“Just last Friday I delivered a Bobcat skid steer to a customer. When I asked him (his name was James) how much experience he had on this type of equipment, he said, ‘none.’ James told me he was an air traffic controller and had plenty experience moving planes around, but no experience with a skid-steer loader.”
So Tony Long, a partner with Charlotte-based Mint Hill Tool Rental, gave his customer a 20-minute, hands-on tutorial. “James returned the skid steer at 9 a.m. on Monday, having had no issues with the equipment,” added Long, noting the story might have been different if he had forgone the lesson.
“Prequalifying is extremely important especially when you’re renting equipment like an extension ladder or a chain saw,” he emphasized. “If the customer wants an extension ladder, I will ask him how he intends to use it. There just may be a mechanical device in the store that could do the job in a safer manner."
He continued, “The same holds true when renting a chain saw. We will ask what the customer plans to do with it. You need to be very careful when using a chain saw, no matter what the job is. But there’s a difference between sawing up fire wood and felling a tree. The latter would lead to a lengthy discussion with the customer about his experience felling trees.”
Long said one of his real ‘hot buttons’ is towing and making sure the customer has the right vehicle for the task. “Recently, a customer came into our store and rented a skid steer. He wanted to tow it home with his Flex SUV. When I asked him if he had another vehicle, he mentioned his F-250. I suggested he either go back home and get the F-250 or I will deliver the skid steer.
“We do a lot of business on Saturdays with ‘weekend warriors.’ I tell my counter people to pretend these customers never previously saw this piece of equipment. After giving them operating instructions, I think it’s important to have them start the equipment and actually load it onto their trailer to ensure they’re at least knowledgeable, if not totally comfortable, with its operation.”
Mint Hill Tool Rental has been in business since 1999. The company rents primarily to mid and smaller-size contractors and homeowners. Compact excavators, skid-steer loaders and mini track loaders are among the store’s most popular rental items.
