End users agree on the most important rental services, finds IRN survey
10 May 2012
Equipment users across the world are in broad agreement over the most important elements of rental service, with on-time delivery, availability of equipment, equipment reliability, and on-site back-up from the rental supplier being consistently rated as the top four factors in the Attitudes to Rental survey conducted by International Rental News magazine.
Rental price was rated fifth out of eight factors in both North America and Western Europe, and was the least important factor in New Zealand/Australia. Even so, in the case of Western Europe and North America price was still rated as 'very important' by more than a third of respondents.
More than 800 equipment users around the world responded to the survey, undertaken by IRN in February and March this year. Part one of the survey results appeared in the March-April issue of IRN and part two has just been published in the May-June issue of the magazine.
Asked how rental companies could improve their services, there was remarkable agreement in the two big rental markets of North America and Western Europe, with the same four areas of improvement highlighted: better quality equipment, better on-site service, lower prices and the offer of equipment repair/servicing.
These same issues are important in other areas too, but are joined by issues such as better communication (in the Middle East and South America).
The survey also asked equipment users why they rented. Given a choice of eight factors, our respondents consistently rated two above all others: to meet peak demands and to obtain products that they only use periodically.
These two factors were dominant in the case of Western Europe, North America, Australia/New Zealand, Central and South America and Brazil. Frequently ranked third was the issue of reducing overall operating costs.
Western European contactors rated 'reduced operating costs' as a major factor in using rental - more so than any other region in the world.
The full survey results are published in the May-June issue of IRN. The issue will be available soon to view online or to download in digital format from the www.khl.com website. Readers need to register on the website, although there is no cost.
The survey
More than 800 equipment end users around the world responded to our 'Rental Attitudes' survey between mid-January and late February. We received a particularly good response from Brazil with more than 300 responses.
The survey was distributed to readers of International Construction, Construction Europe and Construction Latin America, and also distributed by a number of associations and rental companies worldwide.
IRN would like to thank the following organisations: Loxam (France), A-Plant (UK), Speedy (UK), Ramirent (Finland), Kennards Hire (Australia), Solaris (Brazil), Mills Rental (Brazil), DLR (French rental association) and HIANZ (New Zealand rental association). We also appreciate the assistance of KHL editorial colleagues Cristian Peters, Chris Sleight and Sandy Guthrie in promoting the survey.
In particular, we would like to acknowledge the efforts of Jose Protko and his colleagues at Caterpillar's rental division for distributing the survey via Cat dealers in the Americas.
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