Complaint Review: Public Storage (nationwide) - Troy Michigan

This problem focuses on the method "how" Public Storage "hooks" new customers and then dishonors discounts and rental pricing commitments with exhorbitant overnight increases in anticipation of the overlook of the customer.  This is what I consider to be a company using dirty marketing techniques as they have a established means to their process to give customers a "run around", in their corporate quest for maximizing profit. 

In my example, Public Storage have compromised their reputation for the total amount the rental discount is for, that is $177.40 (4 month stay) considering the advertised applied discount they would not give me per their own website.  This is a mere scheme for something similiar to a bait and switch in my opinion, as contacting the store first instead of online results in a higher price.  If you go online and can't get to the discount and ask for help, they defer to the store.  Then the store "has you" because it was made difficult to create the savings online and the online customer service rep does not include the discount, and then completes a reservation, resulting in the higher price which will not reflect the discount.

The initial "hook" is the online discount of 15% advertised on the national website.   Since apparently not all Public Storage franchise facilities are alike, some have larger jumbo  units than others.  I opted for a store with the larger units after learning from visiting another store to travel there to Troy.

I went online first, started to create a profile / account with my name/address, however upon learning that the unit I wanted was not listed I called the national corp ctr phone for assistance and guessed at the size needed and they made a reservation for a 20x25 at $247/mo.  I then traveled directly to the Troy facility to see it and spoke personally with Melissa who gave me a tour of the larger unit 30x30 along with current pricing at the 3-4 o'clock p.m. hour that day which coincided with the one price that National had reserved for, good for one week.  I also looked at pricing for 3 other sizes, and was unsure of which one I wanted but would let her know in the morning.

Also, I asked if the $247 price allotted the 15% discount.  It did not.  So, I pointed to the webpage which said it was for new customers, online only which was my expectation as my earlier attempt to leverage that discount had already been done.   I had done that but could not get the unit I wanted from the dropdown list for the reservation.  There is a very tiny disclaimer asterisk which says some units do not apply but do not indicate WHICH units do not apply, the big icon for the 15% off is a generality used for a hook.

So, Melissa called "Dawn" a traveling manager for the area.  Who stated an online account had to be created.  I agreed. And went back home to finish up my existing account, but could not find the  link now, and that be it the company webpage OR if I tried calling National, it kicked me automatically to the local Troy phone number.

I called National with my cell phone, because now I know my phone landline number had been inputted to the Public Storage database when I made that reservation.

We talked about insurance, I told her I would have my own ins agent tell afterwards that day, to me what my existing coverage was first, and I would return a call in the next morning.

Next a.m. 10 oclock, I called her again to confirm my insurance, and it was covered.  At this point, Melissa indicated the price went up $20 for the now, 20x30 unit I really wanted as my assessment of my storage needs was slightly greater than the guess made on the phone the day before with Corporate.  I asked about the reserved one, yes it went up too overnight in 12 hrs, but my reserv. held the price good and for a week.  Well, since i'd created partially the account up to the point of the unit size, I would not retract the original reservation because my customer profile and reservation is time stamped.  So, again I ask for follow up on the online discount for the upgraded unit and she said she would get with Dawn and let me know.

Now, 2 days later I call again, leaving a message, and "Nate" returns the call.  I explained this whole scenario again.  He seemed ok at first, very willing to help, and did not want to lose me as a customer.  He would get with Dawn, and call back in a couple hours.  He did.   The mgr. Dawn indicated there was nothing they could do about it, when in fact the Corp office had told me 2 days prior that the district mgr Dawn had the authority.  Also, in fact that Melissa had Dawn on the phone right there in front of me, with the phone turned outward so I could hear Dawn's comments.  Which were to go online and create the account.

"Nate", though trained to be cordial already knew I was ready to walk, based on this treatment and his final words of cordiallity were indeed condescending.  He gave me the 1-800-444-STORE phone no. to complain about it.  Upon further googling, I found the Glendale, CA home office phone, 818-244-8080 and was transferred to "David Collins" Marketing Director, who has yet to return my call.   

So, I am walking.  But not without alerting other and  helping someone else because if you google Public Storage you will find a myriad of complaints whereby customers are "duped" or treated unfairly.  What shocked me is they did this to a new customer who has yet to even complete a transaction.   This is not a customer oriented company, rather it is a hack company. And if you have a contract ready to sign, you may want to reconsider.

The bottom line is, by taking advantage of a process which deceives and works faster than you can follow up on, Public Storage maximizes returns by upping the price quickly, and denying the advertised 15% discount with smoke and mirrors.