“Our strategy has been to flank the competition in the tool market, not go head-to-head with them,” says Steve Nelson, who left his job as president of TruServ’s rental business unit in December 1999 to buy the Taylor Rental Center in Bradenton, Fla., and try his hand at running a rental store according to a model he had developed over 25 years in corporate work.

Most experienced human-resources professionals accept the wisdom of the 85-15 rule: 85 percent of a manager’s effort is spent dealing with 15 percent of the people. This article focuses on how to deal successfully with the most problematic of those people — the “bad apples” who make worklife miserable for those around them. We’ll call them SOPs: Sources of Pain.

Life doesn’t treat everyone equally. Sometimes life is an ordeal. Employees have personal problems — a divorce, a serious illness, a home fire. What impact will such a thing have on your company?

Lying? Bite your tongue. No one uses that word in the rental industry — do they?

The habit of lying to bosses, co-workers and customers isn’t nice to talk about. Nevertheless, it remains one of the primary enemies to profits, productivity, effective management and team spirit. So talk about it we must, if we envision a workplace where people say what they mean and do what they say.

Although history is not a direct indicator of the future, we must learn its lessons to avoid repeating the mistakes others have made. In the construction industry — or the construction equipment rental industry — learning from the mistakes of others is crucial to success. So I am going to share with you five of the top reasons that companies fail.

A small rental company can compete against a rental giant if it focuses on fundamentals. However, I have been to more than 100 rental yards in the past three years, and I would say that fewer than 5 percent are really doing it right. People want to be competitive, but they don’t run their rental operations efficiently and strategically and don’t use the software and the assets they have.

With advances in technology and constant changes in the industry, new ways to conduct business are emerging faster than most people can imagine. The Fort Worth City Conference seminar program, scheduled for Sunday, July 22, and Monday, July 23, will focus on the latest rental industry trends for personnel at all levels. Just one idea from an A.R.A. workshop could help you put your business on a more profitable path in the months and years ahead.

Looking for ways to spruce up your store without breaking the bank? Let design guru Greg Gorman help with his answers to some typical questions regarding store upgrades.