By Carolina Grassmann

elf-storage customers don’t always understand the amount of space needed to correctly store their items, which is why managers and professionals in the industry must be ready to advise each individual customer on the best unit size. To understand the best methods to help self-storage customers, MSM interviewed three professionals with years of experience in the self-storage industry to share their knowledge: Carol Mixon, owner and president of SkilCheck Services, Inc.; Sarah Beth DeFazio, vice president of sales and development at Universal Storage Group; and Diane M. Gibson, president of Cox’s Armored Mini Storage Management.

It’s unlikely that a customer will choose a unit that is larger than needed. However, it’s possible. “Customers end up paying for a space they don’t need,” says DeFazio. Even though that seems like an advantage for the self-storage professional, it’s important to inform the client of their mistake. Being open and honest with a customer can help managers build a relationship of trust and loyalty.

When it comes to selecting a unit that’s too small, it can create more problems for the customer, such as “the inconvenience of having to do another lease or rent a second unit,” says Gibson. This situation isn’t ideal for the customer or the self-storage manager, as it could add difficulty to their professional relationship and/or the client can believe that they weren’t properly guided by the self-storage professional. It’s also difficult to guarantee to a customer that their second unit will be close to their initial rental space, which could turn into a significant inconvenience and lead to an unsatisfied client.

If the unit is too small, it could damage stored items as well. “If things aren’t stacked properly because [the customers] are trying to get everything to fit, they could stack things too high, causing the items on the bottom to collapse,” Gibson says. “If a unit is completely packed, if there’s ever a circumstance where you would need something from the back of the unit, things could be damaged by moving them in and out.”

There are many tools available to determine the correct unit size for a self-storage customer, from online self-storage calculators to measuring tapes. What is the most helpful?

Online calculators can be handy. The tool allows customers to answer a questionnaire with the items they need to store. Based on the answer, the calculator generates the ideal unit size for each individual customer. Carol Mixon agrees that this is a great, helpful tool, but it can have its faults. “I have personally used it, and I have recommended people to use it. But the problem is, a lot of times, [customers] forget stuff from outside the house, from the garage, and they forget to put everything,” says Mixon.

The online calculator is only useful if the customer answers the questionnaire with every single item, or at least with most items, that will be in the unit, so that the tool can give an estimate of the ideal size for the space. However, mistakes can happen, and it’s likely that the client will forget and omit some items from the calculator, which can alter the ideal size of the unit. It’s common for people to miscalculate the unit size. “I can’t tell you how many people get a unit and then a second unit,” adds Mixon.

The most important part of this process for the self-storage manager is to practice active communication with the client. Relying solely on online tools can be inefficient. Since a lot of people have difficulty visualizing the size of the unit, it’s important for the manager to compare the unit sizes to other spaces. Gibson explains that being descriptive can be helpful to customers. “A 10-by-20 is equal to a one-car garage, and customers can relate to that,” she says.

“You can look at pictures on a website, and it’s as clear as mud,” says Mixon. Although information on websites, photos, and tools such as the online calculator are important, none can substitute the knowledge and expertise of a manager or self-storage professional.

Comparing the unit size to a one-car garage or a bedroom, for example, can allow customers to understand how many items can fit in the unit. However, the self-storage manager should also guide their clients. The customer must know that the unit should have some free space to easily move or retrieve belongings, if necessary. If seasonal items are in the back, there should be a way to safely move them without damaging the other items or having to remove everything from the unit.

That’s why the manager should always ask clients about the items they plan to store and advise them on the best unit size that will fit everything comfortably. “Always allow extra room for future items or easier access. A unit packed wall to wall may be cheaper but becomes frustrating if you need to retrieve something,” DeFazio says.

Using tape on the floor to mark the size of the unit can be another great tool for helping customers determine their ideal unit size. The only issue is that the tape doesn’t allow clients to visualize vertical space, which is so important. On self-storage units, boxes can be stacked to maximize the space. “The problem with taping the floors is that you don’t understand how high you can go, and how you can stack the boxes,” Mixon adds.

The best method for guiding customers through this process is allowing them to visit the unit (or a demo unit) before finalizing the contract. “I make it mandatory for my people to show the unit,” Mixon says, noting that seeing the unit beforehand enables customers to better understand the space they’re dealing with. It can also be helpful for the manager to give organizational advice to the customer based on their self-storage experience and how to store efficiently.

“The better they pack and stack, the smaller the space can be,” Mixon says. A customer can have a unit that is the perfect size for them, but if they aren’t storing their items in an organized manner, the unit can become too small.

Large items, such as sofas and beds, for example, can be kept in the back of the unit along with the items that won’t need to be moved frequently. It’s also important to purchase good quality boxes, especially to store the heavier items, and to stack other boxes on top of them. A great tip to save money, according to Mixon, is to get cheaper boxes to store lighter items and stack those boxes on top of the stronger ones.

In addition, Mixon advises people to write the information of what’s inside the boxes on the side, so that it can be read once the boxes are stacked. “If you’re a planner, I think you can really utilize the space correctly,” she says. If there are items that the customer will need to access frequently, they should keep it at the front of the unit.

Tools for determining the ideal unit size for a customer can be helpful. However, nothing will help the clients more than the expertise and guidance of the self-storage manager. It’s important that they can trust the professional to give them the best advice and support throughout this process.