Scaring Away Tenants

In case you missed it, the April 6th edition of Studio City edition of Patch.com had an interesting industry-related article. Patrick Hasson, an award-winning film director, started filming an independent horror film based on the contents and happenings at a self-storage facility.

The film, entitled “Blood Shed,” plays on people’s fear of the unknown, including dark and confined spaces.  “What Jaws did for people going into the water, “Blood Shed” will do for anyone having to visit that long-lost storage unit,” said Hasson.

The story is based on the director’s own experiences of living in his self-storage unit, years ago.   In the article, he talks about encounters with drug addicts, the homeless, and families living alongside him in the units.

Funding for the film is not financed through movie studios, but rather through “crowd surfing.”  The concept is similar to nonprofit; individuals and corporations donate various amounts to the movie project.  In exchange for their donation, donors will receive an acknowledgement in the closing credits, movie props, or private screenings of the film.

Storage Insurance Question Of The Month

The number of reality TV shows based on self-storage facilities auctions continues to increase in both number and popularity.  Is your facility seeing an increase in bidders at auctions?  Is the average amount per bid more than it has been in the past?  Are the auctions becoming a money maker or a hassle for your facility?

Moving and Reality TV

The moving industry has finally made its debut on the reality TV circuit.  It was only a matter of time before we saw a show about the trials and tribulations of working at a moving company.  Death Wish Movers made its prime-time debut on March 16th on the Travel Channel. 

The show features Greg Keane and his crew as they “accomplish moves no other mover can” in Boston.   In a city with narrow streets, row houses, unpredictable weather, and plenty of historical architecture, the team is up for any type of challenge.

In the season opener, we see a piano suspended from a crane over a Boston street, as the movers and the clients hold their breath.  It should be interesting to see how the moving industry is portrayed in the upcoming episodes.  Check out clips from the show and upcoming episodes here.

In case you missed it, Rick McClure, the president and CEO of United Van Lines, was featured on the CBS show Undercover Boss.  The program features a CEO as he goes undercover in his own company to meet the people and participate in the daily activities that make the company tick.

McClure’s  first job is a household move.  He is given the task of both wrapping and moving furniture items, a job he struggles with a bit.  The second job involves the logistics side of the business: stacking and moving boxes. 

We also see him working with the highest rated packing team.  The show finishes with revealing McClure’s true identity and meeting his four “co-workers,” the majority of whom are rewarded with additional training for advancement, education funds for their children, travel, and other monetary gifts. 

To see the show in its entirety click here.

The Relocation Insurance Boss?

With so much interest in reality TV these days, I have been expecting my phone to start ringing with offers for me to star in a show based on the operations of a relocation insurance agency. As much as I get excited about this business, the producers probably don’t agree that paperwork and customer service make for an exciting program.

As the weather gets warmer and we turn another calendar page, I am looking forward to another busy summer season.  Unlike some seasonal businesses,our industry does not have the option to close during the slower months.  As a small business owner, I must manage our cash flow to sustain the company during the slower months.  It is a science to manage a business with large peaks and valleys; employees have to learn to be creative, as well as resourceful.

I just read an article from Entrepreneur’s online site about the different tactics other seasonal business owners use to not only sustain themselves during the slow times, but to prepare for when business is in full swing.

It was interesting to read how small businesses in different industries are able to manage their cash flows and get creative in order to bring in revenue during the off-peak seasons.  A pool club is selling memberships in October for the next season to increase revenue and help plan their staffing needs.  Other businesses have found complementary services or merchandise to offset seasonal losses.

 This month and next are critical for decision-making staffing and operations.  We use the slower months of February and March to determine how many people will be needed, to make sure we provide a superior level of customer service to our affiliates and customers.  In which areas do we need to place extra employees?  What channels can we use to find new talent? 

In terms of operations, we must make sure we have the correct policies, procedures, and plans in place.   Last year, we worked as a team to develop our company vision and strategy.  It is imperative that our plans stay on track with where we want to be as company. 

It is time for me to get back to preparations, as it is already the end of March and the summer sun will be shining down before we know it.

What preparations do you make to get ready for the busy season?  How far in advance do you start preparing?  What trends have you seen this year?  Tell us about it.

Find Self-Storage Auctions

Tennessee Self Storage Association Partners with findselfstorageauctions.com as the Official Listing Source for Self Storage Auctions in the State of Tennessee

The Tennessee Self Storage Association (TNSSA / www.tnssa.net) is proud to be the first state to partner with Find Self Storage Auctions; bringing Tennessee one step closer to aggregating their state’s auction listings into a single, official database. Find Self Storage Auctions (http://www.findselfstorageauctions.com) is a Self Storage Auction Listing Directory showcasing up-coming Self Storage Auctions in All 50 States; Visitors can find Storage Lien Auctions in any city across the country.

Find Self Storage Auctions is a next-generation, dynamic, online Self Storage Auction listing directory developed by Self Storage industry insiders. Used as a tool by self-storage associations, it becomes a tangible benefit to their membership and a service to the public. By creating the official source of storage auctions in the state, free to the public to search, it helps to guarantee the accuracy and integrity of the listed information. By using this listing directory as the primary source, the amount of time it takes the public to find a storage auction is significantly reduced, as well as the need to search multiple websites or advertising mediums to find listings.

Dee Sharp (William Knight Insurance Agency), the Tennessee Self Storage Association 2010 and 2011 Board President, commented:

“Our Board immediately saw the value of this partnership and the benefits it would bring to our members. Find Self Storage Auctions provides our owners an additional, and very affordable, venue to advertise their lien sales. This partnership will allow the association to be the ‘official’ source of auction listings in Tennessee. It is important that the public know where to get trusted information.”

The process of taking a self-storage unit to auction requires a tremendous amount of time and financial resources, and almost never results in the recovery of the facility’s investment in either. The auction process is cumbersome enough without advertising limitations. In an information-driven world, the key to the Self Storage Auction process is in helping the public find accurate listings.

Lien law modernization is sweeping through state associations, subsidized in part by the national Self Storage Association via a legislative matching funds initiative. With lien law changes comes an opportunity to modernize the entire listing process, and expand upon the boundless value the internet provides. By using Find Self Storage Auction's search engine friendly dynamic database, facilities can maximize online exposure, and update auction listings as they see fit. Furthermore, there isn’t a time limit imposed on a listing. Operators are free to list as far in advance as they see fit; the longer the better from an internet search perspective.

Due in part to the popularity of the recent storage auction reality shows, it is critical that accurate information be available to the searching public. Find Self Storage Auctions assists members in reaching auction attendees by making State, City, Facility, # of Units, Contents of Units, and even Auctioneer, searchable.

Tennessee's Association President, Dee Sharp, further commented,

“While any Tennessee self-storage facility may list an auction on the site, association members will receive a substantial discount in the listing price. The Board of Directors views its partnership with Find Self Storage Auctions as an additional member benefit. We anticipate the TNSSA conversion to be complete no later than March 4th, 2011.”

FindSelfStorageAuctions.com was created in 2009 by Richard Marmor, member of the board of directors of the Arizona Self Storage Association and noted self-storage lien law author, and James Appleton, Technology & Communications Chair of the Arizona Association, and technical expert in website design/development and search engine optimization (SEO).