With winter behind us, the self storage industry’s slow season is coming to an end, as well. As business begins to pick back up, it may be in the best interest of your facility to add a new service to your existing offerings. In addition to differentiating your operation, a new service can help you make up for any loss to your bottom line during the slow season. One service that tenants could benefit from is document shredding or destruction.

For storage facilities looking to add to a growing number of service offerings, document shredding and destruction could be a smart and easy addition. It may seem small in the grand scheme of what you already offer, but consumers are always going to be interested in making sure their privacy is protected and their storage unit is clear of old documents.

Each year, individuals and businesses are creating or acquiring printed documents, even though it may seem that computers have become our main filing system. Tenants could be storing documents for a variety of reasons, whether they are running a small business out of the storage unit or they are keeping backup healthcare documents. Whatever a tenant’s reason for keeping files, a quick and inexpensive document shredding service could make your storage facility more appealing.

Keeping customers on-site to get rid of any document, instead of letting consumers go off-site in order to have their files shredded or destroyed, could pay off in the long run.The convenience of managing documents right at your storage facility could make all the difference to a customer who doesn’t want the hassle of hauling files to another location to properly dispose of them.

In addition to offering a service that could improve your bottom line and your customers’ satisfaction, your facility could be seen as a “green” option. Many recycling centers around the country have drop-off sites where you can take shredded paper and dispose of it for free.

Best of all, paper shredding is an easy and affordable service to incorporate into your set-up. The cost of a paper shredder can be relatively low, and if you secure a way to dispose of the paper for free, you will have no other overhead for this service. It’s likely that the task can be completed by facility employees during regular shifts of work without the need for additional manpower. The most important aspect of this service will be ensuring confidentiality for your clients. A brief training session with your staff should suffice.

Come out of the slow season in stride and help your storage facility get off on the right foot by offering document shredding as a new service that many tenants may enjoy.​