CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a powerful tool built into our Self Storage Software – SiteLink. In the past, our only contact customers was to give them bad news, usually contained in late letter 1,2,3,4 and so on!
CRM allows for other strategic notices and materials to be sent to Storers based on an event timeline. It could be a move in, could be prior to move out, could be their anniversary and there are a whole range of events that can be used to trigger a notice to be sent out.
These notices can be in RTF format or in HTML format, HTML notices provide for rich collaboration of images and videos and logos and are recommended for sales based messages.
What are CRM notices?
Examples of CRM notices that self storage softwares such as SiteLink provide can include a welcome notice, set out 48 hours after move in. In this notice you can remind Storers of your opening hours and gate opening hours and another important detail. This notice can be printed or emailed, should it need to be returned to you, your customer may have given you the right information on move in and you can attend to it quickly.
Engaging with customers regularly via specials and events, advertising packaging supplies and inventory can generate additional business for any self storage facility, after all you have hundreds of customers and over the years thousands, they could all be working you as a “silent salesman” – consider a referral discount if the recipient of the email or letter passes on the offer to a friend that does not store. The beauty of this is that with a self storage software it can do all the sending for you, all you have to do is enter the content and pricing and schedule out these specials or emails to be generated, you don’t even have to be near a computer for the email or alert to be sent, drastically reducing admin time spent on CRM and other tasks.
Importantly, communicating bad news is just as important as communicating good news. Last year we had a customer that had to shut their self storage facility for three days because of an adjacent industrial fire. They took the initiative to contact all of their customers by email and SMS and provided a daily update on when access should be available again. It was amazing to see just how many customers praise their efforts for keeping them up-to-date at a time when many customers could assume that the goods might be under threat, the fire looked very menacing on television only fuelling customer fears. Regular email communication via their self storage software avoided many phone calls in sick customers minds at ease.
As we move into the storm season and flood season, keeping customers up-to-date about your opening hours is important. In times of natural disaster, letting people know that there is a clean dry place to store goods is very important. In the Brisbane floods a few years back we published a webpage with self storage facilities with spare space and cartons for sale, it was amazing how many customers accessed those pages and at one stage 1500 views per hour!
CRM is a powerful tool allowing you to engage with your customers keeping them informed about what you’re up to and importantly specials that you might have. If you have any questions about setting up CRM contact our friendly support.
