Public Storage Reviews

Pros

You're in charge of your own day-to-day tasks.
Given mileage reimbursement for travel.
Uniforms are paid for by the company.
401K eligible quickly.
PTO accrues pretty fast.
You get a manager title (it doesn't mean much, but you still have the title).
The are quarterly bonuses.

I liked the people I worked with and for. I had a good DM and pretty good PMs.

Notes for DMs: You are the lifeline for your PMs. They need you. They work by themselves and they need good support. they pay is good for a DM (from what I know). You will definitely work for it though.

Cons

Pay isn't much.
You aren't bonus eligible for six months.

The company will change policies very fast and don't give the field adequate time to react. Often, they change things not just in theory but will even have time to get programers to change the system before they give their people a head's up about what's going on.

Most properties do not have a location for you to eat lunch.

You work alone most of the time. It doesn't feel very safe.

There's no room for growth. You start as a PM and when you leave you'll be a PM. You will not be promoted any higher than that.

It's all about the bottom line from the corporate side of things. What are you numbers?
The "We Care" slogan applies more to the lower levels of the company, but they aren't given any power to do anything.

There's a lot of turn over for property/relief managers.

For DMs: Your PMs work 7 days a week. they need you 7 days a week. Tenants don't typically get to your level unless they are complaining. You will be dealing with the problems and the crazies.... Sorry, that's just how it is.

Advice to Senior Management

They won't read this....

Pros

The hours are good, and you don't have anyone micro managing you. Most of the people I work with in my district are geat people. I've never had a problem getting time off when I needed it.

Cons

Public Storage wants little robots in their offices to speak their scripts and sell the over priced merchandise. Apparently the corporate office doesn't believe that there is a recession. You must sell a lock and insurance and set people up with Auto Pay when they rent whether they want it or not. We have a new contest running right now where the district manager and the regional manager get a trip to Hawai and the property managers who do all the work get a $100.00. Just think about that, you do all the work and get $100.00 bucks and your boss and his boss go to Hawai! Their pay raises are also a joke, their idea of a raise is a whole .25 or less, yes I said less.

Advice to Senior Management

Slave is not written on your property managers foreheads. They are people with familys that need a decent pay.

Pros

Great training for the Self Storage Industry, less of a "RAT RACE" when you live onsite, no supervisor hanging over your shoulder trying to micro manage you. Great bonuses IF you run a large property (more stress) AND can reach the ever changing goals that are set for you.

Cons

Pay is not in line with the amount of work and responsibility you are given. While you are allowed PTO (paid time off) there is usually not enough employees working for the company to cover you for an unscheduled day off such as you or your child getting ill, and so you are pressured to work anyway. While you are told you have benefits the package is expensive with poor coverage, a single mother would have a hard time insuring herself and her children and still have enough money for necessities.

Advice to Senior Management

I loved my job and the people I worked with and would never have left if it weren't for the poor benefits and lousy pay along with the total lack of any chance of moving up in the company. I now work for a great company within the Storage Industry where I truly am The Manager, where my pay and benefits make me feel appreciated by the company.

Pros

The salary is good, restricted stock is excellent.

Cons

Too much faith in technology an dTV commercials at the expense of getting and keeping "the best and the brightest". It's created a fearful, paranoid and sycophantic culture at all levels of the company.

Advice to Senior Management

Place more value in your people to help drive your business. Relying on fool-proof technology and TV commercials can only take you so far. Work to attract, retain, grow and value those who will carry the business forward. You're utterly failing at this presently.

Pros

You can make good money if you know how to work the metrics they have for your bonus

Cons

Its an old boys network. If they don't like you, you will go nowhere

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to your people on the front line. They are in your stores the most. When you have a region or district making 10% over ly in profits and they are ranked in the bottom of the company and don't get a bonus makes no sense. They are making you the most money but you give them nothing

Pros

If you need a job without any degree and willing to accept minimum wage it's OK.They do offer some good benefits

Cons

My son has been with Public Storage for many years and have yet to get a week-end off. Only managements get the goodies.The other little peons have to work their butts off, so that Management can have their Bonuses and Holidays and week-ends off. There is little chance for advancement.Even with a Degree.Management does not care that you have a family and that you would like to spend the week-end with them. Before on Sundays,we would be open until 2pm now we have to work until 5 pm. The greed is everywhere.

Advice to Senior Management

My advise is If your employees are happy, the customer will be Happy.The Customer service will be better and your profits will go up. The salaries for the employees at the storage places are just above the minium wage,making it difficult for a family to make ends meet. Don't forget,they are at the front lines.Your Profits depends on them.If you don't take care of your employees,they will not take care of you.

Pros

Decent pay but if you don't like strict structure, then do something else.

Cons

I worked there many years so my schedule was 7am-3pm so my calls were good. If you're new, your hours are late and the calls are not good. Very hard to get a good schedule and to get time off. Very difficult to get promoted. In order to bonus, you must take time off work because taking less calls will get you to the bonus level. Sounds weird but the less you're on the phone, your bonus chances increase. But now you must work less meaning you get paid less all in the hopes of getting a bonus which is still not guaranteed. Your schedule is lottery so no days and times are guaranteed.

Pros

The best reasons to work at Public Storage is, if you like to work unsupervised and have the responsibility to manage your own location.

Cons

Some downsides of working Public Storage, is that you get paid only on the 7th and the 22nd of each month. Also you work as a security/IRS, where you have to make phone calls to DTM customers who don't make there monthly payments.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't blame the employees on numbers that happen last year and that you can't force customers to walk-in to rent a unit.

Pros

The customers... which really doesn't compliment Public Storage because if you enjoy working with the public you can find a much better place to work

Cons

The management team are made up of a group of individuals that are related with unscrup[ulous behavoir at work...for example drinking on job, borrowing lunch money from cash register. I found it very hard to fit in. They are avery disrespectful bunch, but have been with co. a very long time. I made complaints through normal management channels without any resolve after 6-7 months I resigned. Pay Sucks!!! $9.50/hr with a MBA and 12yrs sales and customer service go figure

Advice to Senior Management

Corporate audits not micro management. Use customer complaints to help sift out problem employees.

Pros

Compensation. There is no other reason. Those who remain give a pound of flesh to remain and are compensated for it.

Cons

At the corporate level, employees have to subvert themselves to the culture and remain vigilant in being on guard from one another. VERY political without cause. Not a place for development personally, professionally, or otherwise. You endure this place versus being enhanced by it. If you take a position there, then remain low profile at all times. Observe the behavior of your peers and try to understand how and why they have become as such. Model them as long as you have to while you search for a better place. Better place DO exist.

Advice to Senior Management

Model your founder in culture and not the executive management.