Interview with Nicola from The Hive

In our latest customer highlight, we interviewed Nicola Lobley, branch manager at UK-based
The Hive Self Storage
. This company recently ordered storage containers in their corporate colour for the second time.

Introducing: Nicola and The Hive

The Hive was founded 14 years ago in Retford and has opened a second location in Gainsborough. Nicola has been working for The Hive since it opened in 2010. She is the branch manager of both storage locations. In total, The Hive has nearly 300 storage units, ranging from indoor storage to shipping containers to garages with trickle chargers.

Insights into the English Self Storage Market

“There has been a huge change, especially in our remote area,” Nicola explains. “When we started, self storage wasn’t really a thing here. We were probably the only container location in the area. Since then, there has been a lot of competition.” Despite this increase in competition, Nicola is not worried about losing customers. The general knowledge of self-storage among people is increasing, she explains. “People understand the benefits of self-storage much more now than they did 14 years ago.”

Integrating different storage solutions

Three years ago, a new office building was built, with a free second floor. It was originally planned to rent meeting rooms, but the plan changed. “We decided to put some inside self-storage units there.” The units are not large, but some customers are really interested in inside self-storage. This expands the mix of storage solutions offered.

Working with Universal Storage Containers

At the 2022 FEDESSA in Portugal, our own Maarten and Jan-Hein came into contact with Tim Shuldham, director of The Hive. Nicola summarises the follow-up process: “The whole process has been hugely positive, from talking to you guys at the conference to receiving quotes and information. You guys did the site visits and delivery, and even the after sales which I am really impressed with.”

Why choose containers from USC?

“We were looking for a new product. Everyone does shipping containers, but we wanted more variety and flexibility for our customers. That’s why we looked at USC’s fully insulated units. They are quick to set up on site and we can move them around. All these things were interesting for us to try out and the past year has clearly shown that our customers are also interested in the units with insulation.”

The impact of USC’s outdoor containers

Nicola explains that some customers have a negative perception of shipping containers, which is difficult to change. “It’s nice to go outside with them and show one of the USC units. They are different, they feel different when you walk inside. You feel the result of the insulation in person as you stand talking and it looks very different.”

Nicola thinks they have attracted a new type of customer. “In the beginning, I was a bit worried whether people would want to pay more for these containers as we live in a rural area. We try to educate people that there are different levels of self-storage and different ways of storing customers belongings. In the end, the containers are incredibly well received!”

Additional benefits of USC containers

Nicola happily explains that since the USC containers were first delivered just over a year ago, most customers have stayed in the units. “The general comments we hear from customers are that they are very comfortable and easy to operate.”

From an operational point of view, she adds, “It is very nice to be able to move them around where needed. In addition, they are very easy to clean both inside and out. This is very convenient after, for example, tradesman have used the containers.”

Tip for other storage operators

Finally, we ask if Nicola has any tips for other storage operators. The Hive likes to invite its customers to come and see the site, and Nicola prefers to show new customers the USC units first. “That way they see the nice, clean insulated units. Then I work my way down the site. Also, let the customer think about how much value they think they want to store and help decide where they want to put their belongings. And, of course, also tell them about the advantages of storing in USC containers.”