2. Developing Your Best
Asset. The Property
Manager
Frank Certo, Director of
Operations, Guardian
Storage

3. Recent Industry Study……
4 Reasons that Folks pick one store over another:
1) Location
2) Property Manager
3) Amenities
4) Price
The traditional FABS pitch is not always the most
effective. Building relationships and finding PAIN
points are key to grabbing that inquiry’s business!

4. Let’s get started…
We are building an Education Program not just a new guy
hiring and training program.
 Topics we’ll discuss:
 1. Hiring the right person
 2. Creating a structured education program
 3. Proactive Newbie & current employee training
 4. Developing a culture of growth and success through
continuing education.

5. Strong Teams = Powerful Results

6. Hiring the RIGHT person!

7. Developing The Process…
Hiring/developing/managing Personnel CAN be a time
killer and source of frustration if you do not have a
structured game plan to ensure success!
Questions that need to be answered First!!
 Q: Who in your organization does the hiring?
 Q: Do they have proper training to do this correctly?
 Q: What are the steps in your hiring process? Why have
a process?

8. Avoid the Temptation….
 If you do this long enough, you’ll be tempted….
 You’re desperate to fill a spot quickly and you make the EASY
HIRE instead of the RIGHT HIRE.

9. Developing the Process...
 To ensure success we need to know:
– The state of the store: (i.e. location, mature/lease up, clientele,
etc).
– What type of person/skills fits that store’s situation best?
– Where do I find this person or skill set?
Sources to use in preparing my job interview
questions:
1. Industry Information (ISS!) 4. Personality tests
2. Operators at this show 5. Google it!
3. Ask Colleagues in YOUR market…

10. Keys to a successful process…
 Write a solid ad & put it in the right places
 Different words/phrases in an ad WILL attract different people.
 Personal recruiting
 Have several rounds of interviews to learn as much as you can.
 Use different settings & people w/in your company/contacts
 Ask open ended questions and LISTEN
 Paint the picture of what type of an organization you have or want to
have
 Be proactive w/ what you want…don’t guess! Don’t hope!
 Ask critical questions if the resume points that way.

11. Training your new Superstar
 Structure the Training:
Regardless of what size operation you have,
you need a system in order to correctly
prepare your newbie and achieve the desired
result.
“Shot gun” or “into the fire” training will fail you
more times than not!
Examples  Orientation vs. Field training

12. Orientation Training
First Day
Paperwork & HQ Tour – Introductions!!
Put them in a Classroom setting for comfort
Show them the “Big Picture” of your opportunity
Set 60 – 90 day goals to challenge the learning
curve.
Prepare them for the Field Training

13. Field Training
The Next 1 – 3 Weeks
Who conducts? (PM’s – DM – Owner)
Have they been trained to do this?
Do you have a training manual?
Be proactive w/ job functions – Stage activities if
need be: (Truck rental - Move in – Insurance
Claim)
Have a checklist of items to be covered w/ Sign-
offs
Challenge the Trainee  “Solo time” &/or Quizzes

14. Follow up Training
45 – 90 days in
A key opportunity to fill in the cracks and build on
the Big Picture
Make sure all bases are covered
Guide them to the people/sources of the RIGHT
answers and best practices.

15. A Culture of Growth & Success
Skills, in areas of Sales, Marketing, & Customer
Service especially, get rusty and can be often
hindered by the very subjective perspective of the
sales person. These skills must be refreshed,
retaught, and reinforced constantly to ensure
good results.
NOTE: Professional sales people practice their
pitch & presentation all the time….So should we.

16. Continued Education…
Schedule events or opportunities to educate your team
and work on these skills.
 Ideas:
 Staff Meetings – Round Tables – Conference Calls
 Industry Resources – (Webinars, Blog sites, conferences)
 Your State Organization  Join It!, Participate in it!
 Your colleagues in this industry or a parallel industry.
 STEAL THE JUICE!

17. Education Program Foundation
 Your Education Program needs some
fundamental principles to guide it.
Here are 3 we use:
 Communication…
 Education…
 Competition…

18. Communication
Build strong Business relationships w/ your team.
What are their interests & goals? What motivates
them?
Identify & promote individual or team successes.
Follow the Top Guys. STEAL THE JUICE!
Open communication between stores – levels of
organization – industry contacts

19. Education
 Build your teams’ acumen
 Self Storage Operator Skills
 General Business Skills
 Personal Professionalism Skills
 Do they think “BIG ENOUGH”? Act “AS IF”?
 The store will NOT grow until they do.

20. Competition
 Somewhere someone is practicing and when they meet you
on the court, they will BEAT YOU! -AND1
 Compete anywhere and everywhere against everything
 Develop benchmarks for all KPI’s.
 Move the contest around! The payoff can be inexpensive
and simple.
 Don’t be afraid to rank Stores or Managers
 Be aware & use the Top Operator’s stats
 Bonus programs  Should be SIMPLE, CHALLENGING,
ATTAINABLE, CONSISTENT with your org.’s goals.

21. Conclusion…
A strong manager will:
 Grow your Occupancies through Sales & Marketing efforts.
 Grow your Revenues through retention and Revenue
Management practices
 Grow your reputation in the marketplace
 Make your business more valuable everyday!
You can’t afford the alternative!

22. Frank Certo
Guardian Storage
5879 Centre Ave
Pittsburgh, PA, 15057
412-725-6615
fc@guardianstorage.com
Thank you!