The rental market is booming. More and more companies are choosing to rent equipment instead of buying it. This is resulting in a growing number of customers, orders, and turnover for equipment suppliers.
At first glance, this seems like a positive development. However, many companies are finding that the growth of their rental division also has a downside. What starts as a successful expansion can quickly turn into turmoil, error-prone processes, and declining margins.
As soon as the number of rental transactions increases, the weak spots in the organization become apparent. Machines turn out to have been double-booked unexpectedly, maintenance is scheduled too late, and invoices have to be adjusted manually because the data is incorrect.
At the same time, crucial information is scattered across Excel files, emails, and separate systems. There is a lack of overview, and that overview is essential for profitable growth.
Companies that fail to recognize this phase in time become entangled in their own success. The workload increases, employees lose track of things, and mistakes become costly.
On the other hand, rental companies that do have control over their processes benefit from growth. They experience peace of mind in the workplace, can scale up their rental activities, and improve their margins. The difference is almost always in the way processes are designed and supported.
Growth in rental activities stalls as soon as Excel reaches its limits
Almost every rental company starts with Excel. It is accessible, flexible, and quick to set up. In the early stages, it is a logical tool for keeping track of rentals, planning, and inventory. But as the company grows, Excel increasingly gets in the way.
In practice, multiple versions of the same file are created, it is unclear which information is current, and real-time insight is lacking during busy periods. Departments work at cross-purposes, and errors in availability or planning lead to misunderstandings with customers. What was once clear becomes complex and error-prone.
Excel is simply not designed for dynamic rental processes in which availability, maintenance, logistics, and invoicing are continuously interrelated.
Rental companies that switch to specialized rental software often experience immediate relief. Processes run faster, errors decrease, and it becomes possible to structurally improve the utilization rate of the equipment. The organization moves from reactive to controlled and predictable working.
Why rental software makes the difference when it comes to growth ambitions
For many companies, rental software is the tipping point between being busy and growing in a controlled manner. Instead of separate tools, a single central environment is created in which all rental processes come together.
Availability is visible at a glance, and double reservations are prevented. In addition, quotes, contracts, and invoices are automatically generated from the same source. This eliminates manual tasks and significantly reduces the risk of errors.
Equally important is that the entire team works with the same, up-to-date information. This ensures clarity, better internal collaboration, and greater trust towards customers.
Companies that have taken this step often look back on their old way of working with surprise. Not because it was wrong at the time, but because the limitations only become truly apparent once processes are automated and integrated.
Case study: RentalTec
A good example of controlled growth is RentalTec, a Belgian company that rents out complex testing and measuring equipment for the telecom, defense, and automotive industries, among others. The company started small but had clear ambitions from the outset.
Initially, all rental and inventory management was tracked in Excel. As the number of products and transactions increased, this became increasingly time-consuming and error-prone. In 2019, RentalTec decided to switch to RentMagic, rental software that was designed around their specific processes, including calibration cycles and integrations with Exact Online and Power BI.
The switch brought about a fundamental change in the way they worked. Processes were carried out up to ten times faster, errors decreased, and they gained complete control over both logistical and financial flows. The system grew along with the organization and continues to support RentalTec in their further expansion to this day.
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Case study: TSA Safety Services
TSA Safety Services also demonstrates the impact that professionalizing the rental division can have. The organization had a small rental division that had long been supported by Excel and AFAS Profit.
However, growth lagged behind because there was a lack of insight into the rental fleet and many processes were manual. Invoicing was labor-intensive, interim invoices were not possible, and it was difficult to monitor vacancy and capacity effectively.
With the implementation of RentMagic, TSA gained a central rental system that was user-friendly and aligned with their ambitions. By combining standard functionality with targeted customization, processes were automated and made reliable.
The result was greater insight, time savings, and better reporting. More importantly, the rental division was given the space to develop from an internal support activity into an independent, profitable business.
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Rental software integrated with a good rental website
In addition to automating internal processes, the rental website also plays an increasingly important role. Although many rental websites are similar, the results vary enormously. That difference is rarely determined by technology, but almost always by user experience and trust.
An effective rental website makes it clear in a matter of seconds what is being rented and how it works. The appearance is professional and inspires confidence, while the structure is focused on conversion. Visitors must be able to make reservations quickly and easily, especially on mobile devices. A slow or unclear website immediately leads to dropouts.
A good rental website does not have to be flashy or creative. Above all, it must be linked to the rental system and automate as many steps as possible. Reservations, confirmations, and communication are handled automatically, while all data is recorded centrally. This means that the website is not a cost item, but an active part of the rental organization.
Read more about Creating a rental website: a complete guide for modern rental companies.
Conclusion
The rental market continues to grow, but growth alone is no guarantee of success. Only rental companies that have control over their processes, systems, and data are able to convert that growth into sustainable profit. Investing in rental software and a well-designed rental website at the right time creates peace of mind, clarity, and room to build further. So the question is not whether automation is necessary, but when.
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