Two months ahead of time is when the move should really begin. Someone needs to reserve a rental truck, and infrequently used items need to be boxed up. Going to a nearby facility to get a self storage unit is a great place to start. The truck can be rented, moving supplies can be purchased, and a self storage unit can be secured. All with just one stop a self storage unit can be had!
Next, the family should begin boxing up items that are infrequently used. Things in the attic, the garage, and the basement all have to be sorted. As do all seasonal items that are not currently being used. These things should be donated, thrown away, or boxed up and stowed away. The family needs to remember to make an inventory of all of the items and where they are now located. By the end of the move it will be impossible to remember what is at Grandmas, what was relocated to the new house, and what is in the self storage unit?
The family also wants to remember to start a file or some type of system to collect all of the receipts, estimates, and other paperwork involved. A move can be tax deductible for a family that itemizes, but the paperwork must be in order.
One month before the move date the family should start cleaning out closets, dresser drawers, and other little cubbyholes. They need to be using up or giving away any cleaners that have been opened. They also need to start eating the foods from the freezer and other perishables. Cleaners and foods cannot be put into a self storage unit, and will cause nothing but problems if moved to the new home.
At the one month mark all utilities, newspapers, and post offices should be contacted, about both the move and the arrival. Have everything turned off the day after the move, and everything turned on at the new home a day before arrival. This can help with many unforeseen problems.
Other people to contact about four weeks before the move will include friends and family members that will be assisting on the big day. Contact any doctors and pharmacists that a trusted health care professional recommends, as well as administrators and teachers at the new schools. Also send out New Address notices to credit card companies, friends and family members. Let them know your new address so you can stay in touch.
Collect all of the important family papers and put them in one area. A safe deposit box can be temporarily rented at a local bank. Birth certificates, medical records, and financial documents can all easily get misplaced causing a lot of unnecessary worry and grief.
On the day before Move Day pack things that will be needed in the car. Snacks, DVDs, and games for the kids can make life easier for everyone. Also pack a box of things that will need to be immediately opened at the new house, clearly marking this box PACK LAST. And the day before the big move, call all of your helpers and remind them of how you helped them move that king sized bed up three flights of stairs. A little guilt can go a long way!
On the day of the move just take a deep breath and agree to roll with the punches. Whatever could be done is done, and there is no use worrying about it now. And yes, something is going to go wrong.
May 2006 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage
Here are the guidelines:
Starting your mystery shopping jobs endeavor on the right track is an excellent way to earn extra income while having fun.
April 2006 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by City
There are several things that property management can do to save electricity, and therefore money, in a rental space that has a window air conditioning unit. First, the unit needs to be located near the center of the room or rooms that it is going to cool. The outside of the AC should be placed in a shady area, to help keep the sun off of the unit and therefore help it to run more efficiently. And the gaps around the air conditioning unit and the window need to be filled with foam weaterstripping, to keep the cool air indoors and the warm air out.
Central air conditioning units can run more efficiently in much the same way as a window unit. The condenser needs to be in a shady area and should be surrounded by a screen or a lattice or some type of foliage to help keep it cooler. The air flow, however, should not be impeded or this will cause the condenser to overwork. If a new unit is being installed it should be placed on the north side of the building if possible.
For the air conditioner to work at its best property management needs to install a programmable thermostat needs to be installed. These are available at any hardware or big box store, and are relatively easy to put in. This will allow the tenant in the rental apartment to turn off the air conditioner when they are not at home, thus saving money. Plus the thermostat will help to keep the temperatures fairly consistent and comfortable while the tenant is home.
The use of fans is a very economical way to keep a home cool and to help the air conditioner along. Ceiling, oscillating, and box fans all use far less electricity than an air conditioner and are a great way to circulate the air and make it feel even cooler.
Buying an oversized air conditioning unit is not a good way to save money. For one thing, these cost quite a bit more upfront than a smaller unit. But there are also several other reasons why this is not a good investment for property management to make. If the AC unit is too big, it will cycle on and off more often. This reduces efficiency and causes the indoor temperatures to fluctuate more. Too much cycling also reduces moisture removal, which can make the air feel muggier, and is hard on the air conditioning unit itself.
A great way to reduce the need for air conditioning is to improve the energy efficiency of the rental units. If possible, all of the windows should be replaced with far more efficient vinyl ones. This can be an expensive project, but it will save money in the long run. Otherwise, insulating around all of the doors and windows, as will as the attic and crawl space, will help cut down on unwanted drafts.
The air conditioning unit can be a money pit if not properly cared for. Regular maintenance on it can save money for both property management and the tenant living in the rental unit.
April 2006 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Advertising and Marketing
One thing that many employees of various companies focus invariably on is fixing the shoppers problem. Obviously there will be problems occasionally with any product or service that a given company offers. But one of the flaws in this ethic is that there is a problem to begin with. Eliminating problems that cannot be helped, ask yourself if it is something that could have been prevented with a little forethought. If so, make your customer service skills go the extra mile by trying, in future, to avoid or check any problems that are possible to avoid.
The main idea behind good customer service is not merely recruiting clients, but keeping them. You want to find creative and friendly ways to bring those same people back again and again. You want them to feel a connection with you and the products or services you offer. And you want them to feel at home in your work place, whatever it may pertain to. These things sound fairly easy to do, but if you are not naturally a people person, it may be difficult to reach out in this way. Just remember, practice makes perfect!
A lot of customer service is about relationships. Whether it is a long term relationship with shoppers who come back time after time again or a short term relationship with shoppers who only come once or twice, this is a vital part of being a good salesperson. You have to form some type of connection with the person you are serving. Selling them something once is very good, but you will know that you have passed the test as a good salesperson if you can get them to come back a second and third time for your services.
Many sales people make the mistake of saying and not doing. If you say you will do something for a client, do it. Follow through with promises you make, or just do not make them at all. If you say five minutes, it had better not be six minutes. If you say Thursday, it should not be Friday or Saturday. It only takes one time for a client to lose his trust in you or your business. Do not take the risk of turning away a shopper forever.
Even if there seems to be no immediate reward for being helpful or friendly, do it anyway. If you do not think a certain shopper will actually buy anything today, help him with whatever he needs regardless. He may come back next week. And even if he does not, maybe he will recommend you to someone else.
Lastly, make sure you know your product and service. Nothing is as big a turn off as a salesperson who does not know what he is talking about. It makes the client have no faith in you as an individual or as a retailer.
Customer service can be tricky, yes, but if you know your stuff, have faith in your products, and treat your clients with the utmost respect, you will rarely go wrong.
South Carolina Furniture Storage
April 2006 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Vendors
One of the main things that many people look for while shopping for apartments is square footage, or number of rooms. This can prove to be of utmost importance in many situations. Depending on the number of people living in the space and the time spent there, a couple hundred square feet can make all the difference. Of course, if you are single, your specifications will be much simpler. You will probably only require one bathroom and one bedroom, making your search much easier and quicker. But if you have a family, a significant other, or a roommate, you will need to think ahead of time to know what will be necessary and what will be unacceptable. For instance, four college girls in a facility with only one bathroom could potentially become a problem. And a family with two children might think a two bedroom space would fit well, but if they have frequent guests and no extra room to put them, it could prove tricky. Also, when thinking about square footage, you might want to measure your large or oddly shaped furniture in advance, to make certain they will fit in the spaces and angles that are provided.
Think about the different uses that you might have for your residence, in addition to providing you with a living space. Do you have hobbies? Do you work at home? Do you have many things to store, such as clothes? Then perhaps you will need an extra room for working or crafts or sewing. And maybe you will want to look closely at the amount of closet space provided for storage. Apartments do not provide storage in the form of garages or outside buildings most of the time. All of this must be taken care of indoors.
An important thing to look when shopping for apartments is the kitchen. Depending on the amount of time you spend in the kitchen, your requirements for this room cold vary greatly. If you spend a lot of time there, you will need to see that you have a large kitchen with plenty of counter space and cabinets. Make sure that the dish washer, refrigerator and stove are in good working order if they are provided in the unit. Even though the management is supposed to fix these things promptly if they are out of order, it can sometimes be days before they are repaired, leaving you without important and necessary, and kitchen appliances.
Then there are the extra things, although some people might find these things necessary. Is there individual parking, with garage or car port units? Is there a gym or a pool? Is there a doorman or a tight security system for the buildings? Are there intercoms and elevators for convenience? Many buildings come with these amenities now, but if you are keeping a strict budget, just remember that when these things are included, they will usually show on your rent charge, when compared to places without them.
April 2006 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by State
You may only need a self storage unit for a few weeks or you may need it for several months. You see, it all depends on where you plan on going. You may stay with a friend for a short time while you find a place to move into, or you may chose to go to your parents house and stay a year. The closing date on your house could be 30 days away from the day that the lease is up at your apartment. The possibilities are limitless with the rental units nowadays.
There are lots of things to look for when you look for your new self storage unit. You can consider location of where you are temporarily staying or where you plan on moving permanently to determine what side of town you will store your belongings, or what town you will store them. You may look to see how large the units are where you are going to keep your belongings. You may have a household full of furniture, or just one bedroom to move. Size is not where it should end though, a question you should ask yourself is do you have any computers to store, or how about televisions or home stereo systems? All of these things should be considered due to the climate in your town. It may be humid and hot, or cold and dry. Electronics could be ruined permanently or leather furniture could dry and crack. That is why you should look for a building that is climate controlled.
One other major thing you should consider when looking for the perfect self storage unit is the price of the unit. How much can you afford in your monthly budget? How about long term? How long do you plan on storing your things? How much will it cost you to rent a moving truck or moving men to help? There is so much to consider, not to mention where you will be staying in the mean time. Your living expenses should not be inconvenienced very much during a move. Finances can become stressful and added stress is unnecessary during a time when you are moving.
A self storage unit can come in handy in many situations. Not only should you consider price, location, climate control, and size but you should also consider privacy and security. Some places are indoors, where you will need a security access code to get into, and a key to get into your particular self storage unit, and others may be outdoor units where you can walk up to your unit. Some places have surveillance cameras and others my have iron fences and gates. Most units have both. Take into consideration the possibilities of where you put your belongings prior to making that big move.
June 2006 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Climate Controlled Storage
Hardwood floors can be a very nice feature for any home. But they can also be costly to maintain, not to mention a lot of work to take care of.
Commercial varnish remover can be expensive to purchase and dangerous to use when a property management company is working on refinishing wood floors. There is a much cheaper and less dangerous concoction he can make himself. Combine a cup of cornstarch with a half of a cup of cold water. Add a quart of boiling, three quarters of a cup of sal soda, a half of a cup of ammonia, and one tablespoon of vinegar. Apply this mixture to the wood floor while it is still hot. Re-warm this homemade varnish remover as necessary. After the varnish on the floor loosens, wash it away with hot water and a cloth.
Once the hardwood floors are in pristine condition they will want them to stay that way. Unfortunately, shoes can leave ugly black heel marks on hardwood floors. A frugal property management company knows that putting a little toothpaste on an old toothbrush will take care of this problem. With a little elbow grease the scuff marks will simply disappear!
And they will want to remind their tenants that putting old socks on the legs of furniture will help to prevent scratches on the wood floor while moving furniture around.
There are many different wallpaper removers available on the market. Most of them have a pungent odor, and all of them can be expensive. There are different options available with staples found around the average home. One option is to mix some vinegar and water in a pan, and heat it up. Dip a sponge into the mixture and apply it to the wallpaper. Then remove the wallpaper. A second option is to mix fabric softener with hot water, then let it soak on the wallpaper and peel away!
A thrifty caretaker also has a few practical hints when it comes to painting. Lining a roller pan with aluminum foil can make things easier. When they are finished painting, they simply throw the aluminum foil away, and the rolling pan is ready for next time. And it is usually inevitable that paint will spatter everywhere when a nonprofessional is doing the painting. They know that baby oil on a rag wipes up paint spots, and costs less and smells better than turpentine!
Indentations are often left on carpets when the furniture is moved. This can be unsightly and can turn off a potential renter. A property management company knows an efficient way to remove these marks is to use a steam iron. Turn the iron onto the lowest steam setting, and then hold it a couple of inches above the carpet. If the carpet contains non-natural fibers, then a hairdryer on a warm setting should be used instead. If an iron or a hairdryer is not available, then placing ice cubes on the indentations will also work. Use a vacuum attachment or a brush to fluff up the carpet.
The longer an apartment stays vacant, the longer that it is not producing income. So it is imperative that a property management company work as quickly and as economically as possible to get a new tenant into the home.
May 2006 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Furniture Storage
The shopper company establishes procedures to gauge and improve service while working with their client. The information paid shoppers report to the client management team is used to evaluate and improve customer service, employee service, and cleanliness of the establishment and the satisfaction of the product itself. The main goal of the shopper is to help the company increase its sales.
Secret shoppers are paid to shop while evaluating different customer experiences as per the request of what the client is looking to improve.
The shoppers get paid to:
Fill their car with gas
Dine a local restaurant and fast food establishments
Purchase products from local hardware stores
Ask about service for your computer
See a movie at a local theater
Visit an amusement park
Occasionally work from home, performing work through phone calls
And many other places need shoppers.
The list of activities a shopper does is long since the method businesses use of collecting information is increasing every day.
Every shopper job is different, requiring them to look for certain things like cleanliness of the lobby or to ask certain questions. They might need to find out if the associate greeted them when they entered the store or how long they waited to be served their meal. Another question they may need to answer is how courteous the associate was, did they suggest add on purchases such as extended warranty or opening a store credit card.
Secret shoppers are paid for most purchases. This is the best thing about shopping for pay. For example if you have lunch or dinner, the client pays your expenses. Your movie ticket is reimbursed if you watch a show. Shopping is a good job for a variety of people, especially those who love to shop or love to get a bargain.
Big companies hire shoppers to help improve their service or product. Often a customer enters a store and is dissatisfied with the service they received. They never return to that store again. Companies are paying a third party to scout out the businesses as a typical customer and report what they were impressed with and what they felt needed improving. The company must provide excellent service and products to retain customers and make a profit. Feedback from the shoppers is key for a company to get the information needed to improve.
Secret shoppers should be objective to provide unbiased facts instead of opinions. They will follow a predetermined questionnaire to get pertinent information for the client. When they finish the job, they are required to fill out the evaluation report about their experience.
By getting paid to shop and do things they do every day, secret shoppers provide service to businesses to help them get an unbiased view of how the company is perceived by the customer. The shopper is getting the information to help make improvements so other customers will have a pleasant shopping experience.
Rhode Island Furniture Storage
May 2006 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - General Information
Some people are willing to give feedback or comments to companies when asked for, while other people think they should be paid for taking a survey.
Some of the things that a business might ask on a paid survey are:
Dining
Did you receive the correct order?
Was your food the correct temperature? (Cold foods are cold, etc)
Did your food look good on the plate?
Did your food taste good?
How was the service?
Did you receive your food in an appropriate amount of time?
Was the establishment clean?
Were you greeted when you came in the door?
Were the restrooms clean?
Department Stores, Box Stores or Malls
Was the store tidy?
Were you able to find what you were looking for?
Was there a sales associate near by and available for questions?
Were the fitting rooms clean?
Were the restrooms clean?
Were you offered a credit card at checkout?
Car Dealership or Automotive Repair
Was the salesperson friendly and knowledgeable about the vehicle in question?
Did the salesperson offer to let you look around, without pressure?
Were you informed about any current promotions or sales?
Was the technician friendly?
Did the technician listen to what you were saying?
Was the estimate correct?
Was the car available at the promised time?
Some businesses are offering a discount or free item when you call or go online after visiting one of their businesses and giving your feedback. This type of paid survey is a way for companies to gather information from regular people about the service and products they purchased. But, this is also a way for companies to acquire information like name, address and phone number from people. If you read the fine print, many of these companies that offer a paid survey will tell you that they sell your information. This is how the junk mail starts piling up by people buying lists and sending their advertisements through the mail or email. Some companies will state that they are not going to sell your information so look in the fine print before you start giving out your information. Some companies that do a paid survey are just using the information strictly for marketing purposes. It can be expensive to market your businesses product but offering a paid survey can often lessen the expense.
There are many companies out there today that offer surveys online for people to take. Some are paid, some are just looking for information. Chances are that most companies looking for information are not going to pay out lots of money. You will most likely be offered a percentage off your next visit or a small free item. This gets the company the information they want and they get you to go back and use your coupon or voucher.
June 2006 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Car Storage
Portable self storage is the newest kid on the block for management properties. The advantage of storing in a pod on your own property is priceless. They range in size the same as storage units in a facility, from small to very large. And you can keep them as long as you need them. Even if you used it and had it sent back, if your portable self storage needs arise again just pick up the phone, call the managing properties and you can have a pod delivered again.
For homeowners who are staging their places for sale, portable self storage could work well for you. It will allow you to move out all that clutter that has accumulated over the years into a unit that you place in your yard. That way, you will still have easy access to your belongings that are in the pod instead of having to drive to get them. Some homeowners will not go with portable self storage because they think that they are eye sores in their yard while their home is for sale. Maybe they are not aware that you can get a small sized pod and it will not be a distraction to potential buyers. Either way, portable self storage is a benefit for them.
Another good reason to get portable self storage is if you are going to remodel your home. You can put your furniture and belongs into the pod while you are laying new carpet or, getting your kitchen remodeled. Again, your items will be near at hand on an as needed basis. So the convenience of having a portable self storage pod makes all aspects of your life easier. Even if the home improvements take a little longer than it should, your pod will be there whenever you need it.
Getting a portable self storage pod is very easy. Just contact the local site that provides them. Let them know what you are using the pod so they can help determine which size will work best for you. Put your deposit down and then it will be delivered to you. And, you can keep the pod for as long as you need. The convenience of portable self storage even comes in handy if you have a college student who is coming home for the summer and needs a place to put their belongings. That way your house does not get too cluttered. Portable self storage also works well with an adult child that has to move back into their parents house. If they are bringing a lot of their personal belongings from their apartment or house then they can put their items into the pod and have easy access to their belongings as well.
So, portable self storage is an easy and safe way to store your goods temporarily or longer if needed. Management properties can come in a variety of solutions to help your self storage of renting needs. Call around and see what local management properties are available to you.
Rhode Island Motorcycle Storage
May 2006 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - RV Storage
Mystery shopping has been a form of research for private mini storage for many years, although it has become popular recently due to more people wanting or needing extra income. Someone looking at this type of job should be aware of the many scams targeted towards the work at home job seeker. Never pay a fee to apply for shopper jobs.
There are many good reasons to become a shopper. The top four are listed here.
Number one is the shopper can try new things with this type of job. Hiring on as a shopper gives you the courage to work out at the brand new gym with the great new equipment or to dine at the ritzy new restaurant that just opened. Many different industries hire shoppers including retail establishments, restaurants and fast food joints, car dealerships, banks and service companies, theaters and amusement parks. With mystery jobs you can try new products and services that you did not dare try before.
The second reason is you can take on a different personality. You can dress up in clothes that are not your normal style. You can be the difficult consumer, the prominent wealthy customer or the complaining hypochondriac. You are required to act and pretend to be someone your not. With mystery jobs you act as the customer to get the information the client needs and for that you may have to take on a new persona.
The third reason is mystery shopping helps others. With this job, the shopper helps the private mini storage company in concrete ways for improving their products and services. This might in the end help other customers have a good experience with that company.
The final reason is no special qualities or training is necessary to be a shopper. Stay at home moms, part time workers, students and full time employees are all perfect for this job. With mystery shopping there are no set schedules, so it can fit in around your current work. Men and women of any age and background are private mini storage shoppers
The most important skills shoppers need are honesty and reliability, attention to detail and good communication. They should also have good grammar and report writing ability.
The shopper can choose when and where they want to work since jobs are available in a variety of places. The shopper can choose a place near where you live or work so there is no extra gas or travel necessary. Taking your children or friends along on the job usually is allowed. And the bonus is you are often reimbursed for any purchases.
Private mini storage shopping can be done in their spare time. Earnings range from 100 dollars or more per month for part time to full time incomes of around forty thousand dollars a year. The average pay per assignment ranges from 5 dollars to 20 dollars with video mystery shops around seventy five dollars. Shoppers will not make fast money, but with time and work can make extra income each month.
Mystery shoppers will not make a lot of fast money, but if you like to try new things, experience new characters and help others, you might just enjoy trying mystery shopping.
Pennsylvania Furniture Storage
July 2006 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Vendors
You first must know about the real estate business and what it entails. Having an idea about what goes on in the housing and land market is essential in being a competent appraiser. Many real estate companies will have their own in house appraiser or they will sub contract one when a job is needed. You must also be good with numbers and spreadsheets because you are dealing with housing prices, loan rates, and mortgages.
Being able to compile and research land and real estate information is also a key component of this job. This is because most housing and land prices can be different depending on the neighborhood, area, or even city and town. It is important for the appraiser to be able to gather information about properties surround the land or home in question. Current selling prices, square footage and school districts will also play a big part in the appraisal.
Taking pictures of the property is also a job for someone working for real estate appraisal management companies. Pictures can document the exterior of the structure or home and the land that the property sits on. The interior is also included with emphasis on additions or any specialized features of the structure or home. The pictures are added to the report and kept on file at the office. Digital photography has been a huge improvement for real estate appraisal management companies because you can see the photos as soon as you take them, insuring that you have gotten the correct photo at the right exposure. You also do not have to wait for film to be developed or wait around for the roll to be finished to take it to the developer. This saves time and money for the appraiser.
So after all of this information is gathered and the numbers crunched the person or business paying for the appraisal will sit down with the appraiser and go over the report. Before selling or buying many people utilize the services of real estate appraisal management companies. Another reason someone might need these services is when they are refinancing their home or land. The property must be appraised before anything else can be done. This is to ensure that the property has value for the current owner or future owner.
Real estate appraisal management companies usually charge a flat fee for their services. This fee includes all the above information and sometimes more information can be completed for additional money. Because of the expansive knowledge that the appraiser must have, they usually make an above average salary themselves. The appraisal then becomes certified and a copy can be obtained for your use. Some states require that real estate appraisers be licensed and registered. This is also for the safety of the customer because much of the information gathered is confidential and should not be shared with anyone not involved with job.
July 2006 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by City
Tip one is to never pay to apply. Legitimate mystery shopper jobs never charge a fee to fill out an application. Visit the Internet for website for information concerning this topic. This site is a good resource for how to register to apply with a real shopping company, lists of jobs available and general information about the shopping industry.
The second tip is to also use the internet to find legitimate mystery shopper companies. Here you can find online applications and lists of open jobs available. These lists are always free. Another good source for finding legitimate jobs is to search the internet for shopper forums. New shoppers will find the experienced shoppers on these forums willing to help. The newbie can find tips, get support and search job leads. They can get answers to questions on how to get started in shopping and finding work.
Third tip is to do some homework. Check bookstores and libraries for tips on ways to find shopping companies and the correct and effective way to apply. Next, create lists of all the companies you have found though your internet and forum searches and rank the companies. Note information from forum visitors about each company. These notes might include any positive response or negative feedback from the forums, if jobs are listed on the company website and whether they have any open assignments in your area.
Tip four is to apply at all the legitimate mystery shopper companies with openings in your region. Be sure to fill out the forms completely and provide a resume or work history if asked for.
Shopping is a job where retailers and service companies hire research companies to evaluate the quality of the business. The business needs this research to improve services, customer relations and products. These marketing research companies hire shoppers to anonymously visit the establishment to gather information and report their experience. The shopper is typically reimbursed for any purchases and usually can keep the product or services they purchased. The jobs are considered to be part time. The opportunities from marketing research and merchandising companies are normally listed online.
Prospective job seekers should be skeptical of shopper companies who advertise in the help wanted ads in newspapers or via email. They may look like legitimate mystery shopper jobs, it is possible they are promoting phony shopping services. Other tactics to be aware of include companies that sell certifications. Certification is normally not required by legit companies. If a guarantee of a job is offered, move on. If you are asked to pay a fee to access the jobs database or purchase a directory of companies providing services, steer clear of these.
If you think you have encountered a mystery shopping scam, file a complaint with your local consumer protection agency, the BBB, your State Attorney General, or the FTC.
July 2006 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by State
These companies hire people to act as anonymous shoppers in exchange for free products and services, discounts or reimbursement of purchases. A mystery shopping agency is hired by businesses to help them figure out what the customer wants or needs and ways to improve upon their service or monitor employee interactions with the consumer. Every store or service business has different tasks based on the goals they are trying to achieve.
The shopper working for the mystery shopping agency is provided with instructions before the assignment on how to act or what questions they should ask. They might interact with customers with complaints or to assess the time they are waiting before they receive attention from the employee. The shopper involves recording responses and evaluating the replies of the employee. The task might involve noting how clean the establishment is or evaluating the customer response to the product
This job began around the 1940s when companies needed a way to measure the honesty of its employees. A shopper uses a variety of tools to make assessments, the most basic being a questionnaire. A more complicated tool shoppers use is to take video and audio recordings of the job. The newest tool the shopper has in its arsenal is the internet. Shoppers register as participants in an assignment online, find jobs on the web, and receive payments.
People wanting to provide these services complete an online application to be considered for assignments. Every mystery shopping agency will have a different procedure to follow but there are some basic rules in almost every job.
The most important rule is to not pay a fee to apply. Real shopping companies never charge to file an application.
One of the reasons applications are rejected by the hiring company is because they are incomplete. Answer all the questions. Provide a writing sample when asked for. It is estimated that a good percent of all applicants will not make it through the first process or screening simply because not all the required information was provided.
Normally, a typical job application is restricted on asking certain types of questions for hiring purposes. However, you may be surprised by some of the questions on an application. They might seem odd or inappropriate, especially if you are asked your age or race, if your married or how many kids you have and their ages. You could be asked if you own a car, have cats or dogs or other pets or even if you wear glasses. On some applications the questions are optional. Others make them required for certain shops. These questions are asked to include you not offend or exclude you. The questions may be necessary for assignments where certain demographics need to match the typical customer of the client.
Shoppers can be male or female, young or old and any race. The main requirements to be a shopper are to have good communication and observation ability, good grammar and report writing and reliability.
The mystery shopping agency provides the businesses with the necessary market research to make improvements to their products, customer and employee exchanges and their service to the customer. They provide unbiased recommendations through the use of questionnaires and detailed reports. Businesses and the consumer both benefit from the use of these marketing tactics.
June 2006 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Boat Storage
Quality Assurance for property managers is the process of creating deliverables. This process can be done by the property managers, the client or an outside source. The activities related to assurance involve tasks from designing, developing, producing, service, installing verifying, documenting and validating. The quality of raw material, assembling the products and components involved and any services related to production, management, and inspection all fall under the regulation of the do it right the first time rules.
One example of assurance for property managers includes process checklists. Another is project audits. For example, a project gets audited. The auditor might not see if the content is acceptable but they should be able to see the deliverable is acceptable by the process used to create it. Auditors can perform assurance reviews on projects because they know what good processes should be.
Measurements are not a part of assurance processes, but evaluators use past experience or regualtions for guideance in determining the quality of the process. Basically, the assurance of quality is determined by high level policies, work instructions, procedures or government regulations.
Quality Assurance software provides a solution for tracking and reporting analytics. An important function of the software is flexibility and the customization ability. Every company will have varying process determinations so it is important the software solution meets the needs of various industries.
On the other hand, quality control refers to work related to the creation of the product or project. It is used to make sure the end product is acceptable, complete and correct. Some examples of quality control include peer reviews and testing processes. In very basic terms, quality control is the process of comparing a product with the original specifications or plans
Quality control is the final check to determine if the product, the product plan, or part is acceptable or unacceptable. Quality control members document reviews, calibrate or other types of testing by measuring such as sampling. Quality Assurance does not have these tasks occuring as often as in quality control. Someone directly associated with research, design or production usually performs these tasks. The employee reports to his manager.
The software involved in quality control should perform automatic electronic tests and checks via a web based system. The following checks might include documenting customer complaints, keep records of forms and documents connected with the steps of the process, any forms routing and collaborate tasks
Quality Assurance and quality control need to be separate processes for several reasons.
There is a differnce in quality activities. One focuses on the product itself while the other is devoted to the process used to make the product.
Pennsylvania Motorcycle Storage
June 2006 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Wine Storage
Let us explain what we mean by the last line above. Some of us decide not to tell the caller about any additional costs there are to rent such as a lock, admin costs, etc, until they come down to the facility. The customer does not deserve that. If they come down ready to move all of their belongings and bring enough money to cover their unit and tax, they will not be too pleased to pay more than what was quoted on the phone. It is our job as mini storage sales representatives to ensure the caller knows what they are paying for, or any extras they need, before they rent with you. You can maintain that great relationship with the caller if you do so and potentially more units sold.
Trying to get the caller to reserve a space with a credit card, could be handled differently than most property owners hear. Instead of just offering to have the space held, tell the caller why they benefit from giving you their credit card. With mini storage, a customer can understand limited availability or ensuring that they get the great special that was offered. They will not enjoy the fact that you are pressuring them to give you their credit card with no tie in as to why they should give it to you. Would you just give you credit card to a person that says you can hold this space if you give me your credit card? In that statement, it is believed that you have many spaces so we do not need to give them our credit card over the phone. Now saying something like, We are limited in our space that we have. It would benefit you have a space reserved in order guarantee the space will be here when arrive to store. The way to do that is to use your credit card to hold it. The second way did not pressure the customer at all. It simply explained to the caller that it would benefit them to have a space held. In mini storage, show the caller some value when asking for their credit card. For some people, their credit card is their identity.
In mini storage, we are here to help the customers that call or come into our building. Take the time to treat them, as you want to be treated. Ease off the gas a little, do not pressure them and develop a relationship to take care of their needs. Do not surprise them with extra costs, as you would not like to be. Take care of them now and they will refer people to your facility or rent with you for a long time.
July 2006 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Furniture Storage
Basically, merchandisers are responsible for maintaining the products a manufacturer is selling in a particular store or area. The products need to be presented in the best possible way to produce more sales. This way, the store selling the product for the manufacturer is able to sell more without having to hire its own sales people to keep the displays looking good. The merchandiser is responsible for straightening displays and setting up related products nearby, taking inventory and restocking shelves, reordering and product recalls. They will assemble promotional displays and coupon displays, as well as demonstrate the product. They will set up any marketing material such as banners and brochures.
On the other hand, companies offering mystery shopping jobs hire someone to anonymously evaluate products, report on services and observe employee performances. The independent contracted shopper acts as a customer. They speak with employees, purchase products and sometimes make returns. They are responsible for reporting their observations related to their visit on an evaluation form.
Merchandising jobs are found in most retail stores representing industries such as home and garden items, toys, electronics, groceries, auto parts, and more. Mystery shopping jobs deal with any public business such as stores, restaurants and banks. They visit hair and nail salons, apartment complexes and gas stations as well as movie theaters, amusement parks and auto dealers. The shopper is paid to get haircuts, eat dinner, stop at the bank and watch a movie.
The pay between merchandising jobs and mystery shopping jobs vary. Merchandising pays around 9 dollars to 20 dollars an hour and is a high demand service. This means you can work as often as you like and basically on your own schedule. The work is not physically or mentally difficult making it ideal for all ages and situations. Assignments last between one to three hours from beginning to finish, although the complexity of the display requirements may take longer. You are being paid hourly for the work.
Mystery jobs are often done in your spare time and pay anywhere from 10 dollars up to 50 or 100 dollars or more, depending on the time and difficulty involved. Pay includes any reimbursement of purchases. Working in their spare time, someone can earn 100 dollars or more a month while a full time consistent shopper can earn over forty thousand dollars a year. The full time shopper will have to balance assignments that have different requirements, due dates and reporting styles. The shopper needs to be organized and very systematic.
To be a shopper you can be any adult aged female or male, employed, unemployed, self employed or full time home maker or retiree. You should be observant and reliable with good communication skills and the ability to follow directions. No degree is required but experience in customer service is helpful.
Merchandising jobs tend to be physical with less paperwork and very little evaluation. Mystery buyers spend a lot of time filling out the necessary reports and questionnaires.
The difference between merchandising jobs or a mystery shopping jobs are minimal. The similarities of the merchandiser and the shopper include visiting retail establishments to check on products and services while the differences are mainly in the pay and consistency. Secrecy shopping and merchandising can be combined to create an ideal balance of assignments to give you the maximum amount of work and experience.
August 2006 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage
In property management, you as the manager or business owner need to find a way keep things fresh and build the morale of the people that work for you. It is not always easy to find ways to spice up a day in which the people know they will be coming in doing the same tasks all day. When involved in your own business, you have to think to yourself, how can you motivate your staff to show up to work, day in and day out?
There are some companies that are going to have to make some changes to their structure. Sometimes when involved in property management, you have to make the occasional changes. The changes you have to make have to be made in order to make things more efficient and also to promote the creativity and fun within your environment. The more efficient your company is, the more the bottom line will grow. There are even some companies that try to determine who the next people in line for promotions are and start preparing them for the next level. If you think about it, how motivated will your staff be if they know that you are taking personal stock in their development?
So what are you doing within your own property management structure? How are you separating yourself from your competition? Is your company big enough to where you could have competitions with each other to see who can have the lowest vacancy percent? Or is it a small business in which you might just be able to have a competition within your four walls trying to see who the best sales person is? These are just examples of how some companies are trying to drive results and create a fun atmosphere. Maybe in your structure, there are people who do not like competition. Competition is not a motivator for them. You have to understand your people and find out what they like to do and incorporate that into your property management structure. When trying to do that, you also have to figure out how to tie that motivation into a result.
Within your own property management structures, what are you doing to create a buzz or stir up the fury of the mundane workplace? It is common that after some companies go after trying to promote an exciting workplace, their numbers are up, and so is the morale of the staff. It will always be up to you on what you will do to stay on top and get your staff on your path to success. Motivating your staff and creating excitement are just a couple of the hats most of you have to wear as a business owner. A motivated and excited staff does extremely well for business.
August 2006 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Advertising and Marketing
The concept of a secret or mysteryshopper means the shopper must be discreet and work anonymously about their field of work. Shopper networks are rare in person, but places can be found online to interact with other shoppers.
Some organizations offer training and certification opportunities for the shopper. These organizations set industry standards and ethics. Networks offer a bulletin board for new or seasoned pros to connect with each other. They can share information and exchange news about particular companies. Having a network like this also helps prevent exploitation and abuse of the shoppers. Shoppers warn each other against companies that do not pay or are a scam. And shoppers also share job leads and experiences that turned out well. Some organizations charge a fee for their training, but it is worth it.
Forums and discussion boards are important for the information to shoppers. These meeting places are a good opportunity for people to talk shop with those who understand their daily job. Many forums and message boards offer lists of companies hiring shoppers.
One such network has shoppers and merchandisers talking about experiences with different companies, job openings and lists of companies available to a mysteryshopper. Another forum has a database that can be searched for mystery companies and merchandising jobs.
A shopper network is an association of individuals or groups of individuals with a common interest, be it professionally or personally. The group is formed to provide assistance with finding employment or giving helpful information. A network is really any method that shares information between humans.
Another type of a mysteryshopper network is the company that hires the shoppers. This type of network has many shoppers involved. When working with the network, you should be reliable and available for work often, and follow the rules. These companies hire shoppers to evaluate service, products and the cleanliness of the establishment as well as other needed information.
Starting your own shopper network or company allows the shopper to earn higher income but start up is more difficult than working for a network. You should determine the specific niche you want to focus on or if you want to generalize in all types of needs. Owning the mystery company requires good marketing skills to acquire clients, the ability to hire a mysteryshopper to the network and able to manage their assignments.
Fees are negotiated per single job. Large assignments needing several shoppers with many locations require a contract. The contract should detail the number of stores and frequency of visits, the time period needed and the services provided. Fees run about seventy five to one hundred fifty dollars per assignment with the shopper being paid 7 to 10 dollars each experience.
The shopper belonging to a network earns a good second income. Pay is around five thousand dollars up to fifteen thousand dollars a year. Network owners may earn over six figures with a good number of contracts.
A good mystery network allows shoppers to improve work conditions, communicate with other shoppers and owners and share information about nonpaying companies.
August 2006 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - RV Storage
What is in a greeting? Well a greeting is a way for two people to intentionally get involved in a conversation. A greeting is also a way to show that you are aware of the other persons desire to speak to you. Have you ever thought of it that way? A greeting makes you aware of the other person. Was there a time in which you called a company and you heard just a simple hello? Is just saying hello the appropriate way to say you are aware that you have a desire to speak to that person? Probably not. As property managers, you and the people that work for you need to realize that you are on stage the moment you answer the phone or have someone walk through your door. Do not think that a proper greeting is limited to answering the phone.
There have been many great greetings in self storage and greetings that we should not mention. As property managers, we have to be consistent. Some people decide to have a greeting that is scripted and is a paragraph long it seems, where others just answer the phone with the name of the facility. There is no perfect way to answer the phone and grab the attention of the caller. As property managers, we need to ensure that customers are being greeted in a way they feel invited to either come into the facility or walk around it. The happy medium to the greeting is to ensure that the caller knows where they called, whom they are speaking to and to know they are ready to be helped. The tone, inflection of voice and sincerity can all make a difference on the delivery of the greeting.
The greeting sets up the rest of the call. A greeting is also considered being important because it usually sets the mood of the entire call. As property managers, if we have a bad opening line, we can maybe lose the attention of the caller. If we do not establish a position of power and control early in the call, the caller might walk all over us. Understand that you have the tools necessary to have a great presentation to assist those who want storage. The hardest and easiest thing is, do we use those tools?
As property managers in self storage, we know there is a lot of competition out there. No one is above making some tweaks to their performance or doing some self evaluations. With a proper greeting, you are setting the stage for the call. Now, setting the stage is the easy part, what song and dance you do afterwards is also crucial in the renting of new tenants.
August 2006 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - General Information
What is going to make your facility stand out to the people that will call your facility or drop by? What is going to make the difference to the caller to get a storage rental at your facility? These are very valid questions that you need to ask yourself or your team. The more people that can help you figure this out, the better.
When you are taking calls as an associate, what is one of the first things that you do? You should be thanking the caller for calling your facility and then introducing yourself to them. In the beginning of your call, you should be trying to build rapport with the caller. The more rapport you build with the caller the better chance you have to get them to get a rental space from you. Take a second to think about this scenario. You are out with your friends and you realize you need a particular product to purchase. Your friends point out a product they believe would greatly benefit you. Because they are your friends, you decide to get it. It is believed that as a customer you want to be able to be talking to a friend of theirs. That is why you want to try to build rapport with the caller, so they will tell their friends.
When talking to a potential customer, you need to be able to find out what their true storage needs are and take care of them. With trying to recommend the right rental space for the caller, you will have to know all you can about what they are storing. How else do you expect to help the caller with finding the right size, if you do not understand what they are storing?
Another thing you can do to take care of the callers needs and desires, is to sell your facility. The caller will not come down unless they have a reason to believe they can get a great value on a rental space. You have to be the one that can sell your space to the caller to get them intrigued enough to come in. When they are at your facility, they now can see what you have to offer. Take your time with the caller and show them everything that you believe will intrigue them to want to have a space at your facility. Tell them about all the specials that you have and try to understand what it will take for them to be a tenant in your building.
When answering the phone or seeing the customer in person, you have to put your best foot forward. You only have one time to make a first impression.
September 2006 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Wine Storage
There are lists of things you can do to ensure you have a good building maintenance schedule going. The first thing you can ensure is that you do have a good schedule going of what you do by week and by month. When you set this schedule of repairs, you need to stick to it. If you miss a day, you need to reschedule that event sooner than later. Do not let your facility go with out much needed check ups.
Hopefully, when you planned the building or the remodeling of your structure, you laid down great foundations. Finding the right contractor and maintaining a great relationship with that contractor are key. This way if something came up that need immediate attention, they could be there for you. They most likely could handle most of your building maintenance issues that could arise. On top of that, great foundation, investing in good carpeting (if you are using carpet in your facilities) will greatly benefit you. Most carpet manufacturers agree that if you take good care of your carpet, you will save money in the long run. Most companies replace their carpet not because it is torn or damaged, but because it looks faded and old. You have to know your business and understand if the carpet is going to get a lot of foot traffic. Keeping your carpet on a regular cycle of cleaning can save you from replacing your entire floor of carpet. Keeping carpet clean as part of your regular building maintenance schedule will be a huge benefit to your bottom line.
What attracts customers to your building? Is it your great pricing, they way your facility looks and feels or is it security. If security is one of the biggest reasons customer want come down and store at your facility, then you have to ensure that it is fully functional at all times. Having a trained individual on staff that can fix most routine security issues is key or having a great partnership with your security company as a back up. It is also key to make sure that you find the right security company for your facility. Do some research and make some phone calls to check their credentials. You do not want the biggest reason for customers to store at your facility to not work correctly. Especially when you hired a company to fix all security, issues and they cannot perform the task.
We could go on for pages and pages about how property protect your facility and have a good building maintenance schedule. You want to be proactive with your facilitys needs versus reactive. The better you plan for events to happen, the better prepared you are. Do not try to short cut your repair schedule to save time or money, because in the long run, it might cost your more time and money if you neglect your facility.
October 2006 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Climate Controlled Storage
With different types of families out there, everyones houses are in various shapes and sizes. When trying to get their house sold, most people need to clear out some of the larger items in the house. They do this to make the house look bigger. They usually call on the assistance of a storing company in order hold their belongings while they are inviting prospective buyers to open houses. Most people have a good idea on what size they are in need of, but it is up the managers at the facility to assist them with this transition in their life. Another option to help the customer instead of doing traditional storing is that they can do portable self storage. That might alleviate some of their moving stresses.
Portable self storage is the most convenient type of storing a customer could have. They do not have to find out how they are going to get all of their belongings down to the storing facility to house their goods. The company providing portable self storage will just drop some type of mini space for you to load at your house. How convenient is that! You can take your time to load the space in your driveway when you have the time, then call someone to pick it up. You will have to get more information regarding how long you can keep the space at your house, but it is well work it for some people to have the space at their homes for loading.
What other advantages are there with portable self storage? Well when you are trying to get your house sold, you are trying to save costs. You do not want to spend a lot of money on a moving truck, gas, or the pressures of getting the truck back to the facility on time. Having the space right there at your house and having the company come to pick it up when you are done is a huge stress reliever.
So when you get that phone call asking about storing options, do not forget about portable self storage, if you offer that service. If you do not offer that service, you might want to look into it. You can still invite the callers down to the site for a visit, and show them a couple of different sizes that could work for them. They are trying to get their house sold, so they need you to take care of their belongings. So talk up your facility and make them feel at ease storing there. With the real estate market being the way it is, they will need the see the value of storing their belongings at your site with either type of storing options. Help the caller get their house sold, by being a partner that they can turn to have their belongings held.
October 2006 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Boat Storage
The pro of stalling to give the price is that it helps you build value in your storage facility and allow the caller to see what they are getting for the price. It also allows you the opportunity build a relationship with the caller and helps you set up the reservation process. Stalling to give the price sets you up to explain how you are different from your competitors and shows that you are best place to store their belongings. In property management, the only cons of stalling that most can see is that if the caller is in a rush, they are getting impatient waiting to hear about the facility, etc. At that same time, they still should know what they are putting their money towards.
It is good to look at the other side of things as well in property management. With the employees on your staff, you have to ensure that everyone is on the same path or believes in what you are trying to accomplish. The pros of giving the price without going over the amenities are that the caller can know up front what the price is. They do not have to wait through a spiel of amenities when their whole focus is the price. To them it will not matter what you have to offer as long as the price is within their expectations. The cons to this method is that as soon as you give the price to them, they may end the call right there with out giving you the opportunity to discuss your amenities. Then when they shop around, they will only be checking the prices and not the features. To most customers, they would not know why different facilities offer different prices and could potentialy make the wrong storage decision.
Being in property management, you have to ensure that not only your building is being maintained but also you have to maintain the performance of your staff. With proper staffing and coaching, you can see your facility benefit. If you are not nourishing your employees and getting their opinions, your staff might not believe in your vision or you goals. Most owners want the customer to be able to see the storage facility for what it really worth. If you are allowing your people to just give out a price, you are selling yourself short. No one in property management wants to lose money due to their employees not following a plan that they laid out.
The decision whether or not to give the price immediately or stalling until you have given them your amenities, is up to you. Just know there are pros and cons to both ways, but stalling to give out the price has proven to rent more spaces. The caller can see the facility for what it truly has to offer. Customers should not choose where they place their belongings on price alone.
September 2006 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by City
There are many questions for a prospective stay at home mom that will naturally go along with the main issue. If you remain at home to raise your children, will you take on a job, even if it is part time, once they are enrolled in school? To what extent will you get involved in their school projects, trips and meetings if you have time at your disposal? If you can solve these problems 100 percent before the time actually comes, that is wonderful. Most of the time, though it is much easier to wait for the time to draw near, feel out your child and the circumstances, and then come to a decision. Although there is much so called evidence to support both being a stay at home mom and being a working mother, it really boils down to you. What do your lifestyle, budget and personality allow for? Children differ greatly as well. Will your child do well away from you for long periods of time every day?
Keep in mind that being a stay at home mom for the wrong reasons can be more detrimental than beneficial to your child. A child can pick up on many subtleties that we, as adults, think we are hiding well. Your child will feel, more than know, that you are depressed, unhappy, or anxious if you are remaining at home out of guilt or a wrong sense of duty. You should not feel that you are at fault if you wish to also pursue your career. Search thoroughly for a good day care or babysitter with strong and accurate references, make certain your child is personally comfortable with the person or people you choose for his care, and then let yourself relax a little and try to enjoy both the aspects of being a parent and being a working mother.
Sometimes the choice to be a stay at home mom is simply a choice that is not truly yours to make. Finances or circumstances may not allow you this luxury. If this is the case, console yourself by knowing that you are doing what you can in the best interests of your child. Be sure to make the quality of the time you spend with your child something important, as you do not have the quantity to give with much freedom.
If you are ever tempted to pass judgment on another woman, whatever her choice is for her children, try to remember that she is a mother, just like you. Only she can know the intimate details of what her life is and why she makes the choices she does. Working and being the best parent you can be to your children do not always have to be two different roads to take. But if and when they are, most women make these decisions with the best of intentions in mind.
One option that many mothers are finding is a work-from-home secret shopping position. Secret shopping tasks come in all shapes and sizes. Secret shopping usually allows flexibility to the shopper and many moms can take their children along with them. Some secret shopping assignments allow a mom to makes secret shopping calls from the phone. Other secret shopping assignments require a quick trip to the clothing store or grocery store. These types of jobs are worth looking into for a mom who wants to supplement her income.
September 2006 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by State
People that are thinking about getting a self storage unit often have no idea what they are doing. They have never rented a space before and do not even know what kinds of questions to ask. Instead of feeling foolish by asking an employee silly questions, the potential customer that is shopping around is able to simply go to the website and get all of their questions answered.
A good self storage website will explain, in language that a novice can understand, all of the different aspects of self storage. These newbies have no clue as to what size of a unit they would need or how the lease works or what amenities are important. All of this information is found on the website in terms a layman can easily understand.
Another great thing about having a good website is that it will make clear how much stuff will fit into different sizes of units, and will usually have pictures to help the person shopping to get more of a visual. For example, a website might have a two dimensional picture of a square that represents a 5x5 unit, and will show a few small pieces of furniture and some boxes inside of the square. Likewise a rectangle representing 10x20 will show a car parked inside of it. These visuals help a potential tenant to get a better idea as to what actually will fit into different sizes of units, and what size will work best for them and their belongings.
Once this person that is shopping for a self storage facility has found what they are looking for they should be able to go ahead and reserve a space on the website right then and there. With step by step directions, the new customer should be able to choose the size, type, and price of a unit that will work best for them. And they should be able to reserve the unit for the timeframe in which they will need it. The facility employee will then be able to email or telephone the new customer with any additional information that is needed.
A good self storage website also needs to have a section just for current renters. It needs to be a secure area where the tenant is able to log into with his or her own individual password and take care of business. They should be able to pay a bill or update their personal information or view their previous billing statements.
Self storage is a perfect example of an industry that benefits from using the Internet as a tool. Having an excellent website can assist a company with increasing its business and it will help in keeping current tenants happy. And the best part about a company having a good website is that they are able to continue doing business 24-7, without having to pay humans any additional compensation!
September 2006 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Vendors
With the popularity of being able to store your belongings yourself, many people are trying to find the place that will allow them to have all of their needs satisfied. You really have to look at many factors when trying to determine the best method of storing your belongings.
When you are looking for a store room you must consider your environment. Every state or city has its different weather issues. For instance, Arizona has little or no humidity in the air because it is mostly desert. So when you are looking for a facility to house your property, you want to ensure what you are putting in there is not in need of humidity. If it is, you might want to consider climate controlled self storage because the humidity and temperature are closely monitored. With that said, you do not have to worry about your personal effects not having enough water in the air.
The temperature inside of a climate controlled self storage space monitored to protect your belongings from the extremes of hot and cold weather. For those who live in the upper northeast and get hit with mountains of snow, those who do not have temperature monitored spaces might be reconsidering having those types of spaces when they come to check on their property. Some facilities have reported items freezing within the spaces due to the extreme temperature outside. How crazy is that to think that if your belongings could freeze inside of a space. Well if you take a second to think about it, who does most of property do in your not always insulated garage? If you are looking to put your belongings in a space like your garage, then having your temperature monitored is not for you.
Another advantage of climate controlled self storage is that for the most part they are located inside of a building. Being located inside of a building with the entrance doors to the space being inside as well, it prevents most pest or vermin to enter your unit. How upsetting would it be to come in to get something out of your space and see that it has been nibbled on by termites or your mattress has been burrowed into by a mouse? That would not be fun at all. So having your space located inside of a building and the temperature monitored would greatly benefit you if this is a concern for you.
So we will ask again, do you know what you are putting in to your store room? Since you do, are you confident that it will be protected from the elements of outdoors, insects, vermin and most dust? If you are then an outside store room would work best for you rather than a climate controlled self storage space.
October 2006 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Car Storage
If you have ever gone to a fast food restaurant to order a number 5 with no tomatoes and an extra large soda, and been served a number 6 with extra tomatoes and an extra large tea, you know all about lacking customer service. If you have ever walked through the sliding doors to your local product store and the person hired as the greeter gives you a half glance while she centers her attention on staring out into the parking lot, you know all about the deficiency in customer service. And if you have ever gone through a check out line with your groceries and been treated to silence and downcast, bored eyes as your cashier throws bug spray and apples roughly into the same bag, well, you get the point.
So what has happened to customer service? Is it the current generation? Is it the somehow the new American idea of getting everything we want? Or is it simply that people do not care anymore? Probably all of these things combined help to contribute. But at root, there is a lack of empathy or caring for any other being, or at least caring more than we care about ourselves. Why are we so selfish?
Truly, offering top notch customer service is the easiest thing in the world to do. It only requires a smile, a handshake, a simple so how are you today? Are these little things really what are holding people back? Apparently so.
If you feel that you have been treated unpleasantly, there is always an 800 number to call, a comment card to fill out, a manager to complain to. But these are not the things that will help in the end. Maybe your comment card will get a district manager to pay a little bit more attention on his next round. Maybe the call to the 800 number will get you a refund for your mixed up meal. Perhaps you might even get someone fired if you go to the manager. But it does not start with these things. It comes to these things. What individuals should do is simply watch their own behavior. When you are at work, do you answer the phone with a telling smile in your voice? When you speak with a customer, do you ask how their day is going, and if you can help them in any way? It might be hard to fix the world one little smile at a time, but it is much easier to do it this way than with a frown.
Business owners are not helpless in persuading the customer service attitude. They can hire a business for mystery shopper reviews to help shed some light on the customer experience. Mystery shopper reviews will allow the business owner and employees to see an unbiased assessment of what a typical customer sees, hears and feels. Gaining the customers perspective is crucial to the success and development of any business in any industry. Mystery shopper reviews are the perfect way to see a real life situation through the eyes of the professional.
Mystery shopper reviews are popular in retail, fast food and dining and rental industries. However, they are not limited to those industries and shopping for those industries is different. Therefore, a business owner should be able to customize the criteria evaluated through his or her mystery shopper reviews. Mystery shopper reviews are a guaranteed way to improve customer service.
November 2006 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - General Information
When most individuals are looking to invest their hard-earned money into land to build on to they do their research. They do not want to make a bad investment. They are looking to get the most profit out of their decision. In todays market, real estate is unstable but building apartments, condominiums and such are still profitable because someone always needs a place to live. Most people are not coming out on top in selling their homes to make a huge profit. If you are not looking to run your apartment complex yourself you have to find someone who can do it for you. Just like researching land, you also have to research to see which company out there can provide the best property management services out there.
Finding the right company that can provide great property management services is not always an easy task. You can find different companies online or even in the newspaper, but you have to ensure that they are located in your area. With some companies providing property management services, they are located in areas in which they cannot serve you. In smaller markets, your chances to have some diversity of choice will be limited.
There are many different types of care these companies can provide. These property management services are not limited to the client, tenant or land. What kind of expertise do you think these companies can offer? For the client or owner they can, and are not limited to:
� Managing owners monthly mortgage payment
� Managing owners property taxes, insurance or other payments as instructed
� Handling requests for repairs and maintenance
� Arranging and making payment for required repairs or maintenance work
� Paying to owner or depositing to owners account amounts recieved in excess of required disbursements
� Providing owner with fully itemized and computerized monthly reports and year-end accounting statements
� Inspections of the property during lease in order to ensure proper maintenance
� Arranging tenant notices and evictions when necessary
� A final inspection and closing statement, upon tenants vacating the property
� Collecting monthly rents
As you can see, if you can find a good company that can provide great property management services, you have to little except for sit back and watch the profit roll in.
Remember they are not limited to what you saw above. They can also help your business with getting your buildings full of tenants. By utilizing some companies, you will get:
� Comprehensive expertise and knowledge of local laws and market conditions
� Exposure to real estate professionals
� Advertising on the Internet
� Detailed records and accounting reports
� Professional screening of tenants.
� Professional relationship with tenants
� Reduction in tenant turnover and increased occupancy rates through strict screening and constant supervision
� Efficient rent collections
You are in the drivers seat with your individual business. You can try to do it all yourself or find someone or a company who can take all or most of the load off you. With finding the best property management services out there for your budget, you cannot lose. Ensure that you choose wisely.
October 2006 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Furniture Storage
Remember to be proud of yourself. The decision you have made was made for all the right reasons. You know that. Your spouse knows that. Your children know that. And that is all that matters. Period. Do not let the judgment, skepticism or off handed comments of others make you feel belittled or second guess yourself. Keep in mind constantly the reasons you made the decision in the first place. Many times, others might assume you have no education or ambitions if you have chosen to be a stay at home mom. They may think that if you do have an education, you are wasting it. While these are, of course, mostly incorrect stereotypes, they can still be extremely hurtful to most mothers who have to deal with these assumptions. Have responses ready for those who make these statements to you or your spouse. You can tell them that you do not consider your education being wasted if you are bringing up and educating your children, those you love most in the world.
Secondly, remember to stay on your toes. When you choose to remain at home with your children, you have given up many of the stimulating conversations and interaction that you used to be a part of on a daily basis, whether in the work place or otherwise. Keep these things alive in yourself by trying to become creative with the time given you. You will have what seems like vast amounts of hours to deal with daily now, and depending on the ages of your children, you may have the opportunity to do great things with these hours. While most of them will be spent teaching, caring for and playing with your children, there will be some few hours or moments of the day that are yours alone, and now that your life is so busy, you will treasure them more than ever. Make them count!
Next, remember to stay in the loop. Even though you will not be seeing coworkers on a day to day basis now, you still have networking opportunities available to you, as a stay at home mom. Stay in contact with old friends, and be diligent about making new ones. Most importantly, see that your new ones are mommies, like you! This will give you a never ending list of things in common to discuss, not to mention someone who has been where you are that you can take your troubles or concerns to. Also, it is always helpful for you and your spouse to make couple of mutual friends. It is definitely a relief to be able to leave the children with a sitter on a Saturday night and go out to dinner with another couple. No children, no spilled drinks, no food on the floor, no shrieking for your attention, just adults talking about adult things.
As a stay at home mom, you have probably made plenty of sacrifices for your children, and you feel as if your every waking moment is at their beck and call. Just make some time for yourself once in a while. There is nothing like it for keeping your sanity intact!
November 2006 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - RV Storage
If you are doing spring cleaning, depending on the size of your house, or the depth of cleaning you are plan on getting into, there are many good reasons for choosing storage as a part of your plan. Unless you have a place such as a garage or some other building that is accessible to you for this purpose, there is no reason why you should not contemplate using this method. It can afford you much more room while cleaning your house. If you have a large house or many things that clutter up your house, it is extremely difficult to work around these things to vacuum, mop, polish or dust. Try temporarily stocking away some of your more unnecessary items while cleaning. Perhaps you might like your home so much with all of its newfound space that you will decide to keep it that way!
This may not be a year for moving. The housing market is unstable, and note many people are buying and selling. If you are in this particular circumstance, storage is almost definitely going to be part of your game plan. It is difficult enough to organize, compile and separate all of your belongings into boxes, labels and rooms. It does not have to be hard at all. You can make it much simpler. Start off by simply organizing everything you own into several different groups of things. Out of each group of items, decide what you absolutely find necessary, and what you could deal with being without for a while. Take the items from each group that you can do without, and put them away temporarily for the first few months you are in your new home. This will be such an enormous help to you as you move everything into a new place, organize it and put it away, decorate and make it your true home.
Remodeling is on a little bit of a smaller scale when it comes to putting your personal things in safekeeping. Usually, you will remodel only one room or area at a time. But if you happen to be remodeling your entire house, or most of it, at once, this can also most definitely apply to you. The easiest plan with remodeling is to start from scratch. You will need to see a certain room or part of your house with new eyes, thus it is much simpler to take everything out of the room. When the room is empty, it makes your approach to remodeling or redecorating much more straightforward and uncomplicated. You can imagine what it will look like with that perfect color of paint you have been dying to use. You can just picture putting your new couch and coffee table in that corner. There is nothing else in the room to distract you. Well, you will most likely not have room enough in the remainder of your home to house your extra belongings and furniture, so storage is the best option. Put these items in storage for a week or two, until you are done with your project, and put them back in the new room at your leisure.
This is an option that works for people in many different situations. It is cheap and easy. If you find you have the need, you should certainly try storage.
January 2007 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage
A secret shopper is a professional hired by companies to assess products, services and customer satisfaction and employee performance while remaining anonymous. This is a legitimate business with hundreds of companies listed by a national company needing shoppers to help get feedback to improve their services.
Shopping for pay has become a practical opportunity for many. Imagine. You get paid to shop, drive a car, dine out and even play golf. Many businesses offer freebies for services as well. As the trend in marketing and service quality changes, more and more companies need professional shoppers.
Quality service and set standards are necessary for a business to retain customers and succeed among their competitors. Loss of customers and profits could result when the quality of a business declines. That is why more and more companies are turning to a professional secret shopper to provide honest evaluations on the quality of the products and services they received while acting as an anonymous customer.
The secret shopper will be given an assignment such as dining in a restaurant. They will then send a detailed report on the services they received, how clean the restaurant was, the quality of the food and other details. The secret shopper observes the cheerful smiles and the knowledge the employee has on the products. They examine the maintenance and how clean the facilities inside and out are. They note how helpful and friendly customer service personnel are. The shopper not only gives an opinion. They give honest, valuable responses as a real customer in a straightforward, true account.
The assignments are always different. One time, you are asked to check the competence of the staff on a sale product. Another time you could be asked to make note of the number of customers waiting in line. The shopper works both offline locations and through online websites.
There are a few things someone wanting to become a secret shopper needs. There is not a lot of extensive training, however books and websites are available to get you started. Someone in this business should be detail oriented, be a good communicator with good grammar skills and have a flexible schedule. There will be some out of pocket expenses, although many companies will reimburse you for purchases made at the shop being evaluated. Study the contract thoroughly and know what is reimbursed before you sign on.
Another option is to set up as a business. This way many expenses such as travel and gas are deductible on your taxes. Just keep good records. When finding a company to work for, never pay a fee. These companies that ask for an upfront fee are normally scams.
Pay varies with each assignment. The average is around 10 to 15 dollars per store. The higher paying assignments are very competitive to get. Some companies offer free services such as movie tickets, restaurant meals and rides at an amusement park in lieu of payment.
You probably cannot make a full time living in the beginning. But if you are looking to earn a few dollars a month or free stuff, becoming a shopper could be rewarding and exciting.
January 2007 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - RV Storage
There are many things to consider and remember when trying to be able to handle corporate real estate management on a long-term basis. First of all, there is the competition. To successfully run any building on a corporate level, you must take into consideration what your competitors are doing. For example, say you have a somewhat run-down building in a dilapidated section of town. This may be fine if you are running a paper mill and do not have an option but to have that building away from people and public recognition. But, if your competition gets a swanky new place in the center of town, this is going to affect your image as a business and, more importantly, the effectiveness of your business.
Location is not the only aspect of the competition to consider when looking at corporate real estate management. You should also make sure to pay attention to the business models of those working around you. Sometimes you might find that the guy across the street is managing their properties more efficiently. Perhaps they have slowly moved to using their manpower more efficiently. Or, there is a chance they found a way to cut jobs and costs while still maximizing the amount of production they get accomplished. By paying attention to how your peers work, you can gain an upper hand, which is essential in this fast-paced world.
Another thing, which is nearly as important, is to take care not to overextend. This means to never take on more properties than you can handle in a reasonable time for a reasonable cost. The more buildings, staff and overhead you accumulate, the more exponentially difficult this business can become. It is in a way the untold rule. You start small, develop how you can, and learn when enough is enough. This way, you will never find yourself in financial or legal trouble because you cannot handle all of the responsibilities you have taken upon yourself. In this business the key phrase to learn is quality over quantity. If you can efficiently and cleanly run a few businesses in the corporate world, you will be vastly more effective in the long-term haul.
Of course there are many complications involved in the world of corporate real estate management, but by playing the game safe and smart, you can learn to get ahead quickly. Too often is the case in the corporate world that people get greedy or want more than they already have. Even those who are already finding themselves successful and making large sums of money get caught up in furthering themselves beyond what they really need. So the final piece of advice is to know when to stop. Be happy when you find yourself doing well and do not ask for more than you really need. In this way, you may be able to find success and happiness in the corporate world.
January 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - General Information
Most self storage units are extremely easy to come by. Not only that, but they are very cheap as well. You will never have to worry about the safety of your items, as most companies offer very thorough security systems. If you want to doubly protect your items, you may wish to go shopping for a heavy padlock of your own to put on your unit. Also, take the easy precaution of putting your most valuable possessions toward the back of the unit. This makes them more difficult to get to in the rare chance of theft.
You lock your belongings in the unit, you keep the key, and most of the time you can return whenever you choose to retrieve or check on your possessions. Almost every town, whatever the size, will offer some type of self storage that will most likely meet your personal needs. You can go shopping on the Internet to see different locations for various companies.
If you happen to have larger things that need to be stored, such as water sports equipment or a car you may not want to use for the summer, many places have outside room for these types of things as well.
If you happen to have items that are either delicate or valuable, you might want to go shopping for climate controlled units. These are now offered more and more at different companies. You do not want your items to become warped or ruined by extreme hot or cold weather.
There are several tips you might try to follow when storing your belongings. First of all, try to put everything in boxes that are a uniform size. This makes it easier to stack them, and makes better use of the space within your unit. Secondly, stack your boxes with the heaviest on the bottom, and the lightest on top. This way your lighter, perhaps more fragile, belongings will not get crushed. If you leave small walkways between the boxes or furniture that you are storing, this makes it simpler for you to make your way around within self storage unit, accessing items as needed.
December 2006 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Advertising and Marketing
First, there is a very basic step that most property management firms should have taken care of during the winter, but may have not completed. This is the caulking and weather-stripping of windows and exterior doors. How can this help our planet? Well, by having well-sealed doors and windows, you are less likely to use fossil-fuel-consuming services such as gas heat. Also, with all of your windows and doors well-sealed, your air conditioning units will be more effective, requiring you to use less energy and less pollution to stay comfortable in your home. If your windows and doors are not sealed well, just give your property management firms a call and they should be happy to take care of it.
Another important measure which you can do in your home, and request property management firms to take, is to be considerate of what kind of lighting you are using in the home. As a culture that has access to what seems like an unlimited amount of electricity, we sometimes forget what the overuse of this convenient energy source does to our planet. By changing out your lighting fixtures and the types of bulbs that are used in your house or apartment, you can greatly reduce the amount of energy you are using every day. This is termed efficacy. Efficacy is the ratio of light produced to the amount of energy used. By maximizing the efficacy of your home you are helping to curb the amount of greenhouse gasses being thrust into our atmosphere. By doing that, you are helping to slow global warming and the subsequent negative effects that follow it.
So what do you need to do to improve the lighting in your home? First of all, make the switch to CFLs. These are compact fluorescent lamps, which use 50 to 75 percent less energy than standard bulbs. Another good thing about them is that CFLs last longer than traditional bulbs. If you are wondering why you would take the step to do this, there are several reasons why it is a good idea. First, CFLs last longer than traditional bulbs. So, that means you have to replace them less often and in the long run will be saving money on the purchase of new bulbs. Second, since they use so much less energy, you will be seeing the benefits by way of your electricity bill. So even if you do not believe in global warming. Or are not particularly concerned with the health of your planet, at the very least you know you can save money with CFLs.
Along the lines of lighting and energy, you can talk to city hall or your local government officials about requiring property management firms to use more energy-efficient methods for running their buildings. By making even the smallest change in one building, it can catch on to other businesses and people. Encourage these firms to be leaders in the drive to protect and ensure the health of our planet, both for now and the future.
January 2007 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by City
The business customers you will be working with are other business owners. You will be able to hire others to perform the actual shopping for you since you will be the boss. A mystery shopping business can easily be done from home with your own set hours. The initial investment is small to start this type of business and the profit is unlimited since as the owner, you are not limited by your location. Using the online sources, phones and faxes, the business owner is able to serve clients around the world. One booming industry for mystery shopping is the self storage business.
The owner of a mystery shopping business will be required to contract with businesses to do evaluations of the employees on site. They will need to determine where the client can improve upon his customer service. In this case, they should have basic questionnaires made up of the different types of clients they will be servicing.
However, starting something like a mystery shopping company for the self storage business may only require you to use a telephone.
There are really only a few steps to start a secret shopping service for the self storage business. They include the following:
The first thing to do is contact a small local self storage business by sending out letters, calling or meeting them in person. This is the initial announcement of your services telling them about your services, your professionalism and how you will be able to help them discover what is needed in their customer service.
The next thing will be a follow up phone call a few days later. Use this opportunity to stress the benefits of your service and to get an appointment.
The third thing is to offer a risk free first shop. You will provide a report for the owner to review. The next thing is to perform the shopping, write the review and submit it to the self storage business owner quickly.
Soon after, call the self storage business owner, set up a shopping contract and begin performing the new shopping according to the terms of your contract. Be sure to ask the client if you can use them as a referral for future clients. As your business grows, you can hire others as independent contractors to do the shopping for you while you concentrate on marketing and running your business.
It is recommended that anyone thinking of operating their own mystery shopping business, they get some experience as a paid shopper first. Having first hand knowledge of the field is an asset when hiring others to do the shopping or when approaching prospective clients.
Networking with other business owners is critical for getting clients for your mystery shopping business. Join and attend the local Chamber of Commerce. Pass out business cards to potential clients.
It is a good idea to focus on a particular niche when first starting out. Specializing in restaurants, hotels or gift and retail stores as a starting point is recommended. You can gradually expand by providing quality service to your clients.
If you have a desire to be your own boss, to cut out the middleman and to have fun in a rewarding business, consider starting your own mystery shopping business.
North Dakota Furniture Storage
January 2007 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Climate Controlled Storage Revisited
Self Storage Article Directory - Climate Controlled Storage
Finding a position as a customer service representative for a property management company is relatively easy. Most companies are looking for someone with a high school education and one to two years experience. Most of these positions are in a call center or behind a counter in a retail setting. Answering phones, directing calls, handling complaints, staffing a front desk, making appointments, checking clients in and out, and sales are the forte of these employees. Sometimes these positions are advertised as something else as employers mistakenly think it is easier to hire someone for a receptionists position rather than as a customer service representative.
There are positions that require a college degree and over five years experience. These positions usually involve technical support or some other activity where advanced skills are necessary to complete the job. This is the fastest growing sector in customer service. As the tools we use everyday become more complex the need for knowledgeable representatives to help consumers is growing. In fact several companies have outsourced their property management company customer service departments to other countries in an effort to fill positions while keeping costs down.
So what are companies looking for in a customer service representative? The majority of employers are looking for someone with an excellent phone voice, clear pronunciation, neat appearance and calm manner. Employers are also seeking people with above average problem solving skills that can learn quickly and can think on their feet. Employers want someone who can remain calm while handling an irate client and is helpful, courteous and knowledgeable. Above all employers are looking for employees that will go that extra step to make sure the employers customer is satisfied and will continue to use their products or services.
So where do you go to find a company looking for a property management company customer service representative? You probably will not have to look farther than your local newspaper. On-line job services are also another good source for employment leads, however, unless you live in a large city the chances of finding employment near you can be slim. Check with large companies in your area, this includes your local government. While most companies are having trouble filling their customer service positions, they often do not advertise their openings.
If you think you do not have customer service experience take another look at your resume. Every phone you answered, every burger served, rooms cleaned, all of these require customer service skills and count towards experience. Re-wording some of your experience may help you land the job you want. For example, answering phones becomes directing telephone traffic, serving burgers becomes facilitating customers dining experience, you get the idea.
The burnout rate for property management company customer service representatives can be high. Appearing constantly cheerful and helpful can be exhausting for some people. However, as a career path it may offer great pay, daytime hours and personal fulfillment.
North Dakota Motorcycle Storage
December 2006 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Furniture Storage
The shopper will often receive training to prepare them on how to evaluate their clients. The shopper is then compensated either with cash or through product reimbursement. Mystery shopper programs are evolving to keep pace with the changes in the way consumers shop.
Several industries use shoppers, including banking and financing, property management companies, the medical field, retail sales, entertainment and the travel industry. They use shoppers to assess customer service, determine the quality of products and services, judge sales performance and, occasionally, observe competing companies. With more and more consumers shopping via the internet, the focus on quality customer service has led to an increasing number of companies using mystery shopper programs.
Managing a shopping program requires a good deal of time. That is why many business owners are hiring a specialized service company to collect their market research information. Several types of agencies specialize in shoppers including, market research companies, temporary agencies and companies that specialize in the shopping niche only.
The company desiring to hire a thorough program should take into a consideration a few things. First, the company you need should be able to tabulate and distribute data as well as create evaluation guidelines. Check out the information on the types of shoppers the company hires. Who they are, how they are selected and how many they have available for your needs?
Reports should be returned to the business in a timely manner, preferably within a few days. The shopper company you choose should provide references of similar businesses they have served. The company should offer a guarantee their shoppers are objective and will do another shop if circumstances necessitate it.
Effective mystery shopper programs should meet several standards. The program should be clearly out-lined and communicated to all employees involved. The programs often include rewards for employees of shops who meet certain needs.
The company should make sure all employees are alert to the needs being evaluated and what is expected of the management group. The company should use a points system with open and closed ended questions when evaluating. The client then can present the results an effective and positive way to the employees. The program should be used for several months or even a few years to get accurate results. The results can lead to management implementing new and improved training programs for their employees. The question of whether to inform employees of the shopper program is left to the company. Many companies wait until after the first shop has been done before informing their employees.
The mystery program should provide a good foundation on what improvements the company needs to make. Quality service, quality products and customer satisfaction issues are evaluated and reported to allow management to implement the changes.
The use of a shopping service is a powerful tool available to companies wanting to improve their services. Objective data about service allows managers to identify specific problems and reward excellent customer service in a consistent manner. The mystery shopper programs companies hire to service their needs need to keep up with the ever changing ways consumers shop.
January 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Wine Storage
A competitor may also be shopping by phone. They will call their competition down the street. It may be another hotel chain and see what type of rooms they have and what they cost. They will also look for any promotions they are offering. Different companies do this, it may be a chain of hotels or car repair shops, and it could be groceries stores. But the competitors are looking to get the edge on their competitors.
There are some services where they will shop not only for the cost, but also for the service and the knowledge of the company. They will see how friendly the rep was, was he or she respectful, did they know they service with confidence. Did they invite the potential customer in to their facility? Did they offer any discounts or specials? Anything to make that potential customer come in their location and be their new customer. Usually this type of investigating the one on the phone reports back to an owner or manager of the company they just shopped. The owner wants to see how their employee is representing his or her company.
Purchasing without cash or credit cards sounds crazy. It sounds like something we cannot do but it is being done all the time, and for different reasons as well. Whether it is for an individual for his or her own purchases or it is an owner of a company wanting to see how the competitors are selling or comparing prices. The owner also wants to see how his or her employees are doing with customer interaction.
January 2007 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Boat Storage
Shopping for plants at local nurseries for your rental properties has several advantages. Because the plants are locally grown they are already acclimated to the climate, soil type and pests in your area. Local nurseries also tend to specialize in plants native to your geographical area. This could be a great way to support your local wildlife by establishing a garden dedicated to the plants the insects, birds and other animals in your region use for food and shelter. Shopping locally almost always guarantees better customer service and healthier plants. And if a plant dies it is much easier to replace locally. You can also feel good about supporting your local economy.
Shopping for plants by mail order for your rental properties can definitely be the way to go for more adventurous consumers. Most reputable mail order companies do have a money-back guarantee on all of their plants. However it could take weeks or months to get your money back or a replacement plant. Getting you plants from mail order companies means the selection is limited only by your finances, location and garden size. The plants you receive from mail order companies are generally bare root, first year plants and in the case of perennials do not expect flowers the first year. You will however find some great bargains. Most common perennials and annuals are sold in specials like buy 2 get 1 free, or buy 5 and get 1 free. Most companies will also ship your plants for free if you order over a certain dollar amount.
Discount warehouse stores lack the variety of plants and cultivars found at local nurseries and mail order companies. Shopping for plants for your rental properties at a warehouse store might be more convenient as there seems to be one on every street. Plant shopping can be combined with weekly shopping which will save you time. Like all of the other goods these stores stock, plants will be less expensive. However, the quality generally goes down at the warehouse stores. Plants are shipped from a grower usually located in California, Texas or Florida. The plants are stressed from shipping since they are not watered during transit. The plants, once they arrive at their destination, have to cope with a different climate, small containers, indifferent care from employees and high nitrogen content in their soil. The high nitrogen promotes green growth at the expense of the roots so what looks like a vigorous plant generally is not. If you do not mind coddling the plants you can get some really good deals on very basic perennials and annuals. Another drawback: if the plant dies, you do not get a refund or a free replacement.
If you are a patient and thrifty gardener planting divided perennials is the way to go for your rental properties. The drawbacks: you are limited to what is growing in your friends and your own garden. And the divided perennials take several years to become established, so no flowers and a lot of bare ground for awhile.
Shopping for plants this spring for your rental properties, however you decide to get them, should be an exciting and rewarding experience.
January 2007 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Car Storage
Most times, almost everything that you possess, you have some type of coverage on. Whether it is your car or your house, you ensure that you have your possessions covered in those just in case moments. How unfortunate is it to get a phone call one day and you are told that all of your belongings were stolen or burned in a fire and you realize you do not have coverage on those items? It is sure that you would not be the happiest person in the world at the time. No one wants to be caught off guard and have to pay a lot of money out of their own pockets to pay to recover the costs of their lost items. As you can see, having your belongings covered is important to your sanity and your everyday peace of mind.
So when you are out looking for a place to store your belongings, self storage insurance should be something to ask about. Sometimes people put things from the garage or other items in their store room that they do not particularly care about. That is why we put them into a rental unit because we do not want it cluttering our house. On the other side of that, sometimes we need to store things such as our whole house when we are transitioning from home to home. This is good reason why self storage insurance is a great idea to make sure that if anything does happen while your belongings are being stored, they will be covered.
When you are looking for or being offered self storage insurance, it is very important what type of coverage you have. Sometimes your regular rental coverage that some people have when they are renting their apartments can take care of anything that can happens while storing. So make sure that you ask questions to have that piece of mind that you know if the worst happens, you are covered. Self storage insurance can cover all types of situations like burglary, fire, wind damage, earthquake, etc. There are many situations where you need some type of coverage on your belongings. Make sure you make the right decision concerning what you are storing.
The moral of this story is that you need to take the necessary thoughts to see if how you would like to have peace of mind. Sometimes you might have some kind of deductible or some deposit. You can find coverage out there in many different forms and from different companies. Take some time to do some research and see what coverage and company will do the best for your lifestyle and needs.
February 2007 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage
There are vast differences among residential real estate management services, so finding the right service is what it is all about. A property owner should take some time making a big decision like this. Rushing into a decision may seem like it will solve all his problems, but choosing the wrong service may leave the property owner unhappy with the decision.
Some things to consider before choosing a residential real estate management company are, how much work do you still want to handle concerning your own property? Do you still want to have a daily, hands-on experience with your properties? If so, then perhaps you only need to hire some assistants or a maintenance person to lend a helping hand.
If you do not want to be very involved with your rental properties, then management service can do everything from building maintenance to evictions. Some of the common services of management companies are
��Accounts Payable and Receivable
��Collections and Evictions
��Payroll
��Property Maintenance
��Marketing and Advertising
��New Tenant Management (including background checks and credit checks)
��And more
The tasks a property owner can delegate out to a management company are endless. A management service can do as much or as little as the property owner needs them to. As a property owner acquires more rental property, the management responsibilities grow and may become more than one or two investors can handle. Then, it is time to decide of hiring ones own staff or outsourcing to a management service is the next step. Making this decision should be done with much thought and by shopping around and comparing different local management services.
March 2007 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Vendors
There are two basic types of personality traits: Type A and type B personalities. A Type A personality is basically driven by the achievement of goals, and finds it difficult to stop even after achieving ones goals. He or she is highly competitive and hates to fail. People with Type A personalities generally end up pretty well fit and well educated because of his or her strive to achieve goals. However, an individual with a Type B is the complete opposite. He or she generally lives at a lower stress rate and works steadily and hard. He or she does not stress as much as one with a Type A personality about not achieving goals. A person with a Type B personality does not mind losing and backing down when faced with competition. He or she may be creative and enjoy life as it comes.
When assessing these individuals one might immediately assume that one with a Type A personality would be a perfect match to obtain a secret shopping job. They would be able to get a lot of work done in a short period of time. They enjoy competition, so the thrill of traveling to different locations may appeal to them. In addition, persons with Type A personality enjoy people and frequent interaction with people is essential when taking on a secret shopping job. However, contrary to popular belief people with a Type B personality also make great shoppers. They take their time and analyze a situation that may help them in grading the facility. In another note, most people are a blend of both Type A and B personalities, so that provides a large number of people that would mainly perform well in a secret shopping job based on their personalities alone.
Personality is not the only thing an employer looks for in recruiting a shopper. One must be able to be friendly, be open-minded, and a hard worker. Employers review past work and customer service experience, and the length at which one worked in the field. Dealing with people in society is not an easy task, especially when shopping for storage.
Shopping for storage is an entirely different ball game. One must know storage in order to be an undercover shopper in order to adequately grade a persons customer service skills. Self storage is slightly complex because size is an extremely important factor when determining price and location. The shopper must know the sizes of the units, and know what must be offered at storage facilities in order to make an adequate assessment of the employers customer service skills. The shopper also must be able to disguise their voice when calling around the country. At a call center that performs shopping for self storage, it is a well known fact that many of the employers know the voice of the shopper. Depending on where one is in the country one must change their voice to acclimate to the area that they are shopping. And finally, a shopper must be smart so they can grade the employer and give them sufficient feedback on the skills that need to be improved.
February 2007 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by State
The changes in business are very competitive in todays market. Businesses need shoppers to go on spending sprees in their stores in return for feedback on the cleanliness of the store, the product quality and how well the service was. Hotels, restaurants, theaters and retail stores are among the many industries hiring shoppers to scrutinize how well they are serving their customers.
As a shopper, the stay at home mom visits certain stores and businesses as a regular customer. The employees and managers will not have a clue they are being observed by the shopper. You will evaluate things like product quality and service according to the details of the job.
Undercover buying is an easy way to earn money. As a stay at home mom who is a shopper, you are providing a valuable service when you provide feedback for your experience. The shopper is hired by a service that trains and gives the instructions for each assignment.
The company needing the shopper gets in touch with you when an assignment comes available in your area through an email. You can accept it or not, depending on your needs. When you have completed your assignment for that business, you fill in a simple report of questions and short answers relating your experience. The report is submitted by email, fax or postal mail or online via website. Once the report is received, a check is sent to you in return for completing the job. Payment is received after each job assignment.
The stay at home mom can get free merchandise by being a shopper. Companies needing a shopper supply you with everything you need. They will reimburse you for your time and any products you were required to purchase during the assignment. Imagine getting free clothing, CDs, movie tickets or anything else you might want.
There are many websites and books available to do further research to help you avoid mistakes that could be costly. The websites give you the information on how to get into secret buying.
You will not need special tools to get started. You will need to have a good memory, have nice clothing to wear, not professional but not too casual either. You must have the ability to pay attention to details since you will be reporting what you observe. You will also need a computer and telephone for sending in your reports. And good communication and grammar for filling out the report is necessary. Being a shopper is an ideal job for a stay at home mom.
Competition is stiff, however. You might have to sign up with several companies before one returns a response. The most experienced and reliable shoppers are offered a contract first. You will need to be determined, trustworthy and dependable in order to get picked for the shops in the future.
Secret buying is the perfect job for the stay at home mom. You choose how much you want to work or how few assignments you want. You are essentially your own boss and can set your own hours. The jobs are fun and simple to do, you earn money while getting free stuff.
North Carolina Furniture Storage
February 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by City
When is comes to building maintenance, some of the pros of renting are, of course, that renting requires less building maintenance than owning does. As a standard, renting places the major remodeling or large repair jobs on the shoulders of the property owner. This means that large jobs like roofing, foundational repair, structural soundness, electric, exterior building repair, plumbing, windows and doors, tree cutting and heating and cooling, depending on the region and leasing agreement, are the responsibility of the property owner. Also depending on the leasing agreement, interior painting, fencing, lawn care, and other smaller jobs may be the responsibility of the property owner.
The largest pro to renting is that when something fails or needs replacing, it is the financial responsibility of the property owner to fix and replace, not the tenant.
Property owners usually leave small jobs like replacing light bulbs and daily cleaning to the tenant. It is also important for the tenant, who lives in the property, to be aware and let the property owner know when something might need repair.
The cons of renting, when it comes to building maintenance are that property owners may have more than one property to manage and small repairs usually fall at the bottom of the priority list. Property owners usually give prompt attention to major damage or repair needs. Another con of renting is that the property owner will limit the degree of decorating or changes you can make to the property. Painting the walls a bold color is most likely not allowed, and one will certainly not be allowed to make structural changes to the building.
Owning has many pros and cons concerning building maintenance. The pros are that one has the freedom to do as they wish within his or her home, as long as that wish is up to par with State and local building code and he or she has the appropriate permits. Homeowners typically do not have neighbors on the other side of a common wall, as is more common with leasing properties. And there is something to be said about owning, or investing in your own plot of land and your own home. It is still part of the American dream.
Whereas renting is somewhat like having a safety net, owning places all the financial and laborious responsibility on the homeowner. If the air conditioning unit stops working, the homeowner can expect to pay more than a thousand dollars before he is enjoying cooled air again. Unexpected expenses like this are never a joy. Even large jobs such as broken plumbing, septic tank failure, roof damage and more may leave an inexperienced homeowner feeling overwhelmed.
To the credit of many homeowners, if they were not very handy before owning a home, they quickly learn how to replace a tile or two and clean out the sink. Doing as many repair jobs oneself will save endless amounts of money during the course of homeownership.
To be a renter or not to be? That is now the question and it should be chosen after a lot of thought. How much one is willing to repair or cable of doing should go into the mix when making this important decision.
North Carolina Motorcycle Storage
February 2007 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Advertising and Marketing
Popular places to find bargains are wholesale stores, flea markets, swap meets, garage sales, estate sales, auctions and even self storage auctions.
Wholesale stores usually have overstock from what their affiliated retail chains could not sell. These items are brand new and still have the tags on them. Everything from wholesale clothing, wholesale furniture and home decoration, wholesale appliances and cookware and even wholesale building supplies are a great way to save over half of what you might expect to pay off the shelf of a big department store chain.
Flea markets are quite different from wholesale stores. A flea market is usually a large space where individual vendors rent booths or rooms to sell their merchandise from. The kinds of items you can find in a flea market are endless. Everything from sunglasses to glassware to clothing, hunting gear to books and childrens toys to cars may be for sale at a flea market. Some of these items are brand new and others may be gently used. Handmade arts and crafts are also popular items for sale at a flea market.
A swap meet is very similar to a flew market and the terminologies are interchangeable. One may be a more common term than another depending on the local region. The price of merchandise at a flea market or swap meet is considerably lower than average retail rates.
Garage sales, otherwise known as yard sales, are held by individual households. In some cases, a subdivision or block will coordinate a block sale in order to attract more bargain hunters into the area. The idea behind a garage sale is that a household can sell lightly used items to others who may need it. The seller gets rid of it and makes a little money back. The buyer got a bargain and recycled the item.
The types of items sold at a garage sale are vast and sometimes unusual. However, they are typically clothing, especially childrens clothing, toys, books, games, home decorations, and sometimes furniture.
Estate sales and auctions are a more serious form of a garage sale. Estate sales happen because of various circumstances that leave the owner in need of selling nearly everything they own. Finding a great bargain at an estate sale is one of the favorite hobbies of many bargain hunters.
Self storage auctions are another event that serious bargain shoppers wait for. Self storage auctions occur when a tenant fails to pay rent for several consecutive months or when a tenant has abandoned the property. At self storage auctions, the goal of the property owner is to recover some of the lost income from unpaid rent and, at the same time, clear out the items in the unit. Facilities conduct self storage auctions in various ways. One way is to auction off an entire unit as a sort of surprise grab bag to the bidder. Another way is to auction off individual items within the unit.
As you can see, the possibilities of bargain hunting are endless.
April 2007 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Furniture Storage
How do you make sure that your people are doing what they are supposed to be doing? There are all kinds of mystery shopping providers out there today that can ensure that your people are offering great quality customer service. You cannot be there at all times of the day with all of your employees making sure they are saying the right things to get the sale or to get someone to rent. It would be good for mystery shopping providers to do all the leg work for you and just send you a report on what that particular employee needs to do to get better. You can then go over the report and see what key areas you can do to help this associate improve. You will be now helping the company grow and gain more of the market share.
What do mystery shopping providers do for you and your company? There are all kinds of providers out there with different mission statements. Some companies have been around for over 25 years, so you know they are experienced. Most mystery shopping providers believe that their clients expect and deserve to receive complete, accurate, and detailed information that is an actual representation of the customers experience. Their goal is to create a partnership with you that enables your business to reach its highest potential. A successful business means a prosperous community and a stronger America. They achieve these goals through the shared values of honesty and integrity that translate into a vision of excellence. Together, you and their company can strive for excellence, building a stronger retail environment along the way.
Some heavy hitters out there settle for nothing less than phenomenal customer service. With some mystery shopping providers out there, they are very thorough and actually want to see a company that they help succeed. There are plenty of companies online that provide this kind of service that you are looking for so be careful. Make the right decision that will benefit your company and not set it back.
As a business owner, you have to be on top of what is going on in your market. If you want to gain more market share, what are you doing everything within your power to succeed? You or someone within your company needs to try to think outside of the box. If you are as the owner or president of the business is the only one being creative, there is a lot of work in front of you. If you can get the majority of your company to think outside the box, your company will grow exponentially because of those ideas.
March 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Boat Storage
So why do people go condominium versus an apartment. Well the most common answer to this is you own everything within the four walls and you do not have to do any of the maintenance outside your walls. You are putting your money towards your facility and eventually you will own your space. Now, what is above is not always true at all facilities. With some condominium property management companies, they require more of you as a tenant. With your signature, you will be agreeing to what part of the property you will take care of.
When you are looking for a condominium, if that is your home of choice, you want to make sure that you have a good condominium property management company managing your facility. Most condominium property management companies are listed on the Internet and you can do a full background check on them. When you sign the contract to own your condominium, remember it is just like owning your home but without having to do the maintenance on it. So let us talk about what you have to do in terms of living and maintaining the space and what the management company will have to do.
The condominium property management company is most likely in charge of maintaining the common elements and sometimes some elements that might be limited. Whereas you as the owner of the unit, are in charge of everything that is in the unit. Common elements are all portions of the condominium other than the units. Portions of the walls, floor, and ceilings/attic are considered part of the common elements. Any portion serving more than one unit or any portion of the common elements is a part of the common elements for definitional purposes.
The unit means a portion of the condominium designated for separate ownership or occupancy, the boundaries of which are described in the declaration. The boundaries of each unit are defined as the interior unfinished surfaces of exterior perimeter walls, middle of interior demising walls, floor, ceiling/attic below nine feet above finished floor, doors and windows of unit, any wallboard, plaster, paint, tile, wallpaper, etc. All spaces, interior partitions, other fixtures and improvements, within the boundaries of a unit, are part of the unit.
Now some of the elements are limited that you or the company might need to pay. Limited common elements could mean any air conditioning or heating units, chute, flue, duct, wire, conduit, bearing wall, bearing column, other fixture, whether located within or outside of the boundaries of a unit, which serve only that unit or are allocated solely to that unit. Any shutters, awnings, window boxes, doorsteps, stoops, porches, decks, balconies, entryways, patios, exterior doors and windows, other fixtures designed to serve a single unit, but located outside the units boundaries are limited common elements allocated exclusively to that unit.
So make sure, when you are looking to move into a condominium that you can still own but not have too much of the maintenance, make sure that you know what you and your condominium property management are responsible for. You do not want to end up on the short end of the stick you believe that you do not have to pay for something that is the condominium property management companys responsibility.
March 2007 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Wine Storage
But how to find such a gift? When you initially go shopping for this gift, there are several things you should try to consider before deciding, or even venturing out in the first place. The first thing to consider is your friends personality. If you already have a gift in mind, try to actually see your friend using this item. Does it seem like it is for him? Does it seem like something that he would truly use in his everyday life?
Secondly, have you ever actually heard your friend say that he wanted something in particular? Not necessarily a direct request, but just something they like in passing that you, being the attentive friend that you are, happened to note. A gift like this is often much more appreciated than something that someone has directly requested to get. It proves that you are not just a robot, shopping for something someone else has told you about, but that you are observant and thoughtful, not to mention creative! If your friend has expressed interest in anything in the past few months, think back on what it was, and decide if it would be an appropriate gift for him.
Also, when shopping for a gift, you must make certain beforehand that your friend does not already have this particular item. You may be friends, but many things can go unnoticed. Next time you visit him, observe his house for this item, or casually and non-suspiciously bring it up to find out.
There are the obvious guidelines to follow when shopping for a gift. Consider where your friend lives. If he is nowhere near a body of water, you probably should not consider getting him a water sport gift. Also, for instance, if your friend lives in an apartment or a rental house, you should probably not consider getting him a dog or a cat!
What does your friend like to do in his spare time? What are his hobbies and interests? You, as his close friend, are the best candidate for answering these questions, and should follow your answers to finding the perfect gift. Does he enjoy fishing? How about getting him a fishing jacket, or bait? Does she enjoy scrapbooking? Go to a scrapbooking store and find a gift bag of various things for her there. When you look at a gift from this angle, the options are limitless. Usually, everyone has a hobby, or at least something he or she is interested in. Find it, and go from there. Gift cards and money are too easy. As a friend, you can do better than that. Observe your friend and his interests and way of life, and go find that gift!
March 2007 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Car Storage
The upkeep of a beautiful piece of property is due to managing property well. Making the place look and feel very attractive is important and directly affects how well it will rent. It also helps when renters are out looking because if it looks good people are going to be drawn in to look at it if nothing else. First impressions are what draws the seekers most often. Managing property that stands out a cut above the rest is what people are looking for.
Managing property is very competitive, and managers do their best to present the property as the best around. You also want to assure seekers that the property is safe and offer great amenities. So presenting the features is the key to a great presentation of selling a property and gaining hew tenants. When people feel as though they are getting what they pay for they are happy to pay. They will spread the word to friends and co-workers of the great place they have found, and how they need to go and check it out. What you then have is word of mouth selling the place better than any advertisement could.
People believe in each other more than they realize. The consumer is the person that interacts with each other everyday, be it over the phone or in person, or just eating out at a restaurant, shopping at the mall, sporting events or any place where there is a gathering of people. There is bound to be someone conversating about a great deal or great something they saw, heard or experienced. So that is why it is important to treat each caller or personal visit with respect because its their money that they are spending to buy or rent something you are offering to them.
A well kept property is a plus when you care about the place you reside, no matter if you are renting it or buying it. You do not want to be paying for something that is not going to be well managed or made to feel like if you have a problem you cannot speak about it with the owner. A tenant wants to feel safe and should have an open line of communication with the owner or manager.
The best thing to do is ask questions and get a feel of the person you are going to be dealing with. Find a level of comfort with the individual, that way you can feel good about making the decision to do business with this company or person.
Great personality is important when dealing with the public, nine times out of ten you will be able to diffuse an angry person before they sour you. Just keep smiling and empathizing with them and before you know it you have won them over and they are doing business with you and glad to do it. Managing people as well as property is a huge responsibility.
April 2007 Property Management Blog Archive
Climate Controlled Storage Revisited
Self Storage Article Directory - Climate Controlled Storage
First of all, begin well in advance. Sometimes you have to just admit that you will not have enough free time to plan your wedding to the best of your abilities. Many people are still attending school when they decide to get married. Others are trying to work 40 or more hours per week, and when they get home at night planning the details of a wedding is the last thing they feel like doing. If you know ahead of time that you will not have sufficient time to plan, make your engagement a little longer. If this is not a favorable or possible option, then you will have to buckle down and start planning immediately after you are engaged.
If you are not planning a large or complicated wedding, that makes it much simpler. This will not be so taxing on your mind and body during the next few months. Unless you already live with your significant other, there are many things to take into consideration when beginning a new life together. Amidst the fact that you are trying to organize every detail of your wedding, there is the additional complication of merging both sets of your belongings together. Storage is one option to temporarily fix this problem, although long term storage is seldom something new couples want to immediately jump into.
One alternative to storage is simply going through all of your belongings and both of you deciding what you must keep and what can go. Then have a garage sale to get rid of the excess. This will also make some extra money for you, which, when planning and financing a wedding, is always a huge help! You do not want to start your new married life with a cramped house and rooms, or with half of your possessions pushed away in storage somewhere.
To make a worry free workspace that is comfortable and to do all your planning in, temporary storage is definitely something to consider. If there are things that you simply cannot handle at the moment, and you would rather not have them around and in your way until after the wedding, storage is probably the option you need to choose.
The clearer you can make your home, workspace and mind while planning for your special day, the better and happier you will feel about it when it finally arrives. Keep a ledger of the things you need to do, marking off the things you have already done. This gives you constant feedback on where you are in your planning and how much more you can anticipate. There are many sample lists online or in bookstores that you can follow that are extremely helpful. Most brides do not go without them. The sooner you begin planning, the more moderate of a pace you may go. This helps to make you feel as if you have more time, keeping the anxiety and strain at bay for a longer time.
Just remember, your wedding will be one of the most important days in your life. Do not let yourself become overwhelmed with everything. Enlist friends and family to help you carry the burden of planning and make certain you are organized. No matter what you feel like ahead of time, the odds are that you will have a wonderful wedding.
May 2007 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage
Reason number one is that people are always looking for a deal. It does not matter if they are shopping for a cell phone plan or a new car or clothing for their children. Words like, sale, discount and coupon attract attention. And of course a shopper looking for a self storage facility is no exception. Even if they are only saving ten percent per month or getting fifty dollars off of their rent for a month or are given free moving supplies, a shopper thinks a bargain is still a bargain. If there are two comparable locations nearby, the customer will usually go with the one offering some type of an incentive.
Reason number two is that tenants usually are only planning on renting a unit for a few months, and think they will be out before the special ends. Of course the owners in this industry have learned over the years that oftentimes people become very enamored with this extra space they now have, and choose to rent on indefinitely. And so these tenants continue to rent a space much longer than they had originally planned, much to the delight of the owner of the self storage facility.
And reason three of course is that word of mouth is the best advertisement around. There is no substitute for it. A renter that may only be fairly pleased with the service or the problematic location or the lousy gate hours will still brag about the great deal that they found. And truly happy tenants will tell all of their friends and family about the great special they received from this particular self storage facility. A company cannot purchase this kind of advertisement, for any amount of money.
Different companies offer different specials and discounts. But there are three particular groups of people that most locations always give some type of a discount to. These people include students, senior citizens, and military personnel.
Many offer a discounted rate to students. This is a group of people that may only rent for a short stint originally, but they are just beginning their American nomadic type of life. As an adult, these students will oftentimes remember the discount they were giving back when they were struggling and broke.
Senior citizens are usually also given a discounted rate for their rental unit. Owners are human, and have parents and grandparents like everyone else. Giving this group of people a discounted rate is simply the right thing to do.
Most facilities also offer a discount to military personnel. This is a group of people that truly live a mobile lifestyle, all the while serving our country. Whether the tenant is being deployed overseas, or is the spouse waiting on a loved one to come home, a self storage facility owner is able to show their appreciation and their thanks by giving members of the military family to rent a unit at a discounted rate.
June 2007 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - RV Storage
One way to stand out from the stack of applicants is to include personal accomplishments on a resume, including honors or awards one has received. However, more important to an employer may be specialized courses or certifications one has completed. So it is important not to add too much fluff to a resume and end up drowning out the more important accomplishments and certifications.
For example, if you asked anybody walking down the street if they would like a free shopping trip in exchange for their point of view on the customer service, they would take it. So how do quality assurance companies find the right employees for such a job?
These companies are looking for more than just the average Joe to tell them about the customer service at the store, they need a trained eye. You can imagine the flood of applicants a dream job like this would attract. But someone has to get the assignment. How can that someone be you?
Mystery shopper certification is an excellent way to set yourself apart from the rest of the pack. By including a mystery shopper certification on your resume, you are letting your future employers know that you take your job seriously and have invested in your career. But making sure you select the appropriate mystery shopper certification for the industry you are applying for and that the mystery shopper certification comes from a reputable institution or association are just as important as being able to write it on your resume.
Imagine if you fell for a scam shopping program and placed it on your resume. Employers may not take you seriously or may wonder if you are falsifying your resume. The reputation of the facility that you claim to have experience and qualifications from should be well known to your market. Just as a poorly represented company can harm your resume, having a respected mystery shopper certification on your resume can have a positive impact and send your name to the top of the list.
Your resume is most often the only impression a quality assurance company will get from you. This is because they may be assigning shops from a corporate location hundreds of miles away, which means you probably have no connections within their group through a friend of a friend or some other social acquaintance. The only way for them to get to know you is how you represent yourself through written and verbal communication. Certifications can sometimes do a little talking for you and get you one step closer to having a foot in the door.
Certifications in whatever area of expertise you claim will prove to your future employers that you take pride in what you do, that you are qualified in your area of expertise and that you are a wise choice for any employer to make in the success of their business.
May 2007 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Advertising and Marketing
There can be pros and cons to building a business from scratch as well as to purchasing an existing building.
The pros for building from scratch are that the owner or partners can strategize and customize each detail from the buildings appearance to the location to the niche they will fall into. Building from scratch and starting fresh also means that an owner will not have to battle against any negative publicity or bad reputation an existing business may have had.
Some of the cons of building from scratch are the initial costs. The devil is in the details and things like building and construction licensing, permits, purchasing inventory, advertisements, liquor licensing (if the business is a restaurant or bar) and considerably more than these things will break the bank if an owner does not keep a close eye on cost. It is easy to make small upgrades or changes here and there, but the total bill should be kept within a pre-set budget. Other cons of the building from scratch may be that no name has been made for this business. An owner has to start spreading the word about the business and will most likely have direct competition from businesses who have been there for years and built a loyal customer base.
One of the decisions that many new business owners and well-seasoned business owners alike agree on is commercial property management.
Some business owners use commercial property management services as your realtor and ask them to locate an ideal space to rent. This is a great idea because most real estate agents are in touch with properties for sale, and may not have the right connections for commercial rental property. Commercial property management businesses can easily provide a new business owner with a list of available space for leasing.
Leasing a space for your business is a smart way to offset the costs of building from scratch and a safe way to protect yourself from ending up with a possible money pit. Leased space should include an agreement between the commercial property management company and the tenant to guarantee the tenant with basic things such as available power, gas, water and maintenance of the building. These things can save a business owner money, should something need repair.
On the other hand, the pros for purchasing an existing business are that the time from acquisition to opening the doors to the public is usually less than a few weeks. This means almost zero time spent in construction. Purchasing the right business can be a great turn key experience for a new business owner. Other cons may be that the business you are purchasing is in financial trouble.
The cons for purchasing an existing business are that you may have to sacrifice a little location. The business is probably already established in a building and moving the location can be as costly as building from scratch.
Commercial property management agencies still come in handy for business owners that want to purchase an existing business. They may have listings of businesses for sale or know of them before they go on the market.
May 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by City
When you work in the real estate management industry, your earning potential is unlimited. Pay is based on commission, therefore the more motivated and good at your job that you are, the more money you will make. It is as simple as that. You can have the satisfaction of helping others find the perfect home for their families. For the right type of person, this may not even feel like a real job, but something you simply love to do and happen to get paid for!
Every state has different real estate management rules or tests you are required to take to become an agent. You would need to have a license for the particular state you desire to work in. There are many different places either online or elsewhere that helps you to begin understanding the process you would go through to become an agent. You do not have to have any kind of degree or anything to become a real estate management agent. You simply have to have a passion for socializing and making people happy, a desire to do your best in your chosen job and help people find what they are looking for. You have to be able to understand people, and their needs as individuals and families, to begin helping them find their ideal home or property. There are many different aspects to becoming an agent.
This job allows you to basically set your own schedule. Your hours would fit with whatever you would need to do to show the appropriate people property they were interested in. You could work it around your schedule, or around theirs, whichever is easiest for both parties.
Our economy is sending interest rates low, and prices for homes and land higher. This is the ideal time to think about getting into this line of work. Because your pay is either largely or completely based on commission, this is great incentive to get out there and do your absolute best. With more and more agencies putting all of their listings onto the Internet, it is now even easier to have a job in real estate management. You can get online to research the present job market and do personalized searches for your clients, or email those pictures and information about houses they may be interested in. The internet can also be put to good use for networking purposes, helping you find new clients and information on properties and helping you pass on appropriate information to other agents.
Do not get the wrong idea, this is not a completely easy job. It requires dedication and a lot of hard work for you to be able to eventually succeed and begin to see the fruits of your labor. But once you have found out what you need to know about getting educated and getting a license, and once you have had sufficient experience in the beginning stages of your career, you can, without a doubt, reach very high. The income earning and personal satisfaction capabilities are limitless. Your earnings and your efforts are directly linked. Now, how many jobs can you say that about?
June 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Advertising and Marketing
The secret shopping evaluator is aware that this technique is very true with selling self storage. When a customer calls to inquire about it, the telephone rep only has a few minutes to sell the facility and help the customer realize that renting a unit at this particular location is exactly what they are looking for. The best way to accomplish this task is with the Five Agreements.
All secret shopping evaluators know that location is the number one reason people choose a self storage facility, so this is the First Agreement that the sales rep needs to get. After describing the directions and nearby landmarks, the sales rep needs to say, this is a convenient location for you, right?
Next the telephone rep wants to determine what size of a unit the caller will need. This is done fairly early in the call so the salesperson can determine what is available that will work for the customer. Giving the caller a choice of units is the best way to achieve this Second Agreement. The salesperson should say, do you think the 5x10 or the 10x10 will work the best for you? Since the customer is choosing the size, they are obviously in agreement.
For the Third Agreement, the secret shopping evaluator wants to hear the sales rep get the caller to agree to a timeframe as to when the unit will be needed. This can be used to the advantage of the salesperson in many different ways. If the caller says they will need the self storage unit in a week, then the phone rep will emphasize that a unit needs to be reserved now to insure that it will be available in seven days. If the caller says they will need it in a month, then the salesperson can recommend the unit be rented now so the customer can take advantage of the current special, and start moving into the self storage unit at a leisurely pace.
The Fourth Agreement is about the importance of all of the security and amenities that this location provides. By getting the caller to agree that video cameras and monthly pest control and an onsite management team are essential features, the phone rep is also putting into the back of the mind of the customer that maybe the competitors do not offer these things.
And of course the Fifth Agreement is the price. By first going over the other four agreements, the salesperson is letting the caller know what all they are getting included with their rental rate. If the phone rep cannot get this fifth agreement, if the customer thinks the price is too high, then all a good salesperson has to do is to go back over the other four agreements and see what the problem is.
The salesperson should remind the caller and reemphasize the first four agreements. We are a convenient location for you, correct? And you will need our last available 10x10 unit this Saturday? And you agree that our great security and amenities are important when you are paying for self storage, right? And you know we have a great value for this area, right? So we need to go ahead and reserve that unit for you for this Saturday. Which credit card would you like to use?
All secret shopping evaluators know that being a good salesperson is not about trickery or deception. Being a good salesperson is about letting customers sell themselves on the product or service. This is how secret shopping can help your self storage business.
June 2007 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage
People use to go out to eat because of the good service. However, restaurant service has diminished drastically. Waiters still work for their tips, but it seems as though they are not as attentive. Once you have been seated, you are at their mercy. But every once in awhile you can stumble upon an eatery that has good service, they tend to be locally owned restaurants, where word of mouth is extremely important. Fast food restaurants have become even worse. They just want to move you through as fast as possible. They used to always say, please and thank you, but not anymore.
Another change in customer service is within the retail market. Self service has become prevalent, especially when it comes to buying groceries. There are less checkout lines with real people. Instead, they have the self serve checkouts with an automated voice. Throughout the grocery store there are little computers that check prices, and vending machines for stamps, coins, and soda. These are all self serve. There is however, still a customer service desk where you can pay bills, cash checks, and leave customer complaints.
Customer service for leisure looking around in department stores and clothing chains has changed as well. There used to be great personal service, so going out to shop on your own was a lot of fun. There was always someone there to help you. For instance, if you needed a pair of pants in a different size or an opinion about how something looked an associate was ready to help. There seems to be less sales people, and they are busy doing other things. Boutiques usually have better service, because they are small and privately owned. They take the time to get to know you for repeat business.
Customer service in the service sector has become rather contradictory. There are certain service sectors that take advantage of us. The automobile, plumbing, and the appliance industry are in this special sector. It is because we need them, they are a necessity, and they know this. Good service is not a priority. We all dread the day when our car starts to act up and we know we have to take it in to get fixed. Most of us have the basic knowledge about cars, but we are still at the mercy of the mechanics. We make erroneous transferred phone calls just to find out what the problem is. Then we have to haggle about the price, and most often get a second opinion, because unfortunately there is an unscrupulous and fraudulent practice in this sector. Believe it or not, during dire circumstances price gauging is not uncommon. The government is also part of this special sector. We all must follow their laws and guidelines, but they do not make it easy for us - take the department of motor vehicles. The lines are arduous and we are confused about what documentation we need. The government is taking steps to stop the illegal practices regarding fraud and price gauging, however they really have not taken steps to better their own service sectors. Service is regrettably becoming a remnant of the past, but with good and dedicated leadership we can bring it back to the forefront.
April 2007 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - RV Storage
Even with a 4 year college degree or attending graduate school does not guarantee that you will get that dream job you always thought you would. Job employment now is critical to everyone who works or wants to work. With some big companies moving their businesses overseas, that in itself limits positions in upper management and trickles down to the mailroom.
Finding some jobs is getting easier. Companies looking to hire new employees put their ads in newspapers across the country. They provide toll free numbers to contact them. They also use the internet. Since so many Americans now have home computers that is another easy alternative for finding a job. Some people looking for job employment can also go to temporary employment places. They provide short term employment and well as temp to hire jobs. This gives you the opportunity to decide if the position you were placed in works best for you and your employer.
Now, the competition for jobs is more intense than ever. When you find a potential job posted and you show up for the interview there are usually ten other people sitting in the lobby applying for the same job as yourself. Employers who are posting positions for jobs take a little bit longer deciding who they want to hire. They are receiving more and more resumes and applications than they ever did before. Some other employers state that they are not receiving enough applications for manual labor positions. Job employment with them requires hard manual labor and working in the sweltering heat of the summer months. Because most of these people are seasonal workers, they have to either put back enough money to put them through the winter months or find temporary job employment until the weather improves enough for them to go back to their regular jobs.
Todays job market no matter where you are at is getting tougher and tougher. Maybe if the economy picks up then the choice of employment will become easier. Hopefully the housing market will improve but with so many homes going into foreclosure the next few months will not be easy. But as long as you are willing to work jobs that you know you are not going to make a career out of, and hold onto the belief that you will find the job of your dreams, and then you will make it. That really is the American dream. Never give up and you will succeed.
June 2007 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by State
It is possible to put too much work into a house you wish to resell. With home ownership also comes ownership of all the problems that a particular house may have. You may have fairly low mortgage payments every month, but what about the monthly bills that are unexpected? Like that pipe that burst in the basement that had to be replaced, or the leaky faucet and toilet in the bathroom, the roof that needs to be replaced, and the air conditioning unit that keeps you crossing your fingers every summer? These things, in addition to many more, could come upon you unexpectedly, so that you have a relatively steady flow of money leaving your budget every month for minor or major repairs.
On the other hand, there are many pluses to rentals, whether you rent an apartment or a house. Most of the time there is a person who will be taking care of things such as mowing your lawn, repairing leaky faucets, updating roof and appliances. With many rentals, the water and electric is already included in your monthly payment, making it both easier and cheaper where your budget is concerned. Depending on the time of year and the amount of water or electricity you utilize, this can be an enormous help. Not only do rentals cut back on expenses in this way, but they eliminate all of the hassle you encounter when contacting, meeting with and paying others to work on or repair things around your house. This is all done by someone else, and you do not have to worry about it at all!
Another important thing to note about rentals is that you can move based on your own timeline and not someone elses. You do not have to wait patiently for someone to look at and purchase your home before you can purchase one yourself. You do not have to worry about cleaning your house every night for an emergency call from your agent who wants to show your house at a moments notice. You can leisurely look around for another place you wish to live, and when you find it, simply give notice to the manager.
May 2007 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by City
Think about it. If you call into a retail store looking for a particular item, you find it, and go down to the facility, you are most likely going to buy it from that retailer, barring some catastrophic turn of events. The same thing is true in self storage. If you can get the caller to commit to coming by your rental property and showing them a great personalized experience, they will hand you their money to rent today. How does one ensure that the caller is being taken care of fully so that they would like to rent from you?
Once the phone rings, you are on stage. How you speak to the caller has an impact on the overall sale. Are you talking to fast? Do you let the caller talk? Do you cut the caller off when they are trying to say their thoughts? These are important things to think about when you are speaking to the caller. When you get into the meat and potatoes of the call, what is your sales focus? Are you just rattling off some phrase that you are supposed to say to the customer, rather than giving personalized service? No one wants a robotic sales person. Ask the customer what their storage needs are, take care of those needs, add some salesmanship, and find a way to get them to stop on by your rental property. It never hurts the customer to ask them to stop by and see what your facility has to offer.
Once you get the caller to stop by your rental property, you are halfway to a sale. The customer is in your building and now you have to find out what is holding them back from renting and if they like what they see. If you keep your facility clean and well maintained, there are still some variables that you might have to overcome. Those variables are price, specials, and convenience of location. Two out of three of the previous topics you can take care of on the spot. You cannot pick up your facility and move it to another location. You will just have to talk up why you chose this location and how it can accommodate a large percentage of the public.
In self storage, we need to take every opportunity to get the caller to rent from our facility versus our competition. Get the caller to stop on by your rental property. When they do, ensure that your facility is clean, warm and inviting to them. You as a manager need to make every effort to impress, but do not be over the top because the customer can see the over aggressiveness. Get the caller to stop by and you are more than half way there to getting a new tenant.
April 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - General Information
Planning and furnishing a bedroom for your new baby is almost always an enjoyable thing to do. Picking out the furniture, the colors, toys, blankets and rugs is a big task. There is not any detail that you will not relish planning in anticipation for that squirming little bundle that you will love so much! Just remember that all of this does take time. Unless you are planning on hiring someone to do most of the work for you, you will need to give yourself plenty of time to do that wallpapering or painting. You will be having baby showers, phone calls from well wishers, mommy chats with other mothers, and plenty of daydreams about when your little angel makes his appearance. But you cannot let that take away from the time you need to do the actual work for your little one. If your significant other is available and willing, have him do most of the heavy work and painting while you oversee.
If you find that you have to put some of your or your other childrens things in storage, think carefully about what they will be. You do not want to put things in storage that will be needed soon. Furniture that is not used often or clothes that have been long outgrown are good candidates for storage for an extended period of time. When you put items away like this, it helps eliminate the clutter that will frustrate and confuse you at a time when all you really want to do is enjoy your newborn. This is extremely important.
One more important detail in planning for your babys room is your budget. Make sure that you set one beforehand if you are planning anything excessive at all for decorating or furniture. This will take away much of your stress ahead of time so you will know the boundaries you are working within. Of course, if you are using things that have been given to you or handed down from others, this will not be much of a concern.
Nine months seems like a long time, but it will pass by so quickly that you might get overwhelmed with last minute details that you have put off doing. If you wait until late in your pregnancy, your body will be heavier and more awkward, making it uncomfortable and dangerous for you to attempt many things associated with decorating and arranging furniture. Just remember, organize and complete your task well ahead of time, and you will already be on your way to making your new baby happy and comfortable, even before he has arrived!
July 2007 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Boat Storage
Hunt for Bargains
It is crucial to do your research and seek bargains for properties that will have excellent potential for flipping. Bargain property is sold cheap for a reason. Most of the time the bargain is due to simple cosmetic damages and are simple to fix. A good place to start your search is to work with a realtor who is willing to accept lower prices to help find those bargain properties. A knowledgeable professional gives you access to properties normally unavailable to you. Many properties are available only through professional listings.
Look for good deals through foreclosures, auctions and homes on the verge of foreclosure or property being disposed of due to divorce. Many owners who find themselves in theses situations are very willing to be more flexible with the price. By no means offer the full price being asked for. Begin your negotiations with a low offer and work up. It is possible you will lose some properties this way but in the end you will your profits will be more for a smaller investment in the property you want.
Be familiar with the Neighborhood
Learn as much as possible about the neighborhood before putting a bid on a potential real estate investment management property. Family homes put in the middle of retirement homes will not sell well, nor do you want a singles resident in a family area. Avoid areas on the decline since profits will be much lower, and selling might be impossible to recover what you put into the property. You should look for bargains that are being rehabilitated with low crime rates and a have outstanding possibility for growth.
Family rehabs should be in safe neighborhoods. The crime rate should be low with access to good schools and family entertainment opportunities are offered. Having these things affects the price you will be able to expect when the renovations are completed. The neighborhood also affects the types of renovations you will need to do on the property. Purchasing a property in an area unfamiliar to you can be the same as buying a home sight unseen.
Get a Complete Inspection
One of the most important steps when selecting a real estate investment management property is getting a complete inspection before purchasing. Problems that may arise while you are in the process of rehabbing can be prepared for with a qualified home inspection. Knowing ahead what needs to be done will affect how much money you should offer, what will need to be invested in repairs and the final profit you can expect in the end.
Without a complete inspection by a qualified professional could lead to disaster once renovations begin requiring unexpected money and time to find the root of the problems. Inspections can save you money and time by pointing out the potential trouble that will need to be repaired for resale. An inspection will also be aware of any structural problems, problems with codes and any other things that may lead to potential loss of a real estate investment management profit.
Do Not Buy the First Property You See
Remember this, you do not necessarily need to purchase the very first property you see. If it does not feel right, pass it up. Buying real estate investment management property is part science and part instinct. Continue to search until you find the property that meets all your investment needs.
Finding the perfect property to invest in can be found in many ways. Know the specific type of investment you want to make. Do your homework. Focus on those types of properties that interest you to fulfill your investment desires.
July 2007 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Climate Controlled Storage
If you have ever been in a store or a restaurant where you feel as if you have not been treated with the utmost respect as the paying customer, now is your chance to take matters into your own hands. Companies that would hire a secret shopper like you are primarily interested in maintaining excellent customer service within the many various shopping areas they cover. There are literally hundreds of companies ready and eager to pay you for simply taking the trouble to spend some time out of your busy schedule and have fun! Afterward, all they ask if that you give them your opinion of the service you were offered.
Just think about it. You have to buy clothes and you have to shop for groceries. You could get paid for doing these normal, everyday things. Do you enjoy visiting amusement parks? Do you like going out to the movies? Have you ever thought you would like to spend the day at a spa? How about spending the weekend at a nice resort? These are all things that many companies have on their list for a secret shopper to do! They truly do cover too many aspects to name. Most of the time, you may do one of these things, for free, of course, and on top of that, get paid simply for filling out some simple paperwork and giving your opinion on the treatment and services you received.
There is really an enormous demand for people to become employed in this business. Companies everywhere want a simple and efficient way to monitor the quality of customer service their employees are offering. They desire to know what the average customer thinks and feels about different aspects of their stores. Sending a manager to monitor services and work will put everyone on their best behavior. If you, as a secret shopper, can go into the midst of this atmosphere while still being known as simply an ordinary customer, you have a huge advantage in the situation. You may act as you normally do when shopping while also keeping a keen eye on the workers and the type of service they give you. Were the employees courteous and prompt in their service to you? How about the quality and cleanliness of the facility? Answer questions similar to these on a questionnaire form, send it in to the particular company you are employed by, and receive payment for your opinions.
You will be an employee, but you will still be the one in control. You may accept or decline any particular job offer given to you. If the job is further than you would like to travel, or if you simply do not have enough time on a certain day to fit it in, you are under no obligation to do it. Depending on how much time you have at your disposal, this could be an extraordinary second job, or even a full time job that will pay all your bills!
July 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Car Storage
Because of these reasons it is very important that the sales rep be able to explain all of the benefits of self storage to the caller, and fairly quickly since most customers are in a hurry when they use the telephone. A secret shopping evaluator knows that this is why having an excellent basic script is so important. It enables the telephone rep to convey all of the pertinent information, such as the convenient location, the great security and cleanliness, and the sized unit that would work best. As long as the script is followed then all of the essentials are covered with each and every call, and in a short amount of time.
New employees need to have the script in their hand, to physically be able to look at it as they go through training. This is the best way for them to learn it, while at the same time help them to understand how it applies to their new job, as well as the importance of the script itself.
After a new employee has been around for a while, and has gained some confidence, they need to have the basic script nearby as a just in case kind of a tool. Just in case they get off track during a call, or just in case they feel a little uncomfortable with a particular customer, then they have the script as sort of a security blanket to help them get back on track.
Seasoned veterans often think they know it all, that they have been doing this job so long they can do it in their sleep. The problem with this is that they can become complacent, and can develop some bad habits that they are not even aware of. This is why a secret shopping evaluator is so important. The evaluator can recommend to the experienced salesperson to dust off that old script and use it for a few days. Getting back to the basics is a great idea every now and again.
A secret shopping evaluator listens to sales calls all day, and they know the importance of a good basic script. The secret shopping evaluator knows that after a rookie has learned the script, and the rest of their new job, that they should adjust the wording to fit their own personality. But no good salesperson ever wants to stray too far from the basic script. It is a very important tool that they need to use throughout their sales career.
Climate Controlled Storage Unit
July 2007 Property Management Blog Archive
Climate Controlled Storage Revisited
Self Storage Article Directory - Furniture Storage
Living in a rental property brings up questions of how to care for the residence. The property should be treated with respect and free of intentional damage, of course, there are areas where the renter might not be sure of their responsibility or privileges in their position as the tenant. An agreement will, in most instances, clearly state answers to any questions. The agreement will point out what the leasing companys and the renters responsibilities are.
Care for the Property Like it Is Your Own
The idea behind treating a rental property like your own home is appropriate but in reality often times will not be true. You should treat it in the same manner you would if it were your own home. Simply, this means the renter should not do damages intentionally or neglect repairs needlessly. Often this will not happen because the renter is not free to do modifications without permission through the contract.
Obtain Assistance from the Manager
The manager of a rental property is there for the renter to get assistance when repairs are needed. These repairs that fall under the contract might include plumbing needs such as clogged drains, fixing or replacing broken appliances and installing new lighting fixtures. The contract will specify what items are the responsibilities of the property owner or manager, even if the renter is able to perform the repairs themselves. Renters can be held liable for damages if they attempt to fix the items themselves. Although the renter may be capable of performing some or all of these actions, the agreement may specify these items are the responsibility of the property owner or manager. Renters who make an attempt to fix these items may be held legally responsible for damages that can crop up during these attempts.
Agreements can imply, simply by leaving out certain items, what the renter is responsible for. Usually these are small items such as replacing light bulbs or something like that. The renter is allowed to make the changes needed in these instances. If the agreement states the manager will handle certain types of complaints, the renter should let the management know quickly.
Manager Complaints
Occasionally the manager of a rental property does not respond to complaints from renters. Situations brought to the attention of the manager are often not dealt with. The renter can bring complaints against the manager to the attention of the supervisor of the manager. The responsiveness of the manager to address repairs and concerns is necessary for the safety for the tenants. When the manager fails to do so, the tenants should not be afraid of retaliation for reporting the lack of care. The contract specifies the rights of the renter to complain to higher authority when the quality of service is not satisfactory.
When you live in a rental property, you often have questions on how the maintenance of the residence should be handled. The property should be treated with respect. The contract will specify the types of maintenance each party is responsible for. When repairs or problems are needed, a renter needs to report them to the manager. The manager is responsible for addressing and fixing any possible problems in a timely manner. When those complaints are not met by the manager, or satisfactorily addressed, the supervisor should be contacted.
July 2007 Self Storage Owner Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - General Information
Call centers get hundreds of reasons why people need to rent self storage and calling into a call center is not the only way to rent a unit.
Another way to rent a unit is to go online. If you do a search on the Internet you will be bombarded with hits on how to rent a unit. Many companies are jumping on the bandwagon and making sure that they get Internet exposure. Lots of people are taking advantage of the large amount of information available on the Internet. When you find a company that will rent self storage to you, you will find out other interesting things on their website. One thing all rental websites should have is contact information. You can call into the office or on some sites you can rent while online. The website will connect you to a secure page and ask you for some information. This information is then sent to the company and someone there will get in touch with you. Some sites will give you a reference number and you just need to take that to the office to get your unit.
Another item that all rental websites should have is directions to the facility. This should be very clear and make sense to all who will read it. Some sites will even have a map on the page and show you where they are located. This feature is helpful if you live in the area or are coming from out of town.
Some rental websites will offer special online discounts in either a coupon you can print off or a special to mention when you go into rent. This can be a great way to save some money when you go to rent self storage.
Many rental places are making sure that they ask each caller and walk in customer about where they heard about the business. This is an important marketing tool that allows the office to track where people are looking for information about rental units.
Check around when you are looking to rent self storage, you will find lots of information out there. Now all you have to do is decided which one.
August 2007 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Advertising and Marketing
A good property management company frees the investors time and keeps good records and repairs in the property. Hiring a company to manage the property will streamline your business if they provide the services you need at an agreed upon fee. So, what should you consider if you are interested in hiring a manager for your property?
One important detail you need to know is how much the company fees are. The national average is around 4 percent on the income from a large rental property, while single homes are often over 12 percent. Be aware of the fees charged, the required payment schedule and what services are included before you sign a contract and exchange any money. Ask what the fees will cover. Do they deduct their fees from the monthly rent collected? Spend a little time finding out how they deal with other expenses as well. Will they send invoices to you to be paid or will the company be including insurance premiums, repair bills and other expenses in their fee?
Ask them about other properties they have managed. Get the addresses of a couple and check them out. Drive by them to see the type of outdoor work they do. In addition, the management you hire should be familiar with the type of investment you own. In other words, a manager experienced in apartment buildings probably would not be a good match for a single family home or commercial property.
Speak with the actual person who will be handling the property whenever possible. Good communication with those you hire must start early in the relationship. Get references from their previous experience.
The property management company will be able to show you the types of advertising they do. You should also find out the cost of the advertising. It will be different for newspapers, television and online. Do they have a web presence? Is it easy to navigate? Can prospective tenants apply online?
Do they hire cleaning contractors for preparing vacancies? Can the cleaning be done quickly to ensure you are not losing valuable time and money while the place is prepared for tenants? Do they have contractors for repair and landscaping needs?
What are the hours the property management company is available and if they are available after hours for emergencies? How close is the management office located to the investment property? If it is a commercial building, are they located within the building itself for quick response to complaints? The company should be located close to residential property as well to be on hand to solve problems as they occur.
Hiring a property management company to oversee a real estate investment frees up the time an investor spends on the daily operations. The company hired to manage the investment allows the owner to feel less overwhelmed. The owner can spend more time finding other profitable deals that can be passed onto the company to manage.
August 2007 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by State
Storage facility- Thanks for calling XYZ storage, how can we assist you with your storage needs today?
Caller- Yes, how much is your storage?
Storage facility - Well that depends on what you are storing, can you tell us what you will be storing?
Caller- My two bedroom apartment
Storage facility - Is that everything out of your apartment, do you have boxes also?
Caller- Yes
Storage facility - Do you have any appliances?
Caller- Yes, a washer and dryer
Storage facility - Ok, when did you need to start storing those things?
Caller- Next week
Storage facility - Great, at our location we would recommend a 10x10 to hold your belongings, how does that sound?
Caller- That sounds ok, how much is it?
Storage facility - The price list is right here
Towards the end of the call
Storage facility- Ok, thanks again for calling XYZ storage, do you have any other questions?
Caller- No
Storage facility- Great, then we will see you tomorrow at 1pm for a site tour
Caller- Ok, see you then
Storage facility- Have a great day, good-bye
This is an example of a pretty good self storage call. But the caller was not just any caller, the caller was a secret shopper. They were calling to see how the storage facility did on their sales presentation and customer service skills. Why would someone call a storage facility and act like a customer? Because someone has hired that caller to call that storage facility and see how the manager does at selling self storage. This type of person is called a secret shopper and they get paid to shop different businesses.
Storage facility- Thanks for calling ACB storage, how can we assist you with you storage needs today?
Caller- Yes, how much is your storage?
Storage facility- Umm, what size?
Caller- What sizes do you have?
Storage facility- We have lots of sizes, and the rent starts at 39 dollars and goes to 178 dollars per month
Caller- Ok, Thanks
This is an example of a self storage call that is not good. Why is it not good? Because the person answering the phone is not working on selling the facility and getting to know the customers needs. They are just answering the phone and giving a price. If you know that your managers of your self storage facility are answering the phone this way then you need a secret shopper. Most people that do this kind of work will record the phone conversation and be able to present it to the owner with an evaluation of the call. A secret shopper will always be professional but will try and sound like an average customer calling about self storage. They will not try to lead the manager but allow the manager to take control of the call.
If you are looking to beat your competition, you will need to have great sales skills and customer service programs in place. Look into hiring a secret shopper to help your staff achieve top notch customer service and sales skills. It can mean the difference in the first call above and the second call. If you cannot get the customer interested on the phone about your self storage facility, then you probably will not get their business either.
August 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by City
A shadow shopper is known by other names but the job is the same. The SS must go into the business that has hired them and pretend to be a real customer. Each business is different in their needs and the SS must make sure that they are ready for the assignment before entering the business. Businesses that hire an SS to evaluate their employees are looking for some common things like customer interaction and sales techniques. The business wants to give their employees a real life situation on the sales floor. The SS can then look at all the points the business wants their employees to cover and evaluate the store as instructed.
Communication is a key element for a professional shadow shopper. The SS must be able to look natural while taking mental note of everything the business wants to know. Some businesses want the whole ball of wax, from how the store looks to were the restrooms clean. Some businesses just want the employee interaction with the customer. All of these things are important and should be discussed with the SS before the assignment.
How does a business find a shadow shopper to evaluate their business? There are many different companies out there that provide this service to businesses. The best bet is to look on the Internet. You will want to make sure that you are dealing with a reputable company that has an established business. Do some background checks and ask for a list of references from previous clients. Prices will vary for these kinds of services but remember cheaper is not always better. Go with a middle of the road price and see if that works for you. As we all know the Internet is full of useful and useless information. That is why it will pay off in the long run to do your homework upfront.
Some advice, do not send in your Aunt from Hoboken to do the work. While your Aunt may be able to do the job, this is something that is better off left to the professionals. You want someone that is on a neutral playing field and has no emotional connection to the business. Sorry Auntie, maybe another time.
If you find your business needs a shadow shopper, then you should be prepared for the information that they will share with you. Use that information to make your business better in all aspects and you will see happier customers and more money for you.
New Hampshire Furniture Storage
August 2007 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Vendors
There are several ways to find these profitable deals.
The first area to look for good deals is your local newspaper or a trade newspaper. Find properties listed for sale by the owners. This way, you avoid paying a commission to the brokers. You can offer a lower price since the owner will be saving the commission paid to a broker.
Or place your own property wanted ad in a local paper.
Another good search tool is the Internet. There are an amazing amount of real estate investment opportunities available on the internet. Searching for property for sale on the internet is easier than through any other means.
Brokers provide services to help you find a good deal on property. Building a relationship with an agent provides the investor an opportunity to find property quickly. Sellers find it convenient to sell with an agent.
Foreclosures can be a great real estate investment. Look for property being foreclosed through banks, the VA and FHA programs or visit public auctions. Another option are tax delinquent properties sold at public courthouses. You can find property being offered through divorce settlement as well. Do your homework. Finding good deals can take a little detective work and some effort on your part.
The first few investments should be ones that only need minor cosmetic repair. This way you will not be taking an enormous risk emotionally, mentally and financially right away. The profits will be lower but you will gain experience and begin to raise investment capital for future properties.
There are different types of properties suitable for a real estate investment.
Buying directly from a developer before they begin construction or renovating is one way to acquire property. The developer gives the investor a discount price and other financial deals in return for committing to buy.
Another type of property to invest in is the fixer upper. Usually requiring a good deal of renovation, these properties are often in poor condition. Most investors buy these types of properties to flip or sell quickly after renovations are done. Many of these are foreclosure or bank owned properties. They are called REOs.
As mentioned earlier, foreclosures are a good real estate investment. The investor buys the property from the sellers who are in jeopardy of losing their property because they are behind in payments.
Property bought with no money down or very little money down is a good investment for the beginner. Find a seller who is willing to make an easy sale with very flexible terms of their contract. A contract for deed or land contract, owner financing and lease with option to buy are examples of flexible terms and low or no money down strategies the investor should look for.
Income and cash flow property produce income from rents for the investor. Usually these are apartment buildings and rental family homes.
There is no tried and true recipe that promises success in real estate investment. Occasionally even the professionals hit a bump in the road and lose money. Stuff happens that cost unbudgeted for money or something causes the project to get delayed or set back. These are learning blocks. Reassessment of the situation is called for and a new plan with adjustments takes place. All good investors stick to their goals when buying property for investing.
New Hampshire Motorcycle Storage
August 2007 Self Storage Owner Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Wine Storage
Now let us breakdown the different sizes of the units.
The 25 square foot units can hold some furniture. Like a dresser or chair, a few boxes, and other small items. This unit is for miscellaneous items that would fit in a small half bath. The 50 square foot units can hold some furniture, perhaps a couch, chair, mattress, and some small items. The 75 square foot self storage units are about the size of a large walk-in closet. They hold the furnishings of a one bedroom apartment, but no appliances. The 100 square foot units hold the furnishings of a one bedroom apartment with appliances, or about 100 standard boxes. The 150 square foot units hold the furnishings of a two bedroom apartment or house plus some miscellaneous boxes and such. The 200 square foot units hold the furnishings of a house with appliances and or a car or truck. These units can hold over 200 standard file boxes. The 250 square foot units are the size of a large one car garage. These self storage units hold the furnishings of a large two bedroom home, with appliances and miscellaneous articles. The biggest or one of the biggest units you can find on a facility is the 10x30 units. These units hold the furnishings of a three bedroom home, or the contents of a 40 foot van. It is always hard to figure out exactly what unit would work the best, so it is always good to speak to a customer service representative or manager to figure out which unit would best for your needs.
Self storage units also have a variety of different features to suit your needs. One of these features is climate control. It helps to avoid too hot or too cold temperatures. Other units provide heating for locations that endure extreme cold, like Minnesota. The opposite is true for Florida, here the units have air conditioning. Some self storage units are lighted and have outlets. Other units have roll up doors for easy access for moving large items, and other units have only door access. Some self storage units have carpeted floors and a heated ground floor. Most units are 8 feet high, however some are 12, 14, and 18 feet tall. Units also can have slanted ceilings. Since these have an odd symmetry, the price for these units is usually a little less expensive. Once again it always best to speak to a customer service representative or manager of the facility.
The units you choose depend on what you are going to store. For instance, if you have antiques, musical instruments, or leather it would probably be best to store in a climate controlled unit. If you have heavy or awkward items, a terrace locker would probably not be the best choice. Ladders are sometimes the only way to access these self storage units. Storing motor vehicles is also a dilemma. Boats and cars can be parked inside or out. Different states have different laws, so you must be careful about that legal aspect. These are just a few things to take into consideration when moving into a unit. Never hesitate to speak with a customer representative or facility manager to help you find the right unit.
September 2007 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - General Information
Most companies out there in the world have some kind of customer service standards. Companies are looking to gain the edge against their competition to acquire the most customers. Some companies will print guarantees on their packaging promising money back or some other type of compensation to assure the customer. Some companies and businesses have a customer service pledge printed on a sign at the business.
Here are some common customer service guarantees that you might see.
Your lunch in 35 minutes guaranteed
We promise that you will love our special of the day
We are confident that you will enjoy your stay here, or your money back
Money back guarantee
Yeah, our product is that good
If you are not completely satisfied, we will give you your money back
Satisfaction guaranteed
What is another other way that you can provide great customer service without a sign or a posted promise? One way is evaluating your staff and seeing first hand what kind of customer service that they are providing each and every day to your customers. How can you do this? Hire a company that provides monitoring and evaluations of your employees and your business. Having your employees shopped will allow you to see how the are interacting with your customers.
What is mystery shopping? This type of shopping is done at your business or during a call to your employees on the phone while the shoppers pretends to be a customer. The shopper will have an assignment or agenda on what they would like the employee to tell them or help them with. While some businesses and companies have first hand experience with this type of service some are still asking, what is mystery shopping?
Some companies and businesses might be asking, what is a mystery shopping, and how can it help my company. It can help your company see how your employees are interacting with the customer. Over the phone, the shopper can act like a real customer inquiring about the business or service. In person, the shopper will shop around and see what the business looks like and what the employees are doing. This can be valuable information since everyone is on his or her best behavior when the boss is around. The shopper can see what the business is like on a normal visit or phone call.
Does this sound like it might be important for your business? Many companies and business out there are so impressed by the feedback they receive from the shopper that they have their own internal shopping departments. These people travel around to the different store locations and shop the site. This type of shopping not only monitors customer service, but company standards as well.
If you find yourself thinking, what is mystery shopping, there is plenty of information out there about this type of service. The Internet is by far the best place to find our about shopping. You can find businesses that are dedicated to providing shopping services to many different types of companies. Some of these companies will offer a trial shop or something similar so that you can try out their services. Even one shop can show how your business is treating customers on site and on the phone. You might be surprised at what the shopping company says. Hopefully it is all good news.
September 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Climate Controlled Storage
Having a good real estate management software program helps them stay organized. Every landlord needs these organizational systems to keep records secure and update and be able to retrieve information easily.
Suppose the landlord needs to evict a tenant. The trouble is he cannot find the lease copy for the tenant. The landlord does not know the exact terms of the lease. Instead of searching through overflowing files, the landlord finds the lease agreement quickly on his real estate management software.
It is recommended to keep your records organized easily with some kind of management software as well as having a back up paper filing system. Managers must choose software that is suited for their needs.
An important part of any system is the landlord system. The landlord is able to keep documents organized by tenant, building and owner. This way if you need all documents related to a certain tenant, you type in the name of the tenant to pull up all related documents.
There are many other reasons to use some type of management software in your property investments. Real estate management software is easy to use, makes managing any type of real estate transaction centralized and records are easily updated. Many systems are web based and accessible any where with real time information. Some of the tasks gathered include lease terms and agreements, daily operation costs and tasks and the accounting of day-to-day operations.
Residents can submit applications, request repairs and pay their rent online using the property web site. Since it is entered in real time, the landlord has instant, up to date information at his fingers.
A real estate management software program can help organize information and create property portfolios quickly. Property images are uploaded into the system for the owners and can handle the information on any size property. The software allows the landlord to quickly gather information, analyze it and print a report.
Many systems are cost and time effective for the manager and the resident. A personalized website can be created for each individual property using management software. Websites allow both prospective and existing residents to visit the site and view pictures, pay rents and perform other tasks.
Using the software the landlord can manage vacancies. Prospective tenants access the details about the property, find the terms and payment conditions and apply online. The lease can be managed and stored online to be accessed by the landlord or property owner.
The tenant is able to pay their rent online and rent receipts can be printed. The software is set up to automatically charge late fees after a certain date. In addition, lease agreements, the lease duration and rental information are organized through the software.
With the software, repair orders, contractors bids and work completed can be tracked and printed quickly. The manager is able to keep up to date maintenance records including the contractors hired for the work and when the work was performed. The software, when used simultaneously with the property website, allows tenants to send maintenance requests to the manager. Expenses related to property maintenance are easily retrieved and organized using the system.
Real estate management software is a great asset and time saver to property investors and their managers. The software is easy to use and effective in keeping a secure record of all types of information flowing through the daily routine of the property.
September 2007 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Furniture Storage
This is the most basic offering of any good business. It is the ability for a company, person or establishment to give their customers what they want in a timely and kind manner. But what has happened these days? It seems that somewhere in the last five or so years this oldest of consumer traditions has been all but tossed out the window. It used to be that you could walk into a nice restaurant with a date and you would not have to think twice about their customer service. But now, all too often one could walk into the very same place and wish there were some way to give a negative tip, a discount for how lousy the waiter was.
It is hard to determine what caused this. Maybe it is something in the water making people more self-centered and care less about the job they are doing. It could be in the air, with all of the exhaust fumes finally causing disconnect between people and the society they are a part of.
If you do not think this is happening where you live, just go to the airport. Remember those days when you would be excited about going to fly somewhere? The commercials of old, with stewardesses smiling and gleefully helping you to your seat are laughable now. Instead of the comforts of old and the effort of airlines to help you relax, it is all about doing what you are told, in the name of security of course. Well, security is necessary and all well and good, but who decided that security meant that absolutely everyone employed by the commercial airline services can be rude?
It is just taken as a matter of course, but it should cause people to step back and question why this is happening. Ticket prices are going up and customer service is going down. Hmm, does not make very much sense, does it?
The airlines are just one example. Restaurant wait staff has suffered from this negative shift as well. Instead of staff working for a tip, it is now just expected. Yep, if you go eat and have a terrible waiter, you better still tip them. If you do not, and you cannot make it out of the door fast enough, you better look out. It is not unheard of these days for staff to follow you outside and accost you for daring to not give them a tip for their lack of service.
If you think about the way things are changing with the Internet, this especially does not make any rational sense. Small businesses are suffering because of the array of cheaper offerings which can be found online. The difference between the Internet and the small business is that most basic offering: customer service. If businesses neglect to offer any kind of customer service, than they are doing nothing but shooting themselves in the feet. Surely they will begin to realize that positive human interaction is what builds positive business relationships. If not, their products are just a cheaper click away.
September 2007 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage
Are your goals to be an investor or simply the on site owner? As the on site owner you will be responsible for collecting the rent and repairing broken appliances. Your time will be devoted to the renters needs. The investor spends valuable time answering the needs of the tenants. On the other hand, if you hire a property manager, the investor could spend time finding and investing in more property.
The day to day details necessary to operate a successful property is better left to a manager with the skills needed. An experienced manager will tend to the daily needs of the tenants, maintain records and respond to the needs of the building upkeep.
The manager interacts with the tenants, hopefully in a friendly but professional way. They will listen and respond to complaints, deal with the rent and order the necessary repairs.The manager takes over the daily management, allowing the investor to profit without becoming involved personally with the residents.
A good property manager will need to manage construction and development of new facilities, maintain the repairs and maintenance of the property. They should have good organizational skills. They will need to insure the work needed, be it new wiring and electrical, the construction of new facilities or the repair of a leaky faucet, is done in quickly at a reasonable cost.
They need to know how to use the latest computer software for managing rents, repair costs and billing. Often the accounting of the rent receipts and billing expenses will be kept on record through some type of software.
One good skill needed by a property manager is good customer relations and communication. They will act as the liaison between tenants and construction crews, contractors and insurance agencies. The manager will also enforce renter and owner laws, the most common being evictions. They are responsible for collecting the rent and keeping good records of payments and repair work needed.
Good negotiation skills are needed as well. He or she will negotiate the best prices for cleaning services and for any work performed to keep the property well maintained. They will find the best lawn care facilities services at a good price. They will negotiate the lowest bids for the best plumbing and electrical contractors. An experienced manager will have resources available to them at a moments notice. They will know which carpet cleaner and painters are available to have your empty units ready within days to rent.
The 8 things a good manager will bring to a property will be qualities like,
The property manager is there to take care of everything. They automatically schedule tasks and collect the rent. The details of managing the property successfully are better left to an experienced manager so the investor is free to look other investment opportunities.
September 2007 Self Storage Owner Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - RV Storage
Suffice it to say customer service is so much more important to include in the sales department arena than previously thought. When you are dealing with a potential self storage customer who has several questions and tries to control the conversation you need to know how to politely bring the ball back into your court and aim it in the direction you would like it to go. Sometimes you need to only do that once and it will stay on your preferred track, and sometimes you may need to continuously redirect the conversation throughout the interaction. The easiest way to do this and show excellent customer service is by answering their self storage question and at the same time, ask a question in return. Most importantly, you want to stick with your normal discussion flow.
For example, if your customer wants the price of self storage immediately you can respond by letting them know that while you get that information for them, you wanted to let them know about some of the features that they can take advantage of. Say, if you are selling shoes you can still give them excellent service while still using sales techniques. If they ask you how much for that pair of shoes, try this, Sure you can get that information. By the way, these shoes are great because since they are solid white, they will match any outfit you have, they also have extra padding around the ankles, which makes for a comfortable fit and the traction is great for running too. Then give the price of the shoes. This applies to any sales position, even self storage.
Customer service is always an important aspect for any company. If the customer is adamant about just getting the price, do not let your frustration get the best of you to where it shows through your tone inflection or body language. This is the perfect time to bite your tongue. We all have bad days where something so small may bother us. No one is perfect. And we usually know when we have slipped off in that altered disposition but the trick is to not only catch yourself, but to quickly stop yourself and bring back the happy, friendly, professional employee who cares about them.
If you do not have a specific item that they were looking for, then show them something similar to what they were looking for. You will be their hero for the day, if what you offered them as a replacement helps them. Now you are the helpful, caring sales associate that they like to deal with. Just keep in mind, the conversation should go both ways. It is a give and take. Listen to what your customers are actually saying. Read between the lines. What are they really saying? If they are in a bad mood and in a hurry, are they really asking you to make them laugh and chill out? People appreciate other people who take the time to listen carefully and reply caringly.
October 2007 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Car Storage
Think about it this way, if your answer was, No, you do not currently use a mystery shopper program, then maybe your competitor is the one who is using this valuable tool.
There are all sorts of ways to use such a program. Some of the basic ideas or rules behind a mystery shopper program are based on the ways the shop scores affect the employees who are being shopped. For example, some businesses may have an incentive or bonus structure around their program. The goal of an incentive program is to encourage cooperation and reward excellent work.
Another way that some corporations choose to use a secret customer program is to establish consequences for unsatisfactory performance. For example, company may have a Three Strikes and You Are Out Rule. So if an employee scored three consecutive failing scores, then he or she would be demoted, reprimanded or terminated.
Some business owners may consider termination a bit extreme based on a shopping score. On the other hand, you could look at it this way. In most any industry or market, people skills and customer service are necessary and vital aspects of the business. If an employee scores consistently low on a shopping score, then he or she is most likely also offering consistently low service to customers or clientele. A mystery shopper program can help business owners gain a fair and accurate assessment of how employees treat customers.
One thing that is often asked about how to build a good mystery shopper program is what the right amount of mystery checking is. Do you conduct them monthly? Quarterly? Less or more than that?
The answer is that there is no magical answer. However, there is some strong evidence to indicate that monthly testing offers the most consistent and accurate information.
Consider that you only have your employees shopped once per quarter. If Associate A is sick or having a bad day, you may see a poor score on that shopping review. Now, you are thinking that Associate A is not as good at his or her job as you thought. However, if you are shopping Associate A monthly, then you will have an accurate scoring record and be able to spot fluke mistakes or address areas where the employee may need some coaching or training.
The best way to use a mystery testing program is to implement it as a training tool. By letting your employees know what you expect of them and what is a satisfactory performance, then you are setting a goal for them. Once you begin the training and testing program, you can use the goals you have set at the next step for your employees to get to. Once they reach that step, it is time for a new goal.
There should be a healthy balance of reward and consequence. So if Associate A scores very well, he or she should be rewarded. But if Associate A does poorly during a secret customers visit, then he or she might receive a verbal or written warning. The healthy combination of both will allow employees to strive for a prize, as well as keep them aware of the seriousness of the program.
October 2007 Self Storage Owner Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by State
In property management there is a lot to think about from a business standpoint. From how much you pay your staff, to how much you pay someone to mow your grass, to how much electricity it takes to raise your computerized gate, these are all things, plus more that you have to look at monthly. In property management, your bottom line is how you see if you are a profitable business or a non-profitable business. When making any decisions, you have to think to yourself, how this decision will create a profit for me in the future. If you are not thinking this way, you are possibly placing your money somewhere it should not be. You could be carelessly throwing your money away.
How do some people in property management attempt to deal with the struggles of everyday life? Most mangers have some type of to-do list or some method of keeping things straight. They make sure that someone comes out and fumigates the facility, building maintenance is performed, etc. They make sure all this is done and also they are protecting the costs associated with these maintenance calls. The managers on site have to take the time to ensure that everything on the site runs smoothly and they are not spending any unnecessary costs.
Being in charge of the property is not an easy task. Most people do not have any idea on what it takes to run an efficient property. It is sure no one can imagine what their everyday life involves unless you have actually been the manager of the property. Most of us can attempt to guess what their job is like form day to day. They sometimes control the pricing of different facilities, the specials that run and the look and feel of the environment. Some managers have to ensure that their staff is trained and able to help each person that calls or walks through their doors. It is not an easy task being in charge of the property. There is more pressure on them than most jobs.
Most people involved in property management will always preach that the first line of defense of your bottom line comes from how well your staff is trained. If they can understand the P and L (profit and loss report) as you do, show them some kind of incentive to reach the goals you establish, your bottom line will be extraordinary. Everyone in your business should understand how you make money and how you lose money. Knowledge is power and now you can empowered your whole staff to make sound business decisions around the bottom line. Some companies give their associates incentives at the end of the year to hit their bottom line goals. Make good decisions and understand what is costing you money and what is making you money. Trim down the costs, and increase the profit.
October 2007 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Vendors
When you think of customer service, is there any one business that comes to mind? It is certain that there are many businesses associated with this term that are at the top of the charts and first on our minds. Have you ever gotten into that companys business to see what makes them tick? Why does their name come up first when you think about customer service? Some people, when they are focused, would go into that business or call and see how they are taken care of. They would take notes back to their own business and see what is different. They would do this often to ensure that they doing similar things as the company that was on top. The moment they stop looking at what their competition is doing, the will fall behind. Is there someone in your area that is doing well in your field that you can evaluate their business?
Who is at the top of the customer service world? Why are they there? There have been multiple studies around businesses evaluating the different customers that are coming into the building. They do exit interviews with them (interviewing them when they are about to leave their store) and they have them take online surveys. They ask questions about their experience during the sales presentation, etc. The key thing is now, what they do with all the data they collected. They take that data and form types of people they are having trouble with. They dig deep into those groups of people (could be age, sex, culture, lifestyle, income, etc.) and find out how to better serve them. That is the important part, being able to see where your trouble areas are and finding a way to make the biggest impact on their business. If you can truly see some kind of lift from your hard work in collecting client data, you will win big.
When your company profits and losses based on they level of customer service you provide, you have to be good at what you do. When potential clients walk into your building what kind of experience, will they receive? That is what you need to be at the forefront of your minds when trying to determine what you need to do to be at the top of the client development world.
Now it is up to you. What do you do from here on out. Do you become stagnate in your everyday routine in your workplace, or do you go out and make a difference? Clients are not always going to tell you what you need to do in order to take better care of them. Sometimes you will just have to roll up your sleeves and get dirty. The more work you do around client development and taking care of their needs, the better your company will be in terms of profits.
October 2007 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Wine Storage
When leaving your home there should not be a feeling of not being able to at least trust the people that are in control of the upkeep of your residence. Although having a safe place to live is idealistic, the reality of it is not as pretty as it sounds. Apartment maintenance is not the only one that should be held accountable for the safety that is to be used. It is the responsibility of the entire complex or community to look out for the security and safety of each other. No one wants to speak up until it happens to them, then the reality hits home like a ton of bricks.
Apartment maintenance has a responsibility to fix and repair not take and destroy. For them to continue to work as though nothing has happened is unreal and says they will strike again. The fact is they have done it before and because they have not been caught in their eyes they are slick and untouchable. Even the managers cannot catch them or so they think, but what they have failed to realize is that getting away with a crime never last for very long.
Apartment maintenance is much needed for any residence, just not if it is going to cost you everything that you have worked for, as well as a sense of safety and security when away from the home. The purpose of paying for all the extra security is for a reason. Nothing is one hundred percent guaranteed, but you should at least feel a sense of safety from inside theft.
When management does not even take the safety and security of the tenants more seriously and allows maintenance personnel to continue to carry on as though nothing has happened, then its time to relocate and put the word out that safety is not a priority at this location. Word of mouth can do as much harm as not taking care of tenants that have been done an injustice at the place they are paying extra for added security and safety.
Cheaper in not always a good thing. It is better to pay for the things you are looking for rather than cut expenses to save a few dollars and in the end, it costs more. If you lost things of value, sometimes sentimental value which means those you can never get back, then cheap rent want not worth it. To get up everyday, go to work and acquire the things you desire, only come home and have them taken away by someone that was to be a trusted employee is like a slap in the face.
To know that this happened but cannot point out which person or persons are responsible is aggravating as can be. Trying to carry on as normal as possible is even more frustrating. It is like a since of helplessness. Short of moving out and filing a police report, only to be told it will be checked into is the extent of how you have just been stripped of your things.
Luckily, most apartment communities do hold themselves to a high code of ethics and perform background checks as well as have measures to hold apartment maintenance personnel accountable for their actions.
October 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Boat Storage
For example, using the former methods of offsite storing, a tenant had to pack his or her car or truck, and then move their items into a store room. So, he or she has already moved the items twice. Once he or she is ready to move out of the store room, he or she must pack the items back into the truck or van and then unload them again into the residence. Now he or she has moved the belongings a total of four times.
Alternatively, portable mini storage cuts the amount of work in half. A tenant only has to put his or her items directly into the portable mini storage space directly from his or her home and then directly from the from the portable mini storage room back into his or her home. He or she is only moving the furniture and boxes twice.
Friends and family of tenants who use this convenient way of storing can certainly appreciate not being called upon to move their friend more often than necessary. Because lets face it, moving is no fun. There are so many other things we would rather be doing. Moving ranks pretty low on everyones list of favorite pastimes.
Just choosing portable mini storage is the easiest decision you can make that will make your moving experience that much more enjoyable. Hey, it is probably the most enjoyable that moving could be, right?
There are other things you can do to also make your moving process that much easier. Some of the things that a mobile storing company should be able to offer you, in addition to their portable store rooms, are moving and packing supplies that will help organize and protect your belongings. Bubble wrap is a must have if you are storing or packing glasses or fragile items and will protect from nicks and breakage. Another nifty packing tool is wardrobe boxes. These allow you to hang clothing in a box just as you would in your closet. That can make moving swift and easy!
There are even more tips that cost you no extra money. Clearly label all boxes. If you are moving to a new home, right on the box the name of the room they go in, such as Living Room or Master Bedroom. If you are storing your items into a store room, then label the contents of the box on the outside of the box. It is also handy to keep a list of what items you have put into a store room so that you can quickly go back in and access just what you are looking for. This will eliminate time lost searching through boxes until you find what you needed.
As you can see, moving and storing have become a lot easier and more convenient and lets all of us breathe a little easier when life decides it is time to move.
November 2007 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage
Secret shopping helps address some of the things that bother most people in the self storage world. One of them is the lack of personalized service. Some managers out there in the self storage world just treat callers and customers as if they are just a transaction. The caller asks for a price and then their wishes are met. We give them the price. Unfortunately, that is usually the end of the call. Many of us reading this blog might not know a lot about self storage, but we do not know the ins and outs of all business we need to do. With secret shopping, we can ensure that our associates are taking care of the caller completely. This is the best way to know what is truly being said in the interactions between our managers and the clients we want to turn into renters. All associates should step in to the customers shoes when trying to serve them. How would you like to be treated when you are shopping for something that you are in need of?
With secret shopping, we get the unique opportunity to try to understand what the caller or customer truly wants and we can see what else we need to do to get more clients into our rental facility. Take a step back. How do you like to be treated when you enter a customer service environment when you know someone is going to try to sell you something? Most would say they like to be treated as if they are a person wherever they go. They want to feel that their needs are different from the next person. Now most people despise the over the top, wishy washy, hey would like you a drink of water sales environments. On that note, it still makes most feel good that someone is at least trying to be different. Most people do not visit places that do not even try to be helpful. Sometimes, as customers, we are forced to go to those non-helpful places to get our needs satisfied. You do not want to be that self storage facility that people just go to because they have to. You should want your environment to be inviting.
With most environments, it is hard for most managers to see how their employees are treating the customers. With secret shopping, it allows us to get a true gage how the customer is served. To all the self storage managers out there, next time you are on the phone or a customer walks in, just think about how you want to be treated. Do not let the last customer who was angry deter you from better servicing the next. Do not let what is going on at home hinder you from blowing the next customers socks off with your service. You can never know if you are talking to a secret shopping agent who is evaluating your level of customer service. Put yourself in their shoes, how do you want to be treated if you walked through the doors of a self storage facility?
November 2007 Self Storage Owner Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Climate Controlled Storage
There are mixed emotions in most customer service environments in dealing with writing up associates or writing down what was talked about. In most cases, if you do not write down the conversation, the associate can keep doing what they are doing whether it is wrong or right. Most companies in property management believe that having a trail of coachings can result in a higher performance.
Some companies have taken the documentation process to a different level. In those particular companies, they felt that they have to have each associate sign a document stating their job duties, lunch policies, attendance policies, and how to interact with the customers. If the associate decides to deviate from this process, then they have a choice to change their behavior or be promoted to customer. The thing that those companies are asking of them is not a lot. They are just asking to treat the customer uniquely and different from the next customer they talk to. They are just asking the associates to clock in to work on time and to follow their schedules. These property management companies are not asking their associates to perform rocket science. Therefore, with signing this document, every associate understands and knows their job. Every associate has no excuse saying that no one ever explained what they are supposed to do day in and out. Some believe it will be very effective.
In property management, some managers do not feel that this is the way to manage their associates. They feel that it too harsh and not promoting a fun environment. Look at it this way. If you have associates on your properties that are not doing what you are asking them to do, what proof do you have that you spoke to this individual about the incorrect behavior? How does it just not turn into your word versus theres. That is why most customer service companies are finding a way to document their conversations to increase productivity and lessen the bad behaviors.
It is really up to you. You are the one involved in property management and you have to decide whether you want to take your business to next level or not. With the ever-changing market place, it is very difficult to stay consistent if you do not change. Most companies try to new things to see what works and what helps increase their bottom line. By documenting the conversations, you have, good or bad, you are insuring that your people have a clear line of site on what you as a property manager are expecting. So, look yourself in the mirror and ask, do you want individual company to not succeed because you have people under you that will not do what you ask them to do and you allow those bad behaviors?
November 2007 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Furniture Storage
The questions America should be asking are Why is this happening? And what can be done about it? Both of these are hard questions to tackle. And, to make things worse, the answers may be even harder to swallow. For many, the easy answer is to lay the blame on the current presidential administration. Sure, why not? There is plenty of evidence to show the economy and job employment figures have taken a not-so-graceful nosedive over the past couple of years.
But if you dig more deeply, and do a little bit of research, you can see that job employment is not tied entirely to the economy or the presidents policies. So, one might query, what else has changed? The first thing that has is a certain group of people who are now flooding the job market on all income brackets. Since women have been gaining equality in the job market, the availability of jobs and career paths that once could be easily had by men are no longer certain. In the not-too-distant past, discrimination against women prevented them from holding any high positions within companies or corporations. But things are more equitable now, and with that shift in social views came a natural shift in the functioning of society.
Another reason people are having a harder time finding job employment is the saturation of new higher-education graduates. Again, our society is changing, and while in the past very few people could hold college degrees, they are becoming more commonplace everyday. Some researches have said that a college diploma is the new high school diploma. It seems that to have a chance with even the lowest level job, one must have a bachelor of something, regardless of what it is.
The problem with that approach by business owners and managers is they are cutting off a potentially valuable group of people. Having a degree is invaluable, for many reasons, but just because a person does not hold one should not immediately cut them out of the running for low-level positions.
While the aforementioned changes do present some challenges for the job-seeker, they also serve to benefit the U.S. in a few ways as well. The upsurge in women in the marketplace can undoubtedly be seen as a positive thing. To discriminate based on gender is an outdated and oppressive way of thinking. Disposing of harmful policies and social views is a great way to move culture forward. In addition to that, bringing women into the job market creates more healthy competition for job employment, and thereby should increase the overall quality of people holding top corporate and managerial positions.
The saturation of job seekers with degrees under their belts can also be seen as a very positive thing in its own right. The simple reason for that is, it means our society is becoming smarter and better educated as a whole. Ideally, this would mean we are on the track to becoming a more peaceful and productive nation, but only time will tell if that becomes true.
While the job market may be slim pickings at the moment, job seekers should not give up hope. Some of the causes of the scarce amount of jobs hold their own positive attributes, and could definitely help you in the long run.
November 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - RV Storage
Those are the questions that self storage managers ask themselves every day they are in to work. No one wants to fail and not sell rental spaces. Most managers want to be able to say, We do not have any spaces available to rent. But we can take your name and number and let you know when they become available. There are some facilities that can say that to their customers. Now are they doing anything differently than the next storage facility? Are they the pillar of excellent customer service? Are they giving their rental spaces away at pennies on the dollar? What is their secret?
Some people say that the secret to getting people to come down to a facility to get a rental space from them is customer service along with a great location, mixed with some great pricing. Some of you storage managers might think to yourself, do you have all of that to offer the customer? You can never be too sure. The combination above is hard to have and hard to attempt to possess. You cannot pick up and move your location to where the customers are after you have already set up your property. Now you can change the prices on your rental spaces and attempt to give outstanding customer service, but what is the definition of outstanding customer service and what is the best price for storage?
You as self storage managers can stress yourself out trying to figure out what is going to give them more business. Every storage facility is different and has a different customer base. Not everyone is going to be able to win over every customer. What you can do is completely take care of the customers needs. The great thing about that is that every customers needs are different. This is why not one facility is able to take care of each customer, but not everyone is committed to take care of people uniquely.
As people are out there doing research looking for the best facility, what are they really looking for? It is different from one person to the next. What would happen if companies out there stop being so scripted in how they talk to customers and actually ask the customer what they are needing in storage space? What would happen if one company thought outside of the box and came out and asked customers what they are needing? Most companies spend tons of money thinking up ways to get customers into their buildings to store their belongings. The funny thing is that the simplest solution are sometimes right in front of them. Just ask the customer what they want. Just think, if we actually knew what the customer wanted and then we could satisfy their needs to the fullest extent. Wow. What a concept.
November 2007 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - General Information
As quickly as to-do lists pile up, organization is the last shredded thread our sanity hangs onto at times. Imagine losing your car keys in a dining room where there are three decades of china, two dining room tables, three credenzas and a mix match of overdue bills, junk mail and opened envelopes piled up around the room. You would likely be late to work or wherever it was you were going because the chances of finding your lost car keys are slim to none.
With a personal mini storage, you would be able to comfortably fit the family china, extra dining room table and desks or credenzas into a personal mini storage room. In fact, maybe all that organizing would inspire you to sort through the piles of paperwork and minimize the mail lying around your house.
Misplacing your car keys suddenly becomes a lot less threatening to the rest of your day when you can clearly see everything in the room without upturning the furniture. With a few quick glances around the room, you will find your car keys and be on your way out the door and maybe still have the time to stop for some coffee.
Besides clearing out your home or apartment, personal mini storage is also an excellent value for students. Students move or relocate often, sometimes as much as three to four times per year. A personal mini storage would allow students the convenience of keeping their things from the dorm room at a local facility nearby their University. This eliminates the need to lug everything home to Mom and Dads house, which can often be across the country.
Another common use for personal offsite rooms is selling a home or relocating. It is important to keep your home clean and clear while on the market or during open houses. By placing some of your extra furnishings in a store room that is close to your home, your house will feel roomier to would-be buyers as they walk through your property. Open houses are another excellent reason to clear out your home.
Renting a store room is most commonly done on a month to month basis. This means that there is no long term agreement between the service provider and the tenants. Renting on a monthly basis does not have to be a hassle. Most store room providers accept automatic monthly payments, and some even offer a discount for this form of payment.
Imagine simplifying your life by clearing out the dining room that is spilling over into the rest of your home and even making it easy to pay the monthly bill via automatic payment. Store rooms are a great way to organize, relocate and move as well as a great way to present your home for sale.
December 2007 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Wine Storage
Many say they have a hard job to do everyday. They say that they have to deal with angry customers all day or do rough manual labor. Even some people say their job is hard because their manager above them asks them to do work they are not paid for. Let us look at the facts. Everyone that has a job will always find something difficult about it and want to tell others how hard it truly is. No one is going to say that their job is not as important because they do not work hard for what they do for a living.
In America, there are a variety of jobs out there for the average person. There is retail, construction, customer service, etc. and they all have different expectations and pay for a good honest day of work. Most of these people when they are off work get the opportunity to go out and enjoy life it they are not too tired to do so. Most people can get in there cars and drive home, put their feet up and not have to worry about their jobs until they come in the next day for work. There are people out there trying to make an honest living that do not get to do some of the simple things listed above. People involved in some types of rental property management have one of the types of jobs that you do not always get to go out and do what you want.
In rental property management, especially the mangers that deal with self storage, their days and nights revolve around their property. These managers most of the time live on site and have to deal with some late night calls from tenants, the police showing up due to a security breach or something just as annoying as the security gate not working. In rental property management, you have to deal with it all for the most part. After your hard day on the property, answering phones, maintenance, etc, sometimes they would like to go out and unwind. Unfortunately, with most properties, they are the only manager that can deal with issues that might arise. So that evening out does not happen. Now that is one extreme of some people in rental property management. Some properties have relief managers in place so the actual property manager can go out and enjoy a quiet evening not having to worry about their facility.
Most people could not imagine not being able to go out and do what they desire after work. Some people in rental property management cannot because they want to ensure that their clients know someone will always be available when they need assistance. That is most of the time a great selling point for managers to tell their prospective customers. Think about it. Would you want to live somewhere or rent a storage unit from a facility that had someone readily available if you were having troubles with your unit? It is believed that most people would. That is why most people involved in rental property management do what they have to do to get more business. This type of career is not for everyone. It does take some getting use to. So next time you are complaining that your job is hard and so forth, at least be grateful that you can take off early or after work to go enjoy yourself. When most people leave their jobs for the day, their job is an afterthought. With some on site managers, they sometimes wonder how many calls they will have to take tonight to take care of facility or customer issues.
December 2007 Self Storage Owner Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Advertising and Marketing
So, how does it work? A lot of it is about customer service and observance. All you have to do is go into a clothing store, a restaurant, a gas station or any number of different places and observe the customer service you receive. Usually there are lists of things you have to specifically watch for, all of them very easy to spot. You must keep your identity as a shopper hidden from the sales associates and other customers, and act as if you are simply an ordinary shopper out for a normal day of shopping. You watch the employees, the service you are offered, the help you receive, the way things are done, the food you eat (if you are at a restaurant) and the cleanliness, among other things. You are usually given a form to fill out after you have completed the audit. This form will give you questions to answer and things to outline. If you are good at expressing yourself and your opinions, this is a very easy part of this job.
Well, you might ask who qualifies to become a shopper. You do! Whoever you are, and whatever your current occupation or situation in life, you most likely qualify for the job. If you are a stay at home mom, if you already have a part time or a full time job, if you are in school and need some extra money on the side, this is a perfect job for you. There are no set hours, no set schedules, no set times you are required to work. Most of the time you may pick and choose where and when you will work. Secret shopping companies offer a wide variety of places for you to work as well. Many times, if you give information about where you are located, the secret shopping company you work for will try their best to find a place near where you live, so that you do not have far to travel away from your home. So there is no need for you to pay for that extra gas to travel somewhere miles away, or to commute for this job. If you have children or a friend you would like to take along, that is usually no problem at all. And an added bonus is that many times, the company you work for will either pay for what you buy during your shop, or reimburse you at a later time. It is truly the easiest, most convenient job that anyone could find!
In summary, you are merely doing the ordinary, normal things that you do in your everyday life. The difference that being a shopper makes is that you are now getting paid for doing these things. You can get paid for shopping at your favorite store, get paid for eating at your favorite restaurant, get paid for filling up with that much needed tank of gas. Yes, it sounds like such a job is almost too good to be true. It is not! You should find out for yourself!
December 2007 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by State
It is convenient for you, as a stay at home mom, to have a job that can also be within the area you live. Most of the time, shop companies will send you information or lists whenever they have openings or need mystery workers within your area. This means that, although there is traveling involved, you will never have to travel far unless you want to. A mother who stays home usually wishes to stay near her home, for the sake of her children, and this is what makes being a secret customer such an ideal job. If you can effectively observe your surroundings, the level of service you are being provided with, the state of whatever store you are mystery auditing, and can clearly write down what you have observed, then you will have no problem with being employed as a mystery customer! A stay at home mom knows what it is like to notice things, and to multitask and this is what this job requires.
You do not necessarily have to be a stay at home parent to enjoy the benefits of this job. If you already have a full time job, you can still work as a secret customer. As long as you have spare time that is flexible enough to work with the company of your choice, then you will have no problems.�
You might wonder if you are allowed to bring along your children when you are working on your shop. The answer is that you definitely can. Depending on the place you are working, and the guidelines that the company you work for gives you, you may almost always take your children with you when you shop. There are so many different industries that use this service, and almost all of them are convenient and ideal for a stay at home parent. All you have to do is look up these company sites, and apply for a position with them. Most times, the shop company will keep you updated as to when a convenient position comes open for you that is in your area. Being a stay at home parent is definitely a full time job, but this is a second job that is so simple you cannot afford to let it go!
December 2007 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Vendors
How do you ensure that you are finding the right area of land, or the right facility to invest in? There are some things that everyone should look into when purchasing real estate. There is not a clear-cut answer on this is what you should do to make the best investment in this market, you will have to do your research.
Some people find companies that specialize in real estate. Those companies help you determine what you can afford to purchase and help you determine what your needs are. In this market, it is a good idea to have someone that is there for you to bounce ideas off to ensure that you are making a sound decision. They will go over the risks, the possible profit and the terms of buying real estate. You have to be careful, read and understand anything that you are signing with those customers because we all know that they are looking to profit as well. The problem is that most people want the best, but they also do not want to pay for the best. Most Americans are looking to turn the highest profit, but also get the highest quality. Even with these property companies, they are looking to do the same. So watch the costs that you put in to having someone help you in your land purchasing. These companies are just one of the ways you can understand and know what is out there for you in terms of purchasing property.
You, yourself, can go online and see what is out there in terms of available land. Depending on your market and area, you might have many properties to choose from. Most people today find the best areas but not the best buildings to invest in. They do this so they can fix up the property (which might cost them extremely less than rebuilding) and resale at a nice profit. What you want to look for are solid foundations, great plumbing, and ensure that everything internally is sound. There will be some other areas of opportunity, but for the most part everything after that is cosmetic. With building material costs being affordable today, you can find a good deal if you are willing to put some elbow grease in the project to get it done. If you can do most of the work yourself, you will find great profit in your property and plus, you as a person will feel great that the effort you put in gave you huge return.
December 2007 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by City
One way for customers to find self storage seems old fashioned. This is where you are using the local phone book and see what is in the area or close by. Most customers that use this type of service will use a location close to their house, so if they need to get something out it is close by. Most facilities have decent access hours for customers to get in to their rentals. So that way if some one is having a big dinner party but forget they had pack away the good china, they can run to their unit and get the box hopefully mark china and have their good china for the dinner party.
People still use word of mouth to find self storage. Most people in general will ask around to their friends and family, have you tried this or have you used this or that. Whatever they are looking for it seems most like to hear someone else has used it or tried it. And they have had good results with it. Well it is the same with this business. For instance, students who are going home for the summer will need a place to store their items and they will ask their classmates where they should store.
If a customer is moving to an area they do not know, but have a family member in that area, they may ask their family member, do you know of any companies or know of any one who has used rented before. Sometimes the family member may have rented before or heard of one close by their house and they will suggest that one. There are a lot of times if a family is moving to the area then their family member who already lives there will shop around for them. Calling locations in them area and seeing what kind of security they have and the cost.
Regardless of where customers are at or where they need a rental there is a way to find self storage.
January 2008 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Climate Controlled Storage
Now, here is the real question. You are probably wondering what it takes to be a mystery shopper. Well, there are many Internet sites to visit if you would like to learn more about the profession. You should definitely go visit them and find out how to make some easy extra money if this is the type of job you think would be up your alley. Just do what you do best, the things you enjoy and do for nothing in your spare time, and get paid for them! I know that it sounds as if it is too good to be true, but it is not. If you have any extra time at all in your busy, or not so busy, schedule, this could be the opportunity you have been waiting for. This is a job that is not a job! Instead of spending money in your spare time, you could be earning it for doing the exact same things you normally do! If you would like to get into this line of work, please do not wait any longer. There are mystery shopper jobs all around you. Why everyone does not want to become a mystery shopper, I have no idea! You will rarely find an opportunity like this one, so why not take it now?
There are many different jobs all around, you just do not know it. Do not let this opportunity slip away from you. Get out there and get paid!
January 2008 Self Storage Owner Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Car Storage
There is also the time consumption of the owner if they are doing it on their own to find out how to get those background checks and employment checks. To do all the paperwork involved, a business has to have all those things in place to aide the owner in renting to the best prospective tenant. You may pay for the services provided by these businesses, but that may pale in comparison with the money you may have to pay to repair a damage that you cannot get a past tenant to pay for. If you have the option to go with a property management company or even just on a trial basis you may want to give it a try and see which one works for you the best. You never know what type of person you are dealing with as a prospective tenant unless you have the knowledge that their previous landlord may have about them. It can never hurt to protect your investments and the property management company will have your best interest in mind when dealing with prospective tenants. As far as the tenant goes if you hire another business to keep in touch with your tenants, a lot of times they provide maintenance services as well. So the owner does not even have to keep up with the upkeep of the property. Which can free up the owners time and also save them money from having to have work done by a lot of different companies. A lot of investment owners are turning to other businesses to take the headache out of some parts of the job and also the maintenance end of things. So do your homework and check around it may be a very beneficial tool to your business. Anything that can save money for your business is not a bad thing!
January 2008 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Boat Storage
There are several reasons why deciding to be a stay at home mom is not only a noble thing to do, but also a good idea. First of all, there is the obvious benefit to your children. The stay at home mom can be around for all of those important times in a childs life. That first step, the first word and the first bite of broccoli can all be witnessed and remembered. For the child, there are many benefits too. Many psychology studies have been done which show the benefits of a mothers attention for a child. If they are in a day care facility or something such as that, the mother will not be able to give her children the attention they necessarily need. This in the long run could potentially lead to development issues later in life.
The family life can also benefit from a mother staying at home. Maintaining a household is a full-time job, no matter what people might say. This is why it is a noble choice to remain at home as a mother. You not only are doing a full-time job, but you are doing it for free. Actually, in a way you are paying to do it. The reason being, you could be working somewhere and making money, but instead you decide to put your family first. If you do decide to be a stay at home mom, never fear, because there are some things you can do to get some extra income while not leaving the house. One option is blogging for money. If you enjoy writing and do not mind doing it for someone else, then there are plenty of companies out there who would love to have you write for them. In some cases you can get paid to have a personal blog site and just allow advertisers to put their ads on your site. Then, whenever people visit your page and click on the ad link, you will get some money back. The drawback to this approach is it takes both time and dedication to make it work for you.
Another option is selling things online. You may not realize it, but a lot of the stuff you have laying around the house that you think is junk can be sold online for a decent profit. Say you have an old camera that has been laying in your closet since 1973. Well, to somebody, that camera might be seen as a priceless antique and they would be willing to pay hundreds of dollars for it.
These are just a couple ideas of how you can still get some income while staying at home as a mother. It is likely though, that if you are doing that, it is for reasons that have nothing to do with money. It has to do with caring fully for your family, and should be considered one of the most respectable jobs to have.
January 2008 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Vendors
Are you finding yourself pretty much responsible for your own apartment maintenance though? In some scenarios, this is an unavoidable truth to living in temporary housing. In nearly any city this is going to be true. So, if you find yourself stuck with taking care of all the cleaning, repairing and other odd jobs that typically accompany any apartment maintenance, the best thing you could do for yourself is take a positive approach to this kind of work.
Some of the jobs you will probably have to do in a temporary housing situation are not going to be enjoyable. An example would be taking the pipes off of the sink to unclog it. In some cases, whatever is in there clogging the drain is not only going to be incredibly smelly, it will likely be a combination of hair, dirt and any amount of other indescribable types of gunk. But you are in luck, because here is where positive thinking comes in.
If you can train yourself to be entirely present with whatever apartment maintenance you may find yourself doing, then you will realize that no job is too gross and no task will be too disgusting. The reason these jobs become undesirable is because we allow our thinking minds to get in the way of the task at hand. Instead of just cleaning the toilet or just unclogging the sink, we are annoying ourselves with thoughts such as, why do we have to do this? And, someone else should be doing this instead of us. But thinking like this will do nothing but cause you suffering, albeit in a small way.
The solution, then, is quite simple. All you have to do is just stop annoying yourself. While this may seem like a strange way to approach things, it really is intuitive. Anything that people do well or excel at is done without thinking. An example of this mindset would be the piano player. While the skilled piano player is hitting the keys, there can be no thinking going on. It is just note after note after note. There is no grocery list being made in their heads or worry about the future. It is just music. If the piano player starts to think, they become self-conscious. This is a problem because then they start thinking about the notes they are playing and will eventually slip up and hit a wrong note.
It is the same with cleaning your apartment. If you can become totally present and a part of your cleaning and maintenance, then you instantly become free from it. If there is no thinking or discriminating mind, then you start to realize that you are never separate from whatever activity you are doing. When you are scrubbing the toilet, just scrub the toilet. When it is time to patch the leak in the ceiling, just do it without thinking. This type of approach can extend to so many aspects of your life. When time to drive, just drive. And, if you are lucky, those traffic jams might not annoy you quite as much in the future.
January 2008 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Wine Storage
What is stored in climate controlled units? These units are typically used to store temperature sensitive items that a customer wants to remain in good condition. Some examples of this would be instruments like guitars, and woodwind instruments or pianos. It can be basically, any instruments that may be warped or damaged in extreme hot or cold temperatures. Electronics such as computers or computer parts may also be stored in a climate controlled environment. Wood furnishings and antiques should also be stored in a climate controlled facility.
Where are these units located? Climate controlled self storage units are located all over the country, but most are offered in warmer climates. Most climate controlled units are indoor, and not many are offered in drive up access in order to help keep the temperature controlled inside the units. High humidity, high or low temperatures are the leading causes for damage for goods in storage.
Does it help with pest control? As one may expect pests and rodents may be a problem in large warehouses or storage facilities. They are attracted to many items and boxes that may be stored in these areas. This is the reason food should not be stored in storage facilities in order to decrease the likelihood of rodent and insect infestations. It does help with preventing moth and insect infestation. Typically, a clean storage facility would have the property clear of all overgrown vegetation that would attract insects. They would not have lights immediately in front of the storage units that would attract insects. However, while a well lit area is important for excellent security it is important that the storage facility be designed specifically for both insect prevention and security. The inside of the building should be sprayed regularly for insects and be exterminated for rodents frequently.
What is the difference between climate controlled and humidity controlled units? The difference is minute between climate controlled units and humidity controlled units, but very significant. Many times climate controlled and humidity controlled units are combined into one unit. In order to be classified as humidity controlled the unit must be kept at 55 relative humidity or less to decrease mold and mildew growth. Many items should be stored in humidity and climate controlled unit are as follows, paper products that are sensitive to mold or mildew, objects made of iron that are sensitive to rust, computer parts, rugs or carpets sensitive to mildew, refrigerators and freezers sensitive to rust and more.
How much are climate controlled self storage units? Depending on the area one is renting climate controlled units can range in price. At most self storage facilities climate controlled units are typically between 5 and 30 dollars more than a standard, non climate controlled unit. Because the unit does not have to use energy to be cooled and heated the standard non climate controlled units are cheaper.
Overall, climate controlled self storage units are important at facilities in areas that are extremely hot or cold at times. Self storage owners should take area, climate, security and gate hours in consideration when building a self storage facility that offers climate controlled self storage units.
February 2008 Total Quality Assurance Service Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory � RV Storage
Gyms should provide the same professional atmosphere that any other business would provide. Given the nature and purpose of a gym, they should create different images, healthy, clean, friendly, and accessible. Given those images, the gym interior should try to recreate feelings associated with those images. When done properly, a person entering a gym should get the impression that it is warm, happy, and inviting. Employees should be dressed professionally and be neat and clean (or at least have a uniform with no visible holes or stains). Employees typically will work closely with the gym members so their appearance is an important factor.
Maintenance is the next priority. Maintenance involves making sure that all equipment is working properly, and that no repairs are needed to the structure. Depending on the gym, there can be a lot of equipment that needs to be maintained. For a gym, start out by keeping the exercise equipment in tiptop shape. These are the bread and butter for the gym so all pads need to be replaced after showing significant wear. All belts, pulleys, and chains should not show any heavy signs of wear. Imagine if one snapped while a member was using the machine. Water fountains should always be functioning, or there should be alternative methods of obtaining water in case the fountains break down. Everybody at the gym is going to be sweating so keeping up hydration is an important health factor. Some other gym attractions need to be maintained as well. Some gyms have hot boxes or saunas. These should have regular maintenance, as they can be a fire hazard. All hot tubs should have properly function jets and temperature controls. There is nothing worse than having tight muscles from working out and not being able to relax them away in a hot and bubbly hot tub. Regular property maintenance should be considered as well. This process can get extensive, especially if it has been a while since the last time repairs were made. Walls should be checked to make sure all cracks and holes have been patched and painted. Any missing or broken ceiling tiles should be replaced. All leaks should be fixed. Special care should be taken with the locker room and shower areas. Many different chemicals are used to keep these areas sanitary. Some of those chemicals can cause metal surfaces to rust (i.e. sprinkler systems and faucets).
First impressions are important so the general appearance of the property counts for a lot in the eyes of. The first thing people see will be the outside. Trash should be picked up outside and all signage on windows should be attention getting and professional. Upon entering the gym another demand is a clean interior. This means that all trash needs to be picked up. All carpet and floors should be swept and all exercise equipment should be dusted. Being fully stocked also gives the impression that anything they customer wants is available. Empty product spots tell the customer that what they want might not be in stock and they may go elsewhere. So sports drinks, water, and protein bard should be always stocked. All windows and mirrors should be free of fingerprints and dirt. With all these considerations for property management, any gym should be successful or at least look successful.
February 2008 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory � Self Storage
You must have good communication skills when you want to know how to be a secret shopper. As a shopper, you will observe and interact with the clients establishment. You will often be speaking with customer service people to get the information your client wants. Many people who learn to shop have a keen eye for the small details. They are observant of situations much like a detective at a crime scene.
Mystery shoppers should have certain traits that will help them in their job. They should be organized, and observant as well as self motivated. Previous experience working in retail or food service is a plus. When applying as a mystery shopper, you may have to write an essay about your best and worst shopping experiences, so be as detailed as possible.
Another thing you should know when wanting to know how secret shopping works is to never pay upfront fees. When trying to find clients who are looking for secret shoppers, do not ever pay to have your name on their list of shoppers. Beginners learning how to shop can easily fall for the scams out there if they are not careful. Look for reputable companies, they never charge a fee upfront. You can find respectable companies at online databases and organizations. Also visit forums where you can find shopping companies listed. Often these organizations offer certifications, courses and conferences for the beginner who is learning how to be a secret shopper.
Remember, when you are working as a secret shopper, you are an independent contractor. You are not an employee, and benefits are not included in your pay. Clients will often give you the basic requirements on what they are looking for when you are shopping them.
Once you get a secret shopping gig, follow the clients directions as closely as possible. There is nothing worse when learning how to be a secret shopper than thinking you do not have to follow the directions. Take good notes. Remember detailed descriptions of supervisors, other customers, and the cleanliness of the store.
Your goal is to remain anonymous. Once a store finds out you are a mystery shopper, the client can no longer use you. So be cautious, do not draw attention to yourself and never reveal your true purpose. Do not announce you are a shopping unless the client asks you to.
The final part of any assignment, even when you are first learning how to be a secret shopper, is to report your findings. At the end of your shopping assignment, you need to write and submit a short report about your experience. You should have good writing skills, including grammar, spelling and punctuation. When you are learning how secret shopping works, you might be tempted to provide short ratings answers. Instead you should thoroughly fill out the basic questions with details the client asks for. Express your observations in clear and concise words.
March 2008 Self Storage Owner Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory � Self Storage Advertising and Marketing
First of all, there is the sleeping bag. Purchasing for a sleeping bag these days is not too difficult. A couple of things to look out for while looking for that sleeping bag are comfort, degree rating and warranty. Comfort is an obvious one. Thick padding and plenty of legroom should be your main concerns when you first look at sleeping bags. Degree rating is a little more obscure. You should know what the climate is like wherever you will be camping. Good sleeping bags are rated to a certain temperature. If you are going to be camping in an area colder than the bags rated temperature, it is probably going to be a chilling experience. Finally, any sleeping bag you are shopping for should have a warranty. This way, if a zipper breaks or there is a tear in the bag, you will be covered.
Another crucially important camping tool to go shopping for is a compass. While you may be entirely confident in your navigation skills, you never really know what could happen. If a wild cheetah starts running at you, it is unlikely you will be concerned with going along specified trail routes. Purchasing a good working compass can really come in handy in this and other situations.
Since the outdoors can sometimes be rough, looking for a quality, well-stocked first-aid kit should be very high on your camping list. This kit should contain bandages, basic medications, ointments, tape, and scissors or other cutting instruments. Be aware of the kind of terrain and possible things you could encounter and tailor your first-aid kit to fit those possibilities.
Unless you are a skilled and experienced woodsman, make a list of food that you will need on your camping trip. With this should be some basic cooking supplies and utensils. Also go shopping for some purified water. Most grocery stores stock large jugs and dispensers of drinking water. It is unsafe to drink water outdoors unless you have a certain way to purify it. Even if you run out of food, water can keep you going long enough to get help if you end up needing it.
After you have gathered your food, compass, first-aid kit and other essentials, go shopping for a good tent. There is a great variety of tents out there, and they vary just as widely in quality. Again, it is important to be aware of the terrain and circumstances you will be facing on your camping trip. You should be aware of two primary things before purchasing a tent. First, what kind of wind will you likely be facing? If you know there will be strong winds, it would be wise to go looking for a tent that is low to the ground and aerodynamic. If wind will be minimal, a more spacious tent is definitely advised. The other main factor in tent shopping is consideration of lasting quality. Are the tent materials rugged and strong? If not, it is probably going to be a poor investment that may only last you a couple of trips. You do not want the tent to fall apart while you are out in the woods, so it is best to purchase one of solid build and quality.
These are some of the essential things to consider before going on a camping trip. If you are well-prepared, it will be much easier to have a relaxing and totally stress-free time. Enjoy the spring weather.
Mississippi Motorcycle Storage
February 2008 Self Storage Owner Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Self Storage Locations by State
Remember your first time living in an apartment? Usually the first time you live in a community rental area it is like a voyage or ride into the throngs of life. Some have cracks in the ceiling. Some have sinks and drains clogged so tight that an earthworm could not find a home in them. Whatever the case may be, it is hard to find someone who does not have a funny story from living in a community rental area.
This is because community rental areas by their intrinsic nature are in some ways designed for good stories. So many people move in and out of these buildings. With those people come a host of different life experiences and situations. The old adage if walls could talk probably would serve as a catalyst for libraries of information from each wall in apartments.
All of these stories can add to the charm of renting. Even in the most dingy and old of buildings, character can be found if you look in the right places. For instance, maybe that hole in the tile is from a toddler who lost his first tooth, although maybe a little prematurely. Who knows, a famous artist could have made that peeling paint while their career was still budding.
These examples may not hold any value for the tenants of rentals with insects diving in their tomato soup, but for the rest of you, think it over.
On the flip side, there are some apartment buildings that have no rational explanation as to why they are still standing. These are the buildings that call into question the attentiveness of our local health inspectors. How do the walls not just crumble? Is that ceiling made of clay and mud? Ahh, the joys of college life are grand. Who could want to pass up this experience while still young and adventurous? While it is probably not the best idea to rent a place that still has asbestos in the ceiling or rats in the walls, the mid-level apartment may have some real character building left in them.
Cheap noodles, all night parties, exams that you should have prepared for an extra three weeks, none of these quite enliven the college experience like apartments do. By living in an apartment, you learn how to pay bills on your own. Also, you get to enjoy things like fixing the clogged toilet when the landlord refuses to come. Of course there is the exhilaration of a rainstorm spent running buckets from one end of the apartment to another.
Yes, many of the learning experiences of living in apartments revolve around the ridiculous scenarios you may find yourself in while living in certain places. But, at least you know the apartment walls will record them. They will bear witness to the frantic 2 a.m. calls to an unresponsive landlord, the booming bass sounds coming from next door and the other sounds which you may wish you did not have to hear.
February 2008 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory � Self Storage Locations by City
But, a lack of storage space does not have to mean you have to worry about how you are going to be able to fit the next thing into your cramped apartment. Instead, minimal amounts of extra space can serve as a valuable lesson if looked at in the right way. Wise people in the past have said that much can be learned about yourself by the way your house looks inside. This is because your house is, in a way, a larger expression of your mind. When your life is busy, mind is busy. This sometimes translates into a lack of time to clean or organize the things in your house. Of course, if you do not have time to clean or organize your house, you most likely are not going to have any time to clean or organize your mind either. Therefore, an awareness of the amount of space you have in your place is a valuable way to take an inventory of your mental well-being.
Perhaps these seem like a stretch, but take a moment to reflect. When you run out of space, maybe you start to question why that is. What things are so important to you that you would rather clutter up your living space than find a way to downsize? Things accumulate in homes. Too often do people ignore or not recognize the fact that space is gone and the walking room is in decline? Do you see the correlation with the mind? When people do not pay attention, they do not realize the space within them is filling up. The trappings of the world fill your mind with advertisements, ideas, discriminations, etc., and you begin to run out of free space to just be and enjoy the life you are living.
The way to uncover more room in your house, as well as within yourself, is to let go. It may be hard to throw away that toga which has been in your closet since your college years. But, why do you really need to hang on to it? Ultimately the reason people keep so many useless things around and needlessly take up all of their space is because of their memories. It is not so much the object itself, which is important, it is the feeling you get when you look at it. That place it brings you back to is what it being kept in storage.
Now, take a moment to see how this parallels your life. We keep so many trivial things in storage within our minds. The dust, the clutter and distractions of everyday life begin to weigh down on the freedom to just live. But, you do not have to keep these things forever. If one can develop a process or practice by which they can let go, on an everyday basis, of the unessential things in storage, then life can open up once again and a newfound freedom will naturally follow.
With spring approaching, it could not be a better time to do a spring-cleaning of your self. Let go of those memories that burden you and the stress of the world. Free up the space which could be better spent on important matters. Breathe, and be.
March 2008 Total Quality Assurance Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - General Information
It was not always like this. In fact, just a couple of years ago, it made so much more sense to search for houses for rent instead of apartments. That mindset is all based on the premise of where your money is going. Not always, but in most cases, houses for rent are organized on the basis of renting to own them. If you do this, you are not just throwing money toward an apartment that you do not own and is in many cases pretty shabby in the property maintenance department. That money being put into houses for rent meant that one day you would be the full owner of that house and not just a temporary person in a place that ultimately would not get you anywhere.
But the market has changed significantly. Things in the housing market are not as certain as they used to be. Our economy is falling as a rapid rate and the certainty of the peoples jobs and future securities is about as certain as what the weather will be on any given day. So, it seems to follow that trend that apartments will quickly become the new best friend of the vast majority of people searching for a new place to live.
On the opposite end of this, however, it might make good business sense for real estate management companies to restructure the way they are marketing new houses. If instead of offering consumers houses that they cannot afford, real estate management companies might do well to consider new plans and new ideas. If real estate management companies offer new homeowners a rent to own type of scenario, they may very well find themselves selling many more homes. People who are looking for a new place to live will likely be in an apartment anyway. The idea would go something like an apartment with a big long-term incentive. The real estate management company would offer a low monthly rent, but if the tenant stays long enough to pay off the house, then it is theirs, with no strings attached. If they decide to leave, there would be no penalty and they could just leave. Of course, it would be wise for the real estate management company to require a large deposit. But by offering low, rent, minimal obligation and the option to move if things get rough, housing consumers would probably find this option much easier to swallow.
The fact of the matter is Americans are in no mood to go out and buy a house right now because things are just too tight. We have one major war going on with no end in sight and the potential of more wars breaking out in the very near future. These things will only add to the uncertainty of the housing and financial situations of anyone looking for a new home. By employing new strategies for marketing all the homes being built, not only can real estate boom once again, but also the difficulties faced by homebuyers can be greatly reduced.
February 2008 Property Management Blog Archive
Climate Controlled Storage Revisited
Self Storage Article Directory - Furniture Storage
The life of a secret shopper is not always an easy existence. They must travel, from store to store, will the sole purpose of gathering information. No one can know who they are, or what they do, or they would instantly lose there title. It is kind of like being a retail detective. You move from case to case, informing and gathering and then gathering some more. They could be reviewing restaurants. They sometimes will go into an establishment and order the most expensive meal. If the manager is rude or unpleasant to the shopper, watch out. They could take the credibility of any establishment down if the right people employ them.
Whether going to the mall, going to the trendiest clothing store or just scoping out antique shops, they are the anonymous police of the retail world.
There are plenty of companies that offer shopping jobs to the eager and willing person who does not mind living in the shadows. Because of the generally good pay and reasonable hours that they work, the profession can be especially alluring to those down on their luck or even for the dedicated shopper. After all, what could be better for someone who is always looking for the next deal than to become a secret shopper?
With the somewhat ambiguous nature of the shopping business come the companies who are out to scam their own employees. Some unsavory individuals have found that it is easier for them to make money off of the people they hire rather than by other legitimate means. So, it is advised that anyone who considers taking up employment as a secret shopper take adequate precautions. If the company who is telling you to go out and purchase things is not giving you a budget to operate on, find out why that is. Remember that any place that employs people should be paying them, not asking them to front money for things. Another thing to consider when entering the shopping business is if there are any upfront fees. When was the last time you went to a job interview and the manager asked you for 100 dollars before they would hire you? The fact of the matter is that this never should happen. If some company is asking for your hard-earned money before they are going to pay you, this should raise some serious questions in your mind.
Being a professional secret shopper can be a fun, exhilarating and unique job. But before taking the plunge into the world of secret shopping, familiarize yourself with the pitfalls and dangers that do exist within that profession. Who knows, maybe you will be buying a donut with a secret agenda next time you go to get coffee.
March 2008 Secret Shopping Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Climate Controlled Storage
So, how do you go about car shopping in a smart way that will help you see some return in the future? Well, there are several techniques and bits of knowledge that can help take the stress out of searching for a new vehicle.
The most important first step in car shopping is deciding exactly what kind of car you want. This means research, research and more research. What options do you want? Is a navigation system something that you really need installed? You should consider color, gas mileage and body style. Once you have narrowed your search for a car down to a few choices. The next step is to look at consumer reports. There are plenty of companies out there that offer free reviews by unbiased test drivers. Find out the high and low points of the cars you are looking for and figure out which one best suit your needs.
One of the next steps can be both the best and worst part of looking for a new car. This, of course, is the test drive. Yes, it is time to go to a dealership and find out what you are made of. The reason this aspect of looking for a car is the best is because you actually get to roar around in your potential new wheels. The reason this can be a less than pleasant experience is the car dealer who will be sitting next to you.
Some put car dealers and lawyers in the same boat. But with lawyers, at least they are usually trying to sell you something you need. A car dealer, unless you know him as a friend, is going to try and sell you every bell, whistle and basket of kittens possible when it comes to the car. This is something you have to be prepared for. They are not going to ask you, what is it you are looking for in this car? They are going to say, how can we get you into this car today? Will it be uncomfortable for you? Yes. Is it going to happen? Yes. But, if you are ready to be assertive and armed with the knowledge you gathered beforehand, you can fire back with good answers.
Which leads to the next tip, do not buy the car or make any decision the day you go to test-drive. If you do, this means you were bought and sold like a cheap pair of used socks. Instead, make them sweat it out. Go to several dealerships and haggle with them. After all, it is you that is shopping for a new car, so you naturally should want the best price possible. If the dealer knows you are shopping around at different places, they probably are going to be more malleable on their price negotiations.
Finally, aim low, really low. Give them an offer that you know anyone in their right mind would refuse. The reason for this is that in doing this, you have a very low beginning to start from. Do not be insulting with your offer, but let them know you are not messing around.
Most of all, have fun, be smart and realize that knowledge is always power when searching for a new car.
March 2008 Property Management Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Car Storage
In reality, they are usually nothing more than yet another greedy character. When a pipe is rusted through in your apartment, most people are lucky to have them come within a week. Some have reported stories about them ignoring power outages for weeks on end.
Some find it hard to understand why it is that they can be so seemingly immune from the woes of their tenants. Instead of working hard to make the place comfortable and enjoyable, they are like the troll under the bridge. You move in full of expectation and even excitement at times. It is a new place, at least for you, and there seems to be boundless opportunity. A few months after the excitement has worn off, however, you inevitably have to deal with them. He or she will most of the time see dollar signs the minute you walk through the door.
When things go wrong, expect them to somehow blame you. When you have an unruly neighbor or a problem to be fixed, expect them to be conveniently missing. Of course then there is the issue of moving out. Yes, that final and fateful meeting with the troll. This is usually when the club has been polished, the splinters have been sharpened and his horns tilted in full attack mode. When you gave them that deposit upon moving in, most likely you thought you would get some of it back. Wrong. What you probably did not realize was that even though the place may be cleaner now than when you moved in, you are still going to be charged for cleaning fees. These could include anything from having the carpet steamed for a ridiculous price, to them keeping all the money to repaint the interior, which they claim you destroyed. Whether or not you were responsible for any of this does not matter, because they will demand there retribution.
Not every landlord necessarily fits this example, so keep a look out for a good landlord. Such will probably always be the case when money is involved. People act in strange and often negative ways because of the power of money. Tenants should become more forceful about the way they are being treated. Rather than just idly sitting by and having nothing get done, demand that you get what you are paying for. If they are continually negligent or devious, report them to local and state agencies. Just because you are renting a property does not mean you give up your rights to live comfortably. Do not take any guff from the trolls. Instead, flush them out from under the bridge and take away their clubs.
March 2008 Self Storage Blog Archive
Self Storage Article Directory - Boat Storage
The next thing to affect self storage rates is benefits and features. Would you rather rent a self storage unit from the place down the road that looks like sheds or the gated, well secured self storage facility? Yes, the place down the road is probably going to be cheaper, but cheaper is not better when it comes to self storage. The cheaper the self storage, the less likely they are to have good security, fencing, lighting, cameras, and an overall good feeling about the property. Benefits and features cost money and that cost is what helps determine the self storage rates for the facility.
Another thing that will affect self storage rates is what size self storage unit that you will need. The smaller the size will usually mean the cheaper the storage. So it is very important that you and your self storage manager decide what size storage is going to be right for you. If you a unit that is too big, chances are you are spending more money also. Always figure in ceiling height when trying to figure out what size self storage unit you will need. If you can stack some of your items and take advantage of the ceiling height then you will gain more space overall.
The type of self storage unit you will need will also affect the self storage rates. If you need basic regular storage, then you should not have to pay a lot of money. It will cost you more money to rent a climate controlled self storage unit. Why? It costs the self storage property more money to run and operate these types of self storage units. But this type of self storage is worth the money if you are storing certain types of items or are storing for long periods of time in areas that are very hot or very cold. Another type of self storage is whether the storage is drive up or located in a building. Drive up self storage is considered more convenient and will typically have higher self storage rates than inside self storage.
Location is another type of self storage unit that will affect self storage rates. Many self storage facilities are built like a high rise. There are different floors with different sized self storage units on each floor. The ground floor is normally more expensive because it is easier to get you things in and out of your storage unit. The self storage rates will then decrease as you go up the building. If you are trying to save a little money ask for a higher floor, the rates will probably be lower.
Many communities have sirens, holdovers from the cold war days of the 1950s, to warn of severe weather. Other towns rely on weather radios, which emit an alert signal in the event of a possible tornado. Almost everyone has access to some type of a radio or television or the internet for any weather information. But knowing what to do in the event of stormy weather is just as important, saving both lives and property.
Mobile home parks are extremely susceptible to damage from high winds and tornados. The property management company of a mobile home park needs to let tenants know ahead of time what to do in case of any potential inclement weather. The residents need to know about a nearby community center or school or church that is equipped with a basement or a fallout shelter where they can go when there are any thunderstorm or tornado watches in the area. And the tenants should be informed before hand by the property management company as to what to do if the situation is imminent, and a tornado warning has been issued. It is essential that anyone in a mobile home leave the structure immediately and take shelter, since trailers are extremely vulnerable to this type of weather. This can be a matter of life and death.
Flash flooding is more common in the springtime than tornados, and needs to be taken just as seriously. A property management company knows from experience that a flash flood can occur almost immediately, seemingly out of nowhere. A seemingly harmless looking creek can cause destruction in just a matter of minutes. It can turn into a raging waterway that is capable of carry logs and even cars with it.
A property management company that has tenants living in low lying areas needs to make them aware as to what to do in the event of a flood. Valuables should be moved to an upper floor, or removed from the home entirely. Propane and natural gas should be shut off because if the pilot lights go out then the home could potentially explode. Sometimes sandbags need to be filled and strategically placed around the area with the aid of the property management company.
With thunderstorms always comes lightening. And oftentimes lightening can cause a fire. A property management company needs to be sure that any place overly susceptible to lightening strikes be outfitted with a lightening rod to prevent any problems. And of course the property management company needs to make certain that all homes and structures are equipped with working smoke alarms and fire extinguishers, in the unfortunate event that something is struck by the lightning. Fires often occur while people are sleeping, so there needs to be a working fire alarm on every floor, and inside and outside of all sleeping areas.
Obviously a property management company is not able to control the weather, but they can create as safe of an environment as possible for their tenants. A responsible property management company needs to remember that, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
If two self storage facilities are located very close to each other, and offer virtually the same amenities and prices, then what differentiates the two of them? A mystery shopping evaluator knows that it is the people. And the excellent customer service that these people are able to provide.
Everyone is accustomed to okay customer service in this day and age. We see it everyday at the bank and the grocery store and the dry cleaners. If someone was extremely rude or incompetent, then that would stand out in our minds. But as long as the customer service is all right, then everything is, well, okay. A mystery shopping evaluator is able to improve the customer service from just ho hum to fantastic!
The customer service at a top notched self storage facility needs to be more than just okay. Okay is what everyone has, and what every patron is expecting. A mystery shopping evaluator knows that going above and beyond okay, to excellent customer service, is what is going bring about devoted customers.
These elated tenants are the people that are going to rave about the self storage facility, tell their friends and families and coworkers how fantastic this location is. And all mystery shopping evaluators know that word of mouth is the best and the least expensive form of advertising available. Plus, these loyal customers will keep coming back to this self storage location anytime they need storage, or boxes, or a rental truck, etc. This alone pays for the costs of hiring a mystery shopping company!
A mystery shopping evaluator knows all self storage employees need to have excellent product knowledge. They need to be able to give a good visual of a unit size over the telephone or via email to a customer. They need to know what size of a self storage unit is going to work the best in each individual situation. Staff members should be able to give advice as to how a renter should stack their boxes to best take advantage of the unit height. And employees need to be able to assist customers with purchasing moving and storage supplies.
A mystery shopping evaluator checks to make certain that all employees must be able to give excellent directions to the facility. They need to be aware of well known landmarks to give to the locals, while at the same time giving detailed and easy to follow directions to out of towners or someone new to the area. If there are several self storage facilities in the area, then the worker needs to make it easy for the customer to know which location to go to. For example, tell a caller that it is the first driveway past the stoplight, or the building with the red roof. However, telling a potential customer that you are the facility located next to Moms self storage is not a good idea.
A mystery shopping evaluator knows that excellent customer service includes self storage employees being able to recommend movers to tenants that are moving into or out of a self storage unit. Great employees can also recommend nonprofit organizations that are willing to haul away unwanted furniture and appliances.
Above all else, a mystery shopping evaluator is looking for self storage employees that appear happy and excited about their job. This attitude will show in their customer service skills and in the way they treat people around them.
It is amazing the variety of different things that a person can go shopping for on the Internet. New and used goods can be bought. Popular items as well as obsolete things can be acquired. Mass produced or even a one of a kind item can be purchased.
The Internet just makes shopping so easy. A person can sit in the comfort of their home or office and browse the various websites. They are able to compare different items and prices with just the click of a mouse. Once the ideal item is found it can oftentimes be purchased over the Internet, and then delivered to the person doing the shopping. All without ever leaving home, or even speaking to another human being!
It used to be that someone shopping for a new vehicle had to ask family and friends for advice. Then he paid attention to television stories, magazines, and newspapers. Maybe he went to the local library to do some research on the different types of cars. Eventually he went to the automobile dealer and did some haggling about the price. After buying his new investment, he then drove to the office of his insurance salesman and updated his policy.
Now his wife can go to the Internet and use a search engine to find out anything she wants to know about any car. She can discover how different autos scored on safety tests, their fuel efficiency, and even the variety of colors available. And while she is shopping for her new car she can also be shopping for her new auto insurance. She is able to compare the rates of several different companies at once with just a few keystrokes on the computer.
The Internet is a perfect tool for aunts, uncles, and grandparents that are shopping for birthday presents for faraway family members. The Internet helps the people shopping discover the latest fads in clothing, the hottest toys for children, and what gifts are coveted by all.
People have very busy lifestyles nowadays between work, school, kids, and so on. And there are also many people that are homebound, unable to leave their residence. Grocery shopping via the Internet is a great solution for all of these people. With just a couple of clicks of the mouse, their groceries are ordered and delivered to their home in a timely fashion.
There are websites available now on the Internet for people to get rid of all of the junk they have accumulated in the garage and attic. As the saying goes, one mans junk is another mans treasure. So instead of being put in a conventional yard sale or flea market booth, these items are posted on an auction website. Anyone shopping for just about anything is usually able to find it on at these online auctions.
And maybe the biggest impact of all, the Internet has become a huge tool for people shopping for a new home. Anyone shopping for real estate is able to sit in front of their computer and see all the varieties of homes that are for sale in the area in which they are shopping. The person doing the shopping is able to take a virtual tour of the home to see what it looks like on the inside and out. And all of this without having a pesky real estate agent breathing down their neck!
People are using the Internet anymore for shopping for just about everything. This makes it imperative that anyone trying to sell just about anything must have an attractive and user friendly website.
First, there are neighbors to worry about. When rental properties have the police showing up on a regular basis, or the front lawns of the rental properties are covered with beer cans, its safe to say steer clear of that place. Noisy neighbors can turn out to be a constant source of stress and dissatisfaction. Your living place should be a calm haven to return to after a long day of work, not just another problem to deal with.
Another factor to consider when checking out the quality of rental properties, and perhaps one of the most important, is the landlord. Rental properties in college towns are notorious for being dishonest, greedy and often downright hostile at times. If you are considering rental properties as your living option for any amount of time, it is highly recommended that you have a lengthy conversation with your landlord. Also, it is a great idea to talk with tenants who live in any rental properties owned by the company or person you are looking to rent from. Few things are worse than realizing after you moved in that the rental properties you are paying for are run by a slumlord. If the landlord is a bad one, you can run into serious issues with plumbing, electricity and other maintenance issues never getting fixed.
The condition of rental properties can vary greatly depending on upkeep and age of the buildings. But one thing that can be a quick indicator of the quality of rental properties is location. When considering renting an apartment or condo, it is a good idea to consider where it is located in proximity to everything else in the town. Maybe the building is located right next to a coal factory or railroad tracks. Smelly factories and loud rumbling echoing through your hallway at 3 a.m. probably would not be the ideal situation. Or, the property could be a part of town that is notorious for crime activity or a host of other problems. Conversely, if your choices of rental properties are located in the heart of downtown, or in an especially affluent neighborhood, it is likely that the property will be better suited to a positive living environment.
There are several benefits to choosing to live in rental properties. One of the most tangible is mobility. Without the burden of mortgage payments and all the trappings of home ownership, you are free to come and go as you please. While this may be limited to the terms of your lease, you usually can decide to pack up and leave rental properties if things are not working out as you hoped.
Among the other benefits of rental properties is their low cost. Rental properties vary greatly in their cost. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can find a charming old studio apartment for fewer than 300 dollars in some cities. This means that not only do you have personal freedom to come and go as you please, but you also can have a certain degree of financial freedom by making rental properties your chosen living environment.
Whatever your decision turns out to be, make it an informed one and consider all of your options before agreeing to any specific property.
Self storage call center sales reps deal with so many hundreds and thousands of storage callers each month that they can give you the ins and outs regarding storage seekers. Self storage call center sales reps also take so many different types of inquiries and most know how to possibly handle each and every one of them. Some self storage call centers also have secret shopping departments. Many secret shopping companies have mastered the fine art of shopping people in the self storage industry. Secret shopping companies have learned how to critique self storage reps in the most effective way so the person shopped can increase their own skills to the best of their ability.
Other topics in these self storage blogs include vehicle storage, boat, RV and trailer storage. There are also blogs about personal storage use versus the business that needs to store all of their files. How should you store your items in your unit in order to make the most of it? Also, you will find when the best time is to rent or even reserve storage to ensure that you will have a unit available for when you need it. You will read about what climate controlled units have to offer and why it could be the right choice for you. You will also learn about all of the different types of storage products readily available at your nearest storage facility to help you with your move. There are blogs about the different sizes offered at self storage properties and which size could be the right size or type of unit choice for you.
Blogs are becoming more popular everyday and you can probably find a blog website on any certain topic to help give you a better insight about the blog topic itself. Blogs are a great way to learn about a subject and it is entirely free. While the word Blog is a relatively new term, many people know what is means and many of those people have their own blogs. It is simply people talking about their own experiences and passing on that information to help others become more aware of what is involved with that particular topic. Here, this blog website is all about self storage. So take your time and read through them as there are many to choose from. This site tries to cover many topics about the self storage industry and the self storage business. One blog 6 days a week, every week of the year should be posted on this site. Bookmark this page so that you can readily and easily get back to check out the new blogs that are posted. By the way, the blogs are posted by several different employees and guests, so you are sure to hit various different storage topics. Stay tuned for more valuable pieces of self storage information.
You are probably not going to make a million dollars becoming a mystery shopper. But you will be able to shop and help people with their customer services skills. Before becoming a mystery shopper you will need to discuss with your employer how you will be paid. Some mystery shopping companies hire their shoppers on a per shop basis. The mystery shoppers are independent contractors who are not actually employed by the mystery shopping company. After becoming a mystery shopper you will need to document your mystery shops to make sure that they match up with your paycheck. Making copies of your mystery shopping evaluations and logging in your time will help you decide if becoming a mystery shopper is profitable for you.
There are a few organizations out there that help people become mystery shoppers. Becoming a mystery shopper can be overwhelming when you first start and are trying to sort out all of the information. These organizations help organize mystery shopping companies and people that are interested in becoming a mystery shopper. They will sometimes provide classes and training seminars to help people who want to be mystery shoppers. Some companies will have websites where companies can look for mystery shoppers and mystery shoppers can look for jobs.
Becoming a mystery shopper can be great for the stay at home mom, the retiree, the college student and more. All types of mystery shoppers are needed to shop all different types of companies. Younger, older, groups, men, women and all nationalities are needed to mystery shop. Diversity is the key in mystery shopping. By being able to provide the mystery shopping clients with many different types of shoppers, it gives the client a better handle on the customer service that is offered. Becoming a mystery shopper is a great way to make some extra money while shopping, shopping, and shopping.
Being more Green is a very hot topic right now in the news and media. It seems that everyone from soda pop to soap to light bulbs to cars are getting the Green treatment. Jumping on the Green bandwagon shows that you are trying to be responsible in your treatment of the Earth. One industry that is getting on the Green train is the self storage industry. Property management companies that own self storage facilities are seeing Green. Some self storage sites that are owned by property management companies are looking over their existing sites to see where they can improve in the Green department. Here are some things that property management companies can do to help their self storage sites be a better place in this world.
These are just a few of the many things that property management companies can do for their properties. You do not have to be some long haired tree hugging type person to believe in doing what is right for the environment and the planet. Many people are seeing the impact that people have on the Earth and they want to stop it. Many property management companies have self storage sites that look barren and industrial. But what if property management companies wanted to build a self storage site that was full of greenery and laid out to be very pleasing to the eye? Some property management companies are trying to get away from the old industrial gray building style and going to the trendy, hip looking self storage site. These newer or refurbished self storage sites can easily fit on the outskirts of a neighborhood or nestled next to an elementary school. Property management companies do not have to be ugly to be functional. Functional can be hip and it can be Green.
So, in recognition of Earth Day, try to find property management companies that are doing their part to save the Earth. If we all can do a little it will turn out to be a lot. Jumping on the Green bandwagon is a way to feel good about what you are doing to save the planet we call Earth. Do your part!
Massachusetts Furniture Storage
One interesting example of these dangers is the fact that shopping is addictive. Going to the department store or mall carries with it a certain appeal. For some families, shopping is the event that brings them together on the weekend. Certainly more than one mother and daughter go shopping as a way to bond and learn more about each other. But the more a person goes shopping, the more they are drawn into the consumer mindset. This is a multifaceted and somewhat deceptively comfortable way to function in this world.
Product advertisements, to a large degree, are focused on the promotion of the ego. Through decades of research, companies have learned to not sell a product but instead sell a lifestyle. This creates a very unique mental process when someone goes shopping. As you walk through any store, whether you are shopping for a new toothbrush or a new dining set to match your sofa, you are looking for something that defines you as a person. Advertisers are privy to this, and key in on that idea to sell a product. So when you are shopping for that perfect pair of khakis, you can often become attached to a specific brand. If you can relate personally to not so much the products themselves but to the ideas they represent, you can very easily become a brand addict.
A byproduct of this is that you want to buy more and more of that brand every time you go shopping. While this may not be true for all things and for all people, the potential is certainly there. Therefore, it would be wise to become mindful of exactly what you are doing every time you go shopping. Are you buying something because you need it? Or, are you making a purchase because there is some idea or lifestyle that company is selling that you think will make you feel like a more complete person?
An interesting exercise for yourself would be to go into a store not to buy anything, but to simply witness your reaction to the products. Take a pen and paper and write down the brands you are drawn to. When you get home, try to think about each of those brands. Ask yourself, why did you choose them instead of the others? Write down the ideas those brands represent that you can relate to, and how heavily that weighed on your decision to choose them.
It is likely that if you do this exercise even once, it could change the way you view shopping for a very long time. Part of the reason that shopping is addictive is that many of us walk around with a metaphorical mirror in front of our faces. We are all so concerned with what we want, what we feel, what we need. This contributes in a significant way to the feelings of loneliness and exclusion so many people in our world are facing. While shopping can be fun and is a necessary part of our lives, filtering that experience with awareness and a little bit of attention can help to make it a valuable practice in self-improvement.
This represents a fundamental problem with how our economy is structured and how our citizens prioritize things. With so many houses being foreclosed, it is becoming more and more difficult for real estate agents to make a sale or even find interested buyers. One positive aspect of these financial hard times is that real estate prices are plummeting. This means it is a buyers market and now is an ideal time to purchase some real estate if you can afford it.
The downsides to the housing and real estate crisis our country is currently faced with are more significant than the positive aspects, however. With people spending less and less on real estate, our economy will further decline into a potential recession. Not as much money is being filtered into the economy via real estate purchases, and therefore that sector of the financial market will inevitably fall.
The stalled real estate market in general can also indicate the strength of the economy. If people are spending much less on housing and are not able to make their house payments, that can only mean the real estate market is not the only one suffering. People obviously must be spending less on other domestic and foreign products and therefore furthering our progression toward recession.
Real estate and housing troubles are two of the hot topics in the upcoming presidential election in November. As such, each candidate holds a very different view as to how the country should be addressing these domestic problems. Because the U.S. is so inextricably tied to the markets of other countries economies, the candidates must take into account the impact of any proposed measures on all countries, not simply the U.S.
From the Republican standpoint, the federal government should not be helping people who are in debt or being foreclosed upon. Their view is that if private companies and citizens got themselves into this mess, they should hold the responsibility to dig themselves out. While not all Republicans are agreeing with this strategy, there certainly is a good deal of support behind it.
The Democrats, on the other hand, feel it is the responsibility of the federal government to responsibly issue regulations and implement procedures that can help our economy. The current Democratic candidates feel that a process of smart regulation, coupled with creative economic assistance programs, is the keys to helping not only our real estate market but also our whole economy.
Recession, in the U.S. especially, has historically been tied in many ways to the policies of the president at the time. Also, when a country is embroiled in war, billions of dollars are being filtered through to the military branches rather than our countrys citizens. It is of course extremely important to preserve national security, but to continue a war that has little support and use money that could help out the country for it seems like a bad economic choice at its most basic level.
There are many causes of our near recession and the lag in the real estate sector of our economy right now. It is likely, however, that with a change in national politics and fiscal policy, our country will soon be on the upswing of things once again.
Massachusetts Motorcycle Storage
You should return to gather any salvageable property just as soon as you can. Placed in a self storage unit they will be safe from vandals or anyone scavenging the area for valuables. You will only want to place furniture, and non-essential items like out of season clothes, photo albums and household goods in your self storage unit. You should keep all jewelry, birth certificates and other ID with you or place them in a safe deposit box.
You should check with the manager or owner of your self storage unit to verify that you will be allowed to move your damaged belongings in. Some owners of self storage units will not allow smoke or water damaged property into their self storage units due to the smell, the possible development of mold, and the perception of added liability. You might need to sign a waiver acknowledging that your belongings were damaged prior to moving them into your self storage unit. Make sure to choose a self storage unit that will allow you to clean or repair your property on the premises. Just because your belongings are damaged does not mean you should not take time to store them properly. Dry out soft goods, couches, chairs etc as thoroughly as possible to prevent them from developing mold. Wrap large broken items in bubble wrap or wrap them in blankets, anything that will provide a cushion and prevent further damage. Wrap small delicate or broken items in bubble wrap before placing them in small storage containers. Try not to stack items on top of each other as this can cause further damage.
You do not need to throw out your broken possessions. Find as many of the pieces as you can and move them into your self storage unit. Wait a couple of weeks or months before you evaluate all of the pieces you have collected. Pick a day that you have some time, spread out all of the pieces in your self storage unit and then make a list of what you have. You might be able to make something new out of what was broken. Pieces of china and glass can be turned into a mosaic top for a new table. Damaged photos can be restored and reframed. Pieces of wood from dressers and tables can be repurposed into something new. You might have to be creative, but keeping as many of your possessions as you can, will help you and your family settle into your new home faster.
Making the most of your self storage unit means you will have to check on your belongings several times a week. You will need to watch for mold on upholstered furniture, heavy items that are starting to lean onto more fragile items and anything that has fallen over.
Taking steps now to ensure your homeowners policy covers the rental of a self storage unit will save you time, money and possibly your memories if a disaster should strike your home.
Now, let us get back to the storage business and secret shopping aspect of it all. After all of the product information is learned, you now have to relay it in such a fashion that is pleasing to the ear and flows smoothly to your customer and keeps them interested long enough for you to give that information to them. The best way to do so is through rigorous practice of your presentation. Secret shopping can help you with your sales script and presentation. Write down what you want to say and information that you want to give regarding the storage business at your property. Keep practicing it and go over your secret shopping evaluations. It is one thing to practice your secret shopping evaluation like you would for a test by studying the materials. But the best way to study the presentation for the storage business you represent is to role play with another person. Try to role play with many people to get the hang of it. You should role play with many different people and role play several times on numerous variations of the way a call could go. Storage business has several types of callers believe it or not. And secret shopping can help you become that sales person that can handle most any situation. You have your storage business seekers that need storage for personal or business reasons. You have irate callers and billing question callers. You have the shoppers and the competitive shoppers. If you only practice one type of call such as, the never rented before caller, then you are fooling yourself. You may be able to wing it if you have not studied your secret shopping evaluation but it is always best to be prepared in order to handle the entire call properly for any type of storage business call you receive. Pick out a few things on your secret shopping evaluation that you would like to role play on, just make it fun. It does not have to be dreadful and boring in order to role play. Make up silly names and silly situations of a rental call. Maybe something like, you want to store your co-workers for the summer. The person playing the storage business professional could ask something like, and how many co-workers do you plan on storing? That would come in handy when trying to figure out a size that would accommodate the number of employees being stored. So turn up the creative juices in your training classes. Make it fun. Keep your employees interested and not falling asleep. Learning is so much easier when it has the fun factor included in it.
Now that you have found self storage and property management facilities, what criteria should you use to select the best self storage facility for you? The most important thing is, location, location, location. You should choose a self storage facility on a busy street with the majority of units visible from the street. Why? Self storage and property management facilities can be a prime target for thieves. If you choose a self storage facility visible from a busy street thieves are more likely to by pass it for more secluded self storage and property management facilities.
You should also look for self storage and property management facilities that have a gated front entrance where a key code or an attendant grants access to the units. The self storage and property management facilities should also be enclosed by a fenced topped with barbed wire or some other type of deterrent to climbing. If you find a self storage facility with an attendant you should determine the hours an attendant works, most facilities do not have 24 hrs attendants and you will only have access during the time an attendant is on duty. Self storage and property management facilities that do not utilize attendants should still have something in place to deter casual visitors. If a key card is used to gain entrance ask if the coding is unique or if the code is a generic code that can be opened by non-official key cards.
You will also want your self storage facility to have several security cameras placed in strategic locations throughout the units. It might seem trivial to want a self storage facility with cameras, but you must remember you are paying this facility to store your belongings. If someone should break into your unit a strategically placed camera might make the difference between recovering your possessions and losing everything. You should also make sure the self storage facility you choose either has security guards who patrol several times during the day and night or an alarm system that is monitored 24 hrs. You should also look for dawn to dusk lighting that illuminates the area around the units.
Now that you have evaluated the security or lack of security at the self storage and property management facilities it is time to move onto amenities. You should look for well spaced units with wide doors, usually the garage door type, which can be secured with your lock. You want a self storage facility that offers fire suppression systems in each unit with fire proof or at least fire resistant walls between units. Depending on what you are storing, you may want a unit that is climate controlled and offers a humidifier or dehumidifier depending on the season.
You should look for self storage and property management facilities that offer well lighted units, preferable track lighting indoors and dawn to dusk lighting outside. The self storage facility you choose should have well maintained grounds, lots of trash barrels and no litter on the ground.
Choosing a self storage facility can be just as hard as choosing a place to live. By having a list of your requirement in hand, the decision can be an easy one.
More companies out there are searching for folks who are interested in shopping their competitors for various stores. Shopping whether it is an on site shop where they purchase an item and evaluate the employee or if it is a shop done over the telephone and the evaluation takes place at the same time or a later time after the call recording has been reviewed. Women do hold the title of being the shopping experts and probably always will. Unlike men, women do like to stretch their dollar when it comes to a good bargain or a coupon they have come across in the paper that can save them few pennies. Why not save a little if you can right? The difference with men is that they will not use coupons at all. It would not be the manly thing to do and the time spent cutting coupons is worth more than the coupon can save men.
Little did you know the shopping industry would love for more men to get out there and do a little shopping. Although women may purchase more, they tend to purchase the items on sale as with men they tend to purchase what they want to purchase without thinking about the price. It is the manly thing to do. Secret shopping companies who have men shopping their clients tend to do very well. Why you might add? So many women who have been the title holders of the shopping industry are being noticed and questioned when shopping someone. So, more men in the industry would even it out. They would be able to gain more information from the competitors that they shop and the employees that they come into contact with at store locations.
So if you are a man who is not afraid to shop around you may want to contact your local call center and see if they have any positions available for secret shoppers. There are also many jobs that advertise for a secret shopper in the local newspaper. Besides it being fun and interesting you could earn a little extra money on your off time and possibly gain some great incentives. Companies that offer secret shopping services usually pay their shoppers an hourly wage and they typically allocate a certain dollar amount for specific stores in which you get to keep what ever it was that you purchased at that specific location. Check them out.
You can look in the phonebook and see all types of rental items. There is furniture for rent, rooms for rent, party favors and accessories for rent. You can also rent wedding gowns and tuxedos. Let us not forget about inflatable fun house romper rooms that you can rent for your childs birthday party where they take their shoes off and jump into a large area filled with plastics balls. Many churches also rent those for their summer school church invites.
If you go to the roller skating rink in your town, you can rent roller skates and more popular the roller blades. Although many times they are really old and worn out, you at least could still go skating if the desire came up, without having to go out and purchase your own. For little ones, it is handy because they grow out of them so fast it could burn a hole in your pocket to purchase them every year or every 6 months. You know how kids grow, quicker than you can blink an eye.
You can find your local art store that offers space you can rent to complete your projects at. You can rent time shares for great vacation deals. You can rent musical instruments. This is handy because the cost of purchasing a musical instrument could be very costly especial if you are not sure that you will stick with it or not.
You can go to your local auto supply store and find that they will usually rent out tools for a small fee. Then there is the company that has large machinery for rent. Like jack hammers or tillers. Let us not forget about the movie rentals. It is a favorite past time for many movie goers. Why pay nearly ten dollars for one movie and have to buy the popcorn and other sweets at those expensive movie theatre prices. Rent your movies for four dollars a pop and buy your goodies at your local grocery store. It is amazing on how much you can save and more movies you can watch.
The strangest thing that was found on the internet is the wombs for rent in India. Wannabe parents from all over whether it is the United States, Taiwan or Britain are interested persons that would like to have children, who cannot. Now, they can go to India and rent a womb of a surrogate mother in order to have their own child. Now if that is not the craziest thing, what is? Can you imagine a woman walking around with a for rent sign with an arrow pointing to her belly?