Investing in technology and staff is integral to Access Self Storage

Cole, Senior Regional Manager at Access Self Storage, talks to Sarah Dale about being a longstanding Patron member of Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce, how they stay ahead

Investing in both technology and its people has been key to Access Self Storage’s plans to futureproof the business and stay ahead of its competitors.

The national storage provider has 58 sites from Bristol up to Manchester and three within the Wandsworth borough in Battersea, Balham and Wandsworth, where London’s exclusive supercar dealer, Joe Macari, has a showroom. It employs more than 350 members of staff across the business with 11 employed across the Wandsworth borough.

Over the past few years, the company has undergone an extension programme and has other sites in the pipeline with work starting next year.

Paul Cole, Senior Regional Manager, says:

“It’s becoming a very competitive market and we want to try and earn our slice of the cake – and make it a big one! We have updated our technology with a new app to enhance our security. This makes it a lot more difficult to get in without the app, making it a lot safer option.

“We have also introduced new software to develop our staff training with more coaching and mentoring opportunities. Our staff retention levels have increased extensively over the past 12 months, as our staff feel more invested in and more valued. Learning helps staff become more effective, which makes them more productive, which in turn leads to more bonuses.”

Paul says recruitment is a challenge, particularly with the national minimum wage increase and the fact that most of the firm’s sites are in London.

“We believe we pay a competitive wage but disposable income, especially in London, has decreased with costs going up,” says Paul, who joined Access almost 25 years ago.

“We are fishing in a limited pool to get the best candidates.”

However to combat this challenge, Access has increased its starting salaries and made its packages more competitive with clear routes for career progression.

“People are joining and staying so we must be doing something right,” adds Paul.

“But recruitment is expensive and finding the right partner is difficult. If anyone in the Chamber works in recruitment, please get in touch with us, we would love to have a chat.

“It’s a very competitive industry and our competitors are all very close to us. It’s a niche market; people either need storage or they don’t.” Customers comprise short-term house movers and long-term businesses with a variety of storage needs.

“The housing market is our biggest challenge for house-movers looking for storage,” he says.

“The housing market is a struggle since the freeze on stamp duty was lifted at the end of March and it’s stagnated. Then you have the world economy and political situation. Uncertainty increases fear. We need first time buyers to buy to allow the rest of the chain to progress. The middle tiers are not moving because they need the first-time buyers to be able to get onto the property ladder.”

Paul joined Wandsworth Chamber in 2003-2004 and Access held its first event with the Chamber in 2007 at its Battersea site. They regularly sponsor Chamber events.

“We joined because the competition started to increase and we saw an opportunity to meet local businesses and we wanted to support local businesses more,” he says.

“It is a place of likeminded people where you can talk about struggles, exchange ideas and form great relationships. Our relationship with Beverley is fantastic. It is an organisation that has always been there for us and given us opportunities to make business friends. We have formed several collaborations over the years from caterers and events organisation to marketing and we cross promote with a local gym.”

Despite the challenges which businesses up and down the country face, Paul says the key to staying resilient is being flexible and adaptable.

“You have got to be flexible and keep your finger on the pulse to know what’s going on in the local area and what your competitors are doing,” he says.

“That is another benefit of being a Patron member of the Chamber – they always know what’s going on in the local area.

“Our customers stay with us because we are adaptable, flexible and sympathetic. We have gone through Covid and recessions together and we will adapt and support businesses which may need to shrink and then grow again.”

Paul’s advice to new Chamber members is: Get involved.

“You have to fully commit when you join the Chamber,” he adds.

“You’re not going to get any benefit from the Chamber unless people know who you are and they won’t know who you are unless you go to events and get to know people.”

Find out more at www.accessstorage.com