Out-lease the Competition Using Analytics and Technology

Often, this is forgotten or the consumer isn’t providing information with the accuracy needed. Add the duplication of records and that existing customers could call marketing lines for non sales purposes, and the waters get muddy very fast.

Call tracking is an affordable, must-have solution to better track referral sources and gain insight. Savvy marketers use a different call tracking phone number for each marketing campaign to differentiate which lines are driving profit. Fortunately, these practices are within easy reach of the small to mid-sized operator.

To streamline lead tracking, technology tools integrate with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software. This happens in many industries and self-storage is catching up fast. Ideally, CRM technology initiates a lead follow-up card upon an incoming call. A lead follow-up card serves as the agent’s script and ensures that the facility receives important information such as the unit size the caller is interested in, when they are planning on moving in, and any additional contact information needed for the next steps. The representative answering the call has visibility into what marketing channel delivered the call, and whether or not the caller is a current customer. Integrating technology into tracking the phone call provides access to better analytics, a truer ROI, and assists in making better decisions when it comes to your marketing spend.

Beyond lead tracking, it is imperative to make the rental process as simple as possible. A quick way to increase your lead to rental conversion rate is by using automated follow-ups. A variety of communication channels such as phone, email and SMS/text can be scheduled at certain intervals as the lead is created. Thorough follow-up should also detail the various access paths to rent. Whether this is via the agent, an online rental or a self service SmartKIOSK, accessibility and convenience are paramount.

Call Recordings Increase Coaching Opportunities

In order to out-lease the competition, close the customer on the first call. Top operators are aware that call recordings are a fantastic training and accountability tool. Call recordings allow quick audits of the sales team's performance, and ensure that the script is being followed. To avoid push-back from property managers, educate them on the ancillary benefit of those calls being attached to records in their database. Easy to reference, customers can also be held accountable should the occasion arise.

This is only the beginning, technology has many tools to help streamline your operations and measure your efforts, while better serving your customers.

Article Contributions by: Ken Crowne - Business Development at CallPotential

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