RER talks with Matt Hopp, general manager, InTempo Software, about the company’s new rental fulfillment app, enabling the customers, its new InTempo Academy, the use of reports and dashboards; and more.
RER: What are the new developments in your software during the past year?
Hopp: At InTempo, we’ve introduced new developments in the past year focused on making the rental process (and beyond) more efficient than ever before. Among them, we integrated our Enterprise software with Machinery Trader, which enables businesses to sell equipment on a national marketplace. With the integration, customers can identify assets to sell and easily send pertinent information to Machinery Trader. Meter units are kept up to date automatically, cutting out the need for manual work.
We’re developing a rental fulfillment app, which streamlines the process from the time of customer initiation to the point where the equipment goes out the door. Additionally, we’re continuously adding features to our mobile app, further extending the power of our software to staff outside of the office.
Can you give an example of how integration between telematics and your software have benefited your rental customers?
The integration between Enterprise and telematics software is ultimately about enabling our customers to protect their equipment and deliver better service to their own customers. With the data our customers get via telematics, they can perform preventative maintenance while a machine is on-rent to avoid getting to the point of a breakdown. One of our customers told us about an incident where telematics software alerted him to an engine overheat code on a piece of equipment. He was able to identify the issue and get a service team out before his customer called in. The power of telematics paired with rental software is truly a game changer for the industry.
What kind of support do you offer rental companies that use your software, i.e., call-in helpdesks, online chats, instruction for users, etc.
We have a number of channels through which customers can reach our award-winning support team. In addition to phone and email, we are also able to provide support through online chat, which has the great benefit of enabling screenshare. Our Enterprise software also provides documentation within the system itself. Recently, we introduced InTempo Academy, an online training platform designed to both provide education and reduce support requests. Both new and seasoned employees can take courses in different areas of the system and earn badges along the way. We are working with several of our customers to develop courses tailored to their own processes. At InTempo, support is included in with every software solution, since we view customer care and the human connection it fosters as an important extension of our software.
In the day-to-day operation of a rental business communication is essential between the shop, sales staff, yard people, counter people and delivery drivers. How does this communication function in real time in terms of determining the immediate location and status of an asset?
One of our customers, the owner of a regional construction rental business, cites the fact that the data in Enterprise is in real time as the driving force behind why he trusts his business to our software; all of his employees from accounting to sales to service are on the same page when it comes to any question from the location of an asset to AR aging at any given moment. Many of our customers build reports or dashboards with key information and display them on monitors throughout their stores. One keeps a monitor with rental and sales revenue behind the counter, while another has a large screen in the shop so the service team knows what’s on their plate and can plan accordingly.
What information can your customers access through your online portal, and how “user-friendly” is it?
It’s no surprise that in today’s world, customers expect to be able to get the information they need, 24/7, without having to pick up the phone. Our easy-to-use Customer Portal for InTempo Enterprise is designed to solve that problem. The Portal not only enhances the renter’s experience, but also translates into less busy work for employees. Our Customer Portal enables our customers’ customers to view and pay invoices, see equipment on rent and create pickup requests, pull trend analysis and job costing reports, and more.
What kind of automated notifications do your send to your customers, i.e., “reservation confirmed”, “the delivery is on its way”, “the equipment is due to be returned or you will be billed for another cycle”; “the machine is due for servicing”, billing notifications, etc.?
One of the great things about our products is their inter-connectivity. Customers can track the progress of their delivery through RenterLink, while the driver is updating the status from MobileLink. Every step (from “On the truck”, “On its way”, “Delivered”) is communicated to the customer as it happens, and it doesn’t force drivers to deviate from their typical workflow.
What would you say are the reports your customers use the most, that they find most beneficial?
Beyond pulling key metrics such as utilization, customers use reports and dashboards to get information into the hands of the people that need it and break down silos. For example, a number of our customers create reports for mechanics and display them on large screens so they can see which equipment needs to be serviced. This helps reduce friction within the organization and ultimately gets equipment back on rent quicker. In another example, a report can show the up-to-the-minute “health” of a customer—perhaps there is an issue with AR, or a loyal customer hasn’t rented for a long period of time. Salespeople can get the information they need to make data-driven decisions and nurture relationships with their customers.
How can your software help a rental company determine a profitable rate structure?
Our customers can easily see all the data they need to understand the cost of ownership for any piece of equipment. Beyond utilization, Enterprise tracks every single touch to a machine, be it preventative maintenance or the cost of a part that was replaced. This paints the full picture necessary to help rental companies determine rate structure. In addition, we integrate with Rouse Analytics, which provides benchmarks and additional data points for rates in a given market.
Are there any particular software features you are working on that you are planning [that you are comfortable talking about]?
At InTempo, our philosophy is to build unbeatable rental software and then integrate with leaders in particular areas such as dispatch, CRM, and telematics. This allows us to bring the best product to market in the most time-and-cost efficient manner. We’re continuing to work with our customers to build ecosystems around Enterprise so that they are able to offer a seamless experience to their own customers and staff.
