No matter how hard you try to qualify customers, accidents will happen and equipment will get damaged. Juergens Hardware in Huntington, IN, is a testimonial to that.
“We’ve had a couple of instances when aerial lifts have come back damaged,” said Rental Manager Brandon Juergens. “One involved a nearly brand new lift that had been rented out only a few times previously. When it was returned it had $3,000 worth of damage. Apparently a tree had fallen on it."
The store was only able to recoup $700 from the customer, $500 from the customer’s credit card and $200 for the cost of the rental. It ate the rest.
“The main thing I learned from that experience is to impress on customers they are responsible for any damage,” added Juergens. “To bring the point home, we tell them we keep a copy of their credit card on file. We also take videos of the equipment with our cell phone prior to letting it off the lot. If nothing else, the act may encourage them to be more careful.”
He mentioned that busy times can become an obstacle for taking images, and you don’t want to overstate something that might discourage the customer from renting a unit. Still, rental stores need to protect themselves and the equipment they rent.
Juergens Hardware has been in business 71 years and in the rental business since 2012. The store primarily services smaller contractors and homeowners with a full inventory of equipment and tools, including an excavator, skid-steer loader and a utility tractor for bigger jobs. It also rents Penske trucks.
