Customer Experience
Self Storage Customer Service Best Practices For Handling First-Time Tenants
What if the way you're helping first-time tenants is actually pushing them away?
The first conversation with a new tenant sets the tone for everything that follows.
A facility manager answers every question accurately, provides detailed information about units, and walks prospects through insurance requirements and gate access protocols.
I’ve seen it all before. I’ve watched the prospect's eyes glaze over. And then the prospect mumbles something about needing to think it over... and they're gone.
A few days later, that same person rents from a competitor…
The manager knew the facility inside and out. Every question got answered and the script was followed perfectly, but they missed something absolutely critical…
First-time storage tenants don’t respond well to information dumps.
With first-time tenants, you have to operate under the assumption that they’re overwhelmed before they even contact you.
That requires a different playbook.
From what we’ve seen, in most cases, they're dealing with a major life transition like moving, downsizing, divorce, or clearing out a loved one's belongings.
Storage is just one item on a very long list of stressful decisions.
Your job is to make this the easiest decision they make all week.
If reading this makes you realize your team might be overwhelming first-timers instead of guiding them, I think you should take a closer look at how swivl can help your staff deliver the kind of experience that converts nervous prospects into confident, long-term tenants.
You Need A Different Playbook For First-Time Tenants
Walk into any facility and ask the manager about their typical customer.
You'll hear about people who've rented storage before, understand unit sizes, and know what they need.
We’ve found that first-time tenants show up with entirely different questions. Here are five examples:
- How do I know what size unit I need?
- Is this safe? Will my stuff get damaged?
- What if I need to access my things at night?
- Can I really fit a bedroom's worth of furniture in a 5x10?
- Do I need insurance, and what does it actually cover?
Someone asking about security cameras wants to know if you care about protecting their belongings.
Questions about access hours reveal concerns about whether you'll make their life harder or easier.
Your team needs to recognize these moments and respond accordingly.
When operators go over self storage customer service best practices with their teams, these nuances are often not considered.
You Have Five Minutes To Earn Their Trust
Most facilities lose or win first-time tenants within the first five minutes of contact.
During those five minutes, the prospect is making rapid judgments about your professionalism, trustworthiness, and whether you actually understand their situation.
Here's what facility teams get wrong during this window:
Jumping straight to pricing
First-timers don't know if your prices are good or bad because they have no reference point. Leading with cost makes them feel like you're just trying to close a sale.
Using industry jargon
We’ve found that terms like "climate-controlled," "drive-up access," and "elevator building" mean nothing to someone who's never rented storage before.
Rushing through the conversation
First-time tenants need time to process information. Speeding through the details makes them feel pressured and increases the chance they'll leave to "think about it."
Failing to ask about their situation
If you don't know why they need storage, you can't provide relevant guidance. Every recommendation feels generic and unhelpful.
The operators who succeed at converting first-timers do something simple…
They slow down and listen first.
Stop Asking About Units, Start Asking About Lives!
The best facility teams we've observed all share one habit.
They ask diagnostic questions before suggesting units.
These questions are usually asked by an AI-powered chatbot on the facility’s website.
Rather than "What size unit are you looking for?" they ask, "What are you planning to store?"
Instead of "How long do you need storage?" they ask, "What's happening in your life right now that's creating this need?"
These questions accomplish two things…
First, they give you the information needed to make a genuinely helpful recommendation.
Second, the questions signal to the prospect that you're invested in solving their problem rather than just filling a unit.
When a first-time tenant feels like you’re actually listening to their needs, they trust your guidance. And if they trust your guidance, they rent!
Operators tell us that they see higher closing rates when staff spend a few extra minutes understanding the prospect's situation before discussing units.
If staff are rushed off their feet, making time for these conversations isn’t always practical, which is where swivl can do some heavy lifting.
Anchor Unit Size To What They Actually Own
Unit sizing confuses first-time tenants more than any other aspect of storage.
Saying "a 5x10 holds about one bedroom" means nothing to someone who's never seen an empty storage unit. They have no mental model for how furniture stacks or how much space boxes actually take up.
Your team should use concrete examples that match the prospect's situation:
"You mentioned you're storing bedroom furniture and about twenty boxes. Based on what you described, a 5x10 would work well. That's about the size of a walk-in closet. Your bed frame and mattress would go along the back wall, your dresser and nightstand would fit on one side, and you'd still have room to stack your boxes with walking space in the middle."
The prospect can visualize their belongings in the space, which makes the decision feel safe.
Some facilities have started using swivl to handle these conversations online. Our AI-enabled chatbot on the facility’s website can ask diagnostic questions, understand what the tenant is storing, and recommend appropriate unit sizes with detailed explanations.
All of this happens before the prospect even visits the facility.
This means your staff can focus on in-person tours and building relationships rather than repeating the same sizing guidance fifty times a week.
Talk About Security Before They Have To Ask
First-time tenants worry about security, but we've found that they rarely voice these concerns directly.
They'll ask vague questions like "Is this area safe?" or "Have you ever had break-ins?"
Your team should address security comprehensively without waiting for the prospect to ask:
"Security is something we take seriously here. We have cameras covering all the hallways and entry points, individual unit alarms, and a coded gate system that tracks who comes and goes. The facility manager lives on-site, so there's always someone here! We've been operating for twelve years and have never had a theft."
When prospects feel their belongings will be safe, operators tell us that price becomes less important.
They're willing to pay more for peace of mind.
Walk Through Access Like You're Giving Directions To A Friend
In our conversations with operators, we are told that first-time tenants often underestimate how frequently they'll need to access their unit.
They assume storage is "set it and forget it," then get frustrated when they realize they need something and can't get in.
Your team should explain access hours and procedures upfront, using language that connects to the tenant's specific situation:
"You mentioned you might need to grab things occasionally. Our gate hours are 6 to 10 every day, which should work well for your schedule. You'll get a personalized access code that works at both the main gate and the building door. If you ever forget your code, you can text us and we'll send it right over... or our chatbot on the website can help you instantly."
This prevents future frustration and builds confidence that you've thought through their needs.
Leave Repetition To AI So Staff Can Handle Nuance
Facility teams can only do so much manually.
When a first-time tenant visits your website on a Sunday evening, they need guidance right then. Waiting until Monday morning means they've already rented somewhere else.
swivl handles initial conversations with first-time prospects, asks the right diagnostic questions, explains unit sizing with relevant examples, and can even reserve units.
All of this happens while your staff is off the clock.
When the prospect arrives at your facility, your team already knows their situation. The conversation picks up where the chatbot left off.
This creates an experience that feels personal rather than automated!
Operators using swivl consistently report higher conversion rates with first-time tenants because the platform handles the educational heavy lifting. Staff can focus on building trust and closing the rental rather than answering the same basic questions repeatedly.
Get the first-time experience right and you create customers who stick around for years.
Book a demo with swivl and see how AI-powered communication can help your team deliver exceptional service to first-time tenants around the clock.
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