The right stuff: could you manage your own storage facility?

What are the professional qualities and skills necessary to effectively manage a storage facility?

Having your own business can be rewarding if you know what you're getting into: what are the professional qualities and skills needed if your dream is to manage your own storage facility?
A warehouse is a facility that manages the storage and logistics of material goods. A competent and skilled owner/manager is essential to the successful and profitable operation of a storage facility.

A warehouse serves to store goods, but it is also a very important transit point for its clients. The role of an owner/manager combines administrative operations with physical demands.

To be effective, an owner/manager needs to employ certain procedures and have a suitable structure in place to keep everything organized and running smoothly.

If you plan to build new facilities, your role as owner/manager is to ensure the warehouse is designed and adapted to:

• Optimize the management of material flow
• Accommodate loading and unloading vehicles via a loading dock
• Take into account the nature and product specificity of the goods being stored
• Ensure the safe and proper circulation of customers' vehicles (and other means of transport) within access areas

A good owner/manager needs effective ways to facilitate all warehouse operations and activities, namely:

• Loading and unloading pallets with different types of trucks, trolleys, fork-lifts and carts
• Stacking the storage area
• Maintenance and repair of equipment
• Correction of any issues, incidents, or malfunctions

The owner/manager is also responsible for evaluating, planning, organizing and overseeing the execution of all warehouse activities. He or she is also responsible for managing the budget of the storage facility.

Managers must know the rules and regulations that pertain to their business. They also need to know about health and safety practices, business administration and face-to-face customer service.

Main activities:

• Prepare and follow up on service agreements
• Take charge of purchasing, billing, and invoicing
• Run and manage day-to-day operations
• Manage the budget of the facility
• Plan, organize and direct administrative operations for storage, cleaning, maintenance, repairs and safety inspections.
• Develop marketing strategies and buy advertising space to attract new business
• Build positive and long-term relationships with customers
• Perform daily administrative tasks such as accounting, keeping records, preparing and maintaining files
• Take care of correspondence and reports
• Collect and maintain industry statistics, as well as maintenance, security, and operation manuals

A successful owner/manager must:

• Match the profile of an entrepreneur
• Possess a sense of leadership and ownership
• Be hands-on and proactive
• Have good customer service skills
• Possess excellent negotiation and planning skills, plus flexibility
• Be able to work both independently and in teams
• Show autonomy
• Be a dynamic self-starter
• Be in good physical shape

While the days may be long and the daily to-do list sizeable, if you have what it takes to manage your own storage facility, the payoff and pride in what you've accomplished will soon outweigh the responsibilities.