Why Your Self Storage Facility Should Accept Commercial Deliveries

By Nick Bilava, Storage.com

The question of accepting deliveries on behalf of tenants is a debate that rages on among self storage operators. Many storage facilities refuse to accept deliveries, no matter what. Some only accept deliveries for long-time tenants who they trust or built a relationship with. Some accept deliveries for business tenants only.

While accepting deliveries on behalf of tenants can put your self storage facility at risk legally, it can also benefit your business by taking them.

Get More Business from Businesses

The number of businesses operated out of self storage units or using self storage in some manner has seen huge growth in the last decade. That’s because the rental costs of units are much more affordable than commercial spaces and sending shipments to a facility offers attractive conveniences. If your self storage facility is looking to bring in more business tenants, accepting commercial deliveries can help.

Accepting deliveries on behalf of a commercial tenant frees the tenant up to run their business without having to wait in a specific place to accept a shipment. For example, an interior designer may use storage units to keep accessories and furniture for future installs. Not every piece of an install will be delivered on the same day. There may be a period of two to three weeks to receive every element that a designer needs for a client.

For the designer, it enables receiving multiple shipments delivered to the commercial address. And the pieces are kept safe, too. When it comes time for the install, all of the pieces are moved at once by a local delivery company. Using a storage facility to accept commercial deliveries and keeping them in a storage unit benefits more than just interior designers. They can be used to store inventory, as showrooms, or even as assemblage or construction areas. The convenience of commercial deliveries is unmatched for these kinds of businesses.

Delivered Items Are Safer Within a Facility

A delivery left out in the open in front of a business storefront or even a home’s porch is susceptible to theft. The elements, too, can ruin contents of a package if not put indoors soon after delivery. When deliveries come into a self storage facility, not only are they kept indoors but there’s an added level of security. The risk of damage and theft are considerably lowered.

As previously mentioned, if a self storage facility is going to accept commercial deliveries on behalf of their business tenants, they need to cover themselves adequately for the risk. Accepting a delivery for a tenant creates a common law agreement, known as a bailment. Charging fees for accepting deliveries puts a facility at a higher legal risk, so it’s best not to charge fees if you choose to accept commercial deliveries for your tenants.

There are ways around the bailment issue. Tenants can use a lockbox on their unit and provide the delivery person their code to the lockbox and entry code to the property. Facilities can also implement an automated locker system; however, they’re expensive to install. Additionally, some businesses may have deliveries larger than what a locker can hold. Enabling access for the delivery person to your tenant’s unit without you having to open it removes your role as intermediary at a considerable lower risk. If the item delivered must be kept within the facility’s space the tenant isn’t renting, the proper addendum forms must be completed.

Since many businesses use self storage units, accepting commercial deliveries will position your facility as friendlier to them. If you’re looking to attract more business clients, accepting commercial deliveries can differentiate you and help you land more of them.