The beautiful county of Gloucestershire is located in the South West of the UK and comprises of various areas of interest, including the Forest Of Dean, Gloucester Cathedral and a section of the Cotswolds. With so many stunning areas, it is no wonder many people choose to base themselves in this part of the country.
If you’re living in Gloucestershire, need a storage company and you’re looking to invest in this county by choosing a local business, you’ve got quite a lot of choice. Self storage is an industry that is getting bigger and bigger by the year, so it makes sense that more and more companies are popping up offering self storage services. However, that doesn’t mean they are all high quality, and it doesn’t mean they are all local either.
This is exactly why your choice isn’t going to be easy, but it does mean you’re guaranteed to find the right company for you if you follow these tips:
Location, Location, Location
Doing a quick browse online for loads of companies, you will be surprised how many facilities will come up for self storage in Gloucestershire.
Of course, the first thing you need to do is actually confirm that the facility is local. It might be listed as Gloucestershire but that doesn’t mean it is close – it isn’t exactly a small county! So if you find a company you like, and think they are nearby, call them and find out their exact location. You might even find that they are within a 30 minute drive but that drive involves going through a busy city centre which is pretty blocked up 90% of the time, making the time getting to the facility actually more like 2 hours.
Recommendations
You should definitely ask around for recommendations from colleagues, friends and family to see if they have any local self storage companies they use or can recommend on a personal level. Businesses will always put their best foot forward, but your friends and family will be honest with you. You might find out a company you like the look of is as great as they seem, or you might find out they are actually not great and need avoiding. Either way – you get a real insight into the company.
Social Media
Do a location specific search on social media to find local self storage businesses that are advertising themselves on different networks. They could even be advertising special offers or open days, which will be of great benefit to you.
Go And Visit The Facility
When you have found a few different businesses you like the look of, you must visit before you sign a contract or commit to using their facility. Think of it like when you look at a hotel’s website pictures and compare them against TripAdvisor – they are rarely the same and can sometimes be shockingly different. Be sure to go and get a feel for the environment, for the staff and to look around at the way the place is looked after.
Ask Questions
You must ask lots of questions when enquiring at the different facilities. If you don’t ask the right questions, you can’t expect them to tell you, regardless of how transparent they are with their information. Ask them questions like:
- What are your costs – ask for all fees so there are no shocks along the way
- What contract options are there – you might want to only have a short contract, or you might want to save money with a longer one, but it counts to know your choices
- What security do you have – this should be one of your biggest priorities, these people are looking after your stuff, you need to know that they have all the latest security to keep it safe
Remember….
The more research you do, the more you will know, and that really matters when it comes to getting the right self storage company. Write down your needs (length of time, budget, storage size etc) and then consider what they have to offer. Factor in customer service and the general feel of the place as well and you’ll start to get a good idea of which unit is right for you.