Restoring Your Self-Storage Facility to its Former Glory

We once managed a facility that had been previously owned by a national self-storage company. Built in 1977, the property was beginning to show its age. The office was originally a home that pre-dated the self-storage development. The previous owner had abandoned the office in the old home, replacing it with a modern office complete with storefront windows, visible security monitors, attractive retail displays and a customer counter. They also replaced the rusty chain-link gate with a secure gate and updated the customer parking lot.

In this renovation, two single-story buildings were surrounded with new insulated walls and roof to create a climate-controlled building.

Potential customers entering the new office likely perceived it to be part of a new facility like many of the competitors in the market, rather than the older, first-generation facility it was. Most important, they made their decision to rent without reflecting on the overall state of the facility’s appearance. The hotel industry has long understood this concept, which is why so much attention is paid to the lobby. Even though it is often said you can’t judge a book by its cover, we often do.

Security Upgrades

Consider upgrading old black-and-white monitors to color, flat-screen models. The cost of these flat-panel screens have come down considerably. When installing monitors, make sure they are visible to the customer entering the facility. Undertake any necessary changes to the counter to enable your manager to see and be seen by customers, and to ensure a clear line of sight from the counter to the gate.