Public Storage

The Challenge

Public Storage, the largest brand of self-storage in the U.S., generated the majority of their website traffic through paid and organic search. But while they had no trouble getting visitors to complete a simple no-obligation reservation online, a large percentage of those reservations never actually moved in. This was due, in large part, to the fact that they needed to get the customer into one of their physical locations to sign all the forms, collect payment, and sign their lease.

The Insight

For years, Public Storage had been convinced that it was imperative for customers to complete the reservation process in person. From helping customers choose the right size unit and collecting detailed personal information to explaining their insurance options, buying a lock, and allowing them to make their first payment, the sheet amount of forms, contracts, and legal requirements just couldn’t be done online – or so they thought.

As part of the fantastic digital team at Phelps Agency, we were confident that we could translate the complicated offline reservation process into a digital experience that made it easier for customers to get the storage they needed and improved the conversion rate from reservation to move-in. In addition to our experience in mobile-first commerce design and dynamic inventory management, I used a methodical and iterative approach to content design that ensured that customers had the right information at each stage of the process to reduce friction and improve completion rates.

The Work

After an extensive discovery process in which I met with business stakeholders, property managers, and customer service representatives, I began mapping the customer’s mental model and key tasks that needed to be completed at each stage in the process. For each task, I created a list of information, decisions, and actions (no matter how small) the customer would need to complete it. I also started noting all the potential ways that a customer might get tripped up or decide to abandon the process.

Working closely with our UX and visual designers, and iterating based on user testing and client feedback, we designed a multi-screen reservation flow that walked users through all of the key tasks necessary to completing their lease online. Using my task list as a guide, I wrote all of the headings, subheadings, help copy, calls-to-action, and error and success messages, and also pressure tested data that would be automatically generated by the system. By anticipating customer needs and objections at each step, we were able to design the right content at the right time to make the process as seamless as possible.

The Results

In the end, we completely transformed how Public Storage converted digital prospects into moved-in customers, saving them thousands of man-hours at the property and significantly reducing the percentage of people who reserved a unit but never showed up to sign a lease. And through the strategic use of content, I was able to help translate a complicated, multi-step process into one that a customer could complete in less than five minutes directly on their mobile device.