Analytical Report Memo Of Transmittal Report Examples

Re: Memo of Transmittal on Solutions to the Lack of Pick-Up and Delivery Services for Public Storage Facilities

INTRODUCTION
The memo analyzes the report on the lack of pick-up and delivery services in public storage facilities, and alternative solutions to the problem. Public storage facilities also known as self-storage have been on the rise. As the economy continues growing in the contemporary society, the need for public storage facilities rises significantly. Despite the growing need for storage facilities, they are inadequate in USA (Vanderbilt). Among those that exist, few offer transport services for the customers’ properties. The situation is inconveniencing for customers that are forced to collect or drop off their properties at the facilities. There is an increasing need for storage facilities that also provide pick-up and delivery services.
The transmittal memo focuses on an analysis of the activities I carried out to complete the report. The report focuses on the selection of one out of two alternative solutions to the problem. The memo explores how I used various resources in determining the advantages and shortcomings of each option. It also explores the preferred solution in reference to the factors to consider when selecting an efficient strategy for pick-up and delivery services. It also outlines the step-by-step writing style used in analyzing the issues in the report.

PROBLEM

People across USA need the services provided by public storage facilities; this is due to their affordability, safety, and convenience in the storage of property for varied durations. It is convenient to use facilities in storing business items, cars, and household goods among others. With the increase in globalization and technology, people travel from place to place. It can occur due to work-related, school, or family reasons. There is a need to ensure proper care for one’s property. International students are among the people that regularly use public storage facilities. During the summer and other holidays, they are forced to move their things out of school dormitories; storage facilities become convenient.
Though the public storage facilities provide convenient solutions to such people, they still face challenges. One of the problems is the lack of efficient pick-up and delivery services. A variety of publications on the services offered by such facilities helped in the research process. It helped in depicting the scope of the problem and need for efficient solutions. The report depicts how clients are forced to follow up their properties from facilities. They must make private arrangements for the delivery of properties. Through the acquired information, the report explored two alternative strategies for eliminating the problem. Various storage facilities across USA can adopt one of the strategies and provide the services. Such a move would benefit not only the clients, but also the facility through an increase in the number of clients and profits.

RESEARCH APPROACH

An analysis of the two options focused on their benefits and possible hindrances to the successful provision of such services. The research process occurred through a focus on previous research on the issue and information acquired from questionnaires administered to the workers of a public storage facility. The storage facility in focus is Public Storage; it has operations in over 2200 locations across USA. It focuses on making storage easy, reliable, and local (Public Storage 1).
The use of questionnaires provides first-hand views and ideas from the people involved in the daily provision of storage services. It also provides their opinions and concerns regarding the introduction of pick-up and delivery services. After the identification of the targeted storage facility, the questions were designed in reference to the research’s objectives and problem statement. The questionnaire contained questions focused on determining:

The storage facility’s progress in the last five years

Variety of services available
Impact of adoption of picking and delivery services on; workers, the facility’s revenue, and customers
Factors to consider when adopting the new service
Possible challenges that may relate to the new service
The information acquired from the questionnaire was analyzed and synthesized. It helped in understanding the problem in its context, and developing two alternative solutions. The alternatives occur below.

Portable Storage Containers

According to Johnson (1), the use of portable self-storage containers is still a relatively new concept. Its adoption adds absolute convenience for the customer. The portable container is transported to the customer’s house, or business where he/she, packs it at his/her convenience. The new service saves the customer the trip to the storage facility to pack the property into a storage unit. It also eradicates the need to hire a moving company or rent a truck to move the property. It promotes instant self-storage and flexibility. It saves the operators on costs that would have occurred from the building regulations, codes, permits, and materials for the construction of fixed storage units. The containers can also easily move in case the space is needed for another use. The incorporation of portable container services into an existing storage facility can be a lucrative business helping the operators reach a wide market. Incorporating the delivery and pick-up of containers will require additional investment. It will occur through the hiring of drivers and delivery personnel, purchase of warehouse space, trucks, and forklifts. It creates a good source of revenue stream through the delivering and picking charges. A premium can also exist for the portable service.

Combination of Fixed Units and Transport Services

The concept involves the storage of property in fixed storage units. During transportation, they have to be individually removed from the storage cubicles onto a vehicle for transportation. Unlike the portable self-storage containers, the stored properties do not have to be moved while still inside the container. The strategy saves customers from the need to plan for transportation of the things to the storage facility. The operators organize services to ensure the properties are picked up and safely delivered to the facilities and vice versa. The customer, however, has to foot additional costs for the transportation, packing, and loading services. The services are convenient as they ensure 24-hour operations, access to the storage facilities, and delivery of properties. It ensures the proper packing of the person’s property through the use of padding, bubble wraps and relevant safety measures for delicate things. They also provide stable and sturdy cardboards to pack the things. Using the facility’s moving personnel ensures the customer takes advantage of the unit size; the personnel can maximize the use of space thus saving the customer money.

TARGET AUDIENCE

The report adopted a wide perspective in understanding the problem and its solution through a consideration of the people and institutions the new service is likely to affect. The information provided in the report occurs in a manner that can be adjusted and altered to fit the needs of various audiences. The primary audiences the report affects include the government through the ministry of transport, personnel in the public storage sector, and international students’ bodies among others. Through the clear and comprehensive information, the report can help public storage facilities in understanding the necessity of the new service in their operations. It will facilitate an effective implementation and evaluation of the service to ensure maximum profit and customer satisfaction. The information occurs in a manner that can facilitate decision-making in the transport ministry. In reference to non-governmental organizations, it provides facts and evidence that encourage investment and financing of the new service in public storage facilities.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER

The section explores the various factors considered in the identification of an appropriate solution to the problem; this will help in the formulation of recommendations. The recommendations can develop from an analysis of the evidence acquired during the research process. Information and facts from previous publications and questionnaires will help in developing reliable inferences and conclusions on the problem and how to eliminate it. The analysis of two alternative solutions occurs through a focus on various factors. The factors influence the quality and efficiency of such services by storage facilities.
First and foremost, the performance of pick-up and delivery services by a storage facility should consider two dimensions; the cost of meeting the customers’ needs, and ways of ensuring the meeting of customer needs. Successful meeting of the customers’ needs increases retention and attracts more customers; this facilitates an increase in revenue. The storage facility must also analyze the costs incurred and ensure the provision of high-quality services at the lowest possible cost. It will reduce the amount of revenue spent on ensuring service provision (Chopra 3).
Secondly, the service should be timely. The construction of several storage facilities in various areas increases accessibility to customers. It gives the facilities the ability to move the properties to the customers’ desired locations in a timely manner; this ensures customer satisfaction. The transportation service can improve through the availability of several transportation vehicles. The storage facility must also consider the safety of the property during transportation. The property must have protection from theft or damage during transportation through secure vehicles. The transport options must also consider the varied needs of customers in terms of large, small, unbreakable, and fragile properties. Therefore, there should be large and small vehicles, as well as, means of ensuring the appropriate handling of fragile goods.

RECOMMENDED CHOICE

Through a side-by-side comparison of the possible solutions, the report allowed an understanding of the shortcomings and benefits of each. It facilitates an easy selection of a strategy that would best help in handling the problem. It also helps potential customers in selecting a public storage facility based on the type and quality of services it offers in meeting their unique needs. An appropriate strategy for the provision of packing and delivery services should focus on the features and factors to consider as discussed in the previous section. An analysis of the advantages and limitations of both portable storage and transportation to fixed units shows that the earlier option is the most convenient strategy for today’s storage facilities. I compared and contrasted the two options based on the information acquired from the questionnaires and other sources during the research process. It helped in determining the features and factors that made portable storage better than the alternative. Unlike the combination of fixed units and transportation services, the portable container combines the benefits of both in one. It guarantees convenience and safe transport and storage of a customer’s properties. It also eliminates the need for separately renting a truck or hiring a moving company. Its adoption will ensure the safe, convenient, and timely packing and delivery of various products in USA.

CONCLUSION

The transmittal memo analyzes the various activities I carried out in an effort to establish a viable solution to the lack of efficient and effective packing and delivery services in public storage facilities. An analysis of a vast assortment of sources during the research provides information on an appropriate strategy. The discussion provides a contextual understanding of challenges caused by lack of relevant and efficient picking and delivery services in the public storage facilities. The situation inconveniences many people that are forced to organize separate transport processes. The incorporation of packing and delivery services in existing storage facilities would promote the convenience of services and safety of the customers’ properties. Storage facilities have been adopting a variety of strategies for the incorporation of such services. The memo explores two alternatives; this occurs through an analysis of their advantages and limitations. The analysis helps in the adoption of an effective and efficient plan. It will help in the elimination of problems for international college students and other people using storage facility services. It will improve the quality of services and the storage facilities’ profits through an increase in the customer base.

Feel free if you want to discuss the report or need additional information.

Sincerely

Works Cited

Chopra, Sunil. “Designing the Distribution Network in a Supply Chain.” Evanston: Northwestern University, 2001. Web. Available from: < http://www.transportation.northwestern.edu/docs/research/Chopra_DistributionSupplyCh ain.pdf > [Accessed April 1, 2015]
Johnson, George E. “Making Extra Self-Storage Revenue through the Addition of Portable Containers.” Virgo Publishing, 2013. Web. Available from: < http://www.universalstoragecontainers.com/articles/Making-Self-Storage-Revenue- Through-Portable-Containers.pdf > [Accessed April 1, 2015]
Public Storage. “Storage Made Easy.” 2015. Web. Available from: < https://www.publicstorage.com/ > [Accessed April 1, 2015]
Vanderbilt Tom, "Self-Storage Nation - Americans are storing more stuff than ever", 2014.