Saturdays, what are the first thoughts that come to mind when you hear that word? For Self-Storage industry operators, Saturdays are one of the busiest days of their week. New move-ins, move-outs, overlocks on units, Saturdays seem to run the gamut of problems – and all at once.
The Self-storage industry doesn’t operate a modest 8-5, Monday-Friday business model – so why do the access control gate and surveillance repair businesses that service them?
Access control companies that service the self-storage industry have never traditionally thought of Saturday as a standard day they could offer services on. The Access Control industry is typically short-staffed and undertrained. Managers need quality gate operator repairs, someone who can fix damaged gates, and keep their site’s camera surveillance system running tip-top. Unfortunately, a lack of qualified technician talent can lead most access control businesses to operate a traditional 5-day service schedule – in a predominantly 6 to 7 day a week industry.
Saturdays are the busiest day of the week for self-storage operators.
While we were analyzing our service schedules, we were granted access to some fascinating data. Access Control Technologies is a Preferred Platinum Dealer for PTI Security Systems, a leader in Self-Storage access control systems. Thru our incredible partnership, PTI has given us access to a generalized data pool taken from their StorLogix Cloud Platform for 2020.
Based on 2020 stats, Saturday is by far the busiest day on average for self-storage operators. Fridays were a close second. The staff of PTI graciously provided the information that we have translated into the attached illustrated infographics. This data clearly shows that the access control service industry for self-storage is lacking.
Our self-storage customers’ second busiest time was 4 hours before we close on Fridays for two days. And our self-storage clients experience their busiest time during Saturdays, a day that we are typically closed. How could we possibly service the most pressing interests of our self-storage customers with a typical 5 day per week business model?
What could go wrong for your self-storage business on a typical Saturday?
Your new tenant has just finished driving 28 hours cross-country, in a bigger vehicle than he/she has ever driven in his or her life. He/she has their family is in tow and he/she has endured all the challenges that can occur on a big moving day – typically one of the most stressful days in a family’s lifetime. Now here they come, rolling that vehicle packed to the brim with prized belongings thru your gates, using an access control system they have never used; what could go wrong?
- New move-ins
- Move outs
- Overlocks on units
- Lost passcode reset requests
- Gate entry accidents and more
Self-storage Managers will have a lot less to worry about in March of 2020.
We are excited to share that beginning Saturday, March 6, 2021, Access Control Technologies will have live dispatchers and technicians available from 8:00 AM EST- 5:30 PM EST on Saturdays. (5:00 AM- 2:30 PM PST for our West Coast Las Vegas Customers)
How are we accomplishing a newly expanded 6-day standardized week, that is unheard of in our industry? We took a hard look at our business model. Upon review, we realized the answer lay in how we managed our growing talented team of technicians. And, we wanted to ensure that our customers would receive service from a technician who arrived happy to be there and eager to help. To accommodate both objectives we shifted to something considered radical for our industry – a 4 day rotating work week for our dispatchers and technicians.
We complemented our employee’s personal and family lives by switching to a rotating 4 day per week, 10-hour workday. This also allowed us to accomplish the additional Saturday workday without the burden of adding more staff. While some employees work Saturday, the others on rotation will not. Thus, everyone can now enjoy a 3 day weekend to look forward to.
So the next Saturday, you see an Access Control Technologies truck rolling up to repair your broken gate; you will know why your technician is smiling! Because he knows he has a 3 day weekend ahead.