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Some owners would say that they have a turnstile set up in some of their facilities to count the number of property managers coming in and out of the facility. That is to say that sometimes owners have a hard time trying to keep managers employed to run their facilities. Property managers will get hired and then for many different reasons, those managers will quit or get fired for whatever reason. Why does it seem to be a shortage of good self storage property managers?

It is not a shortage of good property managers in one view than in the other view there is. Some owners would say that not a lot of people want to be property owners at a self storage facility where other people say that many would line up at the opportunity. Some would say that managers are gone through due to lack of training, poor job description, or expectations to high. Of course it would definitely depend on who you speak with on why they decided to leave the company they were with. Who’s to say that it wasn’t a conglomerate of different reasons.

Some property managers have it good to where they can live on site, not have to drive to work, have a supporting cast and do very little to maintain their position where others might have to do everything their selves. These managers need to have adequate training in order to do their job so that they know what is expected of them. No one can complain about the manager if their job description is different than what they are actually supposed to do. That would also make the manager uncomfortable. Owners need to be upfront with all the people they are looking at to hire about what the job entails. They will be better in the long run if this is explained.

No matter if you do an extensive hiring process or just draw names out of hat, you could end up with the same result. There have been many owners bamboozled by potential property managers because they talked a good talk. There will be a time in which talk won’t mean anything and the person you hired has to show what they can do. If they just said some phony things to get the job their true colors will show soon. That is not always the fault of the owner, because they had no clue the person would be making up things.

Every now and then you find that manager that just knocks everything out of the park. They are professional, maintain a great facility and they are an asset to the company. You wish you could clone them but you struggle to find someone like them. What made them so great? Then you have to go out and find someone just like them. Sometimes those people could already have a job. Many owners need to broaden their horizon and see what all is out there in terms of property managers. Not everyone will fit the mold of a manager, but you can be surprised where you find the one that turns one of your facilities around.

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Should a manager ask what a customer is storing? This has been an idea that has been tossed around many times. There are managers that will not ask because they have come across customers that have been mean in their response back to them. There have also been times in which the customer was pleased that the manager asked so they could find the right space for them. Some customers feel that what they are storing is their business, not the managers. This is some crazy thinking.

It is true, that what you are storing is your business. Another truth is that a self storage manager has to manage the property and ensure nothing is stored that can be harmful to others. Would you rather a property manger give you a list of things you can not store and then ask you if anything you are storing is on this list? Of course not, some people might take offense to that. It is not uncommon for a manager not to be able to please everyone that comes through their door. If they thought they could do that, they would drive their selves crazy. It is hard for you to be able to make everyone happy that you meet. In fact it is impossible. For this reason, rules are in place.

Facility mangers have to find out what size the customer needs. Of course if a customer just says something like I am just storing household goods does not help the manager find the correct space for the customer. The customer can be as stingy with information as they want, but they will end up paying for a space they were not wanting to pay for. The manager could get them into a space that is a great price for what they need instead of a large space that will be more than what they need. Sometimes keeping things to yourself because you do not want anyone else in your business can cost you money.

Property managers are not asking what you are storing to be annoying, nosy or even to covet your things. The manager actually has your best interest in mind so that is why they are asking what you are storing. Do you part and just answer the question. You do not have to go over the complete list of what you are storing, but you can give them an idea. Typically you can go over the largest pieces you are storing and leave the smaller things off the question answer inquiry. The manager always knows that you will most likely store some smaller things along with the bigger items.

Sometimes a customer will be moving across country, city, or state and they are moving everything. Going into a self storage facility and telling them that you are storing a three bedroom house with appliances is all you need to say. Then the manager can tell you exactly what you will need in terms of a self storage space. They have been in the business for a long time. They are there to make sure that you do not pay more for a space you do not need. Believe it or not, the managers do not get paid by knowing what you are storing. They get paid off the satisfaction of their customers.

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Just like most things in life, there are rules. There are rules when you go to school, rules in life, and also there are rules when it comes to using self storage. Many things make sense in terms of why there is a rule for it now. Still unfortunately people still get upset when those rules are enforced. This is also true for the rules of life and how you treat people.

Never is it a good idea to be rude to people when you are trying to get something you want even in the storage industry. Sometimes customers come in to the self storage facility and attempt to bully the manager into doing something they are not allowed to do. Then customers try to hassle the managers to give in or they threaten to go to another facility. Of course the manager wants to mean back in some cases, but it is good for them to hold their ground. Most of the self storage property managers will have to get approval from their regional manager or owner.

In most cases, it is not allowed or wise to store anything food related. You cannot store fish in a storage unit. You will hear many crazy stories from property managers telling you people tried to store things they were not allowed to store. Customers will try to store the weirdest things. The property manager will tell you that you are not able to store some things. Unfortunately some people try to go behind their backs and do it anyway. The truth will come out eventually, rules were broken and the tenant will be asked to leave.

If you are managing an estate, you should be able to find an affordable storage space if you run out of room. Self storage property managers will be available if you need help. Just give them a call and you will be surprised at their wealth of knowledge.

Before you do something silly, just make sure you talk to the property manager. It would be silly to be thrown out of the facility for doing something you knew was against the rules. Make sure that you are fully aware of the rules so you can ensure your stay at your local self storage facility is a pleasant one.

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