7 tips to make your rental experience the best it can be

The rental world is a wide and unknown territory for most. What follows are some basic tips for navigating the rental world with more ease than ever before.

1. Identity.

In the rental industry, there must be a trust between the client and the renter. This trust begins with the presentation of some form of valid identification, the first step in getting to know someone; learning her name. In my years of experience, I have excepted everything from John Smith’s driver’s license ID that he obtained at the age of 16 forty years ago to the passport that José acquired 1 month ago before immigrating to the United States. Present this information promptly and openly, as any questions will immediately raise red flags for whoever is working the counter. This first step is simple, but important.

2. Show confidence/kindness.

From the moment you walk through the front door to the moment your last payment is made, your appearance, actions, and speech are judged on trustworthiness. Enter the establishment respectfully. Wear clothing that suggests you take care of yourself and your belongings. This will immediately put some of the renter’s mind at ease as to what kind of care they will take with their rental item. In any rental situation, if your tone of voice, dress, or body language suggests a future threat or, as the industry dismisses, a “bad debt,” the renter has the option of refusing service.

3. Wait for a deposit.

One of the most frequent problems I have come across in my years of providing rental services to my community is that of deposits. In any rental situation, especially event, car and equipment rentals, there WILL be a deposit. The amount of that deposit varies a lot depending on how you have presented yourself to the tenant until the moment of payment. Make sure that one of the first things you do, especially if you call for a quote over the phone, is ask what the deposit amount is and how it can be done. If you plan to pay by credit card, this deposit can be significantly less (at my rental business, we don’t even take a credit card deposit). Tenants can authorize credit cards for a significant amount of money. That means they get paid regardless of your actions, and the rest is left for you to work out with the card company. If you’re using cash, expect a large deposit. This is the riskiest form of payment that a rental company can charge. If something happens and the rental item is damaged, they have nothing to collect, and the best course of action often ends with an impoverishment of your home. If you’re using a debit card, expect it to look like cash, although in some establishments they work similarly to credit cards. Finally, checks can be cashed in 1 of 2 ways: in advance, with a signature and nothing else, ie a blank check, or in advance, completed for the same amount as a cash deposit. Understanding the deposit is always important, and being prepared is very important in the eyes of the renter.

4. Learn about what you are renting.

This section is pretty straightforward. If you don’t know how to drive a car, you probably shouldn’t rent one. However, if your intention is to rent the car to learn how to drive a car, be prepared to drive with extreme caution. Don’t rent a car with no experience and expect to drive through Atlanta rush hour traffic. The same goes for equipment rental. If you have a giant bush in your backyard that needs to be picked up, don’t rent the cheap tractor and expect to start the world with it. In both scenarios, you will incur damage and be expected to take responsibility for it, which neatly leads us to my next rental tip!

5. Be responsible and accept responsibility.

As I mentioned before, there is a tacit trust between a renter and a client. The worst thing you can do when renting something is debate who is responsible for what. Understand your responsibilities before you leave, and then be careful to fulfill those responsibilities. Whether you’re filling a car with a tank of gas or replacing a flat tire during the burial of the giant bush, be prepared to take responsibility for what has been entrusted to you, whether what happened was directly your fault or not.

6. Ask questions.

The best way to take responsibility for a rental is to ask questions and fully understand what is expected of you. When a customer walks into my store, the first thing I ask is, “what are you trying to accomplish?” This allows me to diagnose exactly what he/she needs to rent, as opposed to what he/she may think he/she needs. For example, a man walks into a store and asks to rent a skid steer loader. A sales associate asks no questions and rents the equipment. When the man returns he is very frustrated with the team. “It was bumpy and bouncy and I wouldn’t level the dirt to save my life!” The manager and associate explain to the gentleman that what he really needed was a box cutter tractor. If the knight had asked, all of this could have been avoided. Another great example is that of a lady who rents a car. After completing the rental process and driving many miles, the woman returns the car. The next day she sees a charge on her credit card for almost $100. Outraged, she calls the company to demand an explanation, only to discover that this was the company’s standard charge for refueling a vehicle. This situation could have been avoided by simply asking, “What is expected of me before I return this rental item?” Never be afraid to ask questions when renting. It is not only expected, but encouraged. Understanding what is expected of both sides saves a lot of confusion later on. It also leaves both sides feeling positive about the experience with the other person.

7. Communicate.

This last point is by far the most important. Beyond simply asking questions, communication involves staying in touch, asking questions, and answering them fully. Lack of communication can ruin any relationship, especially one that is totally focused on money, like the relationship between a tenant and a client. Be sure to be clear in what you say to the tenant, so that they fully understand your intentions and meaning. When the tenant tells you something, ask them to reply to confirm what is expected of you. On longer term rentals, be sure to check in frequently, and if ANYTHING changes during a rental, be sure to clearly communicate this to the renter. Keeping a rental item past its expiration date is not okay and will immediately place you on a list with other unreliable people.

If you can implement some of these ideas the next time you rent something, it will help you significantly and hopefully make you feel good about your rental experience.