The do’s and don'ts of offering self-storage services

If you’re planning to offer self-storage as a service to your customers, whether you’re setting up a dedicated storage company or you hope to convert part of your warehouse into storage units , you’ll want to give them the best service possible. After all, to gain the trust of your customers and develop a positive reputation as a storage company, it’s imperative to make sure you put the safety and security of their possessions first.

Here we discuss the do’s and don’ts of offering self-storage options to make sure your business and its customers get the most from your service.

Do…

Keep an inventory

Whenever your customers leave their belongings in your possession, it’s important to make sure you both keep an inventory of what’s being stored. This is not only to protect their valuables, but also to cover your back. If they were to accuse you of losing or stealing something that was never actually put in storage, you’ll need written and signed proof of exactly what was left in your care.

Put stringent rules in place

There are certain items that shouldn’t be left in a storage unit, so it’s essential that you put stringent rules in place to make sure your customers aren’t leaving prohibited goods under your roof. Items that are flammable or toxic certainly shouldn’t be put in storage, alongside illegal goods, anything perishable, or money. Make sure you’re strict with what people can and can’t store - you don’t want to be left with a hefty insurance bill if something goes wrong.

Make the most of all available space

When it comes to creating storage space, even awkward nooks and crannies have potential. After all, some customers will only want to store a few items, so offering storage units in a range of different sizes could still help you increase profit and attract custom.

Don’t…

Forget to purchase insurance

There’s a reason why insurance exists, and if you’re planning to offer self-storage services, you will certainly need comprehensive coverage in place. Unfortunately, accidents do happen from time to time, and the last thing you want is to find yourself paying out for lost or damaged goods. For this reason, making sure you have insurance in place to protect both your company and the security of your customers’ belongings is essential.

Forget about design

There’s much more to self-storage than simply stacking boxes in a metal container. There are certain design features you’ll need to consider to make sure all storage is kept in the best possible condition, and without these, you may find certain items (like photographs) beginning to spoil. Factors you’ll need to consider include ventilation, climate control, waterproof flooring and fire-safety regulations.

Racking + Shelving: Helping businesses transform their unused space into storage units

If your business has space that’s simply going unused, why not consider converting it into self-storage? This is a great way to generate additional income for your business and expand your client base, not to mention making the most of any empty space going to waste in your warehouse, office or factory. As experts in all matter of storage solutions, we at Racking + Shelving, based in Northern Ireland, can take care of this for you, transforming your unused space into self-storage units at highly competitive rates to help you make the most of your business. For more information about our range of services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team of storage experts today.