I have one of those mothers who spends more time wrapping her holiday gifts than she actually spends picking them out. She's meticulous. The paper must be appropriate to the receiving individual. The ribbon must be an impeccable match. Don't forget the coordinating gift tags. And you always, always use that super-invisible, undetectable scotch tape--and lots of it.
It's the time of year to wrap things up, and though this issue of ISS doesn't come decked with a matching ribbon, we have plenty of surprises in store. No matter how difficult it may be to keep focused on business matters during the hustle and bustle of fruit cake and things that jingle, visiting relatives and credit-card bills, the show--or rather the rentals--must go on.
The end of the year is typically a time of reflection, and a time when people contemplate shuffling out the old, ringing in the new. For a facility operator, this may, in part, pertain to your staff. Once you get through the holidays, will you finally promote that part-timer who has been so patiently waiting? What to do about that manager who constantly neglects lock checks? Before deciding, make sure you understand the possible repercussions. This month, Scott Zucker reveals some "Secrets to Successful Staffing" that will keep you up to date on the legalities of hiring and firing employees. The new year may also be a good time to handle those neglected delinquencies. Refer to Pamela Alton's insights on tenant tracing.
A new year will certainly mean new development, but with such an expanding market, locating viable sites becomes an increasing challenge. Consider Michael Frede's article. He discusses how recent changes in environmental regulations have created some new development opportunities where prospects were previously grim.
Finally, a couple of other treats under the tree: Jeff Miller clears up some popular misconceptions about Internet advertising ; the "Store Wars" update highlights Phoenix development; and Cary McGovern talks about some changing attitudes towards records management.
Before signing off, we'd like to address a serious matter. Last month, we published a letter regarding some concerns we have had about the Self Storage Association. In order to make a preliminary step in resolving the conflicts addressed in that letter, the Inside Self-Storage Expo that was to be held in Denver in May 2000 will be relocated to either Buffalo or Syracuse, N.Y., for two reasons: first, to respect the SSA's 25th anniversary show taking place in Denver next fall, and second, to present an opportunity to capture the Toronto market--a goal Bill Martin of Chateau Products has been assisting us with. Although it will mean sacrificing the $10,000 invested in a hotel commitment in Denver, it will allow vendors and attendees to better plan their 2000 schedule, and will show our sincere earnest in reopening lines of communication with the SSA, hopefully creating greater success in this industry, for everyone.
Best wishes during this holiday season,
 Troy Bix Publisher [email protected] |
 Teri L. Lanza Editor [email protected] |