World Expo

Resuscitating an older self-storage facility can be challenging and rewarding, but ours is not a cookie-cutter business. Every facility has unique features and peculiarities. In this seminar, our presenter will share a case study that demonstrates how proper management, foresight, hard work and a commitment to success breathed new life into an asset that had been left to perish. She’ll teach you how to tap into your facility’s potential and revamp it to be competitive and profitable. Learn how your more mature storage site can keep up with newer upscale properties that are being built in your marketplace.

Want to know how to improve the bottom line of any self-storage facility in a time when most are experiencing a decrease in occupancy? Then you don’t want to miss this seminar! Our presenters will discuss how to examine your rental rates and competition to determine if you are getting the most income from your property. They’ll look at different ways to staff a facility for maximum success, and the best way to manage the facility fiscally. Finally, they’ll talk about which operational expenses can be reduced, how to implement this reduction, and how it will affect the facility’s bottom line and value.

We all know the Internet is critical to business today. In addition to having a company or facility website, you can use the Internet to help you rent space, collect payments, provide tenant-account information, access data, view surveillance footage and much more. In this seminar, you’ll learn how to take advantage of the Internet to not only reach prospects but to ease them through the rental process. Hear about ways to use online tools to adjust rental rates, monitor facility performance, manage your database and more.

In a tight economy, the management of expenses is more important than ever―in self-storage and every other business. During this seminar, attendees will learn how to set up a budget for their self-storage property, distinguish between fixed and variable costs, and minimize operating costs without sacrificing service or quality. You’ll discover how to create an ongoing strategy to improve your facility’s overall cash flow and increase its value. This is a must-attend session for the new self-storage owner/operator or anyone who plans to become one.

Self-storage owners agree that the site manager is critical to a facility's profitability. It follows then that the more motivated the manager is, the more profitable a site can be! In this session, you’ll learn what makes most managers tick, how owners sometimes unknowingly deflate staff motivation, what it takes to re-energize a mediocre manager, and how to inspire a good manager to greatness. You’ll also discover performance incentives that offer the best opportunity for continued motivation, and how to recognize motivation potential in job applicants. Presented by an industry professional who has “risen through the ranks” from manager to entrepreneur, this session will be of interest to managers, owners and developers.

The media just called―they’re on their way to your self-storage facility! Don’t let your 15 minutes of fame be the result of a “bad” incident that might have been prevented through tenant screening and proactive crime-prevention measures. This exciting seminar will provide you with the information you need to avoid bad publicity and deal with it when it does occur. You’ll learn the right questions to ask tenants during move-in and how to decide when to decline the rental. You’ll learn about ways to work with local law enforcement and get free patrols of your property. Finally, you’ll get tips for handling the media and turning any situation into public relations that works for and not against you.

In choosing a third-party management company to operate your facility, you need to ask some important questions. Should you use a large, national company or a local one? Can you negotiate the management contract and what should it include? What questions should you ask during the screening process? During this session, our expert panel will explain the differences between management-company styles and services and provide criteria for evaluating your candidates. You’ll learn how to determine if a company can adequately manage your facility’s revenue, marketing, technology, staff and more. Bring your questions!

Though they may seem mysterious, there is a process and a science behind operational facility audits. If you’re a self-storage owner, learn about the value of this critical review and techniques you can use to conduct audits of your own. During this seminar, you’ll get insight that can help you transform a “so-so” operation into a truly professional business. Our presenter will walk you through the various phases of the audit. He’ll discuss the common mistakes uncovered and the cost of non-conformance, what to look for relative to cash management, what to track relative to discounts and fees, and the importance of inventory management and daily walk-throughs. He’ll also reveal what's missing in most tenant files, tips for merchandise tracking, insight to how employees steal, and danger signs to watch for.

If you’re a facility manager, the best thing you can do for the business and your own career is to take on more responsibility and be involved in facility decision-making. But are you prepared to take on a greater role in the operation, and how do you begin? Before asking your owner for greater accountability, know the pitfalls to avoid and how to steer clear of conflicts. During this seminar, you’ll learn how to maximize the potential of a property by knowing the numbers, how to analyze them and how to make decisions accordingly. You’ll learn how to set goals and expectations with your owner and keep an open line of communication. Finally, you’ll discover how to determine your personal limitations and comfort level as a manager and when to ask for help from ownership.

Site maintenance is a task that can easily be taken for granted by self-storage operators. We tend to become “blind” to things we see every day. But in today’s competitive market, a site’s appearance and implied care can make the difference between winning a rental or losing a customer to another facility. In this seminar, you’ll learn about the critical maintenance items of which you need to be aware including cleanliness, lighting, landscaping, signage, door maintenance, and more. Our presenters will provide detailed checklists that can be used to inspect a property and ensure it’s in the best possible shape to earn more rentals!