I am just starting to use email as a communication tool on delinquent accounts. Has anyone had any luck with this? Is it integrated in your management software. I have already figured out-- the "bad boys" don't have email-- or I don't have a good email address for them. No different then with snail address or phone numbers! Thanks and welcome to the new forum !! Julie

We collect e-mail addresses on our tenant info form at move-in. Our accounting software(WinSen) automatically generates late notices that are instantly e-mailed to tenants. As we have an online payment option, often tenants will see their late notices and pay online immediately. Our overall delinquency rate is seldom over 10%; 5-8% is average. Part of this is because we are located in an affluent area; however, I think that the e-mailed late notices are a big part of our success in maintaining a low delinquency rate. We still send out the notices via regular mail to remain in compliance with state lien laws.

what a great idea, do you send them an email after they have left your office thanking them for their business?

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Mel Holsinger, President
Professional Self Storage Management, LLC
3434 E. Kleindale Ste. E
Tucson, AZ 85716
O: 520.320.9135
F: 520.320.9435
www.proselfstorage.com

Using Storage Commander we also send e-mail notification for late, Pre-Lien and Lien notices. This helps as we tell our customers that if they receive a notice as long as we have the payment before we open on the 11th we will waive the late fee. That $10.00 is enough to motivate some of them into paying.

We are not located in an affluent neighborhood, but our rate is normally in the 5 to 7% range! E-mail has helped us greatly!

Hi Mel,

My storage facilites send a personal thank you card, hand signed and hand addressed. We find this to be a great customer service piece, but more importantly it verifies their mailing address. If it is incorrect, we overlock the unit to get their attention, and get a correct mailing address.

Christine

I like the deal Christine has but we are a 24 hour facility and if I have a customer come in and pay and I send a thank you letter and it comes back and I overlock their unit and let's just say they got a job offer in another state and decided to move that night and let's just say we took off to the grocery store. I just opened myself up to a lawsuit, and with today's age of the let's sue everybody -not a good idea. Your laws may be diffrent and boy that is a really good way to catch your wrong address but think about it is it worth it. Every time I get return mail I always note it in the computer and as soon as I see the customer (which we know all 500 plus and have learned their family members maybe not by name but by face) I try to get it corrected ASAP.

Storage Commander allows us to put an alert on that unit - when they come in the alert pops up and we get a new address.

If things are slow I watch the gate log as people come on the lot -- if there is an alert on that unit I will go out and talk with them. Can't tell you how many people are surprised when I walk out there and know them by name, and that I know that the address is wrong! It also makes them think twice about doing something ... er .. wrong ... They know I am watching EVERYTHING!!!! We don't have half the problems other facilities do in our area.

I also email collection letters and have been doing it for about a year know. Please note this is in addition to our mailed letters, and phone calls as well. What I have found is that phones get get disconnected and shut off all the time, where they usually keep and check there email. It's a great tool to utilize in addition to mail and phone calls. And yes we also utilize the email to send out a thank you for storing with us letter that also points out facility features, such as referral payments, access hours, etc.

I like the idea of emailing tenants in addition to mailing late notices. Clever idea. We also set appointments for our customer's to make late payments. If they don't show up it gives us a reason to call them back and make them feel even more accountable for blowing us off. Creating accountability with the customer is one of the keys to lowering delinquencies...

I have been using the e-mail collections and I find I am getting a great response. Alot of times when I call first and get no reaction at all they will call me or e-mail me in return about there account. Seems to be less intimidating to them and we can make more collection comments in my state than we can over the phone. Just be careful what you say, remember ... thats in writing.

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Lovin it.