MARKET WATCH
Whereas the canoe business has blossomed, the rental business has yet to get back to where it was prior to the recession. As he pointed out, some areas of the Midwest are not recovering as quickly as the East Coast and other parts of the country.
IDAHO: SHIFTING AWAY FROM PRINT When Tates Rents in Boise, ID first hung its shingle as Safway Scaffolding Company in 1946, the internet and social media were about as imaginable as landing on the moon. Seven decades and three family generations later, the rental company has nine rental tool locations throughout the state, employs close to 100 people, and relies on its website and other digital resources to help get its message to current and potential customers. “We recently retained an advertising agency to develop a new website for us,” said company Operations Manager Haley Hennessey. “Customers primarily use it to get directions to our locations and view our rental selections. The site is integrated with Point of Rental, so it’s updated automatically when we add new inventory. At this point, customers call to reserve items, but we are working on plans to allow them to reserve online and track their equipment.” Hennessey noted the website is especially valuable to homeowner customers who are less familiar with
their store than contractors who likely already have a relationship with stores and salespeople. She also uses the site to post monthly instructional videos such as a recent one on “how to operate a boom lift.” In addition to having a website, Tates Rents is active on both Facebook and Instagram. “We try to post something new at least every other day to keep people interested. That could be anything from company news, including images of events, new equipment, and new hires or promotions, to position openings. Instagram is more image oriented, but we generally post the same news on both platforms,” added Hennessey. The company has also shifted it phonebook advertising to Yelp. “We want to be where people are,” Hennessey emphasized. “Potential customers like to read reviews before deciding where to rent and Yelp provides that opportunity.”
WASHINGTON: WEBSITE COULD ALWAYS BE BETTER When asked about his company’s Website, Pacific Rim Equipment Rental owner Lee Forte said it could be better. What he would like is more information about the tools and equipment the Seattle, WA, store rents. “Specs, access to operator’s manuals, more information about generators, including application and wattages, would all be helpful to customers,” he emphasized.
SHE ALSO USES THE SITE TO POST MONTHLY INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS SUCH AS A RECENT ONE ON “HOW TO OPERATE A BOOM LIFT.”
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“OUR WEBSITE LISTS OUR INVENTORY AND RENTAL RATES AND INCLUDES OUR NEWSLETTER, IN WHICH WE HIGHLIGHT NEW EQUIPMENT, SPECIALS, AND OTHER COMPANY NEWS. WE POST INFORMATIONAL VIDEOS, BUT THAT TOO IS LIMITED BY HOW MUCH TIME AND ENERGY WE HAVE.” Forte, who also owns AA Tool & Equipment Rental in Auburn, WA, mentioned Pacific Rim isn’t involved in social media tools such as Facebook and he rarely has time to even answer all the emails the store receives. “Our Website lists our inventory and rental rates and includes our newsletter, in which we highlight new equipment, specials, and other company news,” said Forte. “We post informational videos, but that too is limited by how much time and energy we have.” Pacific Rim Equipment Rental has been in business 10 years and the owner has been in the industry for more than 40 years. The store does approximately 80 percent of its business with contractors and the remainder with homeowners. It employs eight full-time employees who are kept busy by a market that Forte indicated “is doing very well.” ■
www.ForConstructionPros.com/RENTAL
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