Opening up a storage company is a great business move for those who like to be organized.
You know the demands of keeping the clutter to a minimum, and you can work quickly to tidy and coordinate a space. And with a storage facility of your own, you can help others do the same.
After all, you’ve already got the skills and the knowhow. They can very easily translate into success within the storage and logistics industry, especially if you live in an area with sporadic storage access.
Now you just need to actually put a business plan together and get yourself set up in some physical premises. How hard is that going to be? It’ll depend on how well prepared you are.
As such, here’s what you’ll need to do to get a storage facility up and running.
Decide on Your Facility Type
What kind of storage facility do you want to open? Self storage is the main contender for most people, but there are other kinds that may appeal more and/or be more practical for you to consider.
Other common facility types include container storage, garages, and mobile storage units. All have their unique advantages, so make sure you work through each type to see what fits best.
Plus, depending on the storage facility you open, you’re going to get one type of client more than any other. You need to be sure this aligns with both the area you’re working in (is there enough of a demand?) and the client base you’re planning to work with.
There’s also a chance to add to your offerings or combine multiple storage types into one, especially as a self storage facility. For example, you can start arranging storage collections and drop offs, where you both pick up someone’s items and then deliver them back when the rental is up.
This is an incredibly convenient form of storage for many people, and you’re likely to double your available client pool by throwing it into the mix. But once again, you need to think carefully about the pros and cons of this model – and if you can even reliably provide it.
Scope Out Your Competitor’s Prices
Once you’ve got your facility type in mind, it’s time to find out what competition you’re dealing with.
We mentioned earlier that there may not be many storage companies in your area or in the surrounding area, but are there any further afield that could still reasonably service your region?
A lot of consumers are willing to travel the extra mile when it comes to storage, and many facilities need to be placed closer to rural locations due to the expanded space requirements.
However, if you could get closer (and naturally offer more value), you could cut your competition out of the deal entirely.
But the first thing you’ll have to do is scope out their prices! That’s the main thing everyone in need of storage looks for: how much is it going to cost to get these items out of my house?!
Get an average of the storage costs in your region, as well as across the whole country. This will give you a much better insight into your minimum and maximum price range.
You can then focus more directly on factors like the cost of living in your local area, and if your planned prices will need any tweaking to keep up with what’s really going on in your customers’ lives.
Focus on Security
Security makes or breaks a storage facility. You need to provide the absolute best level of ‘lock and key’ that you possibly can, as you’re asking your clients to leave potentially treasured and/or valuable items with you.
CCTV is essential for a storage facility, as are single use keys and one-time codes for storage units or lockers. No one should be able to get in once their rental contract is up!
You’ll also need insurance, to ensure any liability doesn’t collapse your business entirely. You may also want to ask your clients to come with their own storage insurance, to make sure any losses or breakages are covered entirely separately to your own policy and budget.
Make Your Facility as Easily Accessible as Possible
We’ve touched on the security elements – now we’re heading over to the other side. How can you make sure your clients have all the access they need when they want to store or pick up their possessions?
It’s partly the case of only allowing authorised access, but you also need to be accessible in the traditional sense. And even though storage facilities usually do just fine with being out of the way and potentially only accessible via back roads, why not do something different here?
It’s one of the best ways to get out in front of your competition. As long as you’ve found the right spot, you can erect a new storage facility on top. With the help of experts like Metal Structure Concepts, you’ll have a brand new storage center wherever it’s needed.
You just need to find land you could potentially develop, which can be more affordable than investing in the property on top. And when this land is accessible via main routes, and even close to the town center, it has the chance to be a lot more popular than other facilities in the area.
Storage is in Demand!
It really is! With people’s homes always having a limit on usable space, and even business offices and retail stores running out of inventory space in their stock rooms, your company could step in.
All you need to do is design it right. Understand what facility you’re best offering, what services your clients are most likely to want, and of course, who your clients actually are.
On top of that, never forget about the two most crucial elements of running a storage company: how secure it is, and how accessible it is. They go hand in hand!