Departments

April 2001

association news

A.R.A.’s new Web site for consumers will help generate even more business leads with some powerful new services.

This new business-generating service will cost paid-up A.R.A. members — general members and branch members alike — nothing beyond the annual membership fee for their store.

The new consumer site is targeted at brides and wedding planners; event, meeting and party planners; homeowners and do-it-yourselfers; and contractors and industrial customers.

A.R.A. staff has improved operations of the Web-site store-locator service, www.2RENTsmart.com, making it easier for consumers to use. Previously, a consumer might need to see five Web site pages to get a list of the nearest A.R.A.-member stores; now it takes just one page. In addition, city and state, or zip/postal code, is entered in one box rather than a separate box for each item.

Another improvement is the ability, by clicking on “Find Specific Products,” to create a shopping list of up to five types of equipment before asking for the list of stores that carry them. The consumer can still ask for “Any Rental Store” or stores that specialize in “Construction/Industrial,” “General Tool/Homeowner” or “Party/ Event” rentals.

Regardless of which route the consumer takes, when the store list appears, it will include the store name, city, state and distance to the store. When using the “shopping list” feature, it also shows the items that may be found at each store.

When the consumer selects a store from the list, he will see a home page for that store. This new service gives the A.R.A. member the flexibility to customize his store’s unique page. Standard information, supplied directly from the A.R.A. database, includes store name, address, phone and fax numbers, Web site and e-mail addresses. Custom features may include a store photo, hours of operation, delivery policy and a brief promotional message.

To customize the page, a member logs onto www.ararental.org and selects “Just for Members,” to find a mockup of that member store’s home page. Changes can be made by following the prompts, including uploading a store photo. The process is similar to that for updating membership information online.

Members also may receive e-mailed equipment reservation requests through the Web-based store-locator service. If A.R.A. has a member’s e-mail address, consumers can send e-mails directly to that member from page 2 of the home page. The consumer can check a box by each product in the store’s inventory that he wants, and the date he wants it. A memo area will be provided for more information. This message will automatically carry the sender’s e-mail address, and, as an option, his phone number. Each lead generated through this system will be identified as coming from the A.R.A. rental store locator.

For more information, call the A.R.A. at (800) 334-2177. 

association briefs

 Tecker Consultants to facilitate A.R.A. strategic planning process

Tecker Consultants, Trenton, N.J., has been awarded the contract to facilitate the A.R.A.’s strategic planning process. Tecker Consultants is an international consulting practice focused on meeting the special needs of organizations managing through change.

Kermit Eide, principal partner, conducted focus groups at the A.R.A. Convention and Rental Trade Show in Orlando, Fla., with the A.R.A. Board of Directors, construction and general tool exhibitors, and party and event exhibitors to begin the strategic planning process. 

Member input will be obtained through the Member Needs Assessment Report, committee-member and state-leader focus groups and individual phone conversations. 

Eide will review the information with the Long Range Planning Committee and help develop longer-range strategies, organizational strategies and a continuous process for strategic governance and annual plans.

Additional information will be available throughout this process in Rental Management, A.R.A. Today and the A.R.A. Web site.

RAC launches new Web site

The Rental Association of Canada has launched a new Web site at http://www.rentalassociation.com  

Nicholas to represent Northeast

Barry Nicholas was recently hired as the new A.R.A. field officer for the Northeastern United States. He has spent the past three years as an independent sales representative for A.R.A. Insurance Services in the Northeast.

Nicholas, of Quakertown, Pa., also was an independent insurance broker as president of the Nicholas Insurance Agency since 1998. He served as an insurance services consultant for the National Retail Hardware Association in 1997 and was a director of the Eastern Retail Hardware Association for five years. 

Prior to that, Nicholas had been vice president and chief operating officer for Nicholas Hardware since 1968. 

Neffle makes Executive Committee appointments

New A.R.A. President Charles Neffle has appointed Maun Petersen of Diamond Rental & Sales, Salt Lake City, and Jeffery Wearing  of Ready Rent All, Decatur, Ga., to this year’s A.R.A. Executive Committee. 

A.R.A. Vice President Tom Fouts of Bledsoe’s Equipment, Lee’s Summit, Mo., A.R.A. Senior Vice President David Wilcox of General Rental Center, Frankfort, Ky., Frank Wilson of Frank Wilson’s Tents & Events, Augusta, Ga., and A.R.A. Executive Vice President Chris Wehrman are also on the committee. Linda Jones of Area Rent-Alls, Westminster, Colo., will serve as director-at-large on the A.R.A. board.

Robert DeBusk of American Equipment Rentals, Phoenix, has been appointed General Tool and Equipment Services Special Interest Group chairperson. SIG chairpersons continuing their terms are Petersen, Party and Special Events Services and Wearing, Construction and Industrial Services.