Are employees 'in the know'?
Do your employees know how to safely demonstrate the equipment they're renting?

Schiller-Pfeiffer's General Power Equipment Rental Procedures state it's important the entire staff review the safety features and owner's manual supplied by the manufacturer.

How do you know if your employees know how to safely operate the rental equipment in your store? Manufacturers provided training when they delivered the new equipment but did all employees receive this training? If they did, did they understand what they were taught?

In the ideal world, any time knowledge and understanding is critical, employees should be tested. Online computer testing could make the process easy, but time and money might stand in the way of implementing the latest technology. And, Gray points out, you need to have someone who has the desire and ability to manage the computer training.

In today's economy, money spent on pizzas and 2-liters of soda will be a good investment. Gray explains food and drinks can help motivate employees to attend a 30-minute training session held after the store closes.

Equip everyone with safety
When Gray was a general manager, he would include PPE with every two-cycle gas rental. He told his customers he was "required" to do so. Safety glasses, gloves and earplugs were individually sealed in plastic bags. If a bag was open - or wasn't returned when the equipment was brought back - Gray charged the customer for its contents. If a bag was returned unopened, there was no charge. About 50 percent of the time, he estimates his customers kept and paid for the PPE, even if they didn't use it.