Site Security From A Customer’s Perspective
By March ChaseIn the self storage business, security serves two primary purposes. The first function is tangible; a good security system protects the facility from theft and vandalism. Not only can these crimes carry a high price tag in repairs or replacement of stolen items belonging to the facility, the theft of tenants’ property can expose an owner to liability risks.
Incidents of such crimes, however, are actually low when compared with other businesses. So why do most new facilities have layer upon layer of security features? Because industry experts have long understood that security sells. People prefer to rent storage space from facilities where they perceive their goods will be secure. Thus, security is a valuable marketing tool.
To truly appreciate this fact, we must understand security from a customer’s perspective. In recent times, people have become increasingly concerned with security issues from a national level to a personal level. Terrorism, school shootings, global warming, gang violence, and armed break-ins are only a few of the countless perils that threaten our safety. It is no wonder that today’s consumer is seeking a feeling of security. Self storage customers want to feel that both their stored goods and their personal information are in safe hands.
A Natural Instinct
Human nature is such that we are all possessive of our belongings. At an early age, whether it is at the kitchen table or in the sandbox, children struggle with the idea that they are required to share. This is instinctual. For early man, allowing someone else to take what he had could mean the difference between living or dying. Consequently, people’s desire to protect what they own is rooted in something much more profound than monetary loss or the problem of replacing those items. Sharp owners and managers understand this principle, and they gear their marketing of security features toward creating the sense of safety humans inherently desire.
“Customers like to know that no one else has access to their possessions—not even storage employees,” says Colleen Wood, a property manager with Smyrna, Ga.-based Universal Management Company, “so a gate system that only allows customers onto the premises and personal locks that keep everyone else out (including us) appeal to their possessive nature.” If a facility manager has done an excellent job securing a facility, the possessive nature of the customer will help him or her distinguish that property from the rest.
We have all driven by a facility that is obviously not secure. Perhaps part of the perimeter fence or wall is damaged, the front gate is left open during business hours, or there is inadequate lighting at night. Customers are aware of the differences among facilities. The importance individuals place on prices, proximity, unit size, amenities, and discounts may vary, but for most people, security is not negotiable. Proper attention to the following elements of a sound security system will help create the sense of safety that will make customers choose your facility.
The importance individuals place
on prices, proximity, unit size, amenities, and discounts may vary, but for most people, security is not negotiable.Video Surveillance The video surveillance system is the single most important feature a property can have when it comes to marketing security. Let’s face it: gates break down. Whether it is a lightening storm, a stripped gear, a busted belt, or an incident with a vehicle, from time to time every facility has problems with the gate. One feature that can monitor nearly everything all the time is the camera system. The level of sophistication in the technology of video systems varies, and the choices often hinge on the facility’s budget, but the consistency of a surveillance system can never vary; it is critical to monitor the property 24/7.
A video surveillance system sells customers. They know that burglars are aware of cameras, so they prevent crime. Cameras also aid is distinguishing between real and false accusations. If a customer claims that someone has tampered with their lock, stolen from their unit, or backed into their car, the camera won’t lie.
Sometimes a customer simply forgets to secure their lock, and upon their next visit, they assume someone has broken into their unit. Under such circumstances, the video surveillance system can either support or deny the customer’s claim.
The presence of cameras also deters criminals from doing physical harm to customers or employees. However, the bottom line on video surveillance is that, since neither a tenant nor a manager can always be there to watch customers’ belongings, they expect the camera system to be there for them. They believe its presence helps keep things safe.
Gate Systems
The sense of security conveyed by the gate is also paramount. The gate serves as the first layer of protection, and it is the first security feature potential customers see. If your property has secure fencing, and there is only one way in and one way out, you should emphasize that to every customer. “I always mention that we are completely enclosed by a concrete wall, that we have no hurricane fence or barbed wire on the property, unlike some of our competitors,” says Cindy June, office manager at Plantation Self Storage in Columbia, S.C.
Another practice to get in the habit of doing is printing out hard copies of the gate log activity periodically. Having a hard copy handy to show potential customers is a terrific selling tool. It gives the impression (and rightly so) that you are very aware of everyone who comes and goes. “Not only are they recorded in my computer once they put their code in, but their name shows up on my computer monitor in the office alerting me to their presence on the property,” says June. “This always seems to get a reaction as tenants are impressed and feel secure knowing the operation of our surveillance system.”
One of the easiest ways to advertise a sense of security is with a properly functioning, computer-operated gate at a well-kept facility. That feature alone can make or break a facility. Customers will leave a facility solely because of the constant malfunctioning of the gate. Chris McDougall, a pharmaceutical representative from South Carolina, remembers such an experience. “I didn’t ask them to mulch the property or reseal the asphalt,” McDougall says. “All I asked for was that the gate work.”
RV and boat storage customers have major cause for concern over malfunctioning gates. “The gate is very important to me,” says RV owner James Mixon, who stores his vehicle. “The gate is my first concern, and then comes the large walls that prohibit outsiders from seeing what is on the inside. I also feel secure knowing there are cameras as well.” A secure gate both provides the feeling of security customers want with the reality of real protection against theft and vandalism.
Door Alarms And Locks
Many newer properties are equipped with individual unit alarms or door alarms, which add an extra layer of security to video surveillance and a computer-operated gate. If you offer this feature, it is a great selling point and one that will persuade a great number of customers.
Gates must remain open on occasion for deliveries from UPSTM and FedEx® or for landscaping crews. Although customers are informed during the leasing process that they must always enter their codes in the keypad to deactivate their unit alarms and then, upon leaving, to reactivate it, there are always times when customers neglect to do so and set off their alarms. The upside to this is that it undoubtedly gives them a sense of reassurance knowing that you have taken every measure to secure their items. The last layer of protection is the unit lock. If you provide or sell disc locks, demonstrating their reliability can be another great selling point.
These system components represent the latest technology in safety precautions, but we all know that the heart of security within the self storage industry is a vigilant manager. Common sense will tell the average customer that if a facility appears unsecured, then there is a good chance that it is. Likewise, if a manager doesn’t appear to be aware of security risks, then he or she probably isn’t.
It goes against human nature to risk the safety of one’s belongings or the safety of oneself. A facility that can’t be sold on its security measures probably can’t be sold at all, no matter what other features it offers. Walk through your property and analyze security from a potential customer’s perspective rather than from what you know. Then, you can tailor your sales presentation to point out every feature. If you have great security, make it your primary selling point.
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March Chase is a freelance writer based in Raleigh, North Carolina, who writes on self storage topics. His background includes previous experience as a Site Manager for a larger self storage operator.
