WHAT SETS US
APART
At Advantage Consulting & Management, we have adopted a philosophy of continual and never- ending improvement. This starts from the top and flows down to the on-site self-storage managers. We believe complacency is the enemy to success.
Having managed self-storage facilities for over 3 decades we have learned how easy it can be to remain constant and adopt a mindset of “knowing everything” and letting our pride get in the way of improving. Thankfully we learned many years ago that we never arrive in our success and need to continually improve our operations as the self-storage industry is constantly changing.
Through our company philosophy of continual and never-ending improvement we have positioned ourselves to outcompete the competition. This is accomplished through a concentrated focus on the Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) of the business, so we can continually adapt and make the necessary improvements to soar to the top of the marketplace. Below are six key areas of the business we focus on to gain economic occupancy, improve profitability, and become the leader in the market.
THE SIX PILLARS
THAT SET US APART
Our approach centers on recognizing the pivotal role of on-site managers in self-storage success. We prioritize recruiting individuals who embody enthusiasm, charisma, and a customer-centric attitude, prioritizing attitude over skills during hiring.
Through our robust training program, we instill in-depth product knowledge as a cornerstone of customer service. We've observed that many operators lack adequate training, leading to potential manager failure despite hiring quality individuals. Our commitment to ongoing formal training ensures continuous growth and development of our operational team, fostering consistency and elevating our stores to market prominence.
As a self-storage management company we realize it is not always easy for our operational team to follow through with all of the details needed to make our stores as successful as we’d like. Because of this we have created an atmosphere of discipline and accountability with our people.
Through our monthly audit program and systems tracking we have a program that delivers quick and instant feedback to our team. This has helped us all to march down the same road to success while maximizing the key performance indicators of the business.
We believe success in the self-storage industry will be contingent upon how strong your marketing program becomes. It must be a blend of Search Engine Optimization, Google Ad campaigns, customer referrals, and previous customers coming back while building relationships in our local communities through our outreach marketing efforts.
We continually track our results and make the necessary improvements to help decide where to spend our time, money, and energy. Every market and demographic is unique and by tracking the results we can maximize our marketing dollars and achieve the optimal return on investment.
We emphasize the importance of effective phone communication for our on-site managers. Through ongoing training and tracking, we ensure they deliver compelling sales presentations that build trust and highlight the value of our services.
By equipping our managers with extensive sales techniques, we maximize every customer interaction and track results meticulously for continuous improvement. Our focus is on fostering likability, trust, and demonstrating the unique benefits of our storage facilities, enabling our managers to address objections and secure rentals effectively.
In today’s competitive marketplace we must be open to change while making the necessary improvements to rise to the top of the marketplace.
There are well over 50,000 self-storage locations in the U.S. and many markets have become saturated with self-storage. We recognize that our potential customer has plenty of choices. Through our company culture we have risen to the top and will continue to make improvements to better compete in this competitive industry.
We have found over the years that we must create an atmosphere of higher productivity for our people. The greatest asset we have are the people within our organization.
Through hard work and change we have developed a recognition and incentive program that incentivizes and motivates our team. We also recognize our people for great performance, while setting clear-cut goals in all of the key performance indicators of the business.
MEET BRAD NORTH
Brad North is a seasoned self-storage expert with over three decades of industry experience. As the owner of Advantage Consulting & Management (ACM) based in Mason, Ohio, Brad and his team specialize in enhancing the profitability of self-storage facilities across the Midwest and Southeastern United States. Through comprehensive management services, rigorous training, and innovative systems, ACM has elevated numerous locations to the top of their respective markets. Brad's philosophy emphasizes continual improvement and accountability, fostering a culture of excellence in all aspects of business performance.
With a track record of success, Brad and his team have assisted countless self-storage operators through management, consulting, training workshops, and feasibility studies. Brad's contributions extend beyond consulting; he has written training materials and articles, spoken at industry conferences, and served on the boards of self-storage associations. Passionate about entrepreneurship, Brad has also supported business start-ups through his local church's Business Ministry.
