A Rental RATING

To kick off this month’s column, I’d like to start with a question: How would you rate the overall customer experience of your rental store?

The overall experience can encompass your pickup and drop-off processes, the state of your equipment, the appearance of your rental facility and signage, the intuitiveness of your website, the friendliness of your staff—and the list goes on. We asked all of those questions and more to the contractor behind this year’s Renter’s Review: Southern Sun Landscaping in Roanoke, Va. Overall, the company had a glowing review for its local rental center. You can find that story and glean tips on how to improve your overall customer experience on p. 12.

In addition to our Renter’s Review story covering customer relations, our business management department digs into how one rental company keeps its customer service game strong (p. 16); our construction department discusses how rental companies can help customers choose the appropriate attachment (p. 18); our general tool department lays out how rental companies can help end users get the most out of their floor grinding equipment (p. 20); and our aerial lift equipment department details how adding spider lifts to an aerial fleet can increase rental companies’ revenue (p. 22).

To round off the discussion on customer relationships, our columnist Dick Detmer describes how creating solid customer relationships can help rental companies increase their bottom line. I’m quite sure you, our readers, will find his advice useful— you can find his column on p. 35. And, you can find our Rental Snapshot (this time on Robertson Rent-All in Ontario, Canada) on p. 34.

Circling back to my original question—how do you think your rental store holds up in the eyes of customers? Is there anything you do to enhance your customers’ experience? What improvements would you like to make? I’d love to hear your thoughts— and I’m sure your fellow readers would, too. Email your ideas to swebb@ acbusinessmedia.com or connect with me on LinkedIn by following the QR code below.

And, look out for next month’s issue, where we will present our annual Business Survival Guide.

EDITORIAL

Editor Sarah Webb swebb@acbusinessmedia.com

Managing Editor Gigi Wood gwood@acbusinessmedia.com

Technology Editor Charles Rathmann crathmann@acbusinessmedia.com

AUDIENCE

Audience Development Manager Angela Franks

PRODUCTION

Senior Production Manger Cindy Rusch crusch@acbusinessmedia.com

Art Director Willard Kill

ADVERTISING/SALES

Brand Director Sean Dunphy sdunphy@acbusinessmedia.com

Sales Representative Megan Perleberg mperleberg@acbusinessmedia.com

Sales Representative Nikki Lawson nlawson@acbusinessmedia.com

Sales Representative Kris Flitcroft kflitcroft@acbusinessmedia.com

Sales Representative Tadashi Soma tsoma@acbusinessmedia.com

Sales Representative Kristin Pride kpride@acbusinessmedia.com.

AC BUSINESS MEDIA

Chief Executive Officer Ron Spink

Chief Financial Officer JoAnn Breuchel

Chief Revenue Officer Amy Schwandt

VP, Audience Development Ronda Hughes

VP, Operations & IT Nick Raether

Content Director Marina Mayer

Director, Online & Marketing Services Bethany Chambers

Content Director, Marketing Services Jess Lombardo

Director, Demand Generation & Education Jim Bagan

CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS

PO Box 3605, | Northbrook, IL 60065-3605, Phone: (877) 201-3915 | Fax: (847) 291-4816 circ.rpn@omeda.com

LIST RENTAL

Sr. Account Manager Bart Piccirillo | Data Axle (518) 339 4511 | bart.piccirillo@infogroup.com

REPRINTS

Megan Perleberg, mperleberg@ACBusinessMedia.com