Marchex Releases Self-Storage Customer Data in Industry Trends Report

Marchex, a mobile-advertising technology company, has released self-storage customer data after analyzing 20,000 phone calls between facility operators and consumers. The findings are part of a new report series called “Industry Trends,” which will spotlight data in a particular business vertical each quarter.

According to the data, approximately 70 percent of callers who inquire about video surveillance, climate control or privacy end up confirming or reserving a unit or booking an appointment. “In our analysis, it was clear that storage facilities aren’t just a place to stash and forget about your spare belongings,” said John Busby, senior vice president of the Marchex Institute, the company’s research and insights arm. “People really value safety, protection and privacy when choosing where to store their stuff.”

Analysts said there are regional patterns in consumer interest for privacy and climate-control features. For example, consumers in Washington, D.C., were most likely to ask about privacy, followed by customers in Minnesota, Missouri, Indiana and South Carolina. The top inquiries regarding climate-controlled units were from Nevada followed by Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama.

Tenant prospects are also morning people, with the data showing that 68 percent of callers preferring to discuss appointments in the early hours. By the afternoon and evening, consumers are less inclined to take the next step in the buying process, with just 32 percent of calls asking about appointments, according to the Marchex report.

The company said self-storage operators who fail to answer the phone are costing themselves business. “The self-storage industry is dominated by small business owners, and many of them don’t have the capacity to field calls all day,” Busby said. “This data can at least tell owners the most appropriate times to staff phone lines and, more specifically, what features their employees should be ready to answer questions about.”

Marchex provides a suite of products and services for businesses that depend on consumer phone calls to drive sales. The company’s mobile-advertising platform is designed to deliver new customer phone calls to businesses, while analyzing call data to help maximize ad campaign results.

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