Great Delivery Tips for Inventory rental companies

Deliveries make up a large part of a rental business, you need to do them efficiently.

There are a few things that you need to think about before you start delivering equipment:

• Check your insurance – you want to make sure that your insurance policy covers your company for deliveries as well as pick-ups and on-site work.
• Invest in the right conveyance – making sure there is enough room for all the items being transported is key and will save a lot of time, cash and stress further down the line when trying to deliver goods.
• Make sure the vehicles are well maintained – if not you’ll risk breakdowns and a huge impact on productivity which will lead to unhappy customers

Make sure your vehicles are well maintained

One of the most important things rental companies can do is keep their delivery personnel, haul trucks, and equipment in top condition. "It's important that your delivery drivers be in uniform and look neat and clean trucks should be well-maintained with visible company logos to advertise our rental business. This communicates professionalism to our customers and pride in our brand."

Investing in quality rental software is another way to improve your rental operation. Rental software can help you streamline your processes, automate repetitive tasks, and enhance client communication. "Rental software can make a big difference in efficiency and customer satisfaction," Novak says. "It's an essential tool for any rental business that wants to stay ahead of the competition.

This section looks at some tips for keeping vehicles in top condition.

• Keep the vehicles clean: It might seem like an obvious point, but cleaning the outside of your vehicles after every hire is essential. A thorough wash can help to show off the conveyance and make it more appealing to clients. It also helps reduce damage by removing dirt and other grime that could damage the paintwork if left there too long. Keep the interior tidy and clear out any rubbish left there by previous renters.
• Regularly check for damage: There will always be wear and tear on rental vehicles, but don't let this build up over time. Instead, conduct regular checks on all cars in your fleet and immediately act when you notice any issues or potential problems arising from wear and tear or damage caused by other motorists on the road.

Guarantee Delivery Times

As any rental house knows, equipment that arrives late can be frustrating for clients. Not only do they often work within tight deadlines, but crew members may be waiting for the equipment to arrive before they can start a job. Any equipment delays can cost time and money. An organized delivery schedule is important for any rental house but guaranteeing your delivery times as part of your service package can provide clients with another level of confidence and value. The guarantee might come in the form of sweet deals, discounts, store credit, or free rental days, in exchange for late delivery. In addition, rental software can help to keep track of deliveries and ensure that they are made on time. By guaranteed delivery times and using rental software such as CloudRent, rental houses can provide an extra level of service that their customers will appreciate.

Cameras are judge and jury

Delivery and service vehicles are expensive, and many rental businesses choose to forego the expense of adding cameras to their fleet. The expense can be well worth it in terms of preventing accidents. Delivery and service vehicles are often involved in accidents, and the footage from a camera can be invaluable in proving who is at fault. In many cases, the footage from a camera will show that the delivery or service conveyance was not at fault, which can save the business hundreds or even thousands of dollars in damages. In addition, if a driver is at fault, the footage can be used to hold them accountable and ensure that they pay for the damages they have caused. Ultimately, delivery and service companies that add cameras to their vehicles are making an investment that can pay off handsomely in the long run.

Communication is key

Communication is critical to ensuring a smooth rental process. Require your delivery driver to call the customer before every delivery. This call allows confirmation of the delivery address, verifies Jobsite access, and ensures that the customer knows when the machine will be delivered. If there is a problem with meeting the delivery time, immediately inform the customer and reassure them that the equipment will be on their Jobsite as soon as possible. This level of communication is essential to providing customers with the best possible rental experience.

Preload the night before

We know that time is money. That's why we suggest pre-loading your rental equipment the night before so you can get to the job site early in the morning. This can be especially important in urban areas where traffic can get heavy during morning commuting hours. By pre-loading your equipment, you can avoid wasting time in traffic and get to work sooner. Our rental software makes it easy to schedule delivery of your equipment so you can be sure it will arrive on time. So save yourself some time and hassle - pre-load your rental equipment the night before.

Know if your delivery driver is insured for deliveries

Insurance and background checks are among the most important things to consider with deliveries. You need to know what insurance is required for delivery drivers, which includes:

• Vehicle insurance
• Driver’s insurance
• Goods in transit insurance (if you are delivering goods)

Vehicle insurance requirements will vary from state to state and country to country. For example, in Australia, all drivers must have car insurance. The type of car insurance you obtain will depend on your business structure and if you own or hire vehicles. If you have employees who use their own cars for deliveries, you will need them to carry their own comprehensive car insurance policy. Ensure your employees keep their registration up-to-date as well - if they don’t have a valid registration, you could be fined or receive demerit points.

Check that you have the right equipment to deliver smaller items

As a behemoth piece of machinery, the forklift can use gravity to move a heavy load. But you can't just roll one up to wherever your delivery is going and finish the job, as there are a few things you must do first.

• Determine whether or not it's safe for the forklift—and for other people and buildings in the area—to operate in that space.
• Make sure there's enough room for the equipment to move around safely without becoming damaged or damaging others.
• Assess how low the load is and how far away from you it will be when lifted before deciding what size forks to use.
• Know where to place your forks so they're at their most stable point according to where they'll tilt when lifting something off them (usually about halfway). The more stable four-point lift system requires proper placement since its centre of gravity shifts depending on whether or not there's an item being held by all four points; this affects its stability significantly because if any point fails, everything else will fall apart too!

Choose the right vehicle for your delivery

Choose the right vehicle for your delivery. This may seem like a no-brainer, but we have seen many people make this basic mistake. The vehicle you choose to deliver a product should be appropriate for that specific product and its destination. For example, if the item you provide is heavy or oversized, it will require a giant truck. If the delivery location is far away, you might choose an efficient vehicle (e.g., a cargo van). Lastly, if the delivery location is far away and/or requires multiple stops, it is best to choose something more economical (e.g., a motorcycle). This all seems straightforward enough; however, these factors can often conflict! In these cases, it would be beneficial for rental equipment companies to purchase several different vehicles so they always have access to an appropriate mode of transportation when necessary.

Safety is paramount!

You must maintain a progressive safety program as a delivery or rental company. This program must cover all safety aspects, including best practices for safety equipment, vehicle operation and maintenance, and driver training. Your customers must be confident that your drivers can safely complete their work on-site while following all procedures. To ensure this, you must provide comprehensive training on all safety aspects, including collision avoidance, defensive driving, maintaining a digital logbook and job hazard recognition. You should also familiarise transport staff with local or site-specific requirements, such as personal protective equipment. By taking these steps, you can help create a safe work environment for your drivers and customers.

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