In the Spotlight

When I wasfour, the nursery school I attended put on a production of Jack and the Beanstalkin which I played the part of Jack's mother. At that age, I hadn't yet learned the conceptof stage fright. Any attention was glorious, and I think I was pretty brilliant for asmall-fry widow whose son sells off her last cow for some magic beans. But later, in sixthgrade, mandatory auditions were held for my elementary school's "senior"production, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Three lines into Aunt Polly's openingsoliloquy, I first froze, then ran off stage in terror. Thereafter, I retired mygreasepaint and opted for a behind-the-scenes role. The spotlight just isn't for everyone.

For others, however, it is just the place to be. Back in August, ISS identified116 of this industry's most successful players. In this month's issue, we've highlightedthe top 10 of those companies so that operators new and established can read about thehistory, philosophies and sure-to-win business strategies of hard-hitters such as PublicStorage, Shurgard and Morningstar Mini Storage.

You'll find as you read through their profiles, several elements contribute to thesuccess of these companies. One of those elements, of course, is customer service,including the provision of amenities, such as ancillary products, truck rentals andcustomer-storage insurance (CSI). According to Alice Cravens, CSI is one of the mostvaluable services a manager can offer tenants. Read about the basics of tenant-insuranceprograms and how to make them work for your facility. For further information, you canrefer to the one-on-one interview with Bob Bader, where he addresses some popularmisconceptions about insurance programs as well as pay-with-rent options.

Tipping the spotlight in our direction for just a moment, you'll notice this month thatInside Self-Storage has taken on a new logo and a new look. We're excited about ourmore contemporary image. Let us know what you think.

One final note: On page 83 you'll find a form calling for nominations for the annualISS Magazine Awards, which will be presented at the Inside Self-Storage Expo in Las Vegasin February. Please take this opportunity to recognize people and facilities doingextraordinary things in this industry. Give those who deserve that moment in the spotlighttheir due.

Wishing you success,

Teri L. Lanza
Editor
[email protected]