Welcome to our newest series on The Render Podcast, talking all about growing your rental business and the different location stages within your business. The size of your inventory, logistics, and what you actually need for your rental business makes all the difference when it comes to how you can run your business inside, and out of, a storage unit!

In today’s episode, we are getting into the nitty-gritty details of how we manage our rental business and the moving parts that come with it. We encourage you to join our community through Rental Biz Academy where we teach you specific ways we navigate a rental business and can also encourage and support you through your business journey.

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The Professional Level

We get it, you may not feel super professional in your business if you are still using storage units. The good thing about living in the time we have now is that the online presence game has drastically changed and can work in your favor more than ever. With professional imagery of your inventory, online wishlists through your website, and software such as GoodShuffle Pro, you can easily manage your software better than ever no matter how your inventory is stored. These things are going to help you achieve that professional level of your business.

If you are in a storage space, make sure you properly communicate that to your clients. You can prepare them through emails or phone calls – have them get to know you and your business. While there is nothing wrong with being in this stage of your rental business, clear communication, and entrance and exit directions with entry codes provided through email or a phone call will only help you in the long run and alleviate any frustration or confusion with your client(s).

Another way you can set your storage unit meetings up for success is to have your inventory organized strategically in each unit you may have. You can certainly set up your unit to display like a showroom would and we highly recommend doing it this way. This elevates your client’s experience and allows them to view and interact with your inventory in a pre-set setting. Organization and being large enough can certainly change your client’s experience when viewing your storage unit setup! 

The Location of Your Storage Unit

Whether you are in a large city or a small town, considering where your storage unit space is can be very crucial to your success and access to your inventory. There are pros and cons to both sides of this. Being in a large city, the storage unit spaces typically are in multi-story buildings that require stair or elevator access and a small area to load in and out of. In small towns, typically you can pull right up to a rolling door and load directly into your space.

You also need to consider the transportation situation you have for your business and what is most convenient for loading in and out of your space plus what can be helpful to keep your inventory in its best shape. Do you only have a pickup truck? Does your box truck have the capability to enter the space you are storing at? These are additional factors to consider when working to make your loading and unloading process simpler for you and your employees.

Let’s also consider the actual location of your storage unit. You may have both options of a multi-story building, as well as a rolling door, and pull-up, but how close are they to where you are typically working at? Consider the conveniences of both options and consider the long run of how this will benefit or bring more frustration into your processes.

Last but not least, you must consider the hours of operation for your storage unit. Most gates lock for the evening around 9 pm or around that time, and they will not unlock again until 9 am the next morning. This is not exactly helpful for late-night wedding pick-ups or drop-offs. This means these items will have to stay stored inside your truck or trailer until your space becomes accessible.

We hope you enjoyed starting this new series with us and have learned some helpful tips about storage units while, and if, you are in this stage of your business. 

Next week on The Render Podcast, we are continuing this new series and chatting about The Small Warehouse + Growing Stage within your business! As always, thank you for joining us and we will see you next week.

Joyfully,

Raven Scott | Podcast Manager