Listening to the Beach Boys, frolicking in the surf, building sand castles, going on picnic lunches ... summer is here! Picking up on the “good vibes” request Teri made in her blog on Friday, I thought I’d share a little piece of what’s been happening around our self-storage facility over the past couple of days. With the dreariness of winter behind us and the flowers all in bloom, we’ve been working on some outdoor projects to spruce up the place a bit. And what has ensued has been more than fun!
 
As we’re pulling weeds, customers who normally never come into the office stop and commiserate, some even pulling a weed or two as they chat. (Customers notice that we take pride in the place, and they do too.) Today, we’ve pulled out the power washer to clean the fencing and sidewalks and prep the curbs for repainting, and even more customers are stopping to talk. We’ve had numerous offers to wash their vehicles, and several have gotten out of their cars just to jump in the spray as we point it skyward.
 
Yes, it’s true: Grown adults are here playing in the water on a hot, hot summer day.  I guess no matter what our problems are in the real world, there is something about water and sunshine that brings out the kid in all of us.

Business is serious, but serious doesn’t necessitate everything being all doom and gloom. Have fun with your tenants at every opportunity. Besides being stress-relievers and conversation-starters, toys, brainteasers or funny signs can ease tension and make the process of conducting business more pleasant for everyone involved.
 
Example: We recently purchased some smiley-face pens and put them in a pencil cup on our counter. Since we put them out last month, not one person has been able to resist smiling at the pile of joyful faces staring at them. Somehow, signing a contract with a big smiling pen instead of the standard 12 for $1 type makes for a more pleasant experience. Of course, they get to keep the pen when they’re done doing the paperwork. Even the men seem taken by them. “May I have one? Uh ... it’s for my wife, child, etc.” Uh-huh. Sure it is! 
 
We purchased 500 of the traditional yellow with the plain clip. We also bought 500 of the hot pink with the 70’s flower-power-style tie clip. Guess which color is flying out of here on a daily basis?

I'd love to hear about the summer fun you're having at your facility. Share a comment below!

Gina Six Kudo is the general manager for Cochrane Road Self Storage in Morgan Hill, Calif.