all the fees, penalties, and agreed upon practices for having a good relationship with your customers. One of the most frustrating things we are seeing through the industry is owners not enforcing their lease. This not only hurts your bottom line, but could open the door to legal troubles. Today we tackle the important parts of a lease, getting started if you don't have a good one, why it must be enforced, why it's really ok to enforce it, and what could happen if you let things slide. Find out more about the Procedures Manual and Training Opportunities Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

Training is essential... Seems like a fairly obvious statement, but how many of us put it into practice? Do you have a training plan for yourself and/or your team? Training is so much more than handing a new manager a book of policies on day one, expecting them to read and implement it their own. It's about the people and equipping them with all they need to make themselves and your self storage facility a success. We reveal our top tips for regular training, plus unveil a brand new product line from Lighthouse- our Procedures Manual and Training Sessions. We're a bit on-the-go for this episode, so hop in the car with us, run a few errands, and join our conversation about training. Find out more about the Procedures Manual and Training Opportunities Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

It's time for an economic temperature check for the self storage industry, and who better to share his insights on this than John Chang from Marcus & Millichap. Where are we now? What should we expect with the recession, occupancy, street rates, or construction? How should operators be approaching pricing, expanding, or investing? What should self storage be concerned with in the next year? All this and more is tackled by our experts. Plus, we take a ton of LIVE questions from one of the largest audiences Gabfocus has ever seen. Don't miss this special rebroadcast episode. Hosts: Tommy Nguyen & Melissa Huff Guest: John Chang (Marcus & Millichap) Brought to you by the teams at StoragePug and Lighthouse Storage Solutions

We pay all sorts of attention to our curb appeal to make the most of that first impression. Same thing with our phone skills (more on that in last week's episode). Do we have the same focus for our websites? Are they intuitive and customer friendly? Is the experience of renting a unit as easy as if a manager was walking them through the process on the phone or in person? Well, it should be. A customer friendly website is essential in our digital age. How many clicks should it take to make a rental? Are you buttons the right size and correct design? How much movement is too much for a website? We cover all this and more as we examine the customer experience through the lens of your website. Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

Thousands of dollars are spent each month in the hopes of making the phone ring, but if you aren't there to answer it or don't know how to sell, that money is wasted. Today is all about those phone skills- being prepared, asking the right questions, overcoming objections, and closing the sale. Make sure those marketing dollars are well spent. If you want to pay those self storage bills, you better bring those phone skills. Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

We're going back to basics to kick off 2024, and it doesn't get more basic than opening and closing your self storage facility. Do you have an opening check-list? If you needed to hand off opening or closing procedures to someone else for a day or a week, would everything be taken care of? Turning on lights and checking email might seem like common sense tasks, but common sense isn't what it used to be... Today, we talk all about the basics of opening and closing, plus share some helpful organizational recommendations. Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

It's the final episode of 2023, so we're looking into our crystal balls to see what's in store for the self storage industry in 2024. Will occupancy bounce back? Is remote management here to stay? Where will marketing dollars be spent? What systems will come under the microscope? We discuss all this and more as we get ready to turn the calendar over to the year ahead. Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

It's the final webinar of the year and it did not disappoint. Industry experts Jane Sauls, Nick Newcomb, and Ginny Sutton talked the good, bad, and ugly of 2023 along with a few predictions for 2024. They discussed the impact of decreased rental activity, rising costs, and tenant issues, along with the crucial role of technology adoption in staying competitive. The episode also covers market consolidation, the importance of customer service and community engagement, and strategies for improving occupancy and retention. Insights into operational challenges, the influence of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), and predictions for 2024 rounded out our comprehensive look at the state of the storage industry in 2023. Hosts: Tommy Nguyen & Melissa Huff Guests: Jane Sauls, Nick Newcomb, and Ginny Sutton Brought to you by the teams at StoragePug and Lighthouse Storage Solutions

Topics discussed in this podcast include communication software, preferred software and management tools, starting and wrapping up the day, effective communication and technology, implementing technology in self storage facilities, fairness in rate management, monitoring competitor rates, managing remote managers and phone lines, managing processes and technology in storage businesses, maintaining uniformity and respecting individuality, the importance of hiring the right people.

Learn about the impact of discounts and specials in the self-storage industry, the importance of brand loyalty and community engagement, effectively communicating rate increases, and strategic discounting. Also, discover how to donate to charitable organizations and participate in storage gives events and auctions.