Moving… but I’m not sure what kind of storage solution I need.”
This is among the most common comments storage professionals hear from prospective clients. With plenty of options available, customers don’t always know what solution will best fit their needs. Often, they will seek your expertise and guidance in helping them find a solution that will make their move a little bit easier.
For this reason, you need to put on the hats of a good detective, a skilled logistician, and a teacher who can help determine the client’s needs and educate them on the solutions you have available. This starts by asking the right questions, which include:
For longer or indefinite periods of time, self storage is a better option that is often more affordable. It also provides an easy-to-access storage solution that allows clients to sort through their possessions when it is most convenient for them. This is difficult to implement with portable storage, so you will want to make sure that clients understand this when they make their choice.
The greater the distance, the more difficult self storage will be for your clients because it can mean multiple trips back to the storage facility to pick up all their possessions. Conversely, portable storage can be picked up, transported, and delivered anywhere in the country. This makes it ideal for long-distance moves where multiple trips to the storage facility simply aren’t feasible.
Clients who are planning to move down the road are better served by self storage. This allows them to declutter their home or apartment in preparation for sale or leasing to a new tenant. However, those who are moving in the immediate future are better served by portable storage, as it allows them to simply pack up and hit the road.
This is important, as not all customers will have this ability because of space restrictions or neighborhood covenants. Portable storage is ideal for those who can fill the portable unit up and have it removed from the property immediately or for those customers who have a yard where they can gradually fill up the portable unit as they go through the stages of moving. This can help reduce the stress that can come with moving, and it gives them a solution that allows them to pre-sort their possessions while determining what to take, what to donate, and what to sell.
The better you are at determining your clients’ needs, the easier it will be for you to direct them to the most effective storage solution. The key is to ask these important questions, then answer any subsequent questions that may arise. When you do your “investigation” properly, you will not only educate your clients as to the storage options that are available, but also help direct them to the storage solution that fits their moving needs like a glove.
All of this leads to increased customer satisfaction, which has a long-term, positive impact on your business reputation. As word spreads that you know how to fulfill your client’s needs, your reputation will grow and you will become the go-to leader in your community’s self storage and portable storage industry.
Original Source: Horizontal Lift Co.
