In the spring time your service department is bound to see a rush in repairs. This is great news for your revenue, but bad news for contractor customers that need to stay on the jobsite and not spend time waiting around for repairs. Many dealers offer loaner equipment to keep these professional cutters happy.
To successfully offer and manage loaner equipment, you have to develop a clear system for tracking the units. If you don’t track loaner units closely, you are putting your equipment as well as your relationship with the borrowing customer at risk.
Consider creating a paper or electronic form that contains the following information:
- Type of equipment checked out (lawn mower, trimmer, blower, etc.)
- Brand and model number
- Serial number
- Notes on the overall condition of the equipment
- Agreed time period of loan and date of scheduled return
- Borrower's name, phone number, and other contact information
- Borrower's signature
- Date agreement was signed
You may also want to consult your insurance provider on other details and liabilities that should be taken into account. With a clear record of the details above, there is little room for dispute when a piece of equipment is returned late, damaged, or not at all. Offering loaner equipment reduces the contractor’s downtime. Carefully tracking all the details saves you time in offering loaners.
