Vandals Give Self-Storage a Black Eye

November 25th, 2006

Vandalism at two storage facilities has left one business in “total ruins” and another requiring thousands of dollars in repairs, according to the Times-Tribune in Scranton, Pa. Vandals set fire to storage units and two vehicles at an Allstore facility and then went on to vandalize a dozen units at Mt. Cobb Self Storage. Total damage was in the millions.
Besides the insurance claims and the business interruption, these sorts of events are just bad for the industry as a whole. It reintroduces the concept that self-storage isn’t a safe place to leave your property. We need to fight against this with security systems — and with public and media relations efforts that communicate why those security systems will protect the consumer.

Of course, you already know this. But are you doing it? Are you communicating security as one of your brand’s value propositions? If not, it could be hurting your business. Together, the industry can band together to continually communicate safety and security. When incidents like these happen in Scranton, it sounds an alarm to which we must all respond.

Entry Filed under: Public Relations