Thoughts From the Road

By Jim Chiswell

To Plan Ahead, You Need to Look Back

Many of us are busy putting the final touches on our budgets and goals for the newyear. However, are you looking back over the results of this year and really comparingwhat you actually accomplished to what your target was? This process is not only importantin doing the financial budget, but should also be undertaken in planning all the goals youset for the new year.

You planned to repave part of your facility. Did you get it done? Was it on budget? Doyou need to do more paving in 2000? Did you update your signage like you planned? Did youdesign that new Yellow Pages ad? Were your goals for occupancy achieved each month? Didthe ratio of phone calls to appointments to rentals increase like you had planned? Did yousend your managers to that training course that you promised them? Did you get the maximumbenefit from your membership in your state or national industry organization?

Unless you write out specific goals for the new year, you will be just left with thebudget as the measuring tool of your success. Take the time to discuss your objectives forthe new year with your entire management team. Get them involved and keep them involved increating the budget and the other benchmarks that you set for the year ahead. You will besurprised all that will be accomplished when everyone knows the targets to shoot for in2000.

The Final Countdown to Y2K

OK, I know you are sick of hearing about the Y2K thing. It still remains a mystery tome how some individuals and businesses have just ignored this issue completely in theirself-storage operations. I just wanted to wish you luck at the end of December. There isstill time to think through what could happen and to develop some contingency plans, justin case. Drop me a note, fax or e-mail with your Y2K stories sometime in January.

Your Customers Are Changing? Do You Know It?

As I travel across the country, I have been struck by comments from owners and managersabout some of the differences that they are seeing in their customer base. A USA Todaystory from Beloit College in Wisconsin brought home this very point to me. The storycommented on the frame of reference that this year's class of college freshman have withwhich to view the world around them.

Members of the class of 2003 have never dialed a phone. They have only known one Pope.Space travel has always included women. A woman has always been on the Supreme Court."Moonwalk" to them is something that Michael Jackson does, not Neil Armstrong.They have no idea who "Ma Bell" is. They don't understand why Solidarity isspelled with a capital "S," and they have never heard anyone say "Book 'em,Dano," "Good-night, John-Boy" or "Kiss my grits" on prime-timeTV.

Are you paying attention to how your customers are changing? Are you adjusting youroperations to meet their needs? If not, as you are doing your planning for next year, makeit a priority to determine how these shifts can impact your business and how you can takeadvantage of them in 2000.

Still Time to Participate in Traffic Study

I want to thank all of the individuals and companies that have already responded to myrequest for average daily traffic counts from their facilities. I am tabulating theresults and finalizing the report; however, there is still time if you want to participatein this industry-wide study. Within the next two weeks I would need from you, on ananonymous basis should you so desire, the following information:

I am asking owners and/or managers to participate in this study with me and InsideSelf-Storage. Please send your information via mail to: Chiswell & Associates Ltd,1260 N. Forest Road #A2, Williamsville, NY 14221; fax (716) 634-2428; e-mail [email protected]. Everyone who participateswill receive a complete report right after the first of the year.

Take the Time to Talk

Back in August, my mom, Nora, suffered a stroke. As I write this column, she is makinggood progress. However, in those first couple of critical days, I was forced tocontemplate the possibility of her passing. In those quiet and private moments, I was sograteful that I had taken time, over the years, to express my love to her. My closing ThoughtsFrom the Road for 1999 is to encourage all of us to grasp the fact that waiting untiltomorrow to show others we care about them could be too late. Take the time, today, toreach out to your loved ones because, sometimes, we are not given a second chance.

Thanks to everyone who has written or called me about this column. I have enjoyedsharing these thoughts with you. Enjoy your New Year's celebration and I'll see you at theLas Vegas Expo in February.

Jim Chiswell is the president of Chiswell & Associates of Williamsville, N.Y.Since 1990, his firm has provided feasibility studies, acquisition due diligence, andcustomized manager training for the self-storage industry. In addition to contributingregularly to Inside Self-Storage, Mr. Chiswell is a frequent speaker at InsideSelf-Storage Expos. He can be reached via e-mail at [email protected] or by calling his officeat (716) 634-2428.