From Del Williams
The profitability of heavy equipment rental for dealers depends on assets being rented out efficiently and kept in good condition over the long term.
To maximize profitability, dealers need to know as soon as possible when the equipment is returning to the yard so it can be checked in, serviced and rented by a new customer.
Multi-location dealers often need to know which devices are available for rental from other locations if they are not available in the current location and a customer needs them.
To protect and preserve their assets for as long as possible, merchants must also prevent theft and reckless use by customers. In addition, when the dealer’s name / logo is placed on vehicles that are visible to the public, it is important to avoid dangerous actions such as speeding, which could damage the brand or even lead to liability in the event of serious accidents.
As a proactive response, more and more merchants are turning to real-time, 24/7 GPS tracking for heavy equipment rentals for better fleet management and faster rentals. The same approach provides clear driver and operator accountability, reducing damage to assets and extending useful life.
“With continuous GPS tracking, dealers can instantly see where all of their heavy equipment is at any given time, so they know as quickly as possible which equipment can be checked in, serviced and rented out with minimal downtime,” said Ben VanAvery. Director of Sales and Marketing at Advanced tracking technologies, a Houston, Texas-based designer and manufacturer of GPS tracking products.
ATTI’s Shadow Tracker provides real-time location updates every 10 seconds.
In addition to the location, the Shadow Tracker provides speed and idle time warnings if something is wrong. The data is transmitted around the clock to a smartphone or computer via satellite and cellular networks.
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According to VanAvery, dealers can view the real-time location of the entire fleet on a map and zoom in on a specific vehicle. You can see at a glance whether a vehicle has moved (shown in green) or stopped (shown in red). When you touch a vehicle icon, the app shows where the vehicle is, where it stopped and how long it was idle.
“By zooming in or out on the map, dealers can see where heavy machinery is located across the country. This makes it easy to see if equipment is available for rental at another location if it is not available on the nearest farm, ”said VanAvery.
Of course, such GPS tracking not only helps prevent heavy vehicles and equipment from being stolen, but also helps with recovery if necessary. For example, law enforcement agencies could be provided with a relatively accurate location for anything that was stolen at virtually any point in time.
Since rental customers can be notified that the system is monitoring their speed, this feature can also act as a speed deterrent if they are faced with consequences, such as: B. an increased rate, the loss of part of the deposit or the refusal of rent in the future.
This can help minimize the risk of accidents, damage, and excessive wear and tear. This makes it easier to extend the useful life of the device and minimizes premature repairs and maintenance.
As a value-added service for longer-term tenants, dealers can even offer a client or project manager the ability to monitor leased assets. This can be achieved by essentially downloading an app and providing the customer with a user password.
While heavy equipment rental dealers already keep track of their assets individually with customers via phone, text, and email, advanced GPS trackers streamline the equipment rental process significantly. It does this by making the location and availability of the entire fleet immediately visible without having to interact with the customer.
This, coupled with the ability to encourage greater tenant accountability, can significantly improve profitability while extending the life of the fleet
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