We are in the fifth episode of a series, discussing the current challenges our company is focused on to keep our self storage facilities going strong over the next year or so.
If you want to, you can review Episodes 263,264, 265 & 266 here.
As a review, I laid out five things we’ll go over.
- Effective & cost-efficient online marketing.
- Effective & cost-efficient automation.
- Effective & cost-efficient revenue management strategies.
- Enhanced customer experience.
- Effective & cost-efficient operating expense management.
Let’s discuss number four.
In today’s world, your customer has a lot of options. In most markets and submarkets, that is just a fact.
Also, your customer is smarter and more demanding than ever before. To be relevant, you have to cater to a wide variety of customer expatiations from hand holding all the way through a transaction to a customer who wants to be just left alone.
Think about a McDonalds today. Some walk inside and go straight to a kiosk and order; some walk to the counter.
Here is my coaching, think less like a self storage owner and more like a self storage customer.
Why? Because if you don’t, someone else will.
Today, the new buzz word, especially in online marketing, is “Customer Journey,” and I really relate to it.
The Customer Journey involves looking at and creating every touchpoint your potential and future customers have with your company.
When someone sees your facility in their google search, or drives by your facility, or hits your website, that starts a journey. If you are on top of that journey, they can rent a unit from you.
But that is just the start. Remember, self storage is like a subscription model business. You are getting paid each month.
That is part of the Customer Journey, too.
Your customers have to enter your facility every time they go to their unit. That is part of the Customer Journey as well. What is it like today during a pandemic?
At any point, there could be a breakdown, and when that happens, odds are you will lose them as a customer.
Or get a bad review.
You can have the best facility there is, but if you are not responsible for your prospect or customer’s experience, you will be out of business.
The Customer Journey
How do you be responsible for your customer’s journey?
Go through it yourself, from start to finish, and make adjustments.
“But we get customers from many different avenues. You mean I have to go through all of them?”
Yes.
And don’t stop there. What is the experience as they come in and rent from you? What is their experience as they go to their unit for the first time?
Open the door for the first time alone?
Come back the second time. The third time?
Pay their bill.
“You mean I have to try to figure all this out?”
Yes.
“How?”
There are a few ways. Some people advocate “Customer Journey Mapping,” which is a fancy way of looking at all the “touchpoints” a prospect and/or customer has with your brand, then make sure each experience is positive and moves them forward.
As self storage owners and business owners, we actually have to be responsible for the experience someone has with every touchpoint. Especially today where some people are trying to live like nothing is going on, and others are scared if a manager gets too close to them/
Again, if you are not responsible, someone else, maybe our company will.
Customer Touch Points
Identify your customers’ touchpoints:
- Before becoming a customer.
- Online on google, Facebook, and your website.
- During the process of deciding on your facility.
- During the renting phase.
- While becoming a customer.
- After being a customer and using your product.
- When they no longer need your product.
- When they complete being a customer.
“Where would I start?”
I suggest starting with where you get your new customers.
You do track where your customers come from, don’t you?
At one of our facilities last quarter, we have over 30% come from past customers and referrals. This is good because it tells us that the customer experience was so good they come back and refer us to their friends (it also helps that we pay a $25 cash referral fee).
The average value of a customer there is $4,190. I know you have heard it is cheaper to keep a customer (or get a referral from a customer) than get a new one. Well, the herd is being in black and white. At most, we have paid $25 for those new customers.
So, start here. What is the customer’s experience when they contact the facility on a referral?
How is the phone call handled?
How is the referral fee paid? For us, within one hour after a lease is signed, even if we have to shut the facility down, that referral fee is in the hands of the person who sent the referral.
We also get 20% to 40% from the internet. Now I know that the internet is a big place—websites, ads, Google, etc. But go through every portal to your facility and experience what a customer does. Would you rent from yourself or your company?
Adjust the landing pages, images, whatever it takes to create an experience your customers would want.
Not sure what they would want? Here is a novel idea. Ask them.
It is OK to ask questions as people rent from you or to send short surveys. Most of what we know didn’t come from us; it comes from our customers.
Also, how many clicks is it to rent from you online today? Is it harder to rent a hotel room or buy an airline ticket than it is to remotely rent a storage unit from you?
Then what is the experience like as they rent from you? Are they appreciated? Do they get a handwritten card mailed to them thanking them (as well as checking the address on the lease)?
If you are using a KIOSK, is it easy to use and figure out? Is there live help?
Go through every touchpoint.
I really understand that being good today isn’t enough. We have to be Excellent-Plus. Most companies are good, and being good just doesn’t stand out anymore.
Today it is critical to know what the customer experience is and always be working on improving it.
Remember, if you are not, other storage companies will.
