Skip to main content

Self-service makes renting as easy as online shopping

By Iselin Bostrøm 

Self-service systems have revolutionized the way we rent equipment, making the rental process as easy as online shopping. With the convenience of 24 hour opening hours, good customer service, and security, self-service solutions have become an increasingly popular choice for companies in a variety of industries.


Listen to the podcast: Self service rental solutions


Contents

The benefits of a self service station

Self-service rental businesses offer a number of benefits for both the rental company and the customer. Some of the best benefits of self-service rentals include:


Increased efficiency: Self-service systems allow customers to rent and return equipment or products on their own, without the need for staff assistance. This can help reduce workload for employees and improve efficiency overall.

 

Improved customer experience: Self-service systems provide a convenient and easy way for customers to rent and return equipment or products. This can lead to a better customer experience and increase customer satisfaction.

 

Enhanced security: Rental companies can set up security protocols, such as requiring a valid ID or credit card, to ensure that only authorized customers have access to their equipment or products. This can help protect the rental company and its assets.

 

Streamlined operations: With rental software, rental companies can easily track and manage their inventory, create invoices, and process payments. This can help streamline operations and save time and resources.

 

Flexibility: Self-service systems allow customers to rent and return equipment or products at their own convenience, rather than being limited to business hours. This can be particularly useful for businesses that offer rentals on a 24/7 basis.

 

Self-service and digital keys are superb for equipment rentals

 

Self-service systems are an excellent option for a variety of rental industries, including sports rental, car rental, trailer rental, and machine and equipment rental, where rentals are often made on a short-term basis. These rental industries can benefit greatly from introducing self-service solutions, as it can lead to increased turnover and satisfied customers.

Self-service systems are well-suited for the rental car industry because they provide a more efficient and convenient experience for both the rental company and the customer. Customers can easily rent and return cars on their own, without the need for staff assistance, which can help reduce workload for employees and improve efficiency overall. Read below for some specific self service solutions for the car industry. 

Self-service systems are well-suited for trailer rentals, tools and machinery rentals, and other related businesses for a number of reasons. Self-service systems can be particularly useful in construction sites and other industrial settings where there may be a need for tool containers or other storage solutions. Self-service systems can also be useful in businesses such as gas stations or small private companies that offer trailer rentals. Customers can easily rent and return trailers on their own. 

 

Self-service systems can be very useful for rental businesses that offer bike, kayak, SUP rentals and other sports and outdoor equipment rentals. The customers are not just indoors anymore. A lot of decisions happen here and now, and if customers see a self service kiosk with kayak rental on the beach, they are likely to rent if the process is very simple. 

 

What are the different solutions on the market?

There are several different self-service solutions available on the market, including the Igloohome padlock system, Inlet, Sharebox, and Flinkey.

 

The Igloohome padlock system is a smart lock system that allows customers to access rental equipment using a digital key. This system is particularly useful for industries such as sports rental, car rental, and trailer rental, as it allows customers to easily pick up and return equipment without the need for traditional keys or key cards. Use igloohome to remotely grant PIN codes without WiFi. These devices work offline for enhanced security and reliability. No extra app is required for guests to access our unique algoPIN™, similar to a banking token’s OTP.

 

Inlet is a self-service solution that automates rental businesses by connecting smart locks with booking systems. Customers can book, pay, and access their rentals independently, whether it’s hotel rooms, storage units, or anything else. This system is ideal for short-term rentals and allows businesses to run automatically, eliminating the need for key delivery and collection, and reducing the need for customer coordination. Inlet makes it easy to run a fully automated, self-service rental business.

 

Sharebox is an easy-to-use solution for sharing items. Simply download the app, find the nearest Sharebox, and book the locker. From there, you can store and share your items by adding the phone number of the person you want to grant access to. Sharebox eliminates delays, logistics, and planning, and offers great flexibility by allowing you to collect your items at a time that suits you.

 

The flinkey box is a digital key solution that allows you to open and lock your vehicle via smartphone app. The physical handover of keys is no longer necessary, as the flinkey box remains in the vehicle as a key safe and receives the signal to open and close the vehicle via Bluetooth. When the vehicle is open, the key can be removed from the box and used regularly. Flinkey offers various options as suitable solutions for your system, and integration is seamless and fast with API & SDKs. No modifications are required on vehicles or keys. Flinkey is constantly developing its digital-physical solution for fleet management, car sharing providers, and vehicle delivery use cases, with a focus on making vehicle use in companies more sustainable and sensible. Sharing vehicles not only saves time and costs, but also directly supports the sustainability goals of companies and society.

 

Overall, there are a variety of self-service solutions available on the market, each offering unique features and benefits to customers and businesses. These solutions are helping to modernize the rental process and make it more convenient and efficient for everyone involved.

 

How to stay in control of your inventory with self service systems?

One way to connect your rental business with self-service systems is through rental software like Sharefox. Sharefox is a cloud-based rental software that helps you manage and streamline your rental operations. With Sharefox, you can easily set up a self-service rental business with online booking systems that allow your customers to rent equipment or products on their own.

 

Self-service systems allow your customers to rent and return equipment or products on their own, without the need for staff assistance. This can help reduce workload for your employees and improve efficiency overall.

 

With rental software, you can easily track and manage your inventory, create invoices, and process payments. This can help streamline your rental operations and save you time and resources. One effective method is to use a system of barcodes. Assign a unique barcode to each piece of equipment or machine, and use a barcode reader to scan the barcode when the rental item enters or leaves the warehouse. This allows you to track the location of all products at any given time, ensure that everything is returned, and see which warehouse it is in. You can also use packing lists for easy check-in and check-out. If you have concerns about security and handling, implementing inventory tracking can help you stay in control.

Conclusion

Overall, self-service systems have made renting equipment as easy as online shopping, offering the convenience of 24 hour opening hours, good customer service, and security. These systems are an excellent choice for a variety of rental industries and can lead to increased turnover and satisfied customers. Using rental software like Sharefox to connect your rental business with self-service systems can help increase efficiency, improve the customer experience, enhance security, and streamline your operations. If you’re a rental business owner looking to improve your operations, consider implementing rental software and self-service systems.

 

What are you going to do now?

When you are ready… here are 4 ways we can help you expand your rental business! 
  1. Do you want to grow your business today? Try Sharefox rental system for free – or book a demo and get a personal expert to analyze your company’s situation, come up with solutions on how you can streamline your methods and create a more profitable company.
  2. To learn more about the Sharefox rental system, read about trends and news for free, visit our blog or visit our resources section in the main menu. Here you can download guides and e-books that we also share with our customers.
  3. If you want to work with the circular economy and Saas and want to be part of the Sharefox team or find out why we are one of the fastest growing rental platforms in the rental industry, see our job postings here.
  4. If you have a good friend or know someone who would have found this article interesting, then feel free to share it with them via email, Linkedin or Facebook .