Compare self-storage providers Kennards, Storage King and National Storage on customer service, quality of storage, safety & security, additional features, value for money, convenient location and overall satisfaction.
See our Ratings Methodology.
In a closely contested market, Kennards has topped Canstar Blue’s customer satisfaction ratings for self-storage for businesses in 2018. It achieved five stars across a range of categories, beating last year’s winner Storage King.
When it comes to running a small business, expansion is often a goal for many, but when it happens too quickly, a cramped workplace can quickly sour the mood. While de-cluttering is an option, finding time to sort through all those business documents is going to be difficult, leaving us with piles of papers and stacks of equipment. As a result, self-storage space is a handy option for many, allowing those goods to be stored away safely, while offering businesses a bit more breathing room.
With two-thirds of respondents in Canstar Blue’s latest survey (62%) stating that they use storage space as a permanent solution for their business, finding a provider that suits your needs is crucial, with plenty of options available for businesses, regardless of what type of industry you operate in and what types of things you need to store.
To lend a hand, we’ve surveyed hundreds of business owners and key decision-makers within a business to find out how Australia’s major self-storage providers are rated by their business customers.
Our ratings offer a helpful guide as to which self-storage provider may be the best bet for your business, but read on for specific details about these companies and what they have to offer you.
Operating since the 1970s, Kennards has locations right across Australia, although those in the Northern Territory and Tasmania may need to look elsewhere. With a wide range of storage options available, regardless of whether you’re looking to store only a few documents, or half your office, Kennards has you covered, with 1×1 metre lockers all the way through to 9×12 metre mini warehouses, although it will be dependent on location.
Most Kennards centres have 24/7 access, with all storage centres including security, such as CCTV, access control systems, individually alarmed spaces and daily lock checks, ensuring all your work documents and goods are kept safe. Kennards also offers insurance for extra peace of mind.
For the unorganised, Kennards offers a range of packing materials and boxes, as well as vans, trolleys and forklifts available for hire to ensure that your move in or out of storage is easy. Kennards also offers users no fixed rental period, meaning you can move your belongings out of storage at any time. Rent is paid on a monthly basis in advance – and unused rent can be refunded if you move halfway through the month, making it easy for SMEs looking to move or expand without additional financial stress.
Perhaps the biggest advantage for SMEs is Kennards Business Class. This allows businesses to manage multiple storage locations through just one contract, with more rewards & incentives offered, including centralised invoicing and customised bill plans. SMEs will need at least three different locations, with a combined occupancy of 100 square metres to qualify for Business Class, but for those looking to expand or ramp up their business, Business Class may be a viable option.
Last year’s ratings winner, Storage King has been a long-standing icon of the Aussie self-storage market, with 160 locations available across the country, although Tasmania and Northern Territory are again left to store their goods elsewhere. For SMEs, Storage King offers a wide variety of storage facilities and space, although you’ll have to contact your local facility for details and availability. Most sites have forklifts and trolleys available, with moving assistance available for those moving the entire office. Boxes and packing materials are also available to purchase on site, making the move into storage easier.
For those looking for an extra incentive to move into storage, Storage King offers its customers Qantas Business Rewards Points, which will come in handy for businesses who regularly travel. Points are available when you sign up and when you purchase materials and boxes, meaning there are plenty of points up for grabs.
An added benefit for businesses is Storage King’s Corporate Accounts Management, which allows you to use multiple sites around the country, with extras including combined invoicing, delivery notifications, discounted national rates, pro-rata rental terms in addition to a Corporate Accounts Coordinator to help liaise with stores for you. Businesses can also download the Storage King Accounts Management app to help with payments and keep details up to date, perfect for businesses on the go.
Founded in 2000, National Storage currently has over 100 storage locations around the country, with a range of unit sizes available, from single lockers all the way up to 8×3 metre units. National Storage also offer boxes and packaging supplies, along with trolleys to help with the move.
In addition to traditional storage, National Storage offers off-site records management for SMEs that have too much paper in their office, making it an ideal way to de-clutter. Or if you’re after something a bit more specific when it comes to storage needs, National Storage also provides climate control units, allowing you to set the temperature and the humidity of the unit to allow for ideal storage conditions for your goods. If you’re looking to store the company car as well, National Storage also provides vehicle lock up spaces at select centres.
National Storage offers seven-day-a-week access to your storage site, as well as providing security gates and CCTV for security, with 24-hour site managers at various centres to ensure that your goods are safe. Storage units are leased out on a month-to-month lease, with monthly bills paid in advance, although price will depend on which unit size you go with and the location of the facility.
Having a bit of extra room to play around with can be a blessing for many small businesses, as a small workplace can impact on how much work gets done, not to mention how much leg room you have. With plenty of storage options available for SMEs, regardless of what you have to store, finding one that suits your needs can be tricky to narrow down.
Ultimately your storage unit will depend on a range of factors, including location, how much you have to store, and how long you plan on storing for, with each brand offering a range of extras and incentives to help your business during the move or expansion. Whether it’s for a few days while you finalise a move, or for a year or two as you store goods for your online business, self-storage is a handy option for SMEs.
Canstar Blue commissioned Colmar Brunton to survey 800 Australian small business owners or decision makers (i.e. the main decision maker for the small business) across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have used self-storage for business purposes in the last two years – in this case, 196 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The rating table is first sorted by star ratings and then alphabetically. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.
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