Self Storage- Reset Unit

[Henry Clark]

We just auctioned one unit off.  They cleared out in an hour.  Since we do Remote management and self-service, we have to "Reset" the unit.

1.  Sweep out.

2.  Put mouse bait in corners.  We use the red chunk baits.  The green ones don't work as well.

3.  Put both a Contract and a free lock inside (all of our locks look the same, circular locks.  Thieves don't prefer these since you have to use a Cutoff saw and make a lot of sparks and noise, easier for us to view and see if anything is wrong.  Locks cost $5.70, we re-use if we get both sets of keys back).

4.  Then we put an orange zip tie on the latch, to tell customers which units are available.

5.  Number next to latch "10/15/20" answers the question of size.

6.  On the upper right corner of the contract is the rental rate.  In case they forgot from our 2 minutes of instructions.

7.  Then they either drop the contract in the contract drop box at the Unmanned Office, or they use the enclosed addressed envelope and mail.

8.  On the contract we note, if we don't get a contract, we lock them out in one day at an office with a drop box, 7 days if a mailed location and at 30 days we dispose of their contents as abandoned if no contract received.

WE control our time.

The customer controls when they can get a unit.

Otherwise, we would have to schedule day and time to meet and one of us wouldn't show or would be late.  Since all of our locations lock up at 9PM.  By being able to service customers 7 days a week up to 9 pm, we pick up customers who have not planned their moves.  This improves our competitiveness.

[Ronald Rohde]

Great process, I'm glad it works! We're automating our truck parking, but people continually break things or cheat to try and get a few free days of parking