StorageMart’s Manager Certification program is the only one of its type in the self-storage industry.
All StorageMart managers—and regional directors and Operations employees in all Home Office departments—are trained company-wide. There are several different tracts:
- A full-length version for StorageMart managers, regional managers, and regional directors
- Two abridged versions for Home Office Operations employees
Program Details
StorageMart managers are certified and recertified (after core competencies have changed) via a continually evolving, blended training program that combines digital learnings (including fully animated courses and mobile-friendly design) with structured in-person and mentored learning. More than 200 online modules make up the program, covering 104 skills and competencies.
The Training department conducts manual evaluations at five intervals, checking for behavior changes and providing feedback, according to the organization’s training rubric and scoring. At those intervals, a training technician remotely or over the phone observes and scores interactions, including sales, customer service, and adherence to StorageMart policies and best practices. Participants receive feedback on interactions that do not “pass,” and are given a timetable for improvement. After an interaction that passes, the participant can move forward and proceed to the next step in the process. Learning management system (LMS) assessments are accessible via scorecards to an employee’s regional manager/direct supervisor and the Training Department. Once a staff member has passed all five checkpoints, they’ve completed this portion of their certification.
Long-term reinforcement is achieved by tracking critical key performance indicators (KPIs) tied directly to Manager Certification in Tableau analytics software and providing assistance—through online, in-person, or virtual classroom learnings—as any weaknesses are identified.
Results
The goal is for participants to score 90 percent or above on a comprehensive exam covering key areas in a StorageMart manager’s (or employee’s) development, including software, sales, customer service, and Human Resources. During the first checkpoint, the pass rate typically is 51 perecent. By the final interaction, 94 percent of staff members achieve competency in manager certification objectives.
StorageMart revamped its Manager Certification for 2020 to reduce the average number of days spent in training from 51 to 30. In 2020, the organization achieved this goal, reducing the average number of certification days from 51 to 27.6 days.
