Hiring Professional Trainers for Your Self-Storage Management Team: Weighing all the Options

Successfully operating a self-storage facility has always required a manager to wear many hats, and today’s evolving business has only expanded the headwear collection. There are so many aspects to this industry—from the basics of renting units and taking payments to more complicated tasks like rate management and lien sales—that it can take months for new staff to absorb everything they need to run the site efficiently and profitably.

In short, today’s self-storage managers must be incredibly well-rounded, which means their training must be thorough and supplemented with continual education to keep up with trends and consumer demands. Fortunately, the industry is loaded with providers that offer professional training services.

Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The trick to optimizing your team training is to find the right partner and programs that align with your unique goals. Before we dive into the options, let’s establish why outsourcing can be a smart approach.

Why Outsource Training?

The self-storage industry is packed with experts who have years of experience to share. One of the greatest thought leaders in human history, Socrates, is often credited with the observation: “I know that I know nothing.” In self-storage, the wisest among us also know that continual innovation and market change mean none of us truly know everything.

Professional trainers can be difference-makers because in addition to their expertise, they actively seek to stay on the cutting edge. In fact, investing in a great training program can positively impact facility profitability and success. Here are some other good reasons to seek outside support:

Outsourced training can come in many forms. It can be in-person at your location or the vendor’s. You can also choose from live, online training or packaged programs that include pre-recorded videos or self-led workbooks. Let’s look at the potential costs, pros and cons of each.

In Person: Your Location

Typically, the average cost for in-person training at your location is about $2,000 or more per session per day, plus vendor travel.

Pros:

Cons:

In Person: Vendor Location

The average cost for attending training at a vendor’s location is about $2,000 or more per session per day, plus travel expenses for staff.

Pros:

Cons:

Live Online

For live, online training, costs vary from $200 per hour for short sessions and individual topics to $1,500 and more for a full-day or complete program.

Pros:

Cons:

Ready-Made Programs

The costs for canned programs can vary from $20 per workbook to $500 and up for video packages.

Pros:

Cons:

Weighing the Options

When choosing which training option works for your self-storage business, carefully examine each vendor, beginning with the programs available. Once you know which topics you want to cover and which format will be best, the list will shrink.

The next layer of consideration should be the vendor’s portfolio and client testimonials. Look to see how the provider has performed for other facility operators. Try to get a sense for their overall reputation within the self-storage industry and gauge whether you’ll get along with their personnel.

Once you’ve narrowed your choices to a few vendors that check all of your boxes, the final consideration is overall cost, including the training value for the price and the vendor’s billing terms.

Optimizing the Experience

Once you’ve chosen a professional to train your self-storage team, it becomes your responsibility to be a good client. There are things you can do to facilitate the process, make the most of the partnership and maximize the value.

First, communicate your needs and goals. If you’re purchasing a customized program, your vendor shouldn’t have to blindly guess at your wants and needs. Clearly define the scope of work. How many people will be trained? What knowledge and resources do they require? Also, make sure your team knows what to expect, so they can be prepared once training begins.

It’s important to fulfill any client responsibilities in a timely manner. Your vendor may have questions or suggestions for your training program. It’s important to respond quickly and completely. If your team will need things like space, computers, overhead projectors and screens, etc., procure it in advance.

Lastly, it’s always good to be ready for bumps in the road. Life isn’t perfect, and things can disrupt training like travel delays, computer issues or illnesses. Having a contingency plan for unexpected is important, so that all parties can respond in a constructive and efficient manner. This’ll allow you to receive the best possible experience and value regardless of any circumstance.

Outsourcing your self-storage training is an intelligent decision because it can lead to positive changes throughout your organization. Greater efficiencies and profits, staying current on processes and procedures, and even sparking employee engagement and retention are just some of the benefits that can come from the experience. With a plethora of choices available, the most important decision is to invest in your success!

Stacie Maxwell is vice president of marketing and training for Universal Storage Group (USG), a self-storage consulting and management firm, where she oversees branding, design, marketing, public relations and more for the company’s 70-plus property portfolio. With more than 21 years of industry experience, she also works closely on USG’s facility-development and transition projects, and is responsible for driving the manager-training program and new-store startup teams. Stacie is a regular speaker at industry events and contributes to publications. To reach her, call 770.801.1888 or visit her profile on LinkedIn.