StorMan Self Storage eNews - Issue #32
May 2011 |
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Greetings, %%Facility name%%. Welcome to our May issue - packed full of the usual goodies including interesting stories, guest blogs, competitions & plenty more! As usual, if you have any comments, ideas or suggestions, just get in touch with me via andy@storman.com.
Until next time, happy surfing! :-)
 Regards,
Andy & the StorMan Software Team
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We've all heard of drive-in Self Storage... but fly-in? Officials are continuing their investigation as to why a single engine plane lost power and crashed into a Camarillo self storage facility some weeks ago, causing destruction to the plane and injury to the four people on board.
The fixed-wing Beechcraft Debonair suddenly lost power just before its descent and crashed into Wells Cargo Self Storage on April 9 around 1:30pm local time. Nobody on the ground was injured.
Andres Serrano, a student pilot, was flying the plane when it lost power. His instructor, Mun Dannayake, took control of the aircraft as it went down. Serrano's wife, Ana, and friend Julisa Fallete were in the back seat of the aircraft. Ana suffered serious injuries while the other three on board escaped with only minor scrapes and bruises, authorities said.
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Following our announcement of Major Sponsorship with the Self Storage Association of Australasia (SSAA) for their 2011 Convention, StorMan has been giving away a number of convention passes - worth over $1,200 each! We have had a number of prize draws so far, and our winners to date are...
- Fiona Shaw (from Rent-a-Space at St Mary's)
- Tina Carter (from Metro Storage at Marrickville)
- Ross Martin (from Sure Safe Storage at Mornington)
Congratulations - we hope you enjoy your time at the SSAA's convention! If you missed out then don't worry, because we have another 3 passes to give away...
- Our 4th convention pass can be won via this very newsletter (please read section to the top-right for details on how to enter).
- Go into the draw to win our 5th convention pass by purchasing a copy of StorMan between 1/4/2011 and 1/6/2011. Winner drawn at the June 29th Melbourne SSAA Regional Dinner.
- Go into the draw to win the 6th and final convention pass by purchasing a copy of StorMan between 2/6/2011 and 12/7/2011. Winner drawn at the July 13th Queensland SSAA Regional Dinner.
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| Win another SSAA convention pass! |
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 StorMan has one more "Self Storage Association of Australasia Convention 2-day pass" (worth over $1,200) to give away in our eNewsetter.
To go into the draw to win, all you need to do is "make something that you think portrays StorMan".
Win an SSAA Convention Pass valued at over $1,200!
This is the LAST ONE we're giving away to readers.
How to enter:
Create something (anything) that you think says 'StorMan'.
It could be a cake, a drawing, a figurine, a macaroni-painting, a decorated storage-unit door, a little Stor-Man (or Stor-Lady) out of craft supplies... anything that you thinks says "StorMan" in some way. Be creative!
You don't need to send us your creation (unless you want to) - just a photo of it emailed to sales@storman.com is fine. Although you are more than welcome to send us cake. We like cake. The best entry as judged by our company directors wins!
Competition dates & important info:
The competition is open as of right now & closes on Friday 24th June 2011. The winner will be selected & notified by email the following week (we will also announce the winner in our July eNews). This competition is open to any StorMan user around the world. Prize does not include flights or accommodation; SSAA convention 2-day pass only. Prize valued at $1,200 (AUD).
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Please be advised that StorMan's Brisbane office will be closed on Monday 2nd May 2011 for the Labour Day public holiday.
Should you require Technical Support at this time, please email support@storman.com or call the usual telephone number for options. Thank you.
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April Fools - by guest blogger Charlie Fritts (SIMI)
I am happy to report that there were no pranks played or jokes pulled on me on April 1st (April Fools Day) - although I always enjoy a good joke. Here at my office in Buffalo, NY it's mild but cool about 36°F (that's 2°C) with occasional rain. Winter, please be over with!
This past week I have spent some time contacting prospective exhibitors for the Massachusetts Self Storage Association's (MASSA) annual Trade Show which is May 19th. I am on the board and have to say I am very pleased with the way this great event, the largest in the Northeast is shaping up. We anticipate yet another super show & I especially look forward to dining with a friend & colleague Mr. Aaron Alsweiler as StorMan has graciously agreed to exhibit and provide show sponsorship as well...
Continue reading Charlie's blog on our website.
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This month's Facility of the Month is Storage King Bibra Lake in Western Australia. We recently caught up with Amorie for a chat...
StorMan: When did the facility open & how long have you been working there?
Amorie: Storage King Bibra Lake opened it’s doors on the 1st of September 2010; my husband Peter and myself have been managing the facility since then.
StorMan: Tell us a little about the units at Bibra Lake...
Amorie: We have 620 units with a lettable area of 5,750m2 and are currently at 51.7% occupancy with an occupied area of 2,968m2 after 8 months of trading.
StorMan: How long have you been using StorMan for?
Amorie: I have been using StorMan since 2003 and at Storage King Bibra Lake from the start!
StorMan: Any funny stories to tell?
Amorie: We have a love/hate relationship with a youngster that rents four 6m x 3m units from us. One morning when we got to work we found that one of his cars (which does not have a steering wheel!) was standing parallel in the driveway effectively blocking anyone else from passing. At that stage an early customer who needed some boxes came in and as luck would have, he was young and strong and, realising our predicament, helped us push the car back into the unit. The recalcitrant owner of the unit’s excuse was: “I knew I had to be out before the laser beams were switched on at 9:00pm so I left the car and thought I would come back at 6:00am but my alarm did not go off“ ...*chuckles*
StorMan: Besides storage, what other products or services do you offer?
Amorie: We have a full selection of merchandise and in February sold $5,200 worth. We also offer insurance to every potential customer as well as a free trailer and home appraisals.
StorMan: Anything interesting about your area, or the building itself?
Amorie: Storage King Bibra Lake is in an industrial area on a busy arterial route. The businesses surrounding us include Bunnings and the Spearwood Markets which generates a steady stream of traffic past our facility.
Our building is a brand new purpose built double storey with 4 lifts to service the upper floors. Contrary to the normal practice of building in phases, our facility was completed in one stage.
StorMan: How has StorMan made things easier for you?
Amorie: Having worked for Storage King UK for a few years where we used a different programme I was thrilled to be back in Australia and be able to use the StorMan programme again. I realised once again how functional and effective as well as user-friendly the program is. Another bonus is the fact that the friendly support staff are only a phone call away and always available to help with any queries.
StorMan: And finally... what's your favourite StorMan feature?
Amorie: I study the Keystats Report on a daily basis as I find that it gives me a snapshot of the key indicators of the facility. Another report that I use regularly throughout the month is the Income Charged Report as this indicates the areas we should improve or concentrate on if we want to make target.
Many thanks to Amorie and the team at Storage King Bibra Lake in Western Australia for her time and input!
Become our next Facility of the Month!
Our Monthly eNews is read by thousands of StorMan customers & general readers around the world each month.
Past Facility of the Month participants have found that these articles have not only helped to boost their Google ranking (as our electronic newsletters are indexed), but have also provided them with a perfect opportunity to analyse their business and develop some great facts and reasons as to "why their facility is great". This, in turn, has helped many past Facility of the Month facilities utilise these facts in their sales spiels and processes for potential storage customers & within their marketing material or on their website.
If you'd like your facility to be featured as a Facility of the Month, please get in touch with us. It's easy and it's free! |
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| Lodging Support Requests online |
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You can now lodge a Technical Support Request using myStorMan!
To do so, simply log into myStorMan and click the "Lodge a Support Ticket" link in the main Control Panel.
We prefer this method over email, because it automatically provides us with information about your Facility & Support Plan at the time of lodgment - saving us time and allowing us to get to your request much quicker.
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10th May 2011: SSAA (Self Storage Association of Australasia) Regional Meeting (Adelaide). A StorMan staff member will be attending this event. Register at the SSAA website.
18 - 19 May 2011: MASSA (Massachusetts Self Storage Association) Northeast Tradeshow at the Sturbridge Host Hotel, Sturbridge. StorMan will be exhibiting at this event. Register at the MASSA website.
15 - 16 June 2011: FEDESSA (Federation of European Self Storage Associations) & SSAUK (Self Storage Association United Kingdom) Tradeshow & Conference in Vilamoura, Portugal. StorMan will be exhibiting at this event. Register at the SSAUK website.
20 - 22 June 2011: MIAA (Marina Industries Association of Australia) Tradeshow & Conference in Melbourne. StorMan will be exhibiting at this event. Register at the MIAA website.
29th June 2011: SSAA (Self Storage Association of Australasia) Regional Meeting (Melbourne). A StorMan staff member will be attending & our 5th SSAA Convention prize will be drawn at this event! Register at the SSAA website.
13th July 2011: SSAA (Self Storage Association of Australasia) Regional Meeting (Queensland). A StorMan staff member will be attending & our 6th SSAA Convention prize will be drawn at this event! Register at the SSAA website.
27th July 2011: SSAA (Self Storage Association of Australasia) Regional Meeting (Auckland). A StorMan staff member will be attending this event. Register at the SSAA website.
16 - 18 August 2011: SSAA (Self Storage Association of Australasia) Tradeshow & Conference in Melbourne. As major event sponsors, StorMan will be exhibiting at this event. Register at the SSAA website.
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What does this represent?
STANDS
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Answer to last month's brainteaser: Scrambled eggs. |
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| Computer Tip of the Month |
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Windows Recycle Bin
If you're a bit of a power user & are au fait with the 'Delete' key, then you may wish to disable the "Are you sure you want to move this file into the Recycle Bin?" dialog that appears each time you delete a file (or files). To do this...
- Right-click the Recycle Bin icon
- Uncheck the box labeled "Display delete confirmation dialog"
- Click "OK".
This option doesn't change the Recycle Bin in any way - it just stops the delete confirmation prompt from appearing each time you delete a file. |
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This vehicle is sure to attract attention...
Have you got a joke or funny pic to send us?
Please let us know! |
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A person's sense of smell is better at night. |
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| New Zealand SSAA Meetings |
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New Zealand SSAA Meetings - by Scott Bishop
Rennie Schafer and I hosted the Christchurch dinner at the Chateau on the Park one of the few hotels in the area that had minimal damage from the recent quakes. There was a good turnout of members attending the dinner all sharing their stories of the damage and turmoil created by the 6.3 earthquake at 12.51pm on the 22/02/11. Hearing how everyone was affected in different ways yet all enduring the same experience was dumbfounding at times.
Storage facilities that had literally been picked up and shunted backwards, major cracks through the concrete slabs that facilities stood on, liquefaction that had to be shoveled out of driveways, cars driving into huge rifts in the roads, it was literally like something out of a Hollywood movie...
Continue reading Scott's blog on our website.
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 Hi there - I'm Darran, one of StorMan's Technical Support Agents. Each issue, I'll trawl through the deep depths of the internet to find you a funky piece of software, hardware or other interesting technological trinkets.
Mega USB Hub: With USB cup warmers, fish tanks, missile launchers (these are a LOT of fun), Christmas trees, plasma ball, pet rock, humping dog - even foot warmers, it's becoming more & more difficult to find a spare port for all of these devices. But never fear, there is a solution!
This mega USB hub has a whopping 16 ports and a built-in power supply to ensure you don't need another AC adapter and there's even a switch that allows you to switch the hub between two computers. Buy one here.
Nb. All 'Latest Gadget' information & imagery is sourced from online entities & supplier websites. StorMan generally doesn't endorse, own or test any of these products; we merely link to them as you might find them interesting or fun for your own use... |
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This month's acronym is a storage-related one... FEDESSA stands for the Federation of European Self Storage Associations, and is the European Trade Association representing the ever-growing Self Storage industry throughout Europe.
The Federation of European Self Storage Associations (FEDESSA) was formed in March 2004 to provide a European focus for the growing self storage industry throughout Europe. Its membership is open to any European National Self Storage Association (one per nation). Members of National Associations fund FEDESSA.
FEDESSA provides a common voice for the industry throughout Europe. It also provides advice and support to its National Associations and Co-ordinates action when appropriate with help from its Members.
Read more about FEDESSA at their website. |
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 Not so much a link of the month but rather an interesting little easter egg we found earlier in the month (purely by accident).
Visit internet portal Yahoo (www.yahoo.com) then click on the exclamation mark (!) in their logo. The Yahoo sound from their ads will play.
Nb. It only seems to work in some countries; depending on the Yahoo portal you're redirected to. |
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We flashback this month to early 2009, when Ben spoke about Friday the 13th! Read Ben's blog here.
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StorMan eNews is a monthly publication designed & compiled by
Andy P. + guest writers, and is ©
StorMan 2010. E&OE.
We use publicly available sources (web sites, magazines, news
clips, etc) to help write our newsletters, and provide links where
possible. All prices quoted, if any, contain GST (unless specified otherwise). |
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Please visit us online at www.storman.com/contact/ for full contact information. |
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