Don’t blame the storage tenant!
“The cold weather is to blame for dozens of soaked self-storage units in Haverhill and many of the folks who rented those units are upset and frustrated that their possessions have been ruined.”
So reads a CBS4 report out of Boston. It seems a frozen sprinkler pipe burst on the seventh floor of A-Plus Storage and water poured down into the units below. The buildings owner says it’s an unfortunate accident, but he’s not responsible for the damaged goods, CBS reports. According to CBS, the tenants were advised to get renters insurance for their stuff but many never did.
I hate to see this for several reasons. First, it’s just bad publicity. Second, CBS didn’t offer a direct quote from the owner. It may be better in the end since it doesn’t appear the owner did anything to throw water onto the fire. (No pun intended.)
There’s a way to handle crisises like this — and it’s usually not with a blanket statement that says to the customer, “We told you so.”
Sure, the owner probably did tell the tenants to get insurance. But how hard did he try to convince them of the benefits? How easy did he make it for them to sign up? Did he partner with an insurance company to streamline the process? Or did he just have a little sign up on the desk or a clause in the contract? We may never know.
What I can tell you is there’s a better way to handle the situation. Instead of saying, “I’m not responsible. I told the tenants to get insurance.” Why not say something less offensive and more comforting, such as, “While we did advise our tenants to get insurance and won’t assume liability, we are working with our tenants to help them recover and rebuild. We are also forming a strategic alliance with a self-storage insurance carrier to provide a quick and easy way for new tenants to obtain insurance in the future.”
That pill goes down a little easier, doesn’t it? The point is we need to be there for our customers — and let them know we’re there — even when it’s not our fault. Having a hands-off, I-told-you-so attitude doesn’t pay dividends, especially when your stance is communicated over the World Wide Web.
Click here to read the original story on CBS4Boston.com.
Add comment January 22nd, 2007
