Gabfocus Self Storage Podcast Melissa Huff, Josh Huff, Tommy Nguyen

Up next in our series on "Dealing with Problem Tenants" are our business operators. This is a tricky category as many of our business tenants are our best tenants. They follow the rules, pay on time, and stay forever. But there's a difference between a business that stores with you and one that operates on your property.
How can you discover this problem business before you rent to them? What are the red flags to watch for? As with the other types, so many problems can be avoided with an active manager and clear guidelines in your lease. We discuss all the angles of this important tenant type, plus give a brief update on StorageGives towards the end.
Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff
Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

Theft is one of many security issues facing every self storage facility. Preventing it should be a top concern. Sadly, one of the sources of theft is our own tenants. For most of your renters, you have nothing to worry about. But what about that one bad apple? How can you "thief-proof" your facility? Better yet, how can you head off a thief before they ever become a tenant?
Today, we tackle the next problem tenant on our list, the Thief. We go over very practical ways to prevent them from renting, recognizing them on the property, and keeping your property safe. From curb appeal, to police presence, to unit alarms (plus several funny stories), we explore this issue like Danny Ocean explores a casino.
Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff
Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

Tenants are the life blood of our business. Most of the time, and with most of our tenants, the relationship is great. But every once in a while you get that one tenant...
Today we tackle the first of many problem tenant types: The Complainer/Bully. This is the tenant who knows your business better than you do and always has a "helpful" suggestion. You may call this person a "Karen" or a complainer, but sometimes they take it too far. How do you deal with a tenant like this? How do you respond when a complaint turns into hostile behavior in person or online? Thankfully, there are several practical things you can start doing today to help deal with your problem self storage tenants.
Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff
Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

There is a common denominator every self storage business shares that is often under-valued and under-utilized: the customer. Building customer loyalty is the final step in the sales funnel. But too often, companies are so focused on getting customers, they don't know how to truly enlist them to continue building their business.
Today we gab about the customer and how to utilize them in your sales process. Yes, asking for reviews is a part of it, but there is so much more, from regular communication to referral programs to going for repeat business from past tenants. Take advantage of this free final stage in marketing and enlist your customers.
Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff
Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

The self storage laws in Georgia were recently updated to include new provisions for non-monetary defaults and unsigned lease agreements. But along with these changes are best practices to protect both the facility owner and the tenant. While some practices are now legal, owners must be careful to implement them in the right way. We break down some of the changes, what this means for the industry, and how they can really benefit your business.
Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff
Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

Increasing occupancy is top of mind for most self storage operators. Advice is plentiful, from upping your ad spend to dropping your rates. But what really works? Luke Westbrooks joins the webinar to discuss what has and hasn't worked for the portfolio under his care. You won't be surprised by the bottom line- it's all about the customer experience. Your customer interaction has a direct impact on their desire to rent with you or recommend you to others. The gabfocus team work through communication, move-ins, billing, collections, and more as they tackle this important topic.
Hosts: Tommy Nguyen & Melissa Huff
Guest: Luke Westbrooks
Brought to you by the teams at StoragePug and Lighthouse Storage Solutions