In this article, we will go over your choices for various settings for rentals and success messages (a.k.a "rental & reservation confirmation emails"). Adjusting these settings is essential to providing a rental process that is best for your customers and operation style.
Note: If you have more than one location, please read our section on "Tips for Multi-Location Websites"
Rental Settings
These settings enable you to choose specific features you want to provide and/or require during the rental process. Payment is required during an online rental, unlike online reservations. We will discuss reservation settings in the next section of this article.
See the screenshot below for your full list of rental settings:
Notable:
Show gate code in the rental confirmation email?
This feature is unique to StoragePug! Instead of immediately sending out the gate code once they've paid for their unit, we can withhold it - enabling you to provide it on your own terms (i.e. after you've spoken with them, collected ID, etc.). We can also send the tenant the gate code after they have e-signed their rental agreement.
Note: Your gate company must be integrated with Sitelink for this feature to work properly
Create account rental form
You have a choice of two different rental forms via this setting:
Short form: Name, phone, email
Long form: Name, address, phone, email, ID type and number, alternate contact name & number
Reservation Settings
Above are your potential reservation settings. There are two important things to take note of with these settings:
Unlike online rentals, online reservations do not require payment from the customer. Furthermore, there is no option to accept any type of payment on an online reservation.
This does NOT change how many days in advance a reservation can be made
Note: The number of days a reservation can be made in advance will automatically match your Rental Settings (i.e. if you allow rentals to be made 3 days in advance, your reservations can also be made 3 days in advance)
What these settings CAN do
Turn the reservations option on or off
Allow you to set the number of days a reservation is valid, providing more leniency for your customers during the reservation process than during the rental process
Note: The days a reservation is valid number begins on the requested move-in date. If a prospective tenant reserves a unit on Monday with a requested move-in date of Thursday, then Thursday will be the day the clock starts on how long a reservation is valid.
Reservation Form vs Rental Form
You have the option of enabling the short form for reservations while still using a long form for online rentals.
Customer Portal Settings
These settings are for your customer's online portal on your website. See the screenshot for your full list of portal settings:
Notable:
Enable move-outs in the portal
What this does and doesn't do:
It does NOT move them out in Sitelink - you have to manually move them out
You DO receive an email notification stating the tenant has requested a move-out, and a note is also added to SiteLink for the move-out request
Claim account by phone number
Allow current customers to claim their accounts using their phone numbers instead of gate access codes.
In either case, tenant will also need to know their exact unit number, as this info will be asked for when claiming the account.
Note: What does "Claim their account" mean? Great question! If they are already one of your customers, they can easily create their customer portal on your new website by clicking on "Claim my unit and create an account". Their current unit(s) will sync with their new portal.
Insurance Settings
This feature enables you to provide the option of (or require) purchasing insurance during an online rental.
Depending on your state's legal requirements, we can use the term "insurance" or "protection plan".
Note: Your insurance company must be integrated with Sitelink for this feature to work properly
See the screenshot for your full list of insurance settings:
Notable:
Insurance Help Text
Optional: Include the help text of your choice during the check-out process.
Example of optional insurance help text & link during the rental process:
Optional Announcements Bar
This is an optional feature that enables you to highlight certain features at your facility as well as to communicate important info to prospective and current tenants.
Examples:
Online or contactless rentals
Upcoming or current specials
Holiday closures
Emergency office closures
Smart Units
Etc.
The image below shows an example of how a client opted to use their announcement bar to advertise online rentals. You can also include a link to any page on your website (they included a link to their Units page).
Success Messages
Your Success Messages are sent out in three instances: 1) Rental Confirmation 2) Reservation Confirmation 3) Move-out Confirmation
Important to note: If you do not edit your Success Messages, they will be left at default (default examples shown below).
Pug Tips for Multi-location Websites
Best Practices for two or more locations are very straightforward: In most cases, keeping your Rental Settings & Success Messages uniform is the best choice.
Why?
Less confusing for management and staff as you add on new locations
Easier to keep track of your rental processes and make necessary changes as your company grows
Prevents potential rental mistakes—if settings vary by location, there is more room for error when making company changes or updates
Below are a few specific examples where individual settings would be best:
Lease-up facility VS stable occupancy facility. Depending on your specific scenario, it may be best to have more lenient rental settings when in lease-up mode
Gate codes: Integrated gate systems VS facilities without gate integration (or a gate). This would require different gate code settings & rental success messaging
Facility Access: Manned facilities VS unmanned facilities may have different processes for providing customers access to the facility and/or their unit
Smart Units: Facilities with Noke gate and/or unit access VS facilities without Noke would need separate gate settings, as well as rental success messages tailored to that location
Ready to adjust your Rental Settings? Still have questions for us? Either way, we've got you!
Reach out to your Onboarding Specialist or our Client Success Team:
Onboarding: onboarding@storagepug.com
Client Success Team: help@storagepug.com