To kick things off...
Who are Secure Stores? How did it all begin?
Secure Stores Nationwide are a shipping container sales and rental company, specialising in the self-storage market. The company launched in January 2021, and is run by me, Sarah Manning, and I’ve spent the last 15 years in this industry.
What is your role in the company, and your day-to-day activities?
My role is Managing Director – what does this entail? … Well, pretty much everything it feels like sometimes! I am responsible for our overall strategy, growth plans and also deal with many of our clients, particularly in the self-storage industry. I am supported by super operations and accounts staff, and together we make a strong and passionate team.
You’ve been in the industry for a while, Can you tell us about the early days of the industry and how it has evolved?
The first time I came across containerised self-storage as a concept was around 15 years ago when I first joined the industry. A client kept taking more and more containers, and quite regularly, and we got curious about what they were doing with them.
We went to visit and they explained. We took it upon ourselves to start learning as much as possible about this market and to see if there were others using containers for this purpose who may be in need of a good supplier.
The industry has definitely evolved over time – the standard of sites is far higher in terms of appearance, security and technology. Things are still changing all the time. Just last year we did our first containers for a self-storage client with the noke access system (powered by Janus) integrated.
What differentiates Secure Stores from other businesses similar to yours?
I believe we are different because our service stands out above the rest, and because of the relationships we build. When clients choose us, it’s not just about buying a container. We cover so many other topics and areas during that process, and are always there to point clients in the right direction for ancillary services.
We have a wealth of knowledge gleaned from our years of experience with the self-storage industry, and are happy to share that with our clients. We believe the strongest relationships are not one way.
Can you describe the range of products and services Secure Stores offers?
- We supply new and used shipping containers, in a range of sizes, for hire or purchase.
- We also offer chemical stores and site accommodation units (offices, canteens, toilets, showers) for purchase.
- Last, but not least, we offer a full container modification service. Be it a mobile bar, pop-up shop, laboratory or something else entirely, we can help.
What marketing strategies have been most effective for Secure Stores?
I believe that the number one golden way to secure leads is by word of mouth. These are without doubt the best referrals and a large portion of our business has been based on this.
Of course, it’s not possible though to scale a business on word of mouth alone if you want to expand more rapidly, so that’s where digital marketing becomes so important – your website visibility (ours needs improvement), social media and so on. I’m sure Amax would agree!
What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your day-to-day operations?
One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced since Covid is with logistics, and getting our new containers to the UK from China. During covid, ports were congested (or closed due to covid breakouts), containers were stuck in the wrong places and it was generally very challenging. Post covid, that settled down, but more recently we’ve faced issues because of the troubles in the Red Sea.
Vessels are taking the ‘long route’ to avoid the area which can impact the cost of shipping as well as the length of time it takes to get containers here. Shipping has certainly been more volatile since covid than I’ve seen it in the last 15 years.
Another challenge is trying to anticipate the currency market. We buy our new containers in US dollars, and sell them in Sterling. We’re therefore always watching the rate, and trying to work out when the best time is to buy more currency.
Thanks to Sarah and the Secure Stores team, We appreciate you sharing your valuable knowledge about Secure Stores and the self-storage industry. We look forward to collaborating further as Secure Stores continues to thrive!
If you are interested in participating in an interview with us, please get in touch with us here.
