The Latest Industry News

Media Contact:

Cyndi Ridge Begerhofer, GREENspot DROPoff

800.350.3550x5 pr@greenspotdropoff.org

 

GREENspot DROPoff awarded "Collection Program of the Year”

by International Electronics Recycling

 

June 28, 2010, Burbank, CA – GREENspot DROPoff, California's Leading e-waste recycling collector, was named "Collection Program of the Year” by International Electronics Recycling during this year's Closing Gala and Awards Ceremony on May 27^th, 2010.

International Electronics Recycling honors those recyclers and eco-friendly companies who are "trendsetters and leaders in electronics waste management.” GREENspot DROPoff's unique approach to e-waste recycling, dedication to providing free and convenient e-waste recycling to the public, and GREENsquared fundraising program have set GREENspot DROPoff apart as a leader in e-waste recycling.

"We are honored to be receiving this award so soon after we launched our GREENspot program,” beamed Barry Keyes. "With only 6 months under our belt, we have successfully opened over 150 GREENspots throughout the State of California and have plans for another 150 in the next 60 days. Our goal of providing free e-waste recycling to our local communities is becoming more and more of a reality each day as we continue to expand and offer more convenient locations throughout the State.”

About GREENspot DROpoff, Inc.: GREENspot DROPoff dedicated to providing free and convenient e-waste recycling to everyone in the US. Currently, we are a network of e-waste collection DROPoff sites throughout the State of California with plans to expand into other States in the second half of 2010. In addition to educating the public about the harms of e-waste, collecting e-waste for free, and advocating for free e-waste recycling for all, we are also dedicated to developing local communities via our GREEN² GIVEback program. To find your GREENspot visit us at www.greenspotdropoff.org

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Chamberlain Access Solutions has introduced a new product, the AccessMaster® Overlock™ system that revolutionizes self storage. Basically, the Overlock system can be engaged to prevent the hasp on a unit door from being opened. However, with an extensive list of capabilities and features the Overlock system changes facility management with benefits that include enhanced services, streamlined operations, and maximized profitability.

When the data provided by the Overlock system is harnessed, the business performs effectively at serving customers, operating efficiently, and generating profits. Facility managers can streamline operations and delinquency processes and access details about the facility from the office, minimizing the need for laborious lock and door checks. Business owners and operators can take advantage of tools and data that help to increase profitability and improve operational efficiencies. The technology sets the facility apart from competitors, providing an added layer of security that includes improved documentation of site activity.

Thanks to the patented technology of the Overlock system, customers will notice the

difference, managers will praise the simplicity, and owners will enjoy the significant gains.

Components working in unison

· Overlock Device: When activated, this wireless device secures the roll-up door on a self storage unit by preventing movement of the hasp to the open position.

· Overlock Transceiver: Similar to a wireless head-end, it is the communication center of the Overlock system, reporting commands and status for each Overlock device.

· Overlock Repeater: Extends the range of wireless communication through structures and over distances to ensure reliable wireless transmission of data.

· Overlock Application: An easy to use and simple to understand software application for control and visibility of the entire Overlock system.

Compatible door and hasp types/brands are listed in the technical specifications on the product sheet. The Overlock system is scalable: A single site can have anywhere between one and 8,000 Overlock devices working together to form a system. The system, including Overlock devices, can be installed without interrupting the flow of normal business. The unit door can stay closed and locked during the installation and wireless means no trenching will be necessary!

This Changes Everything

 

The Overlock system provides tools and capabilities that:

· Automate the move-in process.

· Prevent access to storage units with past-due rent, without manually placing additional locks on unit doors.

· Provide tenant access as soon as rent is made current.

· Streamline lien and auction procedures.

· Identify the status of all unit doors, without the need to leave the office to conduct visual inspections.

· Discourage tailgating into the facility.

· Prevent unit access during a customer's extended absence.

Chamberlain Access Solutions is a leading developer and manufacturer of access control, site security, and facility management products and services. Offering the AccessMaster, PTI, and Digitech brands, Chamberlain Access Solutions delivers integrated hardware, software, and service solutions for customers worldwide. The firm is a division of The Chamberlain Group, Inc. that was formed in 2008,

following the acquisition of PTI Integrated Systems and Digitech International. Chamberlain Access Solutions continues the proud legacy of these 25-year industry leaders with innovative quality products and superior customer services for the self-storage industry.

The Chamberlain Group, Inc. manufactures and markets access control products including residential garage door openers, commercial door operators, residential and commercial gate operators, telephone entry systems and related access control products.

# # #

Contact: Robbi Graham
480-588-9674
Robbi.Graham@chamberlain.com

Together Online to Capture Renter Leads in an Increasingly Competitive Industry

Kansas City, KS – June 23, 2010 – The largest privately-owned self storage company in the United States and Puerto Rico has teamed up with the self storage industry's most comprehensive search engine for web marketing and related support.

Simply Self Storage (http://www.simplyss.com/) has signed the majority of its locations up for premium service at StorageFront (http://www.storagefront.com/), becoming one of the largest self storage companies with listings on StorageFront.

"Self storage owners know that the web is today's yellow pages, and Google essentially controls which pages people will flip through,” StorageFront president Rich Cray said. "Unfortunately, climbing to the top of Google and converting leads online can be a costly and time-consuming course for a company of any size. That's why even the largest and most sophisticated storage facilities across the U.S. are turning to StorageFront. By offering Simply Self Storage comprehensive web marketing solutions, StorageFront is helping them more effectively connect with prospective renters.”

Cray added that Simply Self Storage is a forward-thinking organization, pointing out the fact that the company was recently ranked No. 1 in Entrepreneur Magazine's Hot 100 Fastest-growing Businesses in America. Joining StorageFront, Cray said, should help Simply Self Storage continue to grow its business.

"We joined StorageFront because they offer great online presence and many useful and user friendly tools for tracking conversions,” said Christina Furnia, Director of Marketing at Simply Self Storage. "StorageFront's tracking capabilities, Internet presence, web interface and price point were major attractions for us.”

Simply Self Storage has locations across the U.S. and locations in Puerto Rico.

"We are delighted to be selected by Simply Self Storage for web marketing support,” said Marc Smith, Director of Business Development at StorageFront. "Our expertise in web development and search engine marketing will ensure that Simply gets first-rate results in an increasingly competitive market.”

About StorageFront (http://www.storagefront.com/)

Headquartered in Kansas City, Kan., StorageFront launched in 2009 to provide a web marketing resource for the self storage industry specifically—which now numbers over 50,000 facilities nationwide and continues to appeal to the American population. A bilingual portal featuring search-by-amenity and geo-relevant sorting, StorageFront serves both storage owners and renters with an advanced search engine that comprises the majority of U.S. storage facilities.

About Simply Self Storage (http://www.simplyss.com/)

Ranked #1 in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Hot 100 Fast Growth Businesses in America,” Simply Self Storage is the largest privately owned self storage company in the United States and Puerto Rico. They own and operate over 160 facilities with over 11.8 million square feet of storage space.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Columbia, Missouri USA – June 18, 2010 - PhoneSmart self storage call center broke an all-time personal record for the most reservations made in one month. The off-site sales force and call center brought in 3,165 reservations during the month of May, representing an estimated $2,278,000.00 in revenue for its clients. (Data based on PhoneSmart's 90% conversion rate and an $800 lifetime customer value)

PhoneSmart self storage marketing also saw the best month for average reservations per store. Tron Jordheim, PhoneSmart Director and business speaker, said, "We were not even close to the record number of calls per store or the record number of calls in a month. So don't think we did this just because we took more calls. Our conversion rate of calls to reservations was what made the difference. So the takeaways from May's outstanding results are three: 1, Our customer centric approach to selling works very well. 2, PhoneSmart's huge investment in training, monitoring and coaching pays real dollar dividends for our clients. 3, There is strong demand in the marketplace for self storage. All three of these are very positive for our clients.”

This record-breaking month came as no surprise. On May 11, 2010, PhoneSmart forecasted that the month would be an uncharacteristically busy month as ‘Crazy Tuesday', the last Monday of the month and the first of June all swelled together to create a May Day buzz.

May was not the only month for breaking records; June 1, 2010 now holds the PhoneSmart record for the most calls taken in a single day, while maintaining an answer rate that exceeded 95%.

Tron Jordheim also added, "PhoneSmart's telesales reps take great pride in their sales success. We are not an answering service with a price list handy. We are not in the business of collecting names and phone numbers. It is not our goal to tell people to go to a kiosk or a website. PhoneSmart's goals are to rent space, reserve units, set appointments and take our clients' callers off the market.”

About PhoneSmart:

PhoneSmartself storage marketingis a call center offering storage unit reservation, lead generations and sales training seminars to the self storage industry. The company has served the industry for over 10 years and its call center answers for around 800 self storagefacilities across the U.S. and Canada. PhoneSmart has generated over 600,000 leads to the self storage industry and continues to be the leading self storage call center and source for sales training.

In addition to call center services, PhoneSmart offers sales training, quality assurance and self storage marketing to the storage industry."

(Temple, GA – June 10, 2010) Janus International is pleased to announce the following staff additions:

Jason Figart joins the Janus technical sales department and will manage both U.S. and European projects. Jason spent the last four years at U.S. Door as their International Sales/Estimating/National Accounts Manager. Prior to U.S. Door, he was an account manager for a refractory company in the steel industry. Jason will operate out of the Temple, GA and Peterlee, UK offices.

Richard Seaberry has joined Janus as Western Region Sales Manager, Self Storage. Richard has over 20 years of experience in the coiling door industry, most recently with U.S. Door as a self storage sales manager. Richard will manage accounts in CA, AZ, UT, HI, NV and CO, and will be located in our Anaheim, CA office.

Carl Wiman comes to Janus as Senior Draftsman. Carl initiated the drafting and design department at U.S. Door, and previously held positions at Roll-Lite Overhead Doors, Atlas Rolling Steel Doors and

Clopay Building Products. Carl will be operating out of Orlando, FL.

###

Headquartered in Temple, GA, Janus International is a leading manufacturer of sheet doors, self storage doors and building components, rolling steel doors and grilles. For more information, visit our website at http://www.janusintl.com/.

For more information, contact:

Amy Fuhlman

Director of Marketing

J A N U S I N T E R N A T I O N A L

p. 770.562.2850

f. 770.562.1991

m. 404.787.8444

http://www.janusintl.com/

amyf@janusintl.com

Visit Janus on Facebook | Linkedin | Twitter

Barry Keyes
05/27/2010

Self-storage facilities are often perceived by their local communities as necessities, not assets, as hide-away places where people only go when they have a storage need. But that perception can be changed by self-storage operators embracing the green movement.

Storage businesses can improve their public image by taking simple steps that will position them as champions of Mother Earth. In so doing, they'll bring in more sales while garnering great public relations.

How Do You ‘Go Green'?
"Going green” involves being conscious of the environmental impact of your actions―your business and personal practices, the products you use, etc.—and tailoring them to be Earth-friendly. It takes effort and often involves some up-front cost, but it's worthwhile in the long term. The end result for self-storage operators is that by working to help clean up the environment, they earn positive recognition and generate community awareness.

There are many ways self-storage operators can go green. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Use green energy. Put timers on lights and use energy-efficient light bulbs. You can also install solar panels, a "cool” metal roof (one using Polyvinylidene Fluoride paint) or even an energy-generating windmill, and then sell excess energy back to the city.
• Use green products. Buy paints and siding that contain no volatile organic compounds. Use eco-friendly cleaning and insect-control products. (Orange oil is great for termites.)
• Sell green products. Selling recycled boxes and packing is popular. Also consider selling storage products made from recycled plastic, corn, recycled tires, etc., and other unique materials.
• Promote green websites and information. Provide green tips through your facility website. Link to the websites of green products and businesses or local green organizations.
• Offer recycling bins. Many facilities do not offer any kind of recycling, but they should. You might even be able to make money on your customers' throwaways. Just make sure you keep your recycle bins clean.
• Become an e-waste drop-off site. Collecting e-waste—drained batteries, empty ink cartridges, old cell phones, old computer equipment—is a convenience for existing customers and can attract new people to your facility. It's as easy as providing a recycle bin and appropriate signage.
• Sponsor e-waste collection days. Promote the event on your website, post fliers and tell customers. After the collection event, ask a certified recycler to pick up the materials, or drop them off at a certified recycle facility.

Going green can help self-storage facilities bring in client traffic and added revenue. With ingenuity and facility upgrades, operators can save money and create energy. Plus, expansion of green products sold to the public—in the storefront and online—helps operators become active members of their communities and be recognized as a vital business committed to cleaning up the neighborhood and saving the planet.

Barry Keyes is CEO of California-based GREENspot DROPoff Inc., a network of e-waste collectors throughout California. Through partnerships with self-storage facilities and other DROPoff locations, the company provides free and convenient e-waste recycling to the public. The company also educates the public about the harms of e-waste, and gives back money to local schools and charities for every eligible piece of e-waste collected at one of the company's locations. For information, call 800.350.3550; visit http://www.greenspotdropoff.org/.

The following article is reprinted with permission from Inside Self-Storage, the premier magazine of the self-storage industry. For more information, visit http: //www.insideselfstorage.com/.

 

XPS SOLUTIONS 1251 Sherman Street, Suite 101 | Richardson, TX 75081 | T: 877.XPSUSA1 | F: 972.783.6468 | XPSUSA.COM

XPS expands Operations and Sales Executive team to Drive Strategic Growth

 

Richardson, TX. – May 19, 2010, - XPS Solutions provides best-in-class call management technology bundled with state-of-the-art web solutions. The XPS suite of products captures and tracks new leads, lead sources and receives payment transactions through the use call center, web platform and IVR tools. XPS Solutions announced today it has expanded its executive management team. Michael Roberts, Vice President of Business Development will continue to head up the Self Storage SBU (Strategic Business Unit). Hesham Tabbach, Vice President of Information Technology will continue to head up the XPS Solutions IT team.

XPS Solutions is proud to welcome Laura Mauldin, as Vice President of Operations & New Business Development.

In her role, Ms. Mauldin will be responsible for XPS Solutions' call center operations, as well as the new vertical and special project inside sales teams. She will report directly to the company's President and CEO John Traver.

"Laura is a pro's pro. She brings a level of scope that our company is ready for.” said Mr. Traver. "The level of leadership that she brings to our call center operation is a huge win for our organization. And I know our clients will quickly find that she has the ability to grow their businesses as well.”

Laura comes to XPS Solutions with over 20 years of operational and sales executive management experience in start-up, early-stage growth, and ongoing successful operations. Most recently, she was General Manager – Sales /Operations/ Call Center for Revo America where she was responsible for developing and building all aspects of a new security company. She recruited, developed, and managed sales and technical support (call center), warehouse, procurement, IT, ecommerce, marketing, product management and finance departments. Prior to that, Laura was Director of Contact Center Operations for Honeywell Inc. where she was responsible for managing ecommerce, sales, technical support, and an inbound/outbound contact center. 

For Immediate Release

Contact: Poppy Behrens

Phone: (602) 678-3579

E-mail: pbehrens@minico.com

 

NEW LAW TO BENEFIT ARIZONA STORAGE OPERATORS

Comprehensive Law Offers Protection And New Permissions

PHOENIX, ARIZONA—April 22, 2010—The Arizona Self Storage Association (AZSA) is pleased to announce the signing of a new law that will benefit the self-storage industry in Arizona. On April 19, 2010, Gov. Jan Brewer signed a new measure into law which will take effect in August or September of this year.

Key features of the new law include:

· E-mail will be allowed as another form of "verified mail” in many cases.

· Storage operators will have alternative ways—free of liability—for dealing with "protected property,” materials which by law they were not permitted to sell previously such as sensitive files and financial records, wine and alcoholic beverages, pharmaceuticals, and some guns.

· Storage operators will be able to auction boats, motor vehicles, and other property which they could not sell in the past when those items were subject to certain government "restitution” liens.

Special rules will apply to each of the new procedures. Additionally, certain changes to all storage leases and to some notices will be required.However, the benefits and protections to storage operators will far outweigh those inconveniences.

"Our thanks go out to all the people who made this possible including those AZSA members who have donated to our legislative fund, and to the Self-Storage Association for a generous grant from the SSA Legislative Fund,” says Martin Lorch, President of the Arizona Self-Storage Association. "Without a doubt, this new law is a boon to all self-storage operators in Arizona.”

For more details about this new law and how it can impact your self-storage operation, be sure to attend the 2010 Arizona Self-Storage Association Conference & Expo where Richard Marmor, Chairman of the Legal & Legislative Committee, will provide the most current updates regarding legislative activities that will affect your business.

Visit http://www.azselfstorage.com/ for information regarding the 2010 AZSA Conference & Trade Show.

About The Arizona Self-Storage Association
Founded in1996, the Arizona Self-Storage Association was created to strengthen the self-storage industry in Arizona, promote professional standards and quality, and present a unified voice on issues affecting the industry in the state and in its communities. The AZSA continues that mission today with more than 500 facility and vendor members. 

A-1 Self Storage Proudly Signs up for Self Storage Manager™!

A-1 Self Storage Signs up for Self Storage Manager™; management software by

E-SoftSys for all for their locations in California.

San Diego, CA – April 19, 2010 – A-1 Self Storage, the premier provider of self storage in California, announced today that they have purchased Self Storage Manager™ and will implement this web-based multi-facility management software at all 40 of their locations.

"We conducted an extensive evaluation of management software from a number of software vendors and selected Self Storage Manager™, mainly due to the excellent reference we received about their software and support services from other self storage operators, their responsiveness in answering our queries, their ability to quickly add requested features and willingness to interface to 3rd party systems such as our phone system," said Brian Caster, President of A-1 Self Storage. "Self Storage Manager's corporate office module will make it easier for us to standardize the operations across all our facilities. We are also impressed with their CRM module, which is specifically designed for the self storage industry and will assist us in further improving our customer service.”

The Self Storage Manager™ property management software is geared specifically for the Self Storage industry. It has the flexibility to be customized to suit individual operator needs, offers a fully integrated CRM module and provides 24/7 customer support. For more information, please visit http://www.selfstoragemanager.com/.

For more information about A-1 Self Storage, please visit http://www.a1storage.com/.

About A-1 Self Storage:

A-1 Self Storage is one of the leading providers of self storage with over 40 locations across California. A-1 is the Self Storage division of the Caster Companies, a third generation family-owned company headquartered in Southern California since 1959. The Caster Companies specializes in acquisitions, development and management of A-1 Self Storage, and other commercial properties in California. Its Real Estate Portfolio includes over 4 million square feet in real estate properties. It is one of California's fastest growing companies.

CONTACTS:

Fran Laporga-Ching

A-1 Self Storage

(619) 287-8873 x 141

press@a1storage.com

http://www.a1storage.com/

(Omaha, NE) April 12, 2010 – USstoragesearch.com is expanding the only pay-per-reservation call center in the storage industry to generate even more profits for its members. Under the company's pay-per-reservation model, member companies pay only for confirmed storage reservations with no monthly fees or call handling charges.

With client membership up 300% and reservation volume up nearly 200% since 2009, the company has now doubled the number of trained sales agents. All sales calls flow directly to a dedicated sales team that earns commissions for confirmed storage reservations.

Brian Bremer, Reservation Center Director of Operations has more than ten years of expertise in the call center industry. Bremer says dramatic increases in new client companies show that the pay-per-reservation call center delivers the best returns for the lowest cost. "By immediately directing all sales calls to our specialized sales agents, we can focus on converting every lead to a confirmed storage reservation. USstoragesearch.com is the only company in the industry willing to tie its success to the profits of our members. We think that's the way it should be,” explained Bremer.

With a 95 percent or higher move-in rate on storage reservations generated, the USstoragesearch.com pay-per-reservation call center consistently outperforms more traditional flat rate call centers, generating ten times the amount of new revenue.

 

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About USstoragesearch.com

Established in 2004, USstoragesearch.com is the self-storage industry leader with the longest running and largest storage directory, featuring over 12,000 member facilities and more than 2.8 million storage units nationwide. Storage customers using the USstoragesearch.com online reservation network search real-time available storage units by facility location, unit size, property features and specials. Customers have an easy way to find, compare and securely reserve storage by credit card in minutes. These real-time reservations have been proven to convert to paying rentals for member facilities more than 90% of the time. The major property management systems now integrate with the USstoragesearch.com online network including: Centershift STORE, SiteLink PC, SiteLink Web, DOMICO, Syrasoft, Storage Commander, StorMan, Symbio, Task Master, Total Recall and WinSen. USstoragesearch.com is a trusted storage partner; serving the storage industry with aggressive and cost-effective marketing. Visit USstoragesearch.com at http://www.usstoragesearch.com/.