Who Should Attend the 2014 Inside Self Storage World Expo?

To the delight of all passionate self-storage facility owners and self-storage users, the Inside Self Storage (ISS) World Expo is just around the corner.  This year's expo will take place in Las Vegas at the Paris Hotel & Resort from March 31 to April 2, 2013.

And the best part is – everyone is invited.

  

And we really mean everyone: owners of self-storage facilities; insurance companies looking to help owners protect their customers' assets; construction teams with experience renovating self-storage facilities; marketing teams looking to boost exposure of facilities; and other groups who are capable of making meaningful contributions to the self-storage arena.

If you're one of these companies that can offer real value to self-storage facility owners and their target market – at the show AND in the future – you should definitely consider marketing your services at the event.

While major sponsor spots are already filled, there's still plenty of room for exhibitors on the main floor of the expo.  Whether you're a self-storage company owner or a company that can help the world of self-storage flourish, exhibitors can sign up today.  Currently, there are about 125 exhibitors expected to line the floors of the expo hall inside the Paris Hotel and Resort.

While ISS is still looking for exhibitors to sign up, it's looking for people self-storage users more than anything.  If you take pride in storing your valuables in a facility that's safe and secure, you stand to gain a lot at the expo.  You'll learn about the different kind of technology being implemented in self-storage facilities all across the world and gain access to some incredibly educational workshops depending on the package option you choose.

Regardless of what package option you choose, all attendees are invited to a self-storage Q&A, roundtable discussion, buyers and sellers meeting, and a series of vendor presentations.

In addition to meeting some great new people, you'll also have the opportunity to experience Las Vegas's fun, happy-go-lucky vibe.  And, after arriving home from the expo, you'll be equipped with the knowledge you need to know whether your self-storage provider is as good as they say they are or something else. 

Have your valuables been truly protected during all these years, or have they been vulnerable and left your valuables at the whim of luck?  You'll definitely know the answer to this after attending this grand expo.  But hopefully your self-storage facility is like our self-storage facilities in Richmond, VA and you have nothing to worry about.

If you have any questions about the ISS Expo, you can learn more about it by visiting the official ISS Expo website.  And if you can't attend this year, watch out for videos and highlights from the expo we'll most likely be posting in April.

The Secret Ingredient of Our Self Storage Company: Customer Interaction

Self-storage is a business that requires an enormous amount of trust.  People trust us to keep their belongings safe when they're not around and we take this very seriously.  Our security cameras, gated perimeters, on-site managers and keypad entries are there for your protection.

While doing our absolute best to provide security that protects the objects of our customers, we also do our best to put their minds at ease.  We do this because we care about the well -being of our customers.  We want to help them live their lives worry-free, confident that they're belongings are safe; and we also want to give them a trusted option for freeing up space in their homes.  Peace of mind, convenience and a trusted storage option: this is what we live to provide our customers with.

But how do we do this?  How do we know what our customer's fears are, and how do we put them to rest?  How do we know what additional services to provide to make the lives of our customers easier? 

We Have Personal Conversations with Our Customers

When someone shows interest in our climate controlled storage facilities, we take the time to ask them what they're looking for.  Also, if they're private people who already know what they want and don't want bothered, we take the hint.  We take the hint and give them exactly what they are promised by us – a safe, secure self storage space.

However, for people who are new to self storage and do want to talk, we ask them a range of questions that allows them to open up.  This allows us to better understand their individual storage needs.  The questions we ask include: What do you plan on storing? How important is it that your storage area is climate controlled?  Have you stored items at a self storage facility before?  If so, why?

By asking questions, people tend to open up and share things with us that help us make Extra Attic better.  For instance, we learn why they left their other self storage company and came to us.  We learn what other self storage companies are doing wrong as well as what they're doing right, directly from our target market.

We Treat Everyone Like Family

For us, Extra Attic is more than a self storage business.  People trust us to provide a safe environment for their (add) personal items and, because of this, we take every measure to offer them the same trust.  We trust that they only use their designated storage space for appropriate reasons while they trust that we'll do everything in our power to keep their items secure. 

This trust brings us together and allows a unique professional bond to form.  This bond encourages our customers to come with us with any concerns and encourages us to make the necessary changes to remove the need for concern.  Again, this is part of our mission to help our customers live their lives worry-free.  Self-storage should be simple and secure – not a source for concern.  By treating our customers like family, we take their honest concerns to heart and action.  By doing so, we make self storage better for everyone.

We Give Our Customers Every Opportunity to Provide Honest Feedback

Our doors are always open at Extra Attic, meaning all customers know they're welcome to come in – to drink coffee and chat, voice a concern, look at other storage options ... anything at all.  Having open doors also allows us to get some amazing feedback to make our storage options better than they already are. 

Another opportunity for feedback we provide is through the Internet.  All of our current customers and potential customers can reach us via email and contact us on our website.  They can also leave reviews and comments on our social media channels – Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.  By offering all of these forms of communication, we make it easy for our customers to help make us better.  We realize some people are more comfortable reaching out through these modern means, which is exactly why they exist.

One of our newest opportunities for our customers to provide feedback is through an online survey.  If you're an Extra Attic customer, go ahead and take it.  It only takes a minute and will help us make our company even better.

If you think of any other ways we can increase our interaction and response with you, please let us know in the comment section below!

One Material That Requires Climate Controlled Storage Over the Rest

If you're tight on space in your current self-storage unit and need more climate controlled storage space, it's wise to either upgrade your unit or rent another one.  However, if it's out of your budget to upgrade and expand, there's one material you need to keep stored in your current storage, especially if your basement or attic at home is susceptible to fluctuating temperatures.

That material is wood.

Unlike steel and other hard materials, wood is made of compounds that are less dense.  This is evident from its splintery composition and lighter weight.  A good way to think about the composition of the two materials is to ask yourself, "What would happen if I broke a wooden board/steel beam across my knee?"  Obviously, the board would break – not the steel beam.

This same principle holds true for when you're deciding what to put in your climate controlled storage unit.  For instance, if you have a cherry wood dining table and four matching chairs, it's wiser to store these in your unit than engine components, sail boat rods, metal desks, etc.  They can survive in colder, hotter climates while wood can't.

According to Fine Furniture Design (ffdm.com), it's best to store wood products and furniture in temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  Also, you want the average humidity level to be around %50. 

"If you are away from home for extended periods of time, try to maintain temperatures and humidity levels that are kind to furniture," says Fine Furniture Design.  With metal, these strict temperatures and humidity levels are hardly ever a concern, which is why you should leave your metal belongings at home to increase space for highly sensitive wood items: cupboards, vanities, kitchen tables and chairs you plan on giving away or using in the future.

Bottom Line: If you're renting a new self-storage unit or need to relocate items from you existing one, make sure wood products receive top priority.

The Benefits of Self Storage

Why should you take advantage of our Extra Attic self storage options? Well, there are a wide variety of reasons that local residents might need a storage unit, and each individual case is a little bit different, but listed below are a few reasons to consider renting a self storage space from Extra Attic.

A storage unit can become essential for people that need to relocate. Many times, you might need to clear out your old space before moving into a new one. In other cases, you might need to wait until your new home or apartment is ready to be moved into, and in the meantime, you will need a place to store your belongings. A storage unit is the perfect way to bridge the gap as you move from one space to another. In addition, kids moving back home from college are going to need a place to store their items until they can find a place of their own.

Many of our customers rent an Extra Attic self storage unit simply to make more living space at home. Over the years, things can get pretty cluttered. Boxes of seasonal items, sentimental trinkets, and other old belongings might not have a current place in your home, but they are too important to throw out. Why not free up some space in your closets, garage, or attic and store them in a storage unit instead?

The bottom line is, people generally store items they intend to keep. Not many people have the luxury of placing their personal belongings in a friend or relative’s garage for an extended period of time, and most people do not have sufficient garage or attic space themselves for their entire extra inventory. The only logical solution is a storage unit. Store all of those items that cause excess clutter: from jet skis and scuba gear to that extra mattress and your old office furniture, you can keep it all with us.

Our self-storage locations are convenient and safe, and have grown in popularity in recent years as a result. In addition, most people are surprised by how affordable our storage units really are. Using Extra Attic is an inexpensive way to rent storage space at a flat monthly rate. You are free to store items and remove them at your convenience, and our units are very clean, safe, and secure with 24 hour protection.

If you are considering a storage space, don’t hesitate to contact us at your earliest convenience. We can accommodate inventory of all sizes, and we look forward to assisting you with your storage needs.