You can use the term "outdoor power equipment" to mean a lot of things - technically, you could consider a mortar mixer a piece of outdoor power equipment because you use it outdoors. For the purposes of this article, outdoor power equipment includes lawn care equipment such as mowers, tillers, combers, aerators and other items the average suburbanite needs to maintain his or her yard.
This segment of the rental industry can be profitable for your rental center - if you select the proper equipment.
In selecting outdoor power equipment for rental use, the first thing you must look for is durability. It goes without saying that the type of equipment on sale at the local x-mart is not what you should use in your business. Any money you save by buying cheaper products will quickly evaporate if the unit spends more time in your shop than in the hands of a customer.
Look for equipment with true commercial engines, and unless the price difference is extreme, avoid homeowner engines such as aluminum bore cast instead of forged components. The cost of a major component failure is twofold - not only will it cost you money to replace, it may also cost you a customer.
Often, manufacturers of homeowner equipment will attach a commercial engine to a piece of equipment to boost sales. But attaching a high-end engine to a homeowner piece of equipment doesn't make it suitable for rental use.
More often than not, the people who rent mowers, tillers and trimmers are not professionals. They may make mistakes and can be hard on the equipment as a result.
A good way to judge the durability and quality of a piece of equipment is to "try before you buy." The average commercial cutter won't buy a piece of equipment without trying it first, and you shouldn't either. Many manufacturers offer demonstrations, and if there is a local distributor of power equipment in your area, they may be even more flexible.
Also consider an outdoor power equipment's construction. On a mower, for instance, look for heavy-duty spindles and heavy gauge decks. On a tiller, you'll want to see how robust the transmission is as well as how tough the tines are. "Hard-faced" tines are excellent for use in rocky soil.
Easy does it Also, consider ease of service. Is checking and changing the oil a simple operation? Is the air cleaner easily accessible for service? Are drive belts easy to change and easily available? For help in this area, get an experienced outdoor power equipment technician to check out the equipment. By thinking ahead you'll save precious time and money in the repair shop.
One often overlooked feature that can come back to haunt you is the cost and availability of replacement parts. Investigate before you purchase the equipment. If common replacement parts are expensive (such as knives for a chipper, or tines for a tiller), you may have to raise your rental rate to make up for it. If you buy a piece of equipment with hard-to-get parts, you risk increased downtime or increased air-freight cost to get the parts in a timely manner.
Another feature you should look for is the warranty. If a manufacturer does not warranty its equipment for rental use, it's a good bet that there's a reason. Even a 30- or 90-day warranty is better than nothing. How the manufacturer honors a warranty is often more important than the warranty itself. For guidance, ask other rental stores about the experiences they have had when it comes to warranty service.
Every customer counts When purchasing outdoor power equipment, look for those features that will also make the unit easier for your customer. Look for equipment that is easy to operate because it often has the added advantage of reduced maintenance costs.
For example, electric starters should be considered for any equipment equipped with a large engine. Easeof starting is important for your customers because they may be renting from you because theirs is hard to start.
Also consider that more women are renting and buying equipment. Look for equipment with adjustable handles and controls so it is comfortable for all your customers.
Size 'em up Deciding on a supplier is one of the most important areas of consideration when buying equipment. If possible, buy from a supplier who is used to dealing with the rental industry - someone who understands that parts availability "in a week" won't cut it in the rental business, and someone who will have a sufficient supply of replacement parts on hand. I cannot overstate the importance of a good source of supply for parts - after all, the demand for a particular piece of equipment is directly proportional to how many pieces of that equipment are in the repair shop.
If you have a good local parts and equipment supplier, you are blessed. There is nothing as handy as being able to get in the company truck and get the part the same day.
But you'll often have to deal with a supplier who is not local, and in such cases, it pays to ask them what their order fill rate on parts is and whether emergency ordering is available. You'll also want to select a supplier with a good record of service who offers the right price. Once again, a good relationship with other rental centers in your area comes in handy for finding out just how good a supplier is.
Price is an important factor, but it should not be the only consideration in buying equipment because as someone once said "you get what you pay for."
What do rental center owners, managers and buyers consider when they purchase lawn care equipment?
Phone interviews with rental centers across the country revealed that price, as P.D. Peterson indicates, should not be the primary consideration come purchase time. Rental center management seems willing to part with more of its green to ensure greener pastures and higher returns on investment down the line. Here are the responses of those asked what they consider when purchasing lawn care equipment:
"Price isn't a consideration because we don't buy any of it new. There is a parts warehouse (nearby) in Denver, so we know we can always get parts easily. We also buy the brand names we are familiar with."
- Donald Benton, owner, MVMT Rental Center, Monte Vista, Colo.
"People ask us for certain brands, so brand names are our most important consideration. The availability of parts and how reliable the machine is are also important because we have a parts warehouse a half-mile away, so it's easy for us to get same-day service on most occasions. Price is number three on the list."
- David Meechan, salesman, General Rental, Newark, Del.
"(Purchasing) is based on the demand of our contractors and not so much the individual because the contractor dictates what the individuals want. We look for distributor service, brand names, who sells it and what kind of service they offer. The return on the investment for us is also important."
- Jim Wilson, vice president, Wilson Bros. Sales & Rental, Lexington, Ky.
"We stay with the people we've had over the years because they're reliable. Everybody is pretty competitive these days, so the prices don't change much. Reliability and price are the two most important factors."
- Jon Nelson, owner, Volusia Rental & Equipment, De Bary, Fla.
"The quality of the product is our number one priority. It must be rental-tested with minimal potential downtime for the customers. It has to be heavy-duty and at the same time simple to operate. The reputation of the company we're dealing with is also important, and do they supply us with parts."
- Alice Navos, materials manager, A to Z Equipment Rentals & Sales, Phoenix.
"Reliability of the equipment is vital. If we find it's not reliable, we stop buying it."
- Dan McSweet, manager, Guilford Rental Center, Guilford, Conn.
"We do not purchase off of price. We look at brand name, dependability and availability of parts. If a customer rents equipment, it needs to work when it gets (to the job site or home). There needs to be no shadow of a doubt that it will work."
- Flo Smith, general manager, Rental Service of Wilmington, Wilmington, N.C.
"The quality of the product is most important. Another consideration is the support we get from the manufacturers. Price is not that important."
- Roger Bush, owner, Grand Rental, Knoxville, Tenn.
"We used to buy the expensive stuff, but we found it didn't cost us less to maintain. Price is not a consideration for us because the brand names don't necessarily mean you're getting a better product anymore. We just buy the cheaper stuff and throw it away at the end of the season."
- Dave Langenegger, president, Diamond Equipment Rental & Supply, Bentonville, Ark.
"Quality is one of the top priorities. Also, how is it built and how easy is it to get parts and operate the machine? Price is always a consideration to a certain extent, but I guess I've been brought up with 'you get what you pay for,' so we might buy some equipment that costs a little more."
- Dirk Wellman, sales/purchasing, Wellman Rental & Supply, Perrysburg, Ohio
"Simplicity. The more bells and whistles it has, the more maintenance it's going to need. Also, the durability far outweighs the cost of the tool. It's not making a dime if it's sitting in the shop."
- Jim Book, general manager, Johnson Creek Rental, Portland, Ore.
