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A Central Service Hub: Integrating a Call Center Into Your Self-Storage Operation
Here’s a fact you may not want to accept: Your self-storage customers expect prompt, even personalized customer service today. As a busy facility operator, you may not always be in a position to provide it. Enter the services of a modern call center, which serves as a central service hub. Can it be the solution you need? Read on to find out.
4 Min Read
In the ever-evolving self-storage landscape, success requires a strategic and personalized approach to delivering exceptional customer experiences. A crucial element is efficient and well-structured communication, which is precisely where a call center comes in.
A call center serves as a centralized hub for managing customer-service and sales interactions. When your self-storage facility gets an inbound call, a trained agent handles it professionally, asking and answering a variety of questions based on your specific business needs.
Call centers offer a variety of solutions for self-storage operations. With advancements in technology, they’ve become cost-effective and customer-centric partners that are very adept at closing new business opportunities. If you think hiring one might be right for your business, consider the following benefits and tips for choosing the right provider.
Key Benefits
Whether you operate a small self-storage facility or manage multiple locations, a call center provides a variety of advantages. Primarily, using a call center can eliminate the need to hire and maintain a full-time property manager or additional staff, which can be expensive. According to ZipRecruiter, the average national salary for a storage manager is $39,054 per year, not including costs such as benefits, taxes and training. A call center can also extend your operational hours, optimize efficiency, close new and previously missed leads, and boost customer satisfaction.
Choosing the Right Provider
Selecting the right call center for your self-storage operation involves thorough consideration of several factors:
Industry experience. Research each company’s reputation and experience in self-storage. Choose a partner with a proven track record of delivering exceptional service and understanding industry nuances.
Integrations. It’s critical that the call center can seamlessly integrate with your facility-management software. This ensures a smooth connection between your two entities and the accuracy of information given out by call-center representatives.
Communication channels. What communication does the call center use? Some providers use VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), email and SMS (texts). Diverse options enhance accessibility and cater to different customer preferences.
Ask if the call center offers a chat feature for your facility website. This type of support is increasingly favored by customers and provides an additional option for assistance. While automated responses may be off-putting, interactions are customizable, and you can always let trained representatives manage the chat tool.
Pricing. This can vary widely between providers. Generally, it’s based on the workload assumed by the vendor. For effective cost management, you must understand the pricing structure and anticipate potential extra costs, especially during busy periods when call volume escalates.
Overflow vs. full time. Understand the levels of service the call center provides. Overflow involves handling calls only when facility staff are unavailable, while full-time service means continuous call management. Consider your call volume and existing team to decide which option best suits your business requirements.
Your Role in a Successful Partnership
While a call center can alleviate much of the day-to-day call volume your self-storage facility receives, you and your staff play a key role in the success of this partnership. For example, you need to provide detailed information about how your facility operates. The call center will need to know important facts such as:
Tenants are required to give X amount of notice before moving out.
Tenants are required to sign an e-lease before moving in.
Our facility offers tenant protection and/or tenant insurance.
Our entry gate is synced with our property-management software, which means access will be denied if rent is X days late.
Once fully onboarded, your call center will need updates about price changes, promotions and new facility details. Regular communication and feedback between you will foster collaboration and continuous improvement in delivering excellent customer service. Educating this partner about your business ensures that the correct information is consistently communicated to customers.
Incorporating a call center into a self-storage operation is a cost-effective, customizable way to deliver outstanding customer experiences while enhancing staff efficiency. With technology advancement and integration, the right partner can seamlessly connect your facility with prospects and sign on new tenants.
Katie E. Johnson is the director of marketing at Zion Call Management, a call-answering service dedicated to the self-storage industry. She has years of experience managing a wide range of marketing tasks, from building brand awareness and increasing client relations. For more information, email [email protected].
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