While the self storage business may seem to operate at a slower speed throughout the winter months, it’s also that time of year when employees tend to get a little burnt out. Give your facility manager the motivation they need to make these last few weeks a strong and productive finish to the year with the constructive techniques below.
Give Them a Pep Talk
If you can tell that your manager is going through a slump, it’s best to approach the situation with support and encouragement rather than trying to fight fire with fire.
“Stay positive,” says Jeff Ley, Sales Manager at STORExpress Self Storage. “Remind them of all the great things they do and then address why they’re slumping. Revenue could be down or their close rate could be dropping. In that case, set attainable goals for them to hit and also discuss possible training.”
With this angle of conversation, your manager sees that you’re not attacking their performance in any way but trying to help them through the rough patches instead.
“Improvement done in small chunks is much better for morale than asking someone to increase numbers by a substantial amount,” says Ley.
Keep Their Eyes on the Prize
So many things happen throughout a manager’s day that it can be hard to keep focus on a single goal. Take a minute to remind them of tasks that should take precedent as the year comes to a close, and even which tasks can take a backseat for the time being.
“Focus on the opportunity,” says Ley. “I think every store in every situation has opportunity. If the store is full, maybe they can focus on raising rates. Stores that aren’t as full should focus on creative ways to acquire new customers. Stores on the decline could focus on how to reestablish their business and increase move-ins. The industry as a whole has been growing over the past several years. The charts and figures that show the trend could also be a great inspiration.”
Ask for Input
Show them that their voice matters by getting their take on which steps to take next for improvement. Asking questions like, “How can we make these last couple weeks count?” or “What things do you hope to see finished by the first of the year?” helps to put the timeline into perspective and restate their important leadership role.
Ley suggests that listening to your manager and considering their ideas also helps display just how much you appreciate them as an employee.
“If they make a recommendation to you, take it seriously. Show them you’re looking into the business benefit of what they’re saying. Even if it’s a bad idea or a no, I think it will really show them you care [and value] their insight.”
