Monday, April 25, 2022

Great Delivery Tips

Deliveries make up a large part of the rental business, so it is essential to get them right.

Getting them right comes down to logistics and customer satisfaction.

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 improve communication with your clients. "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.

In this section, we'll look 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 important. 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 on there too long. For the interior, keep it 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, carry out regular checks on all cars in your fleet and take immediate action as soon as 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 guaranteeing 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, and this can save the business hundreds or even thousands of dollars in damage. In addition, if a driver is at fault, the footage can be used to hold them accountable and ensure that they pay for the damage they have caused. Ultimately, delivery and service companies that choose to add cameras to their vehicles are making an investment that can pay off handsomely in the long run.

Communication is key

Communication is key to ensuring a smooth rental process. Require your delivery driver to call the customer prior to 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 ever a problem with meeting the delivery time, immediately let the customer know 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

One of the most important things to consider with deliveries is insurance and background checks. 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, it is compulsory for all drivers to 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 that use their own cars for deliveries, then you will need them to carry their own comprehensive car insurance policy. Make sure 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 is capable of taking advantage of 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 of 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 greatly because if any point fails, then 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 are delivering is heavy or large, then it will require a larger truck. If the delivery location is far away, then you might want to choose an efficient vehicle (e.g., a cargo van). Lastly, if the delivery location is far away and/or requires multiple stops along the way, then it is best to choose something more economical (e.g. a motorcycle). This all seems straightforward enough; however, these factors can often conflict with one another! 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!

As a delivery or rental company, you have a legal obligation to maintain a progressive safety program. This program must cover all aspects of safety, including best practices for safety equipment, vehicle operation and maintenance, and driver training. Your customers need to 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 aspects of safety, including collision avoidance, defensive driving, maintaining a digital logbook and job hazard recognition. You should also familiarize transport staff with any 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.

Software built by the Hire & Rental Industry for you...

The team at CloudRent equipment Rental software have a wealth of experience in planning and logistics for event rentals, temporary fence rentals, audio-visual equipment rentals, party hire rentals, plant hire, tool hire, and construction equipment and heavy machinery rentals.

Talk to us about a demonstration at +61 9988 0833, fill in a form here or email [email protected]