While spooky haunted houses with creaking doors and dim lighting are alluring - dilapidated self-storage facilities are less of a draw. Let's face it: No one wants to keep their precious belongings in a creepy, rundown building.
That's why preventative maintenance is critical to attracting new business and keeping your customers coming back. We've listed three reasons maintenance helps your facility's profit so that your competition is the only one who's scared.
Time is money for any small business and creating a regular maintenance routine will save you time in the future. Also, organizing tasks with a maintenance calendar will keep you focused so you're not wasting hours on projects that won't help your self-storage business.
Learn when to recognize the early signs of a potential issue so you can thwart a significant expense. Scheduling tasks and estimating costs will help reduce stress. Plan to do more daily upkeep and other less frequent tasks. While some jobs might be seasonal, like gutter cleaning, others might need to be done annually.
If you're overwhelmed by all the upkeep of your self-storage units, you can always consider hiring a professional to perform service needs beyond your scope of expertise.
.png?width=719&height=376&name=facilitate%205%20(1).png)
Prevention is key to saving money later. And even though you can’t control the future, you can try to prevent bigger expenses by maintaining your facility's most important assets.
Storage rental features such as roll-up doors and roofs protect your customers and their property. If they're not functioning correctly, not only could you end up liable for damaged goods, but someone could get hurt. That's likely to be a higher bill than the cost of a routine maintenance plan.
Theft can also be a real pain for self-storage managers if it deters business. Maintaining a secure property saves money and keeps customers feeling safe. Ensure that security features like video surveillance cameras, lighting, gates, and fencing are fully functional to keep costly crimes at bay.
You don't need the newest building to attract first-time customers. Still, you should pay attention to your competition to ensure that your facility looks its best. Having the cleanest location could be a deciding move-in factor for many customers.
You'll need to maintain your self-storage property's exterior and interior areas, as customers will interact with both. For the outside curb appeal, plan to trim grass and shrubs and seal driveways as needed to prevent cracks.
Keep windows squeaky clean and free of handprints. If you've got 24-hour access, keypads can get dirty. Wipe them down. Sweep out empty storage spaces as soon as tenants move out. Maintain your HVAC system to prevent mold and mildew in climate-controlled self-storage units.
Positive storage experiences are more likely when you have a neatly manicured property and a spotless building. Customers will appreciate seeing your property well taken care of. In addition, it gives renters peace of mind about spending their money with you.
While regular maintenance requires diligent oversight, the effort made today can pay off for you tomorrow. Your storage space tenants will be happier, and you're more likely to save yourself time and money with a properly maintained facility. This proactive strategy is key to boosting occupancy rates and getting a better return on your investment in the self-storage industry. If you want to talk about ways a maintenance plan can help your facility, contact Janus International to learn about the Facillitate program today.
