The event and tent rental industry had a challenging year and a half with the pandemic shutting down large-scale events and reverting to smaller orders – outdoor dining and scaled back weddings, etc. As the world adjusts to the new normal, business is starting to return to normal for the tent rental industry.
According to a recent ARA article, the party and event rental industry is seeing high demand for labor, material, and products. One way for tent rental businesses to keep pace with the growing demand and give themselves a competitive edge in the market is by investing in automation via tent rental software.
Disadvantages of manual tracking
Many businesses may still rely on manual logging of data into spreadsheets or registers for renting out equipment. Where this process may seem cost-effective, it can negatively impact your business in terms of damaged reputation and hidden costs.
Power your tent rental business with tracking software
A tent rental software can eliminate these problems by consolidating all your data onto a single platform with real-time updates. Automate processes and get full visibility into your rental business for fast growth.
1. Reliable Scheduling
Ensure reliable scheduling and tracking with a dashboard calendar to get an instant view of which item is reserved, checked in/out, or reserved. Eliminate booking conflicts and make reliable promises to your customers.
Scheduling and delivery delays are often also caused due to untimely returns or missing items. With tracking software, you can set automated reminders and alerts to stay on top of your rental bookings. Smooth and timely transactions help your business grow and ensure happy customers.
A robust tracking software comes with a mobile application to enable agile field operations. Easily check equipment in and out via mobile scanning, report a damaged tent and ask for a replacement and easily collect on-site e-signatures to complete orders.
2. Automated maintenance
Get maximum ROI on your investment by ensuring the timely maintenance of your inventory. A robust tracking software enables you to set and automate regular cycles for preventive maintenance and recurring services – send items into maintenance as soon as they are checked in. For example, you may need to schedule and regulate commercial-grade cleaning of your party tents to ensure they are always looking and smelling good as well as free of mold or mildew!
You can assign these tasks to team members and stay on top of progress with email alerts. Keep track of past maintenance via records – if a piece of equipment is costing you more in maintenance than it is earning in rent, you know it’s time to retire and replace!
Well-maintained equipment means greater customer satisfaction, controlled depreciation, and costs saved in the form of increased assets lifespan.
3. Billings and payments made easier under tent rental software
Trusting tent rental software over manual logging saves your managers from manually calculating rent while making sure that payments are collected on time. Generate online bills and easily email them to customers making order processing smoother on your end.
Offer flexible prices and offer discounts or customized rates based on rental requirements. For example, a one-day wedding rental cost could be different from a five-day corporate event cost. Apply pricing, easily calculate order totals, offer refunds or calculate and charge damages.
Moreover, your customers will get accurate quotes for their rental orders through the software. Offering accurate quotes also helps your customers manage their own transactions better, leading to greater satisfaction from your business.
4. Showcase products via custom webstore
As consumers increasingly shop online, make sure you have a strong online presence by setting up a customized Webstore via your rental management software. Showcase your inventory with high-quality pictures of your products and add other useful/relevant facts such as brand, size, usage history, and availability. Customers can independently scroll through your inventory to pick the item of their choice.
Webstores prove crucial in expanding your business’ reach since they are open 24 hours a day, even during weekends and holidays. Since a tent rental webstore is not specific to locations, customers around the country are able to view your equipment and process orders within minutes.
5. Bundle equipment for easy checkouts
Service your customers better by offering products that are typically checked out together as bundles for quick check-outs. For example, if your business offers party rental equipment along with tent rental, you can bundle tents along with tables, chairs, catering, or decoration equipment.
Bundles are not only convenient for your customers but also cost-effective. Since your customers rent different kinds of equipment under a single order, they will not have to pay service charges that they would be charged while placing multiple orders.
6. Generate reports with a click
Generate reports to get key business insights and make informed decisions. Use and crunch the data in your system to view system-generated reports or generate custom reports focusing on your sales, revenue, customer segments, or even your most demanded rental equipment. Convert these into graphs and get an instant visual of key business information.
For example, if a certain location is renting out more inventory, make sure to keep it adequately stocked to meet the demand. Also, track when demand spikes due to weather or events and make inventory updates accordingly.
About EZRentOut
EZRentOut, a cloud-based equipment rental software can help. EZRentOut offers companies in numerous industries seamless rental management along with a host of other features. You can integrate your website with our EZR plug to keep track of all your rental Assets and operations.
