Special Operations: Profit Depends on Discipline

By providing a monthly storage goal, you’re also creating a way to measure results and pinpoint areas for improvement within the sales program. Once the areas for improvement are recognized, additional training can be administered. This takes operations to a higher level and ultimately creates an atmosphere of discipline.

All operators need to establish a system to review employees objectively rather than subjectively. Subjective evaluations can take away from creating an atmosphere of discipline and lead employees to complacency. For example, if the manager did not clearly understand his job description and expectations, he will probably fall short of what he can actually accomplish.

What would happen if the manager had control over his own destiny and the outcome of his performance review? If administered and communicated properly, this can be hugely beneficial. If you can move toward more of an objective appraisal, you can take employee accountability to a higher level.

You might consider a monthly evaluation that becomes a part of the annual performance review. Areas to measure might be monthly storage goals, telephone mystery-shopping scores, sales-conversion ratios, customer referrals and key-influencer referrals to name a few.

Always measure areas impacted by employee performance. This entitles staff to more control over the outcomes of their evaluations and their increases. It’s also critical to review administrative and other important business functions. This is just an illustration of what can be measured and how to tie it into the evaluation process for higher levels of accountability.

As many markets across the county experience over saturation, the average operator must find ways of improving operation. It seems economic occupancies are often low because of a reactive tendency to “giveaway the store” when competition comes into the marketplace. It’s the mindset of a self-storage operation that determines its outcome.

In other words, if the attitude of employees is to be more proactive in finding ways to improve the operation, they will weather the storm and come out shining. Facing adversity will either strengthen or weaken a self-storage business. If handled properly, increased competition can take you to an entirely new level.

The question is not whether competition will continue, but if will you equip yourself to handle it proactively. Success is never-ending; it’s doing everything consistently well over the long-haul. Too often, operators feel they have reached their highest level of success. When this occurs, complacency can take the wheel and lead business to a dead end.

Don’t let the competition whisk past you. Always remember: Success is not a destination; it’s a continuous effort. 

Brad North is the founder of Advantage Business Consulting, which specializes in facility management, feasibility, onsite sales, marketing and operational training for the self-storage industry. He contributes articles to various self-storage publications and is a nationally recognized speaker and consultant within the industry. For information, call 513.229.0400; visit www.advantagebusinessconsulting.com.