It's super important to call each SpareFoot customer right after they reserve a unit. In fact, facilities that follow up within the first 10 minutes are 25% more likely to turn those reservations into tenants. Plus, keep in mind that the average length of a follow-up call is under two minutes -- one minute and 26.59 seconds, to be exact -- and can be all that's needed to turn a hesitant prospect into a guaranteed tenant. That said, we understand that sometimes it can be hard to make contact with customers right after they reserve. Our tip here is the sooner you reach out the better.
There are several ways that SpareFoot helps makes this process even easier, such as:
- Automatic email notifications: Immediately after we send a customer reservation to your facility, you’ll receive an email notification with the subject line, “Action Needed: New Customer from SpareFoot.com” encouraging you to follow-up by phone with the customer as soon as possible.
- Tenant Connect service: We will send an automated call your way within 10 minutes of receiving a new reservation which will give you the option to immediately be connected to the customer over the phone. You can also chose to have Tenant Connect text alerts. If you'd like to learn more about this service, please see our Overview of Tenant Connect article.
First and foremost, it's important that these outbound calls are not positioned as sales calls, but rather as an opportunity for you to establish a personal connection with the customer, answer any questions they may have, ensure they've selected the right size unit, let them know what to expect on move-in day and most importantly, reassure them that they have picked the right facility!
To give you a better idea of how some of SpareFoot's top-performing facilities are conducting follow up calls, we've included a few quotes from managers at these facilities below. These managers routinely move in between 90-98% of SpareFoot customers.
These follow-up calls are calm, friendly and low-pressure interactions where the manager makes their new tenant feel welcomed, valued and completely comfortable.
We created a follow up call checklist with some helpful pointers about what to cover on these calls.
Plus, customers love when you follow up!
In fact, here are a few quotes from some customers who loved receiving a follow-up call from their facility manager. These customers liked hearing that their reservation was received and that the manager was expecting their arrival.
The Warm Fuzzy Factor:
As you've seen above, when it comes to reserving and moving into a storage facility, service is often more important than sales. We think that's because customers need to get that "warm fuzzy" feeling about a storage facility or they won't choose it. This makes total sense - they're trusting a facility to take good care of their stuff, and they want to feel safe and confident in their buying decision.
Make sure your online presence communicates YOUR great customer service! And don't forget: When you get a new reservation, be sure to give them a friendly call ASAP!