Insider Edition 119 by R6 Digital

Insider

119

JUNE / JULY 2021

MAGAZINE OF THE SELF STORAGE ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALASIA

30 year celebration interviews

Andrew Catsoulis Joe Barbaro Shane Marshall

ASIAN SELF STORAGE MARKET TRENDS QR codes

What you need to know

Storage Summit 2021 Meet the presenters

EOFY

Working from home deductions

CONTENTS 3

SSAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman – Ivor Morgan Jim’s Self Storage, Victoria

Michael Alafaci – Deputy Chair Storage King Group, New South Wales Shaun Bain Keepsafe Storage, Western Australia Ryan Coom National Mini Storage, New Zealand Martin Coote Lock Distributors, New South Wales

Ned Coten City West Storage, Victoria

8 CELEBRATING 30 YEARS Joe Barbaro

David Daddow Able Self Storage, South Australia

14 ROLLER DOORS Servicing and maintenance tips

13 STORAGE SUMMIT 2021 Meet the presenters

Wayne Dade Glenelg Self Storage and Western Self Storage, South Australia

Hans Pearson StoreLocal Group, Australasia

16 CELEBRATING 30 YEARS Shane Marshall

LIFETIME MEMBERS Mark Bateman Frank Cooney Elaine Coote Liz Davies Dallas Dogger John Eastwood Simone Hill Neville Kennard

Sam Kennard Bob Marsh Jim Miller Jon Perrins Phil Robbie Mark Snooks Richard Whalan

SSAA STAFF Susan Phillips CEO

Sandra Evans Office Manager

Vanaja Thomas Member & Partnership Officer Bryan Furtado Marketing & Events

Sanju Brahmachari Bookkeeper & Administration Officer

www.selfstorage.org.au TOLL FREE – AUS: 1800 067 313 TOLL FREE – NZ: 0800 444 356

T: +61 3 9466 9699

Address: Unit 4/2 Enterprise Drive, Bundoora Vic 3083 E: admin@selfstorage.com.au Connect to our Social Media via our website

28 REGULARS

4 Chairman’s Report    6 CEO’s Report

10 Industry News

28 Communications 34 OH&S

32 HR Help Desk

36 Membership Desk

38 Legal Help Desk    40 Trade Directory

43 Industry Events 2021

18 EOFY Working from home deductions 20 KBH GROUP SALE

21 WHAT IS CYBER CRIME? 22 CELEBRATING 30 YEARS Andrew Catsoulis

24 WHY RENT WHEN YOU CAN BUY? Asian self storage market trends

26 MICE INFESTATION What is a facility's liability?

27 SELF STORAGE PRICING AND REVENUE MANAGEMENT 30 18 MONTHS AFTER COVID-19 33 NEW MEMBER Savills

Insider is published and edited by: Social Ties / E: vforbes@socialties.com.au

Advertising and sub editor: Bryan Furtado / E: marketing@selfstorage.com.au Printed by: Homestead Press / E: printing@homesteadpress.com.au

Insider magazine (Insider) is published bi-monthly by the Self Storage Association of Australasia Limited (ABN 23 050 341 725). This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express, prior written permission of the publisher. While every care has been taken in the preparation and publication of Insider, none of the Insider’s publisher, editor nor any of the publisher’s employees, subcontractors or contributors give any warranty as to the completeness or accuracy of the publication’s content, nor do any of them assume any responsibility or liability for any loss, damage or expense which may result from, or arise in connection with, any inaccuracy or omission in the publication. The views or opinions expressed in Insider are not necessarily those of Insider’s publisher or editor. Furthermore, Insider has the right to accept or reject any editorial and advertising material. All letters addressed to Insider will be regarded as ‘for publication’ unless clearly marked ‘Not for Publication’. All submissions to Insider may be edited for reasons of space or clarity and opinions expressed in letters published in Insider are those of the author, not of Insider’s publisher or editor.

JUNE / JULY 2021 INSIDER 119

4 CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

Ivor Morgan, Chairman SSAA

y way of an update from the Board of Directors I am pleased to announce the continuation of the all-important Association research projects. Following on from the release of the State of the Industry 2020 reports in September last year, we will deliver a Storage Industry Snapshot in the second half of the year. It will include a Market Overview, the Storage Industry Gauge (the SSAA’s very own indicator of market performance), Industry Trends and Industry Benchmarks. Insights will include the

impact of COVID-19 on our industry over the past 12 months. The Association will continue to invest in regular research each year and in 2022 will deliver another full report on the State of the Industry. This report which will include extensive industry research and combine the results of engagement with members and consumers via surveys. I am also looking forward to seeing many of you at the Storage Summit in Sydney on 5 August. The day will commence at 2pm with a stellar line-up of speakers including Stephen Scheeler, Nikki Greenberg and Linda Sharkey. Stephen is the former CEO with Facebook, Australia and NZ where he guided Facebook’s unprecedented rise from a quirky start up to a media and technology titan. He will discuss the power of technology, the future of business and the new paradigm of 21st-century leadership.

Nikki Greenberg is the world’s top real estate futurist. She will take us on a journey into the future as she explores the convergence or real space and cyber space. She will take a dive into innovation, disruption, sustainability, robots, cities, architecture and the built environment. Linda Sharkey is an expert in valuing self storage assets across Australia and NZ and works as the Divisional Director of Self Storage Valuations and Advisory at Cushman and Wakefield. Linda will provide her unique insights of the industry and the investment metrics that underpin the current market and the evolving drivers of demand for self storage. Following the speaker sessions, the SSAA will host a networking function which includes a 3-course meal and drinks overlooking the spectacular Sydney Harbour. l

RELIABLE, HIGH SECURITY PADLOCKS FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS Lock Distributors have been distributing and developing security for self-storage since 1986. Protect your business and lock into profits using our top quality products, friendly customer service and unparalleled expertise.

AUSTRALIA Toll Free 1800 28 77 24 T 02 9890 3844 F 02 9630 5701 E service@lockdistributors.com.au lockdistributors.com.au

High security • Pick-proof • Thousands of key changes • Range of styles

Call us today to find out about a FREE display stand.

NEW ZEALAND Toll Free 0508 562 533 E service@lockdistributors.com.au lockdistributors.com.au

6 CEO'S REPORT

Susan Phillips, CEO SSAA

t the time of writing this column we are busy planning for the return of our in-person events. The schedule as per the SSAA 2021 mousepad of events includes: l Adelaide on 3 June l Brisbane on 29 July l Perth on 26 August l Auckland on 14 October l Sydney on 28 October. These Industry Networking Events have changed following feedback from members. The timing and format have been shortened and now commence after lunch allowing interested members to have less time away from their businesses. The events include educational sessions, followed by a facility tour and

Storage Summit 2021 Managing Yourself to Success 5 August 2021

Pier One Sydney Harbour To meet your presenters turn to page 13 or go to www.selfstorage.org.au/event/storagesummit Major sponsor

networking drinks and nibbles. All events are free of charge for facility members due to the sponsorship and contributions by our generous service members. A new event for you to add to your calendar is the Storage Summit on Thursday 5 August in Sydney. This event will bring together Owners, Senior Executives and key Industry Stakeholders in an afternoon of education and an evening of dinner and networking overlooking one of the most iconic harbours in the world – Sydney Harbour. Please refer to the website for costs and delegate registration for the Summit. The SSAA Team are looking forward to welcoming you to one of these events soon. l

online move-ins

online payments

sales & marketing

access control integrations

locally secured

extensive reports

finance exports

local support single or multi site

facility map

Tomorrow’s self storage software, today!

8 SSAA CELEBRATING 30 YEARS

Joe Barbaro 30 years in the self storage industry Joe has been in the industry for 30 years both as a facility owner and as a Service Member. He has been a regular and generous supporter of the Self Storage Association of Australasia, personally attending 25 National Conventions as well as being a generous convention sponsor over this time.

n the late 1980s, Joe was operating a successful printing business in Canberra. His brother and family developed a storage facility at Mitchell, ACT, in 1989. As the project progressed, additional funds were needed, and Joe was invited to invest in the facility. Joe and his family found the initial trading period difficult, and Joe admits that they were short on operating experience. This, combined with the 1990s recession (Keating’s – the recession we had to have) and high-interest rates, made the early 1990s a difficult period for Joe and his family. Joe attended his first Self Storage Convention in 1991 in Melbourne and remembers how this convention reset his thinking as he gained a significant amount of additional knowledge from local operators and visiting US experts. Joe returned to Canberra with his new knowledge and took on the management of the family facility. He applied more disciplined fee rate pricing and made changes to on-site staff. After several years of hard work, the 450 unit Mitchell facility was performing well and returning money to the family. At the same time as managing the Mitchell facility, Joe was building his business Homestead Press. He saw the opportunity to provide specialty products to the self storage industry. Offering a high

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

level of personal service, he built up a customer base of over 400 facility owners, including major operators such as Storage King. Joe sold his storage facility at Mitchell to Abacus Property Fund in February 2019, and he has now retired from his Homestead Press business at the end of April. Homestead Press will be run as a separate entity after being bought by the Elect Printing Group in Canberra. Where to from here? Joe looks forward to attending the next SSAA Convention with the new owners but intends to play golf and go fishing at his beachside retreat in Bermagui, travel around Australia and catch up with friends from the storage industry. Joe would like to thank everyone from the industry for their support and friendship over the years. l

“

Joe sold his storage facility at Mitchell to Abacus Property Fund in February 2019, and he has now retired from his Homestead Press business at the end of April.

www.selfstorage.org.au

Southwell Service & Modernisation

Refurbish your old hoist - For a free assessment contact 02 4655 7007 or email service@southwell.com.au Southwell Engineering doesn’t just engineer market-leading lifts and hoists. Our experienced team of technicians can make tired and broken-down hoists work better than they did brand new. We can also add new functionality more cost-effectively than installing a replacement. Southwell’s expert technicians will bring back ‘as new’ functionality to your lift Upgrade from goods-only to goods plus personnel and disabled access to meet the latest codes NCC/BCA, WHS Standards at a fraction of the cost of a new hoist Enhance your lift communication system to GSM standard for better workplace safety Switch out manual doors to an electric roller door for efficiency and ease of use Quick turnarounds for reduced downtime Guaranteed and maintained by Southwell Lifts and Hoists with 100% parts backup

Problem

Solution

Existing hoist manufactured in 1993 and with manual doors. Its mechanical door lock was broken beyond repair, the part discontinued and the old electrical controls did not meet the new codes.

Southwell upgraded the existing manual doors to powered doors to provide their storage clients with easier automated more lift-like operation. We also painted the hoist and gave its facade a much-needed facelift.

Southwell Engineering - Since 1945 Southwell is a proud, family owned company. Since 1945 we’ve been engineering, high-quality cantilever and scissor products in-house here in Camden, New South Wales, delivering and installing them around Australia and the world. We design registered one of the original Australian hoist designs and we’ve continued to innovate, with creations like our Car Lift with Integrated Turntable.

www.selfstorage.org.au

36 Edward St, Camden NSW Australia 61 2 4655 7007 southwell.com.au

10 INDUSTRY INDUSTRY NEWS NEWS

Sanju Brahmachari Kennards Milton Beddown

Beddown have partnered with Australia’s largest car park operator, Secure Parking, who operate over 600 car parks across Australia and New Zealand. Kennards Self Storage at Milton are proud to be helping Beddown, providing donated storage space for a number of items including bedding, mattresses and toiletries. The objective of Beddown is to take spaces that are commonly used and busy during the day but at night are left vacant or empty. Beddown activates and repurposes these spaces at night into pop-up accommodation to ensure the homeless, in particular those who are sleeping rough are able to access a safe, secure shelter to get a great night’s sleep and have access to a range of services that restore dignity, respect, self-esteem and confidence. Beddown collaborates with other charitable organisations to provide complementary services such as laundry & showers, food & beverages, health & wellbeing, new clothing to name a few. Their first space to be activated and repurposed was a car park. Car parks offer great spaces that are sheltered, secure, spacious, clean and can be activated very quickly into pop-up accommodation and be popped down very quickly, with minimal disruption to the business. www.beddown.org.au

Welcome Sanju Brahmachari as the newest member of the SSAA team. An eternal optimist and always happy to help, Sanju loves numbers and is very enthusiastic about putting processes in place. In her role as Admin & Book keeper with the SSAA, Sanju is hoping she is able to engage and assist members with her valuable knowledge and be a useful contributor to the self storage industry.

Quick thinking leads to arrest

Lance Greaney, director of Oamaru Self Storage in Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand, was involved in a foot chase when a wanted man ran out of an RV that was parked on the property, in which he’d been hiding illegally. Tom Palmer, from Foley’s Plumbing and Electrical, was working on the RV and noticed one of the windows had been smashed. They moved seat cushions and found a man lying there in the fetal position. They thought the man was homeless and given he wasn’t moving, possibly dead. The man then sprang up and raced out of the vehicle. Tom gave chase and was soon joined by Lance. They caught up with the man in less than a kilometre when he was trying to climb a fence. They held him on the ground until police arrived. Lance said Tom’s quick action helped as he was a former rugby player. The man is said to be Leslie McCreath, who’s been on the run since December. Public warnings had been issued about McCreath, calling him dangerous. An arrest warrant included charges related to firearms and methamphetamine.

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

Congratulations to Michael Purnell-Webb the Commercial Operations Manager from Wilson Storage in Melbourne on his recent marriage to Serryn. The wedding was held on the 10th of April in Palm Cove Far North Queensland. A perfect Queensland day with the ceremony being held in the Alamanda Chapel and the reception at Neptunes Restaurant on the Esplanade overlooking the Coral Sea.

www.selfstorage.org.au

Stax of Storage Churchill

The doors have opened in April and the facility is being managed by KW Property Group from Morwell. Here’s some details about the facility: l The building was Gippsland Trade Printers, printing the local newspaper for many years. l The site was purchased in late 2019 and used Tony from The Sledgehammer Group to remove the asbestos. l Regis Built then converted the 2766m2 space into 130 self storage units in a range of sizes. l Jason Keane and his team from Sentinel Australasia secured the space offering pin coded access, CCTV, and individual door alarms and sensor lighting. l There’s also four loading bays and trolleys servicing the property with room to grow the external compound parking as well. l Owner, Con Frances, has also recently purchased (December 2020) J & D Self Storage located in Portland, Victoria and will be completing some facility upgrades over the coming months, as well as rebranding the store to Stax of Storage Portland.

20 years of storage Congratulations to Toni, a long-term storer at Bright Self Storage in Ferntree Gully, Victoria. Toni has been storing there for 20 years and has seen Bright Self Storage grow from humble beginnings. The familyowned and run business turned 20 last year, so Toni has almost been there since the beginning. Sister’s Jacki Mackenzie (nee Bright) and Katherine Stephens (nee Bright) delivered Toni flowers to celebrate and thank her for her loyalty to the business, plus they also gave her some free storage. Can anyone beat 20 years at their facility? Email us at marketing@selfstorage.com.au

2021 is shaping up to be the strongest selling market we have seen for many years.

TAXIBOX launches Australian first

Australian mobile storage business, TAXIBOX, has recently enhanced its on-site storage unit range by adding Bluetooth locking technology, a first for the construction and building industry in Australia, rendering lost keys or un-granted access a thing of the past. The introduction of this keyless technology allows customers to manage their boxes remotely via any smartphone with access to transparent activity logs, providing an unprecedented level of security for on-site storage solutions. Co-founder and managing director Ben Cohn said, “Unfortunately theft is a huge issue for the construction industry and as part of our commitment to being an innovative, storage solutions business, we have introduced Bluetooth technology to our on-site storage facilities.” www.selfstorage.org.au

WHY IS THIS THE CASE? l NEW and EXISTING buyer groups are

competing heavily for Self Storage assets l Significant weight of capital attracted to

this stable asset class l Historically low interest rates

For a confidential discussion regarding your facility/facilities, call

Matt Walsh

Highway Frontage Real Estate 0411 880 054 | 1300 661 950 L1. 146 Chapel St, St Kilda VIC 3182

mwalsh@highwayfrontage.com.au www.selfstoragerealestate.com.au HIGHWAY FRONTAGE ARE SSAA MEMBERS

JUNE / JULY 2021 INSIDER 119

SSAA Online Industry Training 12 modules all together with the first two training modules free of charge. Each module takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete and is accompanied by handy Quick Reference Guides. https://members.selfstorage.org.au/ member-services/

STORAGE SUMMIT 13

Storage Summit 2021

Managing Yourself to Success: Meet the presenters

Nikki Greenberg

––––––––– Nikki Greenberg is the world’s top real estate futurist and most soughtafter industry trends, presenter. Through her high energy keynotes, she explores the convergence of real space and cyber space. She is determined to not only inspire her audiences on the possibilities of emerging technologies and innovative ways of thinking but provide insights on ways to capitalise upon it. In short, Nikki directs companies on what to do today to deliver on the needs of tomorrow Nikki has been the recipient of numerous industry awards and accolades including being recognised as a Top 25 CRE Innovator (2021), Top 100 Real Estate Executive (2020), and Finalist at MIPIM Global PropTech Awards (2019). Her past clients include CBRE Global Investment Partners, AEW, Dexus, Silverstein, JDS, VTS, and Lendlease, amongst others. She has been a featured speaker for the real estate industry’s leading groups and conferences including ULI, RICS, FIABCI, CREW, Nareit, CoreNet, MIPIM, RecoTech, National Association of Realtors, and more.

Stephen Scheeler

––––––––– Stephen is the founder of global advisory The Digital CEO, Senior Advisor to McKinsey & Company, and Executive-in-Residence at AsiaPacific’s leading business school, the Australian Graduate School of Management – he partners with the senior leaders of some of the world’s leading companies to help them build world-beating strategies, capabilities, culture and leadership, including Qantas, nab, Westpac, Macquarie Bank, ANZ Bank, Commonwealth Bank, IAG, Suncorp, Telstra, Wesfarmers, AMP, CUB, Brambles, Google, DellEMC, Lenovo, Seven West Media, MCN, QBE, Hollard, BAT, JB Hi-Fi, Bunnings, Flight Centre, Mirvac and the Australian Government. Stephen is the former Facebook CEO for Australia and New Zealand, where he guided Facebook’s unprecedented rise from quirky Silicon Valley start up to media and technology titan. Working with Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg and Facebook’s Silicon Valley leaders, his tenure at Facebook saw the Australia and New Zealand business – including Instagram, Messenger, Whatsapp and Oculus – grow to become one of the most successful Facebook markets in the world. Major sponsor

www.selfstorage.org.au

Linda Sharkey

––––––––– Linda Sharkey is Divisional Director of Self Storage Valuations and Advisory at Cushman and Wakefield. A Certified Practicing Valuer, Chartered Valuation Surveyor and registered Expert Witness, Linda is an expert in valuing self storage assets across Australia and New Zealand. Working for all major self storage owners and operators, Linda has unique insight into the financial performance of self storage assets, the investment metrics underpinning the current market and the evolving drivers of demand for self storage. Her team is regularly engaged to undertake market research briefs, provide supply & demand studies and assess the feasibility of proposed self storage facilities.

Storage Summit 2021 2pm, 5 August 2021 Pier One Sydney Harbour To register:

For more details go to www.selfstorage.org.au/ event/storagesummit

JUNE / JULY 2021 INSIDER 119

14 ROLLER DOOR MAINTENANCE

Just a roller door? No, it’s NOT ‘just a roller door’… by Storco

ervicing and maintaining your roller doors is just as important as servicing your car. Roller doors are made up of multiple moving parts, all designed to work seamlessly together. They offer years of trouble-free use for a facility, and an added benefit is the doors won’t swing out into a corridor into customers paths. However, like our vehicles, we need to ensure regular maintenance of our roller doors and choose a reliable supplier to extend their lifespan.

If you're about to make a purchase, there are a few things you should consider

Over the years, we have always listened to industry experts’ advice and the recommendations and frustrations of end-users. One common frustration that still rears its head regularly is the wait time for a repair and maintenance contractor to visit their site to adjust the tension on their doors. To assist Storco’s clients in rectifying this common issue, they developed the ‘Roller Door Tensioning Device’. The device gives facility owners the ability to undertake their own maintenance on site. This enables complete control over undertaking adjustments and the ability to custom adjust the tension of a roller door to suit the requirements of their customers – such as an elderly customer who may require an easier tension or someone with a bad back. The industry standard of a roller door lifespan is 10,000 revolutions,

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

“

The industry standard of a roller door lifespan is 10,000 revolutions, with the average lifespan of a roller door being 20,000 revolutions. with the average lifespan of a roller door being 20,000 revolutions. Storco roller doors are rigorously tested to destruction, exceeding the industry standard, reaching between 80,000 and 100,000 revolutions. Choosing a supplier who manufactures in Australia can save you a lot of time and money on

shipping and ensures your supplier can 100% control the manufacturing, delivery and installation of your doors. This also means if your customer damages a door beyond repair, a new door can be on its way almost immediately. Taking your time to choose a reliable supplier of your roller doors is also very important. The material of which it is made, its location, and lifespan are all questions you should ask yourself before purchase. Choosing the right supplier who meets your criteria will ensure lower maintenance, seamless delivery and installation, a much longer lifespan and savings in the thousands. It’s not just ‘a roller door’ – there are many questions you should ask yourself before choosing a supplier. Below are a few tips and items to check after new doors have been installed to ensure you get years of trouble-free use from your doors: l Make sure the door curtain is correctly aligned with the tracks, so the tracks aren’t catching on the nylon webbing on the side of the door l Make sure your tracks aren’t too tight so your door can roll up and down freely l Make sure the door isn’t hard to pull down and easy to push up or vice versa. This indicates incorrect spring adjustment and should be rectified l Do not put any lubrication on your door as this will attract dirt and dust and, long term, impact the running of the door. l www.selfstorage.org.au

Access to your unit ...

no matter where you are.

Scan and see.

Made here, for here.

storco.com.au

16 SSAA CELEBRATING 30 YEARS

Shane Marshall Shane owns and operates four, investment facilities located at Eastgardens, Hurstville, Penrith and Rockdale. He completed and opened his fifth facility at Taren Point in November 2020.

hane’s story is a ‘from the ground up’ journey in the self storage industry. As a young builder, Shane travelled to England, after working through an English winter he moved to the US and got a job with Ribroof, a company specialising in self storage construction. After working in the US for three years, Shane started to think about the potential of the industry in Australia and returned home. In 1987 he found a site at Eastgardens in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. Shane's primary restriction at the time was a lack of available funds. The site at Eastgardens was covered by some very large sandhills that needed to be removed to allow building. Rather than this being a cost, Shane was able to sell the sand to the nearby Australian Glass Manufacturers, at Alexandria and local builders. This provided an income that allowed him to obtain finance to fund the original construction. Shane says those early years were tough, with every dollar going into the project. He and his wife lived in a very modest caretaker flat on the facility for many of those early years. After ten years and three stages of construction, the Eastgardens facility was completed with over 900 storage units. Shane remembers the early 1990s recession (Keating’s ‘the recession we had to have’) as a tough and testing trading period for all those in the self storage industry. Shane purchased his site at Penrith in 1990 and filled the first stage in less than two years. He went on to buy the adjoining site and doubled the size of the facility.

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

“

Shane’s hard work and persistence over the past 30 years has given rise to a portfolio of first-class, investment standard self storage facilities that extend throughout Sydney. In 1992 he purchased his site on Forest Road Hurstville and developed a multi-level storage facility. Shane followed this up with the acquisition of Marshall Bentnell’s facility at Princes Highway, Hurstville in 2011. Marshall was a fishing mate of Shane. Initially trading as Marshall Storage, Shane joined the Storage King team in 1998 and has stayed with them since. Shane recognises the operating economies associated with the Storage King Brand and is happy to say that he has had good value out of his association with Storage King.

Shane’s son Tom and his daughter, Brooke, have been involved in the business from an early age. They have both become essential elements in the Marshall business. Tom focuses on the identification and development of new business opportunities while Brooke has become fundamental to the operational side of the business. Brooke’s knowledge of the Storman system is legendary, and Storman regularly uses Brooke as the test pilot for new products and innovations. Shane now leaves a large amount of the business to his two children but remains an active participant in the industry. Shane, Tom and Brooke are committed to the long-term growth of the business and make a powerful team. They have development approval for a large scale, mixed-use development adjoining there original Eastgardens site together with plans to further develop a further 4,000 sqm of net storage areas to the original Eastgardens facility. l www.selfstorage.org.au

18 ACCOUNTING

Working from home deductions

by Glenn Harris – Director Bishop Collins Accountants

here has been a lot of interest recently requesting support on what deductions are available when working from home. The impact of COVID-19 on people working from home has been significant. If you are working from home, you’ll be incurring additional costs and it’s important you accurately capture these to ensure you’re not paying too much tax.

What can I claim when I am working from home?

What you can claim as a deduction working from home will primarily depend on whether you are an employee working from home OR you are running your business from home.

I’m just working from home

If you’re just working from home and not operating a small business from home, your deductions will generally be limited to running expenses. Below is a summary of deductions you may be able to claim.

What if I’m running my small business from home?

If you’re running your small business from home, in addition to claiming running expenses you can also claim occupancy expenses. Occupancy

Glenn is one of the Bishop Collins Directors, who brings a fun and professional dynamic to the team. He loves being a problem solver. His passion for accounting is continually being fuelled through helping clients when they feel they have a problem too big. He loves giving clients hope for the future and reassuring them “everything will be ok”. Glenn loves to focus on business restructuring, property transactions and being a ‘sounding board’ to businesses needing financial advice.

expenses include anything you pay to own or rent your home, such as: l Mortgage interest or rent l Rates and taxes l House and contents insurance. You can only claim occupancy expenses if an area of your home is dedicated to running your business: This means you need to meet the following requirements: l Clearly identifiable as a place of business l Used exclusively or almost exclusively for your business l Not easily suitable or adaptable for private or domestic use l Used regularly for business visits by your clients.

deductions. For example, you might be able to compare your power bills from before you began operating your business to after you commenced operating. In addition to this, you can keep a diary showing your business use for a representative 4-week period each financial year to work out a pattern of use. When averaging this out remember to allow for holidays. You can then claim a deduction of the ATO’s rate per hour based on actual use or an established pattern of use. In summary, you can use one of two calculation methods: l Fixed-rate method – This is 52 cents for each hour you work from home. This method does not

How do I calculate my working from home expenses?

A common method for calculating occupancy expenses is to use the floor area you use for your home office as a proportion of the floor area of your whole home. As with calculating occupancy costs, you can also use a floorplan to allocate the proportion of running expenses between private and business use. If you don’t have a dedicated workspace and the floor plan isn’t appropriate other methods are available to calculate your

You have a dedicated work area

You don’t have a dedicated work area

Using a room’s utilities such as gas and electricity

Yes

Work-related telephone costs

Yes

Depreciation of office plant and equipment such as desks, chairs and computers

Yes

Depreciation of curtains, carpets, light and other fittings

Yes

Occupancy expenses such as rent, mortgage, interest, insurance and rates

DEDUCTIONS YOU MAY BE ABLE TO CLAIM

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

www.selfstorage.org.au

“

include the following expenses which you will need to calculate separately: • Phone and internet • Consumables and deprecation of equipment l Actual costs method – As the name suggests you keep a record of the actual costs incurred to work or operate your business from home.

I’m only working from home due to COVID-19

To support taxpayers in this situation the ATO has introduced a shortcut method which provides a simple way to calculate these expenses with minimal recordkeeping requirements. This shortcut method applies from 1 March 2020 and can be applied up to 30 June 2021. Using the shortcut method, you can claim a deduction of 80 cents for each hour you worked from home for the period between: l 1 March 2020 to 30 June 2020 in your 2019–20 tax return l 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 in your 2020–21 tax return. If you: l Were working from home to fulfill your employment duties and not just carrying out minimal tasks such as occasionally checking emails or taking calls l Incurred additional running expenses as a result of working from home. The shortcut method doesn’t require you to have a dedicated work area and covers all additional deductible running expenses.

What are my record-keeping requirements when working from home?

You will need to keep appropriate records to substantiate your claims for all your running and occupancy expenses. This will depend on the www.selfstorage.org.au

PHOTO BY MICHAEL SOLEDAD ON UNSPLASH

You will need to keep appropriate records to substantiate your claims for all your running and occupancy expenses.

method you use to claim your expenses, written evidence may include: l Written diary including hours usage or explain floor space allocation and measurements l Rental contract between homeowner and business (occupancy expenses) l Mortgage interest, rent, insurance and council rates (occupancy expenses) l Receipts for purchase and repairs of office equipment and invoices for utility bills.

When I sell my home do I have to pay CGT if I claim home office expenses?

CGT generally will not apply when you sell your home. However, if you used any part of your home for business purposes, you may have to pay CGT. You will generally only have to pay CGT for periods when you used your home for your business. For example, if you owned your home for 10 years but only used it for business for 3 years then you

will only need to calculate capital gains tax for the 3-year period. The amount of taxable capital gain will usually be calculated using the same proportional method you used to calculate your deduction for occupancy expenses. CGT won’t be payable if any of the following apply: l You only claimed running expenses as an employee l You operated a business from home, but you didn’t have a dedicated area set aside l Your business was operated through a company or trust. In addition to this, you may be able to apply one or more of the small business CGT concessions to reduce your taxable capital gain. l If you have any questions in regard to claiming home office-related expenses, please call Bishop Collins on 02 4353 2333

JUNE / JULY 2021 INSIDER 119

20 INDUSTRY MOVEMENT

KBH Group sells self storage portfolio, plans East Coast expansion

n 4 May KBH Group, a Western Australia based developer and operator of self storage facilities and marinas, sold its self storage portfolio to DBI Storage. The sale settled on 15 April 2021. As part of the deal, valued at more than $84 million, KBH signed a fiveyear management agreement with DBI Storage for the five self storage facilities. These include KeepSafe Storage Balcatta, KeepSafe Storage O’Connor, KeepSafe Storage Wangara, KeepSafe Storage Welshpool, and Welshpool Self Storage. KBH retains the rights to branding, intellectual property, proprietary systems, and their people. KBH Group is a one-stop-shop for self storage owners. Consistent with its mission to ‘Develop, Manage and Grow’, KBH Group plans to deploy additional KeepSafe Storage facilities across Australia – either KBH owned, or managed by KBH on behalf of 3rd party owners. In addition to self storage facilities, KBH Group owns and operates Pier 21 Marina in North Fremantle. KBH Group operates under an

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

“

KeepSafe Storage has twice won the Facility of the Year award at the annual Self Storage Association of Australasia Awards Night.

Australian Financial Services Licence, and remains 100% Western Australia owned and operated. The business offers consistently strong returns to shareholders and investors, with over 40% per annum IRR delivered by its property funds over the past four years. KeepSafe Storage has twice won the Facility of the Year award at the annual Self Storage Association of Australasia Awards Night, as well as Small Operator of the Year across Australia and New Zealand. “We’re extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve in a relatively short period,” said Shaun Bain, Managing Director of KBH Group. “We have developed greenfield sites, acquired and improved existing sites and undertaken management of 3rd party sites. In each of those facilities, we were able to deliver an industry leading experience to our customers, and exceptional returns to our shareholders and investors, in what has been a difficult trading environment (pre-COVID-19).” The combined deal total of $84+ million includes the purchase price and management fee income for five years. l

www.selfstorage.org.au

LEOTY – PRESENTER 21

Cyber crime by Australian Federal Police

nformation and communications technology (ICT) is an integral part of our daily lives. Whether people have a computer at home, use online banking services or simply receive electricity supplies, the community’s reliance on technology is increasing. A safe and secure online environment enhances trust and confidence and contributes to a stable and productive community. Government and business also take advantage of opportunities for economic development through increased use of information technology. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) sees the increasing use and dependence on technology as one of the major influences on the domestic and international law enforcement operating environment.

What is Cybercrime?

In Australia, the term ‘cybercrime’ is used to describe both: l crimes directed at computers or other information communications technologies (ICTs) (such as computer intrusions and denial of service attacks), and l crimes where computers or ICTs are an integral part of an offence (such as online fraud) Just as the internet and other new technologies are opening up tremendous possibilities, they also provide opportunities for criminals to commit new crimes and to carry out old crimes in new ways. On the evidence available, it is clear that the number, sophistication and impact of cybercrimes continues to grow and poses a serious and evolving threat to Australian individuals, businesses and governments. Online, criminals can commit crimes across multiple borders in an instant and can target a large number of victims simultaneously. Tools that have many legitimate uses, like high speed internet, peer to peer file-sharing and sophisticated www.selfstorage.org.au

“

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) sees the increasing use and dependence on technology as one of the major influences on the domestic and international law enforcement operating environment. encryption methods, can also help criminals to carry out and conceal their activities. The AFP is responsible for detecting, preventing, disrupting, responding to and enforcing cybercrime offences impacting the whole of the Australian economy. It focuses on investigating cybercrime threats against Commonwealth Government departments, critical infrastructure and information systems of national significance, with a key element being the banking and financial sector. The AFP is guided by Commonwealth priorities for combatting cybercrime. In general, the investigation of fraud against an individual is a state police responsibility. However, where there is a crossover between the

investigation of a fraud against an individual and the investigation of an organised attack against critical banking systems, the AFP will work together with the local jurisdiction and the banking and finance industry. The AFP also works closely with State and Territory Police and international policing agencies in the fight against all types of cybercrime. For the latest advice on the types of cybercrime currently impacting Australians visit the Australian Cyber Security Centre website (cyber.gov.au). The presentation by Federal Agent Daniel Rodriguez discussed resources available to members of the SSAA to protect their businesses and where to seek help if they encounter a cyber issue. It is up to individuals and business alike to take the first step in protecting themselves from the dangers of the online environment. Increasing your own awareness of what can occur and how to deal with these issues can make a significant difference in protecting you, your business and your customers. l

JUNE / JULY 2021 INSIDER 119

22 SSAA CELEBRATING 30 YEARS

Andrew Catsoulis As Managing Director of National Storage REIT (NSR), Andrew has had a profound and transformative impact on the self storage industry. The strong commercial standing of the Australian and New Zealand self storage industry has been substantially influenced by Andrew’s vision and his guidance of National Storage for over 25 years.

ndrew is a qualified lawyer, admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia. He had extensive experience in the fields of finance, commercial and property law during his early career at major law firms in Australia and overseas. As a founder of the original National Storage business, he has more than 30 years’ experience in the self storage industry. Andrew’s involvement in the self storage industry started with the development of a storage facility on family land on the Ipswich Motorway at Oxley in Brisbane’s south-west in 1995. This was followed with a second facility at Aspley. These centres were branded Stowaway Self-Storage. Andrew had the foresight to see the advantages and opportunities in operating a network of facilities and with that in mind purchased National Mini Storage from a small ASX listed company. With the assistance of his financial advisers, he stripped out the company’s self storage properties for direct ownership. This portfolio comprised seven properties in south east Queensland and three Adelaide properties and was purchased with the assistance of the Bryan Family who then owned Premier Self-Storage. National Mini Storage, Premier Self-Storage and Stowaway Self-Storage formed the original nucleus of what has become National Storage today. In 2003 the APN National Storage Property Trust was formed. The National Storage properties were sold into the Trust and National Storage Operations Pty Limited took a longterm lease back of the properties

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

in the Trust. The Trust originally comprised 20 properties but with an active acquisition programme this grew to 44 properties with a value exceeding $350 million. The Trust operated through a demanding economic environment including interest rate peaks and the Global Financial Crisis. Andrew acknowledges that the APN National Storage Property Trust experience impressed on him the importance of holding direct ownership of self storage properties and influenced his planning of the later National Storage REIT. National Storage eventually bought back the properties in the APN National Storage Trust. Andrew was instrumental in the formation of National Storage REIT which listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in December 2013. National Storage REIT was formed as a stapled security combining direct property ownership with skilled operational management. Andrew has led the National Storage REIT as Managing Director since its inception. NSR originally comprised 60 operating businesses and 38 owned storage properties with the balance being held in joint ventures or though longterm lease arrangements. Under Andrew’s guidance the REIT has grown rapidly and as of 30 June 2020 National Storage REIT operated 188 storage facilities, over 95% of which are wholly owned by NSR, throughout Australia and New Zealand with a book value more than $2,280 million. Recent reporting shows continuing strong growth in acquisitions. Andrew has maintained a consistent growth strategy for

National and explains that the strategy is based on the following four principles: l organic growth through a balanced approach to occupancy and fee rate management; l a strong commitment to the acquisition of established storage facilities; l development of new facilities and expansion of existing facilities; and l technological innovation including development of call centre operations, introduction of revenue management systems and implementation of centre operation automation. The establishment and success of the National Storage REIT has had a profound impact on the self storage industry. National has led change that has transformed the industry from a small-scale private investment medium to a wellrecognised, institutional grade asset class. It has raised awareness of the self storage industry in banking, finance and investment sectors. The increased awareness of self storage as an investment class has benefited the whole self storage industry and resulted in value growth across the industry. Andrew takes great pride in the National Storage REIT team. Many of his senior executives have been with the organisation since the inception of the National Storage in 2000. Andrew has great confidence in the capabilities of his executive team and has applied a management philosophy where he provides clear guidance in an environment that allows a high level of individual responsibility. l www.selfstorage.org.au

24 INTERNATIONAL NEWS

WHY RENT WHEN YOU CAN BUY? by Andrew Work, Executive Director, Self Storage Association Asia

his is the question that Don Leung, CEO of 100Storage, is putting to the people of Hong Kong. The Chinese city has some of the world’s most expensive real estate in any category. With parking spots costing up to $160,000 (AUD), even a small flat can be out of reach. But now, 100Storage is bringing a new option to would-be real estate moguls: self storage. “Many Hong Kongers aspire to start building wealth through real estate ownership, but recent price rises have put even the smallest flats out of their reach. Now they have another option in a fast growing asset class that answers the real needs of the people in Hong Kong,” says Mr Leung. He has created Hong Kong’s first self storage for sale. Consumers can buy a storage unit and then use it for themselves, become mini-self storage operators and rent it out, or opt to have 100Storage rent it out for them, sometimes valet style, and secure an income stream. With land title to the property, they can get a mortgage to buy or purchase outright. The first location,

“

Now that we have proven that the concept works, we expect that more property owners will see the value of this new concept and choose to support the growth of self storage in this manner. The Storage One, was launched in April and two more projects are in development. The Storage One has 125 units on the 8th floor of an industrial building. Self storage in Hong Kong is found in industrial buildings, giving them a new life after the wholesale relocation of manufacturing to China in the late 20th century. Mr Leung had to bring a range of interested parties across the line to implement the new concept. The Lands Registry had to be convinced of the merit of subdividing property title into very small units within the overall space owned by a larger landlord who still owns the lobby, corridors and other parts of the space. The landlords had to be convinced that the business model would work. Of course, the first project is always the hardest. The second location, The Storage Village in another part of Hong Kong is already selling units to strong demand while construction is underway. The third location has been selected and is in development. As the concept becomes proven, Mr Leung expects more landlords with unrealised potential in their real estate will look to this model. “Now that we have proven that the concept works, we expect that more property owners will see the value of

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

www.selfstorage.org.au

this new concept and choose to support the growth of self storage in this manner,” says Mr Leung. Ownership changes the way people think about their storage space. Mr Leung’s company has been able to justify higher costs associated with supplying electrical power and a broadband connection to each unit. Customers can install their own cameras and environmental sensors on top of the fire alarm that comes with each unit. Storage units are built using expensive fire retardant paneling and top rated construction materials all around. This means that the units far exceed minimum fire safety standards. Mr Leung is a Hong Kong native, but spent formative years in Australia. He graduated from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, home of many of Australia’s great self storage entrepreneurs. “Hong Kongers don’t have the luxury of space that I got used to in Australia. But they do have a similar enthusiasm for real estate investment. This is shared by people across Asia and I aim to bring this model to other countries across the region”, says Mr Leung. With a strong start in Hong Kong, that seems entirely possible and this company will be one to watch in the next few years. l Left: 100Storage founder Don Leung shows off the storage units for sale, including the fire detection and features including power and broadband connection. Valet boxes are visible on the right. Above: The Storage One has applied to the SSAA programme, S.A.F.E. Self Storage Standards and anticipates passing the inspection to receive a Gold Status, indicating compliance with all government fire safety regulatory requirements. Top right: Onwards and upwards! The launch of The Storage One with founder Don Leung (4th from left), SSAA (Asia) Executive Director Andrew Work (2nd from left) and Kevin Shee, founder of SC Storage (2nd from right).

www.selfstorage.org.au

A NEW ALTERNATIVE For facility owners in Australia From experience comes wisdom.

SELF STORAGE

Management Services YOUR FACILITY YOUR BRAND OUR TEAM OUR RESPONSIBILITY EXPERIENCE IS EVERYTHING OUT PERFORM

Self Storage Operations

Revenue Management

Maintenance & Development

Accounting & Reporting Recruitment and Training

Suite 610, 12 Century Cct NORWEST. NSW. 2153 www.vssm.com.au 02 9432 2880

JUNE / JULY 2021 INSIDER 119

26 LEGAL

Mice infestation

fter one of its worst wildfire seasons and a global pandemic, Australia is now facing its latest end-of-days challenge: a “monumental” plague of mice. Millions of rodents are running amok particularly in parts of Australia’s eastern states, with residents sharing horror encounters on a daily basis and the storage industry has also had issues. So what are a facility’s liability if stored goods are damaged as a result of the mice infestation? In the event that damage occurs to a Storer’s goods, the Standard Self Storage Agreement provides some protection for the Facility. Assuming the Facility is using the latest version of the Agreement, clause 16 states that: The Storer acknowledges that to the extent permitted by law, having regard to any non-excludable consumer guarantees under any applicable consumer protection laws (Non-Excludable Guarantees), the Storer’s goods are stored at the sole risk and responsibility of the Storer who, except to the extent of any negligence by the FO, is responsible for any and all theft, damage to, and deterioration of its goods … The Storer, except to the extent of any negligence by the FO, bears the risk of any and all damage caused by flood, fire, leakage or

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

“

Millions of rodents are running amok particularly in parts of Australia’s eastern states, with residents sharing horror encounters on a daily basis and the storage industry has also had issues. overflow of water, mildew, mould, heat, spillage of material from any other storage space, removal or delivery of the goods, pest or vermin or any other reason whatsoever. Generally speaking, the Facility will not be found liable to a Storer unless the Facility is negligent or has breached a consumer guarantee under the ACL. Consumer guarantees are a set of rules that apply to goods and services purchased by consumers. The Facility provides a storage service. At a high level, the service the Facility provides must be: l provided with due care and skill; l fit for any specified purpose (express or implied); or l provided within a reasonable time (when no time is set). One way the Facility can demonstrate that it provides its

by Michelle Nguyen, Hunt and Hunt Lawyers

services with due care and skill is by taking all reasonable steps to prevent any damage by the mice. For example if the facility has undertaken both trapping and baiting measures to mitigate the degree of the infestation at the facility. While a Facility’s liability is determined on a case by case basis, we believe that these preventative measures will assist in showing that the facility has taken active steps to try and prevent damage. On that basis, we strongly recommend you continue with your trapping and baiting procedures. In anticipation of an increase of mice during the winter season, we recommend the facility take any other measures it believes are appropriate to reduce the risk of damage. For example, the facility may send a notice to its storers which: l addresses the current mice problem; l refers to clause 16 in the Agreement regarding the storing of goods at the Storer’s own risk; and l encourages Storers to make their own arrangements to protect their goods. l

www.selfstorage.org.au

LEOTY – PRESENTER 27

Self storage pricing and revenue management: Real world opportunities by Warren Lieberman and Jim Mullin, Veritec Solutions

e often think we know more about our customers than we do. Common misperceptions include: l If I raise rents above the street rate or by more than X%, my customers will move out l My competitors are lowering their prices, so I need to lower mine l My prices are higher than my competitors so I can’t charge more for more conveniently located units Although there is some truth to these expectations, the tendencies noted above are usually not ‘all encompassing’ as often anticipated. For example, when analyzing the impacts of rent increases, many operators discover that when raising rents above the current street rate, fewer customers move out than expected. What we remember, however, are the instances where customers complain, tell us the rent increase is too much, and move out. In fact, the tendency to ignore general information (e.g., many customers continue to rent despite receiving a rent increase) and focus on information relevant to specific cases (e.g., customer complaints about rent increases), even when the general information is more important has a name: base rate bias. Base rate bias often operates in conjunction with other aspects of reasoning errors, such as confirmation

www.selfstorage.org.au

bias (looking for and interpreting information in a manner that confirms preconceptions), the tendency to avoid revising beliefs even when presented with new evidence, as well as other behavioral biases. In total, these biases often result in the perpetuation of various pricing myths. For those willing to invest time and energy in data analysis and make decisions informed by ‘what the data show,’ opportunities to increase revenues and profits emerge. Let’s test this. Suppose you have two available units of the same size on the second floor of your self storage facility. Unit A is one hallway turn from the lift; Unit B is two hallway turns away. What percent of your customers would pay 10 percent more for the unit closer to the lift, a slightly more convenient unit? Was your answer 10 percent? Perhaps 20 or 25 percent? Our experience in the US and Australasia shows that 25 – 45 percent of new customers are willing to pay more for convenience. Many operators underestimate the importance of convenience to their customers. With regards to rent increases, the biases noted above often result in operators being more cautious than they need to be. That does not mean everyone’s rent should be increased by a greater amount. In a data-driven world, operators are better able to determine (i) whose rents should be

“

For those willing to invest time and energy in data analysis and make decisions informed by ‘what the data show,’ opportunities to increase revenues and profits emerge. increased by a greater amount and (ii) whose rents should be increased by a lesser amount (or not at all)? By refocusing the rent increase process and decisions, operators can increase the total revenue generated by rent increases while simultaneously reducing the number of move-outs due to rent increases because they can better identify which leases merit an aggressive rent increase and which do not. It’s good to be reminded that sometimes, what we think we know isn’t an accurate depiction of how our customers behave. Capitalising on that knowledge through data analysis can lead to higher revenues and profits. l www.VeritecSolutions.com

JUNE / JULY 2021 INSIDER 119

28 COMMUNICATIONS

Simple marketing ideas to help you stand out from the crowd Public Relations (PR) is a commonly discussed but underdefined practice. By Rebecca Smith – That Comms Co.

f you’re a business owner or operator, you’re likely to wear many hats, potentially including those of an employer, customer service manager, accountant, health and safety officer and chief marketer. It’s a lot for any one person to manage, and it can prove tiring constantly having to switch between roles to focus on what’s most important at any given time. When it comes to marketing, wading through the multitude of tools available to promote your business can be overwhelming and time consuming, so here are a few simple, budget-friendly tricks you can employ to stand out from the crowd.

Know your customers

Start by making sure you have a very clear understanding of who your customer is. This will tell you who you should be trying to reach with your advertising. Identifying your potential customers and understanding exactly where it is that they look for information about storage solutions will ensure you are appearing in the right places. To assist with this understanding, every time you onboard a new customer it’s a great idea to ask them how they found you.

Google My Business

One of the first places your customers will search for your business is Google and having a business profile will ensure that customers can easily find you. Through ‘Google My Business’ you can create a listing, include contact details, a website and business hours, and ensure that your business appears in Google Search or Google Maps. When someone searches for ‘storage near me’, a local list of storage locations appears. If you’ve set up a profile, your business will be included in the list. When customers review your business on Google, it will boost your search position. Therefore, if you’re confident in your service, you should encourage customers to review their experience of your facility. Make this as easy as possible for them by sending them a personalised message with a review link.

Rebecca is Founder and Managing Director of That Comms Co. She has extensive experience in advising executives and boards in Australia and in Europe with their communication needs, and has worked across a range of different businesses and sectors.

Search Engine Marketing

Sometimes referred to as ‘paid search’ or ‘paid per click’, search engine marketing allows you to place text adverts in the search results when people are looking for products or services related to your business. Every time someone clicks on your ad, you pay a small fee to the platform. Google Ads is the best-known platform for paid search and is a cost-effective way to advertise to customers already looking for services relevant to your industry. It’s entirely possible to manage by yourself. You can set up an account and have ads running in no time; however, to fully understand the

Think digital

For most self storage businesses, attracting new customers from the immediate community through local advertising will be paramount. Traditionally, local advertising would have involved small regional newspapers, radio stations and community newsletters, but with the rise of online media, there are now many more effective and budgetfriendly digital options available. These tools enable businesses to make stronger use of their budget and to better target the right customers in the right area.

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

www.selfstorage.org.au

success of your ads and to optimise them for the best results, you may decide to seek counsel from a digital advertising specialist.

Social Media Marketing

Advertising through social media channels is another lower cost option that allows you to target customer groups at a highly granular level. Not only can you reach people in specific locations, but you can also specify the gender, age and interests of the group you’d like to target. If for example, you’re trying to attract customers looking for vehicle storage, you can select ‘car enthusiasts’ as an interest of your desired audience. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube are four of many social media platforms that offer paid advertising, but as with all promotional activities you should prioritise only those platforms where you know your customers are.

Referral marketing

Getting loyal customers to refer their friends and family to your business is another great way to grow your customer base. Word of mouth is an incredibly powerful tool and you can encourage customers to recommend your business by www.selfstorage.org.au

“

Getting loyal customers to refer their friends and family to your business is another great way to grow your customer base. offering those who make a referral that ends in a new customer, a discount on their next payment or a small gift of thanks.

Building respect and relationships in your local community

If you’re looking for a more grassroots form of marketing that will raise the profile of your business in the local area, consider either hosting or having a presence at a local get together. Creating or participating in local events will help you become better known by the local community. Sponsoring a local sports team or organising a fundraiser for a local cause, will build your fanbase and create a buzz around your business. Contributing to the local community, building key relationships and raising awareness can drive news sales and increase referrals.

Don’t forget the basics

Never forget that your website is the online face of your business, so don’t neglect it. Keep it up to date to ensure that when a customer lands on your page, all the information they need to consider your service is current and readily accessible. Check also that your marketing materials like flyers, business cards, etc. include correct information so customers are clear on the best ways to get in touch. Marketing your business doesn’t have to be time consuming or complicated. Taking just the simple steps listed above will ensure that customers looking for storage solutions are easily able to find and connect with your business. l Need more help with your customer communications? That Comms Co. is the SSAA’s preferred public relations and crisis communications service for its members and is able to be engaged to prepare holding statements and customer communications as required. For more information. Free call 1800 067 313 (Australia); 0800 444 356 (New Zealand); or email admin@selfstorage.com.au.

JUNE / JULY 2021 INSIDER 119

30 COVID-19 2021

18 months after COVID-19

by Anthony Rous, Chief Financial Officer, Kennards Self Storage Well, here we are in June 2021 and it’s almost a year and a half ago the entire planet went into lockdown in confusion about a worldwide pandemic. What a difference 18 months makes. Each of our Australian states and territories along with New Zealand have been through different lockdowns of varying lengths and restrictions. In Australia we have fared far better than most of the world and things are starting to look and feel positive… or are they?

hould we be concerned or getting the champagne out? Here are some indications from the wider economy and globally: l The USA has just delivered a massive $1.9 trillion support package which will be a massive boost to the entire worlds’ economy. It will be a bit of a sugar hit but will certainly boost the worlds’ economy. l China had positive growth in the year to December 2020 and is forecast to grow at around 10% in 2021 – this is a very good sign for the world and in particular for Australia who supplies many raw materials and minerals, specifically iron ore which accounts for just over half of all Australian exports. l Vaccines are being rolled out across the world and significant reductions in cases and hospitalisation is being seen. Hospitals are freeing up spaces for other medical events which takes enormous strain off the medical sector. l Australian property prices are expected to grow approximately 10% for the next two years. Great for owners but harder for buyers to get into the market. This

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

“

Business confidence is at a 10 year high which is a sign of optimism and encourages people and businesses to spend. is mainly for single dwellings and not apartments where there is some oversupply. New Zealand are also seeing surging property prices. l Interest rates are at all-time lows. The Reserve Bank of Australia are saying rates will not go up until 2024. The US have also locked in interest rates at zero until at least 2023. l Australia has seen a massive reduction in tourists however, we do spend $30 billion more on overseas travel than tourists spend within Australia. So, while international borders are closed and hopefully domestic borders do not close again, the spending by locals in Australia will far outweigh the loss of tourist dollars. l Business confidence is at a 10 year high which is a sign of optimism and encourages people and businesses to spend.

l Great rains have delivered bumper farming crops across the country and with follow up rains, things are looking good. l Australian savings are at an alltime high. Cash balances are available to be spent to boost the economy, despite most Government support stopping at the end of March. l Some issues being faced are exports to China no longer being accepted. New markets for items like coal and barley have already been found and areas like wine looking for new market. l Students are a concern for the entire industry and also associated residential study programs like MBA’s etc. Based on all of the above factors it appears things are looking positive and Australia and New Zealand should fare well in the next few years. We should therefore feel fairly optimistic and positive about the future and look to enjoy our return to ‘normal’ life, whatever that looks like. Pull up a storage box and toast yourselves to getting through an incredible 18 months. Hopefully many positive events and experiences such as travelling and reuniting with family and friends are in the near future. l www.selfstorage.org.au

- smart entry ®

BY JANUS INTERNATIONAL

Smart Simple Secure Welcome to the future of self storage security

STEEL STORAGE

••••••••••••••••••••••••• steelstorage.com.au

32 HR HELP DESK

Right back where we started – or maybe not? By Cath Grawe, HR Central Communications Officer

early a year and a half ago, the COVID-19 pandemic saw the majority of workers being instructed by medical authorities and government, where possible, to move out of the office to work remotely in an attempt to combat the spread of the virus. Now, at nearly zero case numbers in Australia, many employers have been given the green light to request employees to return to the workplace. And with the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine into Australia, this is more than likely to ramp up requests to come back in the ensuing months.

So, let’s look at that scenario and how it should and could play out

If you have roles in your organisation based on administrative/computerbased tasks, since early to mid-2020 when everything went a little pear-shaped, you would have ensured your ‘home workers’ were fully equipped to work safely and efficiently from their chosen place of residence. If you have the all-clear to request those workers to come back into the workplace, before doing so, ask yourself why? Why do they need to work from the office as opposed to home? Do you feel they will do a better job in the office (maybe as an employer, you think that if you can’t see what your employees are doing, it may make you uncomfortable or unsure whether they are fulfilling their work obligations)? But surely after 12 months, you have an indication as to whether or not this is true? Has productivity by these employees dropped? If not, then unless that role is customer-facing, perhaps it is a better option for both the business and employee to continue to work from home.

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

Consider:

l Travel times to and from work. Remaining at home may add to an employee’s available time, concentration, productivity and stress levels by two-three hours. l Legal allowances. In some instances, it is the employee’s right to request to work from home (carer roles, for example), and they have to be acknowledged and discussed openly with the employee. l The task involved in the role. If it is a computer-based or an over the phone role, does it matter where the employee is working? Really? Suppose you have a role in your business that requires customerfacing exchange (consider front desk/ check-in roles, roles where employees need to meet with customers). In that case, you may need to have that conversation with your employee that the position they are required to do needs them to be onsite. If an employee rejects your request to ask them back to fully execute their role in the workplace, remember that an employee has the right to ask for a flexible working arrangement, i.e. an amendment or change to their original contract. In doing so, you will need to look at: Essential duties and when they need to be done: can they be done at the requested hours (i.e. instead of 9–5, can they be managed at 11–7?) Customer-facing duties: can they be done at home (i.e. phone inquiries, emails and zoom training instead of face-to-face showing an alarm keycode, or where things are situated in a store/facility). Can they execute the role via video conference/mobile and home office? If so, do they have a safe WHS environment that is equipped with mobile access to files etc., that are required? Why is the employee requesting this new arrangement? Do they have

“

Employees who feel supported in meeting their work commitments in a way they feel most comfortable are generally more productive. personal issues such as carer issues, illness or something that inhibits them from leaving their home for work? What are the consequences for the employee if the request is refused? Remember, employees who feel supported in meeting their work commitments in a way they feel most comfortable are generally more productive, less stressed and more committed to their workplace. Whatever, when you decide to accommodate an employee’s change requests to the original hours and duties to which they were employed, it is best practice to either re-issue a new letter of agreement or flexible working arrangement COVID-19 has brought about disruption for sure and has also tested an employer’s ability to be flexible, listen, be empathetic, and be a better communicator. The workplace is changing, and as an employer, you need to be adaptable and open in your communication If a request is made for an employee to remain at home to work or work part-time in the office, you will also need to consider the operational/economic impact to your business with these changes? What are the implications regarding the execution of tasks and customer service? Can operations continue to flow if individuals are all working at different times and in other locations? Maybe discuss with your employee and suggest a trial period. If it works and tasks are executed as www.selfstorage.org.au

NEW MEMBER 33

per the determined role, consider restructuring the position to accommodate your employee working on this basis in an ongoing capacity. Also, keep in mind that individuals will have differing concerns about coming together, and whilst you always need to listen and show understanding, there are some requests that you don’t necessarily need to agree to. For example, an employee at this point cannot refuse to come to work because other workers have not been vaccinated. However, you still need to prove to your employees that returning to work will incorporate all the necessary existing COVID-19 best practice workplace procedures. Such as, safe distancing, hand sanitising, QR Code tracking and checking of COVID-19 symptoms before entering an office/building/warehouse. The request to refuse entry or send employees home should they be exhibiting any COVID-19 registered symptoms should still be present in the workplace. All employees are within their rights to express their concerns should they believe these measures are not in place. Whilst we are in such a better place in 2021 than we were this time last year, remember we still need to be vigilant with required workplace COVID-19 practices. Be mindful of individual employees concerns and requests and what your rights and legal obligations, and entitlements are as an employer. l

If you would like any further information call the SSAA

HR HELP DESK 1300 01 SSAA / 1300 017 722

www.selfstorage.org.au

The SSAA welcomes Savills What they do

Savills offers the full spectrum of services from providing strategic advice to managing assets and projects and transacting deals. As members of the Australian Property Institute and a RICS regulated firm, their specialists provide real estate valuation services to a range of clients: AREITs, wholesale funds, superannuation funds, financial institutions, private owners and developers, government agencies and syndicators. When looking specifically at the storage sector, it is clear that this space is rapidly evolving, particularly across the major metropolitan cities. The demand for offsite storage has been fuelled by the trend for decreasing living spaces and the need for stock mobility and flexibility in retail (e-commerce and showroom/pop-up stores). The sector continues to attract substantial capital and is now regarded by many investors as an institutional-grade asset class. With the sector continuing to develop, the level of sophistication around pricing models has also increased.

How they can help

The market highly regards the Savills team of valuers to identify and solve complex property matters and provide timely and accurate advice. Savills reputation has been built on paying attention to detail and completing the valuation brief on time. In addition, the Savills Valuation & Advisory team is supported by extensive research capabilities and complimentary advice from colleagues in investment, leasing and development. Ensuring that they offer relevant valuation advice that is reflective of current market conditions. To find out more head to www.savills.com.au or contact Basil Simitci – Director Valuation & Advisory on: +61 7 3002 8884 or Mobile: +61 400 727 058

JUNE / JULY 2021 INSIDER 119

34 OH&S

Managing visitors in your storage facility by Stephen Pehm Action OHS Consulting.

l It provides peace of mind if you are secure in knowing that only authorised visitors are on site. Visitor management is easy. All you need to do is apply some simple rules, which are as follows: Have some simple directions for visitors to follow, namely: how to escape the premises in the event of an emergency, who to report a safety issue or emergency to, and where the first aid kit is in case they hurt themselves. In addition, ensure that they are clear about who (are children or pets welcome?) or what they can’t bring on site. If you have a forklift on site, it is highly advisable not to let your storers use it unless they have a high-risk work license for driving a forklift.

hile we are in the midst (globally speaking) of the current COVID-19 Pandemic, ensuring that you know who has visited your storage facility has never been more important. While you may have a record of visits to your storage by at least one of your storers (the person who enters the code), there is no way of telling who else may have entered your facility with this person or even if the person you authorised to use the code actually used it, especially if you do not have a video security system. It makes good sense to continually manage your visitors, not only from a COVID-19 management perspective but also because: l Visitors who damage your facility or steal items can be easily identified. l You can identify visitors who have not been inducted into your facility and induct them into what is expected of them. l Contractors who enter your facility to do work should be inducted into your safety rules.

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

“

With the presence of COVID-19, there are many QR Code Apps that can be easily downloaded.

Have a system for getting evidence that they have been informed of these rules. An induction checklist attached to the storage contract, which they sign and give to you, may be a helpful way of doing this. Occasionally monitor who is coming on-site as part of good safety practice. If a visitor who is not a storer comes on-site, ensure they sign in and also induct them, especially if they will be doing work while not accompanied by a staff member.

there are many QR Code Apps that can be easily downloaded. For example, there are Government Apps in New Zealand, NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania. If you want to do more than just record visitor names and contact phone numbers, you can use an online visitor management system. Many online OHS Management systems have features to enhance your visitor experience. For example, with Safety Champion, you can incorporate safety and other facility-related information into the sign-in process using the site attendance module. You can also send communications to new storers and their contacts when they first sign up via targeted communications. Either way, the information gathered can be used as evidence that you are managing visitors in your facility and provide added assurance that you will be easily able to track visitors to your facility if you need to. l Want to find out more? Check out the SSAA Health & Safety Handbook on the Member Services Portal, SSAA website, or contact the SSAA OHS Help Desk via admin@selfstorage.com.au | 1800 067 373.

3 4

Apart from access codes, you can use a variety of ways for capturing visitor details on site. The easiest way of doing this is a visitor book. With the presence of COVID-19,

The OH&S Help Desk has been established by the SSAA to support its members. This advisory service is free. Free call 1800 067 313 (Australia); 0800 444 356 (New Zealand); or email admin@selfstorage.com.au. www.selfstorage.org.au

36 MEMBERSHIP DESK

Make the most of your SSAA Membership by Vanaja Thomas, Member & Partnership Officer

oining an industry specific body is a valuable investment for any business or person. By choosing to join the SSAA as a member, you have signed up to not only receive a wide range of benefits and services but to also belong and connect with your industry network.

“

The SSAA has listened to its members over the years and have evolved, adapted and developed its offerings to ensure its value is a cornerstone of any transition. The SSAA has listened to its members over the years and have evolved, adapted and developed its offerings to ensure its value is a cornerstone of any transition. Members are therefore encouraged to take advantage and make the most of their membership to stay informed, connected and equipped with the tools and knowledge.

The SSAA Members Only Portal members.selfstorage.org.au To provide members with a valuable and personalised experience, the SSAA has updated its Member Only Portal. Members can now access all exclusive resources and documents quicker and easier during their visit online. The resources are available to support your business and assist with your daily operations. Log in today and see what you are missing out – if you have not already done so!

What is in the SSAA Members Only Portal?

l View and update your membership profile l Download and print your 2021 Membership Certificate l Access to the CSA (Customer Storage Agreement) Guidelines, self storage agreements, template letters, forms and documents

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

Insider

118

APRIL / MAY 2021

MAGAZINE OF THE SELF STORAGE ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALASIA

Welcome to the SSAA new look

LEOTY 2021 Event update

Celebrating 30 Years Ian McFadzien

LEOTY Presenters Craig James Ashley Fell Linda Sharkey

l Undertake online Legal Training l Promote your SSAA membership by accessing the SSAA Member logo and branding in Member Assets section l Access to past and present publications such as Insider magazine, STOReFLASH, State of the Industry 2020 research, Traffic & Parking Studies and more. l Information on StorerCheck a tool to identify problem storers. l Information on how to access Legal, HR, OHS and PR Help Desks. l Purchase a Mystery Shopping package to assess the customer service and sales skills of your staff l COVID-19 Risk Management Plans and Support Kit l Information on our alliance with Family Business Australia/ New Zealand and how you can benefit. l For more information about your membership and benefits, call 1800 067 313 (AU), 0800 444 356 (NZ) or email membership@selfstorage.com.au www.selfstorage.org.au

I N S U R A N C E

B R O K E R S

SELF-STORAGE INSURANCE E INSURANCE SPECIALISTS ALISTS

We have developed an insurance program tailored specifically for the self-storage industry.

d specifically Cover includes: • • • • • •

fire storm and water damage explosion burglary public liability and property damage loss of rental income

1300 306 571

storage@midlandinsurance.com.au find us on:

facebook

38 LEGAL HELP DESK

What does that mean? Your new agreements explained Set out below is an explanation of a few of the clauses in the new standard self storage agreement for New Zealand.

What does ‘The Storage Fee reflects the allocation of risk set out above’ mean?

This is found in the Schedule, in bold under the Main Points. The reason this was included is to ensure that the storer understands that the storage fee agreed with them has been set with them taking responsibility for the items listed. In the Main Points, it is made clear that: l the goods are stored at the storer’s risk – and the facility owner is not responsible for anything that happens to them (such as loss, theft, damage etc); l the goods are not insured by the facility owner – this is the storer’s responsibility; and l the storer is responsible for all damage caused by them or anybody else they let into the facility. So, the risk of loss or damage to the goods, and also the responsibility for damage to the facility caused by the storer, is allocated to the storer. Because of this, the storage fee is lower than it would be if the facility owner took on the risks set out above.

What do the FO Liability clauses mean?

l Clause 10 – Consumer Guarantees Act excluded for business storers: Under this clause, if a storer is storing for a business purpose (e.g. storing office files), the protections given by the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 (CGA) do not apply to them. The CGA, as you will be aware, gives consumers various protections when they are purchasing goods or services (see below for further information). The CGA can also apply to business to business relationships but businesses can agree that the CGA does not apply. Contracting out of the CGA for businesses is common in New Zealand. l Clause 11 – Liability and Risk: This clause allocates risk between the parties – setting out what each party is and is not responsible for. In summary: • An individual who is storing for their own personal purposes (not business purposes) has

the benefit of the protections of the CGA. The protections include the right that services will be provided with reasonable care and skill. You can find out more information on the CGA in section 7 of the CSA Guidelines. • Outside of the mandatory CGA protections, the storer is responsible for any loss or damage to goods stored – this is broad, and includes loss or damage caused by things such as flooding or fire. One exception is that the facility owner is liable if it has acted negligently (has not acted with reasonable care). If the facility owner has acted negligently, the facility owner will be responsible for anything caused by its negligence. l Clause 12 – Delay in exercising rights: This clause just means that a facility owner doesn’t need to take legal action right away – if they delay for any reason, they can still take legal action at a later date.

Disclaimer: The information contained in these answers is of a general nature and is not intended as legal advice. It is important that you seek legal advice that is specific to your circumstances. Please refer to the SSAA’s website for more information on the SSAA’s Legal Help Desk.

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

www.selfstorage.org.au

Updated letter templates for New Zealand Members

The SSAA have updated all letter templates for New Zealand Members and are available for download in the member portal. Update your templates today!

new standard storage agreement* now available! *only available to financial members

putting ink on paper since 1977 3 Paterson Parade Queanbeyan NSW 2620 PO Box 624 Fyshwick ACT 2609 tel: 02 6299 4500 email: printing@homesteadpress.com.au SSAA SERVICE MEMBER SINCE 1999

www.homesteadpress.com.au

40 TRADE DIRECTORY – TRUSTED SUPPLIERS TO THE SELF STORAGE INDUSTRY ACCESS CONTROL, FIRE & SECURITY PTI SECURITY SYSTEMS

Chadwick MacFerran T: +61 1300 798 860 / +61 1300 159 473 E: australasia@ptisecurity.com www.ptisecurity.com AD-TECH Security Adrian Rostirolla T: 1300 306 090 E: sales@ad-tech.com.au www.ad-tech.com.au –––––– AlarmQuip Security Systems Evan Richardson T: 1300 552 520 E: admin@alarmquip.com.au www.alarmquip.com.au –––––– QueAccess Pty Ltd Kevin Hannagan T: +61 488 279 918 E: kevin@queaccess.com.au www.queaccess.com.au –––––– Sentinel Storage Systems Jason Keane T: +61 3 9988 2035 / 1300 852 117 E: jason@storagesecurity.com.au www.storagesecurity.com.au

ANCILLARY SERVICES PACKAGING VISY BOXES & MORE

Ralph Inglese T: +61 3 9554 5600 E: vbm_vic@visy.com.au www.visyboxesandmore.com.au Branches across Australia and New Zealand

CLEANING Sweepers Australia Michelle Maxwell & Vaughan Rose T: +61 3 9562 7533 E: michelle@sweepersaustralia.com.au www.sweepersaustralia.com.au

LOCKS Lock Distributors Australia Martin Coote T: 1800 28 77 24 E: service@lockdistributors.com.au www.lockdistributors.com.au

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

PRINTING Homestead Press Joe Papp T: +61 2 6299 4500 E: printing@homesteadpress.com.au www.homesteadpress.com.au

STORAGE AUCTION iBidOnStorage Brennan McLoughlin T: +61 2 4302 0605 E: info@ibidon.com.au www.ibidonstorage.com.au

TELECOMMUNICATION URL Networks Ashley Breeden T: 1300 331 178 E: support@url.net.au www.url.net.au

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION STORCO STORAGE SYSTEMS

Jonathan Layton T: +61 2 6391 2800 E: jonathan.layton@storco.com.au www.storco.com.au Beach Construction NSW Pty Ltd Skye Reardon T: +61 2 9550 9199 E: sreardon@beach.com.au www.beach.com.au –––––– B & D Australia James Tyson T: +61 7 3883 0248 M: +61 417 702 636 E: james.tyson@bnd.com.au www.bnd.com.au –––––– G&M Stor-More Michael Watson T: +61 2 4733 5048 E: michael@gmstormore.com.au www.gmstormore.com.au –––––– Gliderol Garage Doors Tom Ainscough T: +61 8 8360 0000 E: tainscough@gliderol.com.au www.gliderol.com.au –––––– Kiwimark Construction Ltd Travis Morgan T: +64 7 576 5494 / +64 7 576 5491 E: travis@kiwimark.net.nz www.kiwimark.net.nz –––––– RegisBuilt Group Anthony Regis T: 1300 388 224 E: anthony.regis@regisbuilt.com.au www.regisbuilt.com.au

Steel Storage Pty Ltd Stephen Boxall T: +61 7 3865 1600 E: sales@steelstorage.com.au www.steelstorage.com.au –––––– Storcad Pty Limited Javier Rezzonico T: +61 447 566 988 E: info@storcad.com.au www.storcad.com.au –––––– Taurean Door Systems Adrian Valente T: +61 3 9721 8366 E: adrian.valente@taureands.com.au www.taureands.com.au –––––– Total Construction Pty Ltd Steven Taylor T: +61 2 9746 9555 E: stevet@totalconstruction.com.au www.totalconstruction.com.au

FINANCIAL SERVICES BankEdge Pty Ltd Daniel Chalmers T: +61 418 337 932 E: daniel.chalmers@bankedge.com www.bankedge.com –––––– Bishop Collins Pty Ltd Phillip Keenan T: +61 2 4353 2333 E: mail@bishopcollins.com.au www.bishopcollins.com.au

HR SERVICES HR Central Cath Grawe T: 1300 717 721 E: cath.grawe@hrcentral.com.au www.hrcentral.com.au

INSURANCE SERVICES AON Risk Services Darren Clauscen E: darren.clauscen@aon.com T: +61 2 9253 8350 www.aon.com.au/storage –––––– AON Risk Services NZ Jeffery Nathan T: +64 9 362 9535 E: jeffery.nathan@aon.com www.aon.co.nz –––––– Midland Insurance Brokers Gilda Mihran T: 1300 306 571 E: storage@midlandinsurance.com.au www.midlandinsurance.com.au –––––– Wallace McLean Ltd Insurance Brokers and Risk Advisers Simon Keenan T: +64 9 358 7233 E: simon@wallacemclean.co.nz www.wallacemclean.co.nz

www.selfstorage.org.au

TRADE DIRECTORY | 41 LEGAL SERVICES Hunt & Hunt Lawyers Graeme Armstead T: +61 3 8602 9200 E: garmstead@huntvic.com.au www.hunthunt.com.au

LIFTS & HOISTS SOUTHWELL LIFTS AND HOISTS David Head T: +61 2 4655 7007 E: sales@southwell.com.au www.southwell.com.au

ABT Loadmac Ltd Chris Walker T: +44 0 1989 563 656 E: chris.w@loadmac.com www.loadmac.com –––––– Safetech Lifts & Hoists Tony Krlevski T: +61 3 5127 4566 E: sales@safetech.com.au www.safetech.com.au

MANAGEMENT SERVICES Kennards Self Storage Management Services Fiona Harding T: +61 2 9764 9815 E: fiona@kss.com.au www.kss.com.au –––––– Pioneer Performance Leigh Thewlis T: +61 438 021 944 E: admin@pioneerperformance.com.au www.pioneerperformance.com.au –––––– Storage King Management Services Martin Richards, Australia/ New Zealand T: +61 2 9460 6660 E: martin@storageking.com.au www.storageking.com.au –––––– StorAssist Sally Chodan T: +61 403 533 640 E: sally@storassist.com.au www.storassist.com.au –––––– StoreLocal Mark Greig T: 1300 099 022 E: partners@storelocal.com.au www.storelocal.com.au –––––– Vision Self Storage Management Gavin Koorey T: +61 2 9432 2880 E: gavin@vssm.com.au www.vssm.com.au

www.selfstorage.org.au

OHS SERVICES OHS Action Consulting Craig Salter T: +61 409 772 499 E: craig.salter@actionohs.com.au www.actionohs.com.au –––––– Workplace Access and Safety Carl Sachs T: +61 3 9045 6200 E: carls@workplaceaccess.com.au www.workplaceaccess.com.au

REAL ESTATE & VALUERS Box Commercial Estate Agents Robert Stanley-Turner T: +61 4 1898 2000 E: rob@boxcom.com.au www.boxcom.com.au –––––– CBRE Michael Walsh T: +61 7 3833 9833 E: michael.walsh@cbre.com.au www.cbre.com.au/people-andoffices/corporate-offices/brisbane –––––– Colliers International Holdings (Aust) Ltd Dylan Adams T: +61 2 9257 0222 E: dylan.adams@colliers.com www.colliers.com.au –––––– Collins & Associates Malcolm Collins T: +61 3 8456 5134 E: malcolm@malcolmcollins.com www.malcolmcollins.com –––––– Cushman and Wakefield Linda Sharkey T: +61 3 8359 0091 E: linda.sharkey@cushwake.com www.cushmanwakefield.com –––––– Fallon Valuers Martin Fallon T: +61 3 9674 0374 E: martin@fallonvaluers.com.au www.fallonvaluers.com.au –––––– Highway Frontage Specialist Estate Agents Matt Walsh T: 1300 661 950 +61 3 9944 9350 E: matt@highwayfrontage.com.au www.selfstoragerealestate.com.au –––––– Savills Valuations Pty Ltd Basil Simitci T: +61 7 3221 8355 E: bsimitci@savills.com.au www.savills.com.au –––––– Urbis Shane Robb T: +61 3 8663 4888 E: SRobb@urbis.com.au www.urbis.com.au

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS STORMAN AUSTRALIA Duncan Clarke T: +61 7 3319 1522 E: sales@storman.com www.storman.com

STORMAN NEW ZEALAND Duncan Clarke T: +64 9 280 3393 E: sales@storman.com www.storman.com

ADVAM Pty Ltd Clare Millwood T: 1300 130 778 E: advam@tnsi.com www.advam.com –––––– Centreforce Technology Group Pty Ltd Dallas Dogger T: +61 7 3889 9822 E: sales@centreforceit.com.au www.centreforceit.com.au –––––– Podium Taylor Cutler T: +61 478 180 191 E: taylor.cutler@podium.com www.podium.com –––––– Sitelink Michael Dogger T: +61 7 3889 9822 E: support@sitelinksoftware.com.au www.sitelinksoftware.com.au

STORAGE CONTAINERS UNIVERSAL STORAGE CONTAINERS (USC)

Shay McQuade T: +61 438 256 541 E: shay.mcquade@universalstorage containers.com www.universalstorage containers.com BOS Containers Australia Elise Kelsey T: +61 3 9720 4455 E: ekelsey@aimhire.com.au www.aimhire.com.au –––––– Royal Wolf Trading Craig Baker T: +61 2 9482 3466 E: removals@royalwolf.com.au www.royalwolf.com.au

WEBSITE DESIGN Big Budda Boom Pty Ltd Andy Pudmenzky T: 1300 660 937 E: info@bigbuddaboom.com.au www.bigbuddaboom.com.au –––––– R6 Digital Michael Dogger T: +61 7 3889 9822 E: sales@r6digital.com.au www.r6digital.com.au

JUNE / JULY 2021 INSIDER 119

42 NEW MEMBERS FACILITY MEMBERS Doubtless Bay Storage Units 18-20 Karamea Road MANGONUI NORTHLAND 420 NEW ZEALAND T: +64 800 468 000 E: info@kaizen.co.nz –––––– East Bundaberg Mini Storage 14-16 Alexandra Street BUNDABERG 4670 QLD T: +61 7 4157 9536 E: eastsideministorage@outlook.com –––––– Kerikeri Self Storage 14 General Gates Avenue KERIKERI NORTHLAND 230 NEW ZEALAND T: +64 9407 1127 E: admin@kerikeriselfstorage.co.nz –––––– Northern Suburbs Storage Pty Ltd 3 Gundah Road, Mount Kuring-Gai SYDNEY 2080 NSW T: +61 408 942 301 E: matthew@artarmonjoinery.com.au –––––– Rocksolid Self Storage 26 Priest Street WHITE HILLS 3550 VIC T: +61 401 261 212 E: kerfbuilding@gmail.com

Storage 101 937 Burnett Heads Road RUBYANNA 4670 QLD T: +61 7 4155 6979 E: storage101bundy@gmail.com –––––– Storage Concepts Limited 2582 State Highway 26 MORRINSVILLE 3372 NEW ZEALAND T: +64 2 196 9338 E: concepts.group@xtra.co.nz –––––– Swift Caravans Services Pty Ltd 114 – 142 Colchester Road KILSYTH 3137 VIC T: +61 3 9729 8477 E: andrew@swiftcaravanservices.com.au –––––– U Store It Kerikeri 294D Waipapa Road KERIKERI NORTHLAND 295 NEW ZEALAND T: 0800 USTOREIT E: dah@xtra.co.nz

ADDITIONAL FACILITIES All About Storage Bundaberg 26 Ellen Drive THABEBAN 4670 QLD T: +61 437 333 921 E: rentals@prdbundaberg.com.au –––––– Storage King O’Connor 22 Stockdale Road O’CONNOR 6163 WA T: +61 8 9473 9180 E: oconnor@storageking.com.au

Swift Caravans Services Pty Ltd Hastings 2153 Franskton Flinders Road HASTINGS 3915 VIC T: +61 3 9729 8477 E: andrew@swiftcaravanservices.com.au –––––– Fort Knox Self Storage Braybrook 268 Ballarat Road BRAYBROOK 3019 VIC T: +61 9116 7770 E: braybrook@fkss.com.au

PROVISIONAL MEMBERS Affordable Storage Australia 112 Boundary Road BRAESIDE 3195 VIC T: +61 423 771 786 E: office@affordablefitouts.com.au –––––– Matt Gosling PO Box 8040 COFFS HARBOUR 2450 NSW T: +61 412 673 668 E: matt@matthewgosling.com

SERVICE MEMBERS Savills Valuations Level 33, 123 Eagle Street BRISBANE 4000 QLD T: +61 7 3221 855 E: bsimitci@savills.com.au

Book your Mystery Shopping Appointment Today Quality Results are an independent performance monitoring company that have been engaged by the Self Storage Association to assist members by providing a mystery shopping service. Performance monitoring can assess your individual team members by checking their Customer Service and Sales Skills against a proven method. Assessments and evaluations are conducted over the phone or through

Code of Ethics

The Self Storage Association of Australasia’s Code of Ethics are fundamental to the values of the SSAA and essential to achieving its mission to lead the storage industry in Australasia by promoting the highest standards of ethics and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of all members and customers. As a SSAA member, you are required to follow the Code. 1. Members will ensure that their workplace is a safe environment for employees, customers and other visitors to the site. 2. Members will treat all employees, customers and visitors to the site with respect. 3. Members will promote the positive image of the industry through ethical and honest advertising and business practices.

site visits to your self storage facility. Obtain a comparative analysis; find out how you rate against your competitors! To book your mystery shopping assessment complete the online form indicating your requirements e.g. phone call only, site visit only or both. https://members.selfstorage.org.au/ member-services/mystery-shopping/

5. Members will comply with all relevant local, state and federal government laws and regulations regarding a self storage business. 6. Members will use a current approved SSAA storage agreement or develop an alternative that delivers the equivalent contractual agreement.

7. Members will ensure that staff are competent in their duties and complete appropriate training in current industry practices.

8. Members will participate honestly, cooperatively and transparently with any investigation by the SSAA into any alleged breach of this Code of Ethics.

4. Members will undertake to report any suspected criminal activities to the relevant authorities.

INSIDER 119 JUNE / JULY 2021

www.selfstorage.org.au

You’re invited

Industry Networking Days

Get to know the self storage industry Adelaide 3 June Brisbane 29 July Perth 26 August Auckland 14 October Sydney 28 October Melbourne 25 November www.selfstorage.org.au/events

The Thebest bestthere thereis.is.

Welcome Welcometo toOur Our New NewBrand Brand T +61 T +61 22 6391 6391 2800 2800 E sales@storco.com.au E sales@storco.com.au

storco.com.au storco.com.au

Insider Edition 119

Articles inside

Legal Help Desk

Membership Desk

HR Help Desk

NEW MEMBER Savills

Communications

CEO’s Report

COVID

Chairman’s Report