Hello PhoneSmart friends,

If any of you need a dryer, I have one that you can have, For Free!! as long as you can come get it.

It's a Kenmore, about 6 years old. It still works, so email me or call me if you're interested, or know someone who is.

I am not asking any $ for it - just happy to give it to someone who needs it and grateful to free up the storage space that it takes up

Later,

Sarah Little

Selfstoragecomparisons  : http://www.Selfstoragecomparisons.info

If you are interested in writing short essays about self storage, secret shopping and real estate property management, then please visit our BLOGGER group if you are already a member.

If you would like more information about this, please email me here on our social network.

Thanks,

Sarah Little

TQA Director/ Online Marketing

Selfstoragecomparison  : http://www.Selfstoragecomparisons.info

Excellent news! Joel has bribed a coworker from Best Buy to hold a Wii Fit when they come in tomorrow. It looks like soon enough I'll be making a fool of myself trying to work out on a small game board.

Now I'm wondering where I will keep the game board and all those Wii accessories? I already have a guitar for Guitar Hero that I hide behind the TV. I need more room for storage in my house. Maybe the board for the Wii Fit will fit under the couch - we hope the Wii Fit board will fit. (haha that's a funny little phrase)

I do have a silly confession to make. Wednesdays are suppose to be our (Joel and I) day off together. But for a while now, we've worked every Wed. Yesterday we decided to leave work an hour early so we could play Wii before we had to pick up the kids.

I felt kind of bad not picking up the kids when we left work and going home to play a game, but sometimes you just need some chill time. We don't have family nearby, so that leaves us lacking in the babysitter department.

It has been so much better though, now that Joel is working at PhoneSmart full time. We actually see each other and have family time; I can tell a huge difference in the way our oldest son behaves. There really is a lot to be said about how much kids need a Father figure around, no matter how much Mom does for them. I'm appreciative of the Dad that he is! (ok, enogh mushiness )

Selfstorageunitprovider  : http://www.Selfstorageunitprovider.com

Joel used to/ still does (once every two weeks) work at Best Buy. The great thing about that is that we can get discounts on all kinds of junk - the bad thing about that is we can get discounts on all kinds of junk that we don't need but Joel in drawn to buy. Beyond the fact that Best Buy is an anti-family employer, as most retail environments are, they were a pretty good company to work for - good health benefits and stuff.

Since we are still somewhat in the loop with them, Joel should be able to find me a Wii Fit!!! But it seems that the rest of Jefferson City, MO will get one before I do. Every time we go there on delivery day... they are MIA. Apparently now they are on back order. grrr!

I don't even really play the Wii games I have now - no time, but I'd like to have a fun way to lose some inches. Of course, we also have an elliptical machine, weights, and a bench downstairs that I use to hang coats on!!

Now, it's more the fact that I can't get one that makes me want one so badly. (GOOD marketing by Nintendo!) I just know that in the back of some high security lot somewhere is a warehouse used for game storage and the executives at Nintendo are laughing at me, while they play their own Wii Fit!

Selfstorageshed  : http://www.Selfstorageshed.com

Have you ever seen those silly Mr. Bean movies? That poor guy just fumbles around and evades danger and certain death by a hair. Everywhere he goes, the leaves the place in chaos.

Or what about Inspector Gadget. If it weren't for his niece Penny and that dog, he'd be caught in Claw's lair for sure!

No matter how hard I try, I am completely clumsy, have no rythym and despite my best efforts, I am the messiest eater! Just moments ago I was eating lunch. I looked down and there on my shirt was a nice fat blob of leftover stroganoff. Man!!

On the good side, perhaps that makes me more attractive to some. Like that Taco Bell commercial where the woman rubs the bacon on herself to attract a mate... Perhaps I can persuade people to want secret shops or self storage training by the lingering smell of stroganoff on my shirt...

~Sarah Little (in a silly mood)

Selfstorageclip  : http://www.Selfstorageclip.com

I just have to say how impressed I was by Daniel - our newest hire to the self storage PS call center. He has jumped right on board with many of our PhoneSmart projects, including Secret Shopping, Outbound Canada calls, Blogging, and this very Social Network.

What was so impressive was when he came back today to wrap up a few secret shops for us that he had attempted last week. He was able to recall specific details like, "Oh, Betty answers as BJ, and I already shopped her." and "Such and such (see, even I can't remember now and it was like 10 seconds ago) answers as Logan so he's done too."!

Daniel is going to do great here and I predict he will be moving up the ladder in no time!

Thanks Daniel!!!

Selfstoragebin  : http://www.Selfstoragebin.com

~ Sarah Little, TQA Director

I will admit it, when I hear people whispering in the corner of a room I perk up my ears and lean in that direction. Call me nosy... but if you won't admit that you do it too, you're just in denial.

One thing I can say though, is that eavesdropping on our self storage call center is nothing to be ashamed of. A few moments ago I was standing behind Kurt, waiting to discuss our Chipotle salsa preferences. He was wrapping up a storage rental inquiry and I thought it was going well.

He was leading the customer to the site visit and then did a great job creating urgency and offering the reservation. I thought for sure he had it in the bag!

I was giving the play-by-play in my mind: "Ya Kurt, it's a slam dunk!"

Just then, I could sense hesitation in the caller's voice. "Oh no, hurry Kurt, save the rental!"

But the hesitant caller was no match for Kurt! He effortlessly replied, "Yes, we only have a few left and with the weekend coming up and the holiday, it is a busy time for moving. I can go ahead and reserve that for you now on a Visa or Mastercard, which one would you care to use?" - The classic sense of urgency!

"Oh Yeah!! Kurt saved it! He's totally got it in the bag now!"

Moments later, Kurt was writing down his confirmation number and we were chatting about green Chipotle salsa!

Selfstoragerooms  : http://www.Selfstoragerooms.com

Our Social Network has an exciting NEW GROUP!!!

The Think Tank is a forum for self storage experts and all levels of self storage experiences to brainstorm, discuss, critique, questions and ponder all things self storage.

Some of the topics you might see are

•  mobile storage
• wine storage
• car storage
• RV storage
• and other specialzed storing niches
• Economical, and political influences that affect the industry
• Associations and groups for storage owners and managers
• Anything and Everything!

The idea is to have an open discussion where anything and everything is possible and there are no limits.

Go check it out and let's see what we come up with.

Sarah Little

PhoneSmart Total Quality Assurance Director

selfstoragecomplaints  : http://www.selfstoragecomplaints.com

We have quite the system going now in our Blogger Group and our writers have been able to accept consistent assignments.

In case you're wondering what I'm talking about, we commission 6 blog entries each day. I post the assignments in our Group and it's a first come, first serve deal. The entries should be 550 words, minimum... and there are some other details about how to write a successful blog.

If you are interested in contributing your self storage expertise to our self storage blog, secret shopping blog, or property management blog, I would be happy to give you the details.

Send me a note and in the mean time, check out our daily entries on the blogs!

Sarah Little, Total Quality Assurance Director

Self-Storage-Quote : http://www.Self-storage-quote.com

I am currently conducting a POLL to determine what makes a secret shopper tick. Is it the commission for each secret shopping call made or is it the chance of winning a prize? We will soon see, so click on my SECRET SHOPPING POLL to make your choice.

This is your chance to make your voice heard, and maybe we will adjust the way you are rewarded for doing such a great job every month making our self storage secret shops.

Don't forget to check out what POLLS your friends might have and create your own!

Catch Ya'll Later,

Sarah Little, TQA Director

Self-storage-unit-locations  : http://www.Self-storage-unit-locations.com

When I was a kid, my sister and I used to play under the oak tree in the back of our yard. We would sometimes pretend like if we found the right knot in the bark it would open a portal into whatever world we were emersing ourselves in that day.

Somewhere between then and now, I forgot about the imaginary magic I use to believe in. However, I must have found another black hole or gravitational vortex and it exists in the back of my garage. No matter how hard I try to keep the garage clean and clear from clutter, boxes, tools, things that should go in the trash, toys, old kitchen cabinets and old carpet ends up consuming the space, as if some imaginary force pulls all that junk in there.

I didn't put them there, they just show up when I drive home from work and push the button hanging on the visor of the car. Once I open the door I realize I can't even use my garage for car storage because there is no room to even park a bike.

Once again, I am going to have to clean out the garage so that I can enjoy the amenities and conveniences that using my garage for car storage brings. Of course, I am dreaming to think that the garage can't be for any other storage needs. I will just have to find a way to organize and use the storage space wisely so that boxes, toys and a car will fit.

And if I really do have some sort of magical vortex that pulls clutter to the back of my garage, perhaps I can figure out how to control it and make it do all my dirty work, like pulling the clutter out of my house for good.

Boatstorageunit.com : http://www.Boatstorageunit.com

While promoting our self storage call center and secret shopping services, I encountered the largest mouse I've ever seen!...

Mickey Mouse, that is!

PhoneSmart just returned from the SSA Show in Orlando. We are finally all settled back into the groove here in the office, and I am coveting the Florida Sunshine today, as it is dreary and raining in Missouri today. The trade show was an excellent opportunity for us to meet several new faces and put a face to the names of people we've talked to for years.

The roundtables proved especially productive! On the first day's session of roundtables, I was able to eavesdrop on several discussions as I mingled around the tables. I was impressed to see that at most tables, the presenter and the attendees were having good discussions, rather than the presenter rambling on about their own company or service.

The second day of roundtables was the day I hosted the "New Methods of Secret Shopping" topic. I found that what drew most attendees to the table was the word "NEW". By now, we have all seen or tried out a few secret shops. Maybe they have been working or maybe people are tired or stuck in a rutt about them. Everyone was very intrigued to learn about what new innovations and technology is available to the self storage industry.

Just to highlight one of key points that I had during the roundtable:

• If you already use a secret shopping service, here are some of the things you can do that cost you NO extra money, but will make your secret shops more effective
  1. Let your employees know that a training tool/ and secret shopping program is being set up. If it is a sneak attack on the, they will feel that it is just that- an attack. Letting them know that you are implementing a new program and that you stand behind it will help ward off the defensive mode we can sometimes get into
  2. Make sure your employees know what your expecations are as an owner or regional manager. Your employees should understand what they will be graded on.
  3. Let them know how the program will affect their job. Will it be consistently poor performance be grounds for termination? Will there be an incentive or bonus if they perform well? What is a passing grade? Will the secret shopping scores be part of their annual review? and so forth.
  4. Most importantly You can make your shops more effective by USING your shops. Don't just pass them out and expect the managers to do all the work on improving. Build a program around the shops in order to maximize the potential learning value.

There was much more that we discussed about the "New" innovations of secret shopping. So stay tuned to find out more...

Sarah Little, Total Quality Assurance Director

Selfstoragecomparison  : http://www.Selfstoragecomparison.info

Our call center discovered that the self storage sales techniques we use to answer your phone calls worked so well that many of our clients asked us what our sales models were. So we began a storage sales training program based on the techniques we use every day for thousands of customers.

What began as a modest sales training script developed into a Sales Training Management Company that is aimed at improving your storage leasing team's telephone sales skills.

It has been our experience that self storage owners and operators are focused on training their managers how to wear all their other hats, like collections, routine maintenance, leasing practices, and all the other day-to-day routines. What we have discovered is that many managers feel unprepared or unsure about how to answer the phone. Most managers do not view their job as a sales position. But we all know that the self storage market is becoming more and more competitive.

How much money did you spend last year advertising in your local yellow pages? And are you able to account for how each of your new storage tenants heard about you? If only marketing were that precise!

The truth is that sometimes marketing is like closing your eyes and pointing your finger. Will the phone book ads do their job? Is a giant billboard the better way to go? What about paying for some clicks from online storage searches?

No matter what your marketing and advertising budget looks like, each phone call that generates from these is valuable. You have invested in the opportunity to rent those people a storage unit.

What happens when all your marketing and advertising dollars pay off and some one dials your storage facility? Does your storage manager answer the phone with a warm smile in their voice? Do they find out about what the customers needs are and then help them find the best storage unit based on those needs?

That is where our Sales Training Management services come into play.  If we can teach your managers how to sell on the phone, then your business will benefit. Using a Sales Training Program is an investment into your leasing team and the results will directly affect your bottom line.

Here is a great example of how the right tools and a little training can help improve performance. One of our clients had been using our Mystery Shop program. Their managers had consistently scored in the 15 to 25, sometimes 30 percent. After several months, the operations manager realized his managers did not know how to answer the phone.

We gave them a personal seminar and taught these managers the same techniques our sales reps use.

The self storage managers instantly saw improved scores the very next month and now consistently score in the 80's and 90's. Their secret shopping scores are proof that the training made a difference. Beyond the score, we can hear the confidence in their voices when they answer the phone. Can you imagine how this awesome improvement is affecting their closing ratio over the phone and ultimately their bottom line?

By combining any of our sales training seminars, conference calls, or training packets with our quality assurance and secret shopping services you are guaranteed sales success. Our goal as your Sales Training Management Team is to share our proven sales methods with your staff and see it through. I can not say that we will carry it out from start to finish, because really, there is no end in maintaining an effective sales program. And that is why we are here - to dedicate ourselves to your team's success every month!

Written by Sarah Little, PhoneSmart TQA Director

Selfstoragecomparisons  : http://www.Selfstoragecomparisons.com

Our self storage call center officially took a reservation for the first college student of the year! We, along with self storage everywhere, are on the brink of the busiest time of the year.

 For years, the PhoneSmart call center has been reserving units for college students, parents, relocating families, military personnel, businesses - anyone and everyone who needs a place to safely keep their belongings. What that means to self storage business owners is that hiring our offsite sales is like hiring years of experience. Now is the time to jump ahead of the competition and put us to work for you.

 Speaking of competition, have you heard how they sound on the phone lately? I recently completed some Mystery Shops for an East coast self storage business. In addition to their own shops, we evaluated two of their competitors. One did very poorly and the other scored higher than the facility's own employees.

 The good news is that now this company has a clear idea of where they stand, and they have taken the right steps to improving their sales performance by beginning a Sales Training and Secret Shopping Program.

 Along with the busy season of self storage renters, we are also experiencing a busier season of prospects and new clientele. Perhaps it's because self storage has become a competitive market and supply is catching up with demand. Self storage owners have to work a little bit harder to gain a new tenant and that's where we can help.

 With an offsite sales force, sales training and secret shopping we not only capture missed phone calls, we equip your own management team to improve their sales performance.

 Brought to you by Sarah Little, TQA Director

Self-Storage-Lockers : http://www.Self-storage-lockers.com

Bob, DJ and I began our Spanish 1 class last Tuesday. We meet for 2 hours every Tuesday, for four weeks. Then there's a break and Spanish 2 begins. I am very excited to learn Spanish and feel that it is necessary for the growth of not only myself, but for our call center, sales training and secret shopping business.

I know the subject of language can sometimes be one of those political things no one wants to talk about, but while other people are sitting around arguing about what language everyone should speak, I figure, why not jump ahead of them and learn how to communicate in other languages. So I am beginning with Spanish, which couldn't come at a better time.

Lucia, Tron and I are going to Orlando at the end of March and we'll be able to meet many prospects from South America and Mexico. Hopefully I will be able to talk with them, at least a little bit and Lucia can pick up where my Spanish stops. 

The whole experience makes me feel very much like how my 3 year old must feel. I know what I want to say, but I don't know exactly how to conjugate each verb. Lucia is helping me a lot, she is very patient. (I know I must say the silliest stuff sometimes)

I'd encourage our other PhoneSmart employees to pick up a few Spanish phrases too. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to greet one another and even offer some assistance to our clients/ customers?!

Brought to you by: Sarah -- TQA Director

Selfstorageshed  : http://www.Selfstorageshed.com

Who decided to name "self storage" and how did I end up in the "self storage secret shopping" business? I was editing my little speil for the upcoming Vegas show and without fail, I stumble over the insane amount of "s" words. It's like some cruel joke!

Maybe I'll rename the self storage industry and create a revolution. At the very least, I'll be entertaining as I attempt to speak about self storage secret shopping and self storage sales training.

Catch Ya In Vegas!

S

Selfstorageroom  : http://www.Selfstorageroom.com