An increasing number of small businesses have become mobile, in terms of how they operate on a daily basis. This is particularly true of start-ups and other SMEs who need flexibility and an affordable alternative to expensive overhead costs and unnecessary expenditure.
Despite this increase in mobility, most businesses still need space to store equipment, merchandise and filing to operate effectively. This is often a tricky position for companies who are looking to be more mobile, as they try to strike the balance between affordability and practicality. Storing business goods at home is just not an option in most cases.
This is where self storage comes in. Many of these companies are looking towards self storage as an affordable and flexible solution to their storage woes, with some even renting a self storage unit as an operational base.
Why self storage?
Starting and running a small business is tough, so being clever about expenditure and managing cash flow effectively is often the difference between a business succeeding and a business failing. When it comes to saving costs on space, self storage is a great solution as it is far cheaper than lengthy rental agreements and most storage companies offer flexible short-term leases. You generally only pay for the space you need, for as long as you need it.
As a business grows and accumulates more documents, stock and merchandise, so does the need for space grow. Once a business runs out of space, operations and productivity are often negatively affected.
The same can be said for larger business that are looking to expand their operations further and may require additional office space for new staff members, larger meeting rooms and storing merchandise and documents. By reducing office clutter and creating more space internally, your business can benefit dramatically, and you’ll save costs on not having to increase your office size.
Using self storage as an office space
It is not uncommon for businesses to use self storage units as their operational base. Here are a few reasons why:
Firstly, a self storage unit provides an on-the-go base to stop over, pick up stock and drop off merchandise. Most self storage facilities are positioned in accessible locations to meet the increasing demand for convenience.
Secondly, most self storage companies offer 24-hour access, which means that businesses do not need to operate within typical business hours. If someone needs to urgently grab stock for shipment at 2am in the morning, they can simply visit their unit and access what they need.
Lastly, self storage facilities offer cost effective and flexible leases that are designed to best suit your business needs. Storage units come in a variety of sizes and you can usually upscaled or downscaled as you need to.
Now over to you
Have you ever used self storage to help grow your business or save costs? Let us know how it helped you, or what other handy cost-saving techniques you have used to allow your business to expand.