You know first impressions matter - that's why everyone who walks in is greeted with a smile!
But what if that smile isn't your first impression?
For about half of your renters, the first impression you make is through your website and your rental confirmation message.
Confirmation messages let the renter know everything went through correctly, but they can also be used to introduce renters to an excellent customer experience.
In this blog, we'll go over confirmation messages, how to use them, and provide templates that you can use to get on the right foot with new tenants.
Confirmation messages – also called success messages – are sent to self storage customers following the completion of an action on a website.
This is almost always a rental, reservation, or scheduled move-out.
Your self storage software should automatically send a confirmation message to renters via email or text message (or both). These automated messages need to include basic information, but you can (and should) customize the message to be more helpful.
Editing this message can help you provide important details to renters and give them a more personalized experience.
Consider an online rental from your customer's perspective:
You go through the checkout process on the website. You enter your information, submit your payment data...And that's it. Maybe it says "Success" or something along those lines, but otherwise, you're left without anything to show for the rental.
The abrupt end to the process is likely to leave you feeling uncertain. There's no real feedback from your facility.
Not only do these messages provide feedback, but they can also be used to show your commitment to excellent customer service and share more specific information, like when they will receive their gate code, where to park, etc.
Ultimately, your storage software should be sending this message to your customer's email or cell phone, but you may have the option to choose one or the other. You should also send renters to a confirmation page on your website.
Email is probably the best way to send a rental confirmation message right now.
Emails can include a lot more information than text messages. You can even couple the confirmation message with a receipt for rentals, so the renter only gets one email instead of several.
Emails are also easier to organize and find down the road for reference, making them an ideal way to deliver information that may need to be looked at later.
Text messages have a higher open rate.
If you don't intend to send much information and you require a phone number during the rental, you could instead send the confirmation via SMS.
The receipt and any paperwork should still be done through email, though. Email is formatted to handle those, while texts aren't.
Consider adding a text message with the highlights of your confirmation process. A friendly greeting, clear next steps, and contact info are a good place to start.
Yes, it's redundant, but they can help clear up confusion, saving time and effort. Plus, confusion reflects poorly on your business. Even if you told a customer "you'll need to bring a lock," they're going to be irritated when they show up and have to run out to a hardware store.
Not your fault, but you'll be the one catching the frustration.
Just make sure you’re following common SMS compliance guidelines!
Your PMS should have a basic confirmation message - but you can make it much better!
1. Introduce your company at the beginning
This can be as simple as saying, "Thank you for renting with FACILITY NAME!"
Including your company or facility name at the start makes customers less likely to ignore it and more likely to trust that it really comes from you.
2. Keep it as short as possible while delivering the necessary information
For the best chance of communicating the important information, keep the message as short and direct as you can.
3. Don't overload your customer
This goes hand-in-hand with the previous point. Only choose the information that is immediately important.
Any additional information runs the risk of overloading the customer. This can cause them to forget the important information or just not read the message at all.
For example, you probably don't need to include move-out information in this message. They can find those details when they're ready.
4. Provide "next steps" for your customer
Providing the next steps in a success message helps set your customer's expectations.
These can be steps you will take, or they can be steps your customer must take.
Whether it's having your customer come in for paperwork during business hours or calling them for information, include these details at the top of the message.
5. Provide a way for customers to contact you
Whether it's a phone number, an email, or instructions for using a contact form on your website, give customers a way to reach out to you and include it in the success message.
6. Don't write bulky paragraphs
People don't usually read an entire paragraph in an email or on a webpage. At best, they skim it. At worst, they skip it entirely.
Instead, keep each line of the message to a sentence or two if possible. Use bullet points, and bold the most important bits.
Now that you know the kind of information your message should include, it's time to personalize!
This is the part that shows your brand voice, who you are, and what kind of customer service a renter should expect.
For example, introducing yourself or your on-site manager is a great way to give your message a friendly and approachable tone.
This can be as simple as, "Thank you for renting with us! My name is [your name], and I'm the on-site manager here at [your facility name]. Feel free to reach out if you ever need assistance!"
Or if you have a local or family-owned facility, there are ways to include this information in your confirmation message as well.
The first line of every message should express gratitude, so as a local and family-owned facility, you can start with something like, "Thank you for choosing [your facility name]! As a local and family-owned facility, we truly appreciate your business, and we're committed to serving our neighbors in [your city name]."
Now your new renter is aware that you have roots in the community, which is a valuable selling point to a lot of people.
Perhaps you pride yourself on having a dedicated team of experienced professionals on site every day of the week.
In this case, you might want to add, "If you have any questions, give us a call or stop by our office. Our dedicated and experienced team is ready to solve your storage needs Monday through Sunday. We look forward to helping you in any way we can!"
You want to show your new tenant that they made a good choice. If they feel good about your facility right from the start, they're more likely to leave good reviews or refer their friends and family.
If you need some inspiration or just want to use our examples, find the template that best matches your facility's operations and customize the message as needed!
Don't forget to include details that are unique to your facility, express your brand voice, or even throw in an emoji or two (if that's your style)!
These messages are your first handshake with a new customer – or a farewell, if you're sending a move-out message. Configure them thoughtfully to add a personal touch and leave your customers with a great first impression.
How are some more of our favorite posts for running your self storage business!
At StoragePug, we build self storage websites that make it easy for new customers to find you and easy for them to rent from you.
