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How is the self-storage industry coping with the recession and Brexit?

Since 2008, when the dreaded recession first gripped global economies, executives have attempted to analyse how their own individual industries have been hit by post-events. Now, as we look back, it is sometimes difficult to remember a time when we were living in a world without austerity measures and it could be said that Brexit to a certain extent was a direct result of all that has followed from 8 years ago.

Some industries have thrived because of recession

But not all industries have been hit hard. On one level, some industries have prospered where others have fallen. It often depends on what services or products are being sold. For instance, luxury restaurant meal providers are struggling whereas cheap fast food outlets continue to multiply. The service provided must be flexible enough to swing with downturns or upturns in the market to survive.

How has the self-storage industry been hit

The self-storage industry like most businesses has seen more negatives than positives. As the global economy has shrunk, businesses have had to put caution before investment and growth. Subsequently, whereas before 2008 there was a stunning growth in the industry across the UK, post-recession statistics show that start-up businesses within the industry has slowed down considerably and individual businesses are not opening new stores at the frequency experienced at the beginning of the millennium.

But the self-storage industry remains strong. Like many industries, even after the burden of the rise in VAT in 2012, there has been good signs. As organisations, have been unable to grow, supply has fallen leading to an excess in demand. Hence, prices have risen.

Self-storage continues to grow despite the recession

The market for self-storage has also changed in favour of the current economic climate. We can now offer clients a powerful solution to issues that are a direct result of the recession. This includes organisations who prefer to use the flexibility of self-storage rather than take out an expensive long-term contract with a warehouse. London companies are finding that self-storage providers outside of the city can offer a cost-effective option to storage issues. Self-storage offers a great facility for people who are downsizing and need a short-term storage area for valuables.

Overall the industry is driven by natural changes in life such as the birth of a baby, the termination of a relationship, a wedding. These events continue in some form or another whatever the economic climate and self-storage offers an inexpensive solution.

Looking for storage space in Faversham Canterbury or Herne Bay? To learn more about how Need A Space self-storage can help businesses in Kent and the London area click here

Top tips for a sustainable business

It is essential that businesses in the 21^st century are aware of how their processes and products have an effect on the environment. In a world where there is a threat of global warming, an ever decreasing supply of natural resources and an uneven distribution of those resources throughout the world, sustainability activities need to be built into every company’s infrastructure.

At the same time being open about how you are contributing to green issues is also likely to give your company extra credibility in the eyes of its target market. We all want to feel we are playing our part in preserving our environment and holding off global warming so people feel good when they do it third party in buying a product. It also facilitates the profile of a company who is not just out to make profits but is also concerned about the way we live. This builds trust and loyalty.

So, let’s look at some top tips for creating a viable sustainable business:

First of all, you need to determine what sustainable activities you can integrate into your daily procedures or processes. You need to therefore stand well back from the routines you have become accustomed to in order to gain a clear overview of your systems. Then, with the heads of each department, consider which changes can be instigated, taking into account the effect it may have on the overall product and budget.
It’s not always the big changes that matter. It could be a case of considering whether you need those tons of receipts? Would it be easier to go paperless? Can that mountain of hard-copy communications and reports be saved on a computer drive? How can reports and communications in the future to facilitate a paperless environment?
Share your activities with your clients. It is refreshing to see companies promoting sustainability issues instead of just the latest offers. It builds trust and loyalty.
For sustainability to work across your company, your team needs to be on board too. That means you need to think about hiring employees who also buy into your green policies. They need to be educated in green developments and play a part in changes within the business. You know it is really working when they come to you with new ideas.
Going green is adding an extra layer to the work you do on a daily basis. You need to lead the way with this and innovate new ideas in meetings specifically set up for sustainability issues alone. Employees need to see how seriously you take it.
It also offers an opportunity to network with other businesses on a new level. Partnerships and collaboration can lead to a more streamlined approach in sustainability and can also be productive in other business areas.

source: http://smallbusinessclub.ng/2016/06/28/tip-of-the-week-top-10-tips-for-building-a-sustainable-small-business/

Looking for storage space in Faversham Canterbury or Herne Bay? To learn more about how Need A Space self-storage can help businesses in Kent and the London area click here

Streamlining seasonal factors in your business

With Christmas appearing menacingly over the horizon this is probably a good time to return to that old chestnut – seasonal products and services. If you are a business offering solely seasonal products or services, then you need to ensure that the turnover you hope to receive during your high seasons are going to keep you in profits throughout the whole year.

Know your highs and lows

The first factor to understand about seasonal swings is they may well go unnoticed. Throughout the financial year there are likely to be little nuances and highs and lows triggered by various time periods. If you are not careful you may mistake these times as a reflection that your company is thriving significantly better than average – when in reality you are selling more pumpkins because it is the end of October. Learn the cycles of demand within your industry and monitor them throughout the year.

A clear plan ahead through the dark times

Seasonal business management is going to call for insight and vision and a cool head. Practically you are going to need to be able to plan in the long term both in terms of logistics and your budget. You are going to need finances from the high months to see you through those slow months and facilitate systems whereby processes are not depleting the budget out of season.

Don’t waste your client base

The one great factor you have (hopefully) from the high season, is a robust client base. These are individuals and businesses you have presumably built up trust with already and can therefore approach again with other sales ideas. It may well be worth considering alternative income streams when work is low to take advantage of this precious commodity.

Cut costs with self-storage

During the slow months your costs need to be cut. You will therefore be considering employing at high seasons and increasing stocks only when you need to. However, there are some industries where there is a requirement to store stock out of season. This is when you may need to look to inexpensive self-storage outlets. If you are based in London it may be worth looking outside the city centre for reduced costs.

Keep in touch with your clients

Marketing for the up and coming high season should of course start early but that does not mean you should not keep in touch with your clients all round offering little tasters of what is to come, offers for if they get in early and news about those interesting side deals out of season. This way you strengthen your relationship with your client and increase the chances they will approach your brand for the product.

Looking for storage space in Faversham Canterbury or Herne Bay? To learn more about how Need A Space self-storage can help businesses in Kent and the London area click here

The top 7 accessories for making self-storage in Kent super easy

Self-storage is the cost effective way for safely maximising space, streamlining domestic and business processes and storing valuables and assets short-term and long-term. Nothing could be easier and more straight forward, but you can make it even simpler by making sure you have those extra accessories to ensure your visit to Need A Space in Kent go swimmingly:

A plan!

First and foremost, have a clear plan as to how much you will be storing and get an estimate as to how much space you will need (our website offers both a space estimator and quote estimator). Consider how you will transport your valuables, how long the trips will take and what type of storage you need.

Van hire

Organising how you will transport your valuables is often left to the last minute – this clearly puts your valuables at risk because transport may not be adequate or travelling can end up time-consuming and pricey because of excessive delivery trips. Hiring a large enough, and robust van is essential. At Need A Space self-storage, we offer free van hire if your store your valuables for 2 months!

Strong Containers

You need to make sure your valuables reach storage in one piece, so strong containers are a necessity. Be careful not to overfill, you do not want to break the container itself and you want to be able to pick up and move it with ease. Cardboard boxes may be cheap but they are also vulnerable so start wisely.

Stationary

Having separated your valuables into relevant containers you need to label them so you know where everything has been placed for future accessibility. Don’t forget a pen, labels and a master sheet to keep with you.

Sack truck and fork-lift trucks

Always be careful with manual lifting – keep to what you can lift safely and in the appropriate manner with self-storage. Tools to help you with lifting and moving are forklift trucks (available at Need A Space) or small sack trucks for your smaller stuff. The latter can save a great deal of time, and aches and pains.

Packaging

How well you pack your valuables is directly related to how well your self-storage will be. Vulnerable commodities need to be packed to avoid breakages and they need to be packed together safely too. At Need A Space we offer access to all the packaging materials you will need such as fixing tape, marker pens, bubble wrap and parcel tape.

A supportive pair of hands!

We want your visit to Need A Space in Canterbury Kent to be as enjoyable, safe, and cost-effective as possible – always try to offer as much support as we can. But to cover yourself, it is always a good idea to get the help of an extra pair of hands to make the move faster and cheaper.

The good news is we have most of the above available down at our huge premises based just outside Canterbury. For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01227 751673.

Storing seasonal items – ask us!

One of the biggest trials in business – especially retail – is storing assets which you are only likely to use at a certain time of the year. If you are a shop front, ecommerce or even a salesperson on the road, you need to be able to keep your valuables somewhere where they will remain in quality condition. Somewhere you know they will be safe and easily accessible when you need them.

Taking these kind of assets out of the working arena (even if you are working a small ecommerce business from home) can be beneficial in many ways: you are working with just the essential tools and primary sales products around you; organisation will be given a great big boost; that extra space could be used to streamline current processes; with a clear idea of how much space you really have, you can consider how to grow your business and benefit from profits.

So some tips for putting Xmas as far away as possible and Easter back in the land of that big white rabbit:

Store away in areas normally labelled for long term storage (i.e. cellar, loft, that side room, self-storage units etc.) You don’t want to be thinking in a year’s time “I know I put it in a place I could not possibly forget…”
The place where it is stored needs to be easily accessible as these are commodities you are going to need every so often. If the area or unit is full of other storage, make sure the seasonal stuff is clearly labelled so you can easily find each part when you need it. Store them together, and again, make sure they are easily accessible within the area itself.
There is a danger that seasonal stuff does not really get renewed and is just stored each year until the time it is needed. Make an effort to audit what you have each year so it is fresh and current.
Before you put the stuff back for another season remember about access. What will be the next seasonal stuff you will need? It may mean that you alternate so the next season on the calander is just as easy to access. In other words, the point about storing seasonal goods is it is like a relay race. Always think ahead as to what is happening next when storing.

There is no escaping from it – Christmas really is going to come back however far you pack it away into the back of the garage. Store it right this year and – who knows – next year you may be looking forward to it – and making higher profits due to a streamlined storage system.

Looking for storage space in Faversham Canterbury or Herne Bay? To learn more about how Need A Space self-storage can help businesses in Kent and the London area click here

Being creative with space can save money for your business

We can all get too familiar with the environment we work in every day. At best, it makes it cosy and safe and it allows us to work at least without having to deal with the stresses of navigating new office boundaries or searching out exactly where they keep the paper-clips now! But the downside is, especially for management, there is a failure to consistently make the most of the space available to employees. In order for there to be a healthy work place, company growth and the most made of a restricted budget, there is a need for constant monitoring of how daily processes take place.

In the 21^st century, how and where we work is constantly changing. Technology and instant communications is freeing us from the restrictions of the office and more people are working from home. According to statistics released by the Office for National Statistics, between 1998 and 2014, the number of people working from home has doubled. Some employees (mostly self-employed professionals) work totally from home, but there has been a real rise in employees sharing work time between the office and from home.

Streamlining work processes

This has streamlined office processes in a great many ways, but most of all it has effectively reduced overall company costs. At the same time, as making processes more effective, it is also making the office environment more acceptable. With more space available, offices are calmer, more relaxed, and meet health and safety standards easily.

It also means company management can consider how that space is freed up further. Is there in fact, a need for an office at all? The “digital cloud” has become a part of everyday processes in businesses just like the fax machine was in the eighties. Now, along with the fact that employees have the necessary technology in their own homes, documents which would normally be kept as hard copy can actually be filed away seamlessly in hyperspace. The need for huge office space is reducing and with this, the cost of rent and associated costs can be removed.

Time to get out?

However, there is still a need for documents which need archiving. There is still a need to store assets which will be sold in the future, there is a need to store seasonal assets or assets which are used on an infrequent basis. At this point company owners take a deep sigh and decide the rent for that huge building just isn’t going to go away.

But think again. Another new service which is now highly popular for businesses is self-storage. Now you can store the smaller assets and assets you wish to archive in a lock up unit that could cost a tenth of renting a building and force you to re-visit overall business costs.

Do yourself a favour – be honest with yourself – how much money is being wasted on a daily basis at your office?

Looking for storage space in Faversham Canterbury or Herne Bay? To learn more about how Need A Space self-storage can help businesses in Kent and the London area click here

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Tel: 01227 751673 Mobile: 07841 260 500 Adrress: 1-5, Thunderhill Business Park, Hickmans Green, Boughton-under-Blean, Faversham ME13 9NT

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