Nicholas Vetch, executive chairman of U.K. self-storage operator Big Yellow Group PLC, recently sold 50,000 shares of company stock for £250,000. On the same day, CEO James Gibson sold 45,910 shares for £229,550 in a share-option trade that analysts said was not a strong indicator as a signal for shareholders to sell. Big Yellow stock has improved 32 percent in the last year, according to the source.

The transactions come at a time when Big Yellows stock price was coming off an all-time high, the source reported. Vetch retains more than 9.16 million shares, 6.41 percent of available stock, worth approximately £45.8 million.

The companys stock performance has reflected its operating success. For the third quarter of its fiscal year, which ended Dec. 31, the company reported revenue of £17.9 million for its 54 wholly owned self-storage facilities, up 6.5 percent from the same quarter a year ago. Revenue was down 2.7 percent from the previous quarter.

Occupancy for the wholly owned facilities was 67.7 percent during the quarter, up 4.4 percent year over year but falling from 70.5 percent the previous quarter. Company officials attributed the quarterly decline to the period being seasonally weaker than other times during the year. Move-ins were up 14 percent during the quarter.

Net rent per square foot was £25.73, an increase of 4.4 percent from the quarter ending March 31. Average net rent per square foot during the quarter was £25.61 compared to £25.43 for the same quarter last year. Revenue per available square foot was £20.78 during the quarter, a 7.2 percent increase year over year.

Big Yellow Group operates 66 self-storage locations in the United Kingdom under the Big Yellow Self Storage brand name, with most concentrated in Greater London. The portfolio comprises 4.2 million square feet.

Terrence and Barbara Caster, founders of California-based A-1 Self Storage, have donated $1.85 million to Rotary International in support of the humanitarian-service group's polio-eradication and peace-studies programs. The donation was announced during an annual conference of Rotary leaders in San Diego. It is among the largest single gifts ever made to the organization by an individual Rotary club member.

"Barbara and I are blessed to be fruitful in our family business, A-1 Self Storage, and we've always felt it is important to give back and help others," said Caster, a member of the Rotary Club of La Mesa. "As a result, we are involved in numerous charities. But as a Rotarian, I can think of no cause more worthy than Rotary's work to end polio and promote world peace."

The largest share of the gift, $1.1 million, will go to Rotary's PolioPlus program, which works to immunize children in developing countries against this disabling, infectious disease. Rotary is a founding partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, launched jointly in 1988 by Rotary, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A more recent partner in the initiative is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which will match two-to-one every dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication through 2018, thus growing the Caster gift to $3.3 million in new money to fight the disease.

The remainder of the gift, $750,000, will go to the endowment fund of Rotary's Peace Centers program, which offers master's degree-level fellowships in peace studies and conflict resolution at six major universities in five countries. Specifically, the Caster donation will fully endow one Rotary Peace Fellowship every other year.

"We deeply appreciate the incredible generosity of Terry and Barbara Caster in support of polio eradication, Rotary's top goal as an organization, and also our very popular and successful peace-studies program," said Stephen R. Brown, a San Diego area Rotary member and a trustee of The Rotary Foundation, which manages both programs. "The Caster family's gift could not come at a better time in Rotary's effort to protect children everywhere by reducing the threat of disease and violence in our world."

Since the launch of the polio-eradication initiative, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99 percent, from about 350,000 cases a year in 1988 to 369 confirmed cases in 2013. Rotary's main responsibilities within the initiative are fundraising, advocacy and social mobilization. To date, Rotary has contributed more than $1.2 billion and countless volunteer hours to fight polio.

Founded in 1905, Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 34,000 local clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. It works to improve lives at the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world.

A-1 Self Storage has 17 locations in the San Diego County area and more than 40 locations statewide. It is the self-storage division of the Caster Cos., a third-generation, family-owned company headquartered in Southern California since 1959. Caster Cos. develops and manages A-1 Self Storage, A-1 Car Storage and other commercial properties in California. Its portfolio includes more than 4 million square feet of real estate.

By Marc Goodin

The most valuable piece of real estate at your self-storage facility is the two square feet of office counter space where you deal with potential renters. It's worth a million dollars, even $2 million for real go-getters.

Your management counter may not look like much, but to the trained customer-service representative, its worth its weight in gold. Let's assume the average value of a rental at your facility is $1,000 per year. If you manage to close just two extra rentals each month, that's $24,000 per year. At todays capitalization rate, thats an extra $250,000 in facility value, plus nearly the same amount in income over the next 10 years for a whopping $490,000. With some effort, you can double that for an easy million dollars!

As a self-storage manager, your primary goal is to help prospective tenants choose your facility over the one down the street. The mindset of the "million-dollar counter" is a very effective tool to help ensure prospects choose your facility on the spot. Here are some things to consider for your million-dollar counter space.

Testimonial Guest Book

Potential renters are more likely to believe fellow customers than our own proclamations or advertisements. For that reason, you should keep a testimonial guest book on your counter where prospects can see all the wonderful comments other customers have made about your facility. It will give them that "it just feels right" sensation.

The wonderful things written about your facility will not appear in your guest book magically. Operating the million-dollar counter is a mindset. Your goal is to make all your clients feel special by wowing them with random acts of kindness, little surprises and tons of value. You have to constantly be thinking how to provide terrific customer service and take action.

When you get one or two great reviews a week, youll know youre on the right track. When a  tenant moves out, its a good time to ask for a recommendation. Place a pen on the guest book to make it easy for him to write great things about you! When he signs, dont forget to ask if you can post his comment and name on your Facebook page for even more proof that your facility is the best.

Sweet Treats

Who doesnt like candy? The simple pleasure of a candy dish on your counter is bound to put a smile the faces of prospective and current renters. Keep the dish full every day with a variety of candy. Let everyone know they can help themselves any time theyre in the office.

Flower Power

Flowers are a sign you care. At our facility, the flowers on our countertop are often from our own garden. We plant daffodils so we have them to hand out in the spring. Every person who walks in the office gets a flower. You can't imagine how this little surprise will make your renters feel wonderful and indebted to you.

You can even adapt this surprise handout approach to the various seasons and holidays. For example, give out pumpkins in October, candy canes in December, little flags on the Fourth of July, etc.

Two-Sided Brochures

On one side should be a list of your facility's features and benefits, on the other a list your unit sizes. This makes it easy to write your current prices next to the sizes that best suit your prospect. Both sides should include glossy photos, which creates a professional presentation and makes it easy for the client to understand your business.

Referral Program

Have you noticed how excited customers are when you hand them a referral card and let them know they can get $50 for referring a friend to you? An 8.5-by-11-inch poster in a picture frame on the counter works great to promote your program. Keeping a stack of referral cards on the counter will also remind you to offer them to renters when they pay their rent or move out.

Locks

People dont like to make decisions and shouldnt have to struggle with the choice of which lock to buy for their self-storage unit. A simple show-and-tell countertop display of disk locks will help. Explain how they make your facility and customer goods safer, and you'll sell one every time. Not only will you rent more units and keep customers happy, youll generate additional revenue in lock sales.

Late Fees, Auto Pay and Pre-Pay

These should be outlined on a single laminated sheet and displayed on the counter. Many self-storage operators fail to realize how valuable this is. Too often we forget to tell customers about our late fees, or how they are guaranteed no late fees by signing up for our simple, automatic, credit-card payment plan. Did you know a renter on auto pay stays two months longer than the average customer? Money in the bank!

Theres nothing better than a client who pays for a year in advance. Sometimes all it takes is to offer him the 13th month for free. (Note I said the 13th month, not the first month.)

The Greeting

You cant rent units or sell merchandise from behind the counter. When a prospect walks into your office, immediately walk up and greet him. Its been proven that in a retail environment, more sales are made if the employee is the first to say "hello."

Then tell the customer your name. Typically, a person will offer his name in return, or you can say, Sorry, I didnt catch your name. You should use his name a couple of times during the conversation.

We need to show our customers how were different. Most of the time, it only takes small actions like these to show we care and value their patronage.

The Key to Success

Heres one more little surprise for your customers: Once they've rented with you, offer to open their lock package, and then put one of their lock keys on a free keychain printed with your facility's logo, website and phone number. Pay a bit extra for a nice keychain. I like one with a carabineer, flashlight or bottle opener. I see people all over town with our keychains even after theyve moved out.

I hope youve enjoyed these ideas. It truly is the little extras we can offer our customers that make us stand out in competitive markets. Get creative when it comes to these simple surprises. Youll find with a little effort, theyll make your cash register sing!

Marc Goodin learned about self-storage and marketing over the last 30 years from real-life experiences. He designs self-storage as a civil engineer and owns three facilities he designed, built and manages, including one in Canada. Hes the author of Your Self-Storage: Planning, Site Selection, Design, Build, now available in the Inside Self-Storage Store . For more information, e-mail [email protected]; visit www.storageprofits.com .

Customers of Sentinel Self Storage in Dover, Del., show their appreciation to facility manager Charlotte Tackett in a distinct way. Rather then baked goods or thank-you cards, Tacketts tenants gift her with rocks to add to her growing collection.  

Called Miss Charlotte or Granny by her tenants, the longtime facility manager puts customers at ease as they undergo what can often be a stressful time in their lives. Over the years, customers have rewarded her kindness with unique rocks including some from far-off places like Mount Kilimanjaro. Her collection includes a flat river rock on which a customer wrote Sandy Hook with a pink heart to commemorate the 2012 shooting at the Connecticut school. Tackett has also received a mini stone Buddha, a pillar lava rock from Germany, and a gold-flecked stone from Promised Land State Park in Pennsylvania.

Due to its nearness to Dover Air Force base, Sentinel Self Storage has a large military clientele. While her customers serve their country overseas, Tackett stays in contact with their family members. In turn, several military tenants have given her rocks from places where they were stationed including Australia, Iraq, Libya and Kyrgyzstan. Other gifts include a decorated conch shell from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, metal crosses from Portugal and a bracelet from China.

Tackett, who worked for a variety of companies before joining Sentinel, became the full-time manager and trainer at the companys Dover facility in 2005. She began collecting rocks two decades ago, encouraging friends and customers to think of her when they traveled. Much of her collection is displayed in the facilitys office atop a filing cabinet, and in wicker baskets and containers. Each gift is special, as is each giver and story behind it, Tackett told the source.

Family owned and operated since 1989, Sentinel Self Storage has facilities in Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey.

Real estate developer Stephen McLean received recommended approval from the Orange County, Va., Planning Commission last week for a rezoning request and special-use permit that could pave the way for a proposed self-storage facility. McLean wants to build a storage operation on a 10.8-acre property that partially borders Lake of the Woods, Va. The land is currently zoned for agricultural use.

The planning commission recommended approving McLeans application to change the zoning from agriculture to limited commercial as well as a special-use permit to specifically allow self-storage. At the request of the Lake of the Woods Homeowners Association (HOA), McLean changed his zoning request from general commercial to limited commercial. Residents were concerned about the potential height of the facility, since general commercial allows structures up to 100 feet. McLean said he did not plan to have any buildings taller than 40 feet, which is the height limitation for limited-commercial zoning.

Residents also expressed concern regarding retention ponds, lighting, dumpsters and driving lanes on the storage property. In addition, the HOA asked the commission to prohibit businesses from operating inside storage units. McLean said much of the facilitys lighting would be directed downward to minimize spillover and controlled by motion sensors. Unit access would be allowed up to 9 p.m., and other than storing inventory, McLean said businesses would not be permitted to operate from units, according to the source.

As part of its recommendation, the commission applied several restrictions including a 50-foot natural buffer along the sides and rear of the property, a 10-foot height limitation on freestanding signage, and screening to limit the visibility of stored vehicles and boats from public rights of way.

A final decision on the zoning request and special-use permit will be made by the county board of supervisors.

The planning board in Williamstown, Mass., is considering a modification to its zoning bylaws to permit self-storage developments. The current zoning doesnt specifically address the service. The board asked Town Planner Andrew Groff to research how other communities zone self-storage facilities, where they permit them to be built, and how the areas have been affected by the business.

In ongoing discussions, the Williamstown Planning Board has determined self-storage would likely fit in the light-industrial zone, but the town has few areas zoned for these purposes, according to Chris Winters, planning board chairman. Currently, the towns bylaws limit light-industrial developments to research laboratories, office buildings and select light industries that are compatible with residential communities.

The towns limited industrial zones are along North Hoosac Road and Cole Avenue, as well as near the town garage, sewer plant and transfer station off Simonds Road. Self-storage facilities would be a good fit for some underutilized buildings or town parcels, Groff told the source. Winters also said there seems to be a demand for the service, so the planning board is willing to consider the bylaw change.

A zoning change would require a warrant article to be drafted, vetted at a public hearing and approved by the towns board members before the May 20 annual town meeting. Any self-storage developments would be required to meet in-place building and height codes  of 35 feet or 2.5 stories, Winters said.

WI Self Storage has opened for business in Appleton, Wis., inside a former paper mill. The large blue building at 1117 W. Washington St. takes up nearly a city block and was vacant for more than three years. The building was purchased last year for $1.9 million by owner Jim OMalley, a Milwaukee-based real estate developer, and local investor Lorne Tschanz.

The conversion project is ongoing, with the facilitys first 140 storage units available for rent. It will eventually have 640 units, with some large enough to store vehicles or boats. Customers can drive inside the climate-controlled building to unload their belongings at their unit.

Originally constructed in 1955, the 103,000-square-foot facility has been updated with an alarmed security system, electronic gate access and video cameras. Amenities include complimentary Internet access at the business counter, UPS and FedEx package-delivery acceptance, and a self-leveling loading dock area for larger deliveries.

The facility will host an indoor boat show next month.

Pegasus Group, a real estate investment and management company that owns and operates approximately 60 self-storage facilities nationwide, is partnering with the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) to acquire and manage additional properties. Created in 1953, ASRS is a state agency that provides retirement and other benefits for state employees and has assets of approximately $30 billion. The financial strength of ASRS will allow Pegasus to compete aggressively and close quickly on individual self-storage assets and portfolios throughout the United States, according to a company press release.

Based in Walnut Creek, Calif., and founded in 1988, Pegasus specializes in self-storage investments. Its portfolio is primarily comprised of facilities operated and managed under the Central Self-Storage brand name.

Pegasus recently completed the acquisition of seven self-storage facilities in Minnesota and one in Portland, Ore. All eight properties were rebranded as Central Self Storage.

By John Egan

Reprinted with permission from "The Storage Facilitator" blog.

A new study gives us a peek into the minds of angry customers, and the findings should be a wake-up call for self-storage businesses. Researchers say the customer rage study by the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University shows that more American consumers than ever are just plain cranky. Here are several highlights from the study:

• The number of U.S. households experiencing customer rage climbed from 60 percent in 2011 to 68 percent in 2013.
• The number of people reporting customer problems jumped from 45 percent in 2011 to 50 percent in 2013.
• Despite the rise of the Internet, people are 11 times more likely to complain over the phone than online.
• Posting of customer complaints on social networking sites like Facebook nearly doubled from 2011 to 2013.
• In 2013, most customers who complained (56 percent) said they got absolutely nothing as a result, up 9 percentage points from 2011.

When companies added free remedies, such as an apology, to any financial relief handed out, satisfaction among complaining customers doubled from 37 percent to 74 percent. If a fuming customer was at least soothed, he told an average of 10 to 16 people about the situation. But if that customer remained unhappy, he spread the word to an average of 28 people.

All Over the Map

In general, the gripes of ticked-off customers run the gamut. Scott Broetzmann, president and CEO of Customer Care Measurement & Consulting LLC, which collaborated on the study, says, People are frustrated that there are too many automated-response menus, there arent enough customer-care agents, they waste a lot of time dealing with the problem, and they have to contact the company an average of four times to get resolution.

Mary Jo Bitner, executive director of the Center for Services Leadership at the W.P. Carey School of Business, cautions companies shouldnt sink money and resources into improving customer service unless youre going to do it right.

If a company handles your complaint well, then you typically become a more loyal customer, Bitner says. However, if they dont, then you become 12 percentage points less brand loyal than if you never complained at all.

The Fix

Certainly, the problems with customer service are well-documented. But how can you fix them? Experts offer these six solutions.

1. Show that you care. This attitude should saturate your company culture, according to Jennifer Martin, a business consultant in San Francisco. If you create aculture of genuine caringthis means internally and externallythen everyone on your staff will know that caring for your clients is a have to rather than a want to, Martin says.

2. Go beyond lip service. Barry Maher, a customer-service expert in Corona, Calif., says that for many people, customer service is like the weather: Everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it. You should spend as much time and effort providing customer service as you do jawing about it, he said.

Ive worked with many of the worlds largest companies, and I have never worked with a single company anywhere in the world where the top people wouldnt tell you, often at great length, just how important their customers are, Maher says. But weve all been customers. How often do we actually feel important?

3. Reward your reps. Lenny Laskowski, a customer-service consultant in Wilmington, N.C., says front-line customer-service representatives typically are underpaid. As a result, companies tend to hire young, inexperienced workers to handle customer service. If you properly pay employees who deal directly with customers, your employees and customers will reap the benefits.

4. Empower your employees. Give some decision-making leeway to workers who are on the front lines with customers. If the employee who has to directly interface with the customer has to get someone else or get permission, then you lose customers, Laskowski says. Martin adds: There is nothing more frustrating than feeling like the person you are talking to either has theIQ of a light bulb and [doesnt] understand what you need, or cant make a change even if [he] wanted to.

5. Remember the human touch. Far too often, companies lean on automated technology to take care of customers over the phone. Given the choice, would you rather hear a recorded human voice or a live one when contacting a company?

Customers end up yelling at customer-service repswhen they actually do get to talk a human beingbecause they spent the last 15 minutes trying to select the correct option on these terrible automated answering systems, only to be transferred from one extension to another and end up talking to someone in another country who cannot do a thing for them," Laskowski says. When possible, let real people answer your phones, not automated recordings.

6. Practice random acts of kindness. Businesses extend deals and discounts to customers. They might even send holiday or birthday cards. But how often do they thank customers out of the blue?

Make it everyones job to tell a customer thank you. Let them know youappreciate their business, Martin says. Send them a real handwritten thank you and mail it with an old-fashioned stampyes, they still have thoseand see how they notice and are reminded why they are saying yes to you in the firstplace.

John Egan is the editor in chief at SpareFoot, an online marketplace for the self-storage industry. Before joining SpareFoot, he was the editor in chief at Bankrate Insurance. The Storage Facilitator is a self-storage blog managed by SpareFoot and hosted by partners SelfStorage.com .