Bobcat Equipment: A Winning Formula in the Rental Business
The features that make for an attractive return on investment in equipment-efficient, productive and reliable performance; easy, comfortable operation; and quick access to service points-are the very ones that have made the Bobcat® brand a top choice for rental centers.In fact, no manufacturer offers more choices when it comes to meeting rental customer demand. The Bobcat line includes skid-steer loaders, compact track loaders, mini track loaders, all-wheel steer loaders, utility work vehicles, telescopic tool carriers, excavators and attachments.
That wide array of equipment, which is available in a variety of sizes and capacities, plus the industry's largest selection of attachments, enable rental centers to offer customers a Bobcat machine that will save time and labor on just about any job.
Just as important for your rental business, Bobcat equipment is designed and built for long, dependable life to minimize maintenance costs and make the most of your machinery investment. It's a winning formula for both you and your customers.
Bobcat Equipment Keeps the Money Flowing
Gary Bonds returned to the rental business last spring by opening Advanced Rental Center, Canton, Ga. He also returned to the Bobcat® line of compact equipment. Smart move. Just as before, they're making him money.
When he decided to get back in the business, one of the first brands on his buy list was Bobcat. "Our Bobcat machines go in and out continually," Bonds says. "They're a big part of our cash flow."
His previous store in Atlanta, which offered customers Bobcat skid-steer loaders and excavators, served mostly contractors. Now his suburban Atlanta business serves many more homeowners than contractors.
Bonds' inventory of Bobcat equipment, which he bought from Perimeter Bobcat, features four skid-steer loaders (three S185s and an S250 model), four compact track loaders (two each of the T190 and T300 models) and a pair of 334 excavators. He also offers his customers six types of Bobcat loader attachments and two choices of excavator buckets.
His selection of Bobcat models, especially the compact track loaders, has proven to be a good mix of products for his market. His most popular Bobcat product is the 334 excavator. "I've been surprised by how many homeowners have a project going on where they need a Bobcat excavator," Bonds says.
It's not unusual for most of his track machines to be out on rental, he reports. "Overall, rental activity of our Bobcat equipment has been better than expected."
Bobcat Name Means Growth and Profits
"The Bobcat® brand has propelled our company forward," says Dave Dennis, one of the owners of Interstate Rentals, Portland, Ore. "It's a strong, well-known name with a great reputation. Customers can trust that Bobcat equipment will get the job done."
The 52-year-old rental center, which serves about a 50:50 mix of homeowners and contractors, has featured Bobcat equipment since 1980. Currently, customers can choose from an MT52 mini track loader, five skid-steer loaders (a 753, three 763s and an S185) along with six different types of attachments and two 331 excavators.
One reason for Dennis' satisfaction with Bobcat is the engineering and construction of the machines. Consider his MT52, for example. He put it and a competitive mini track loader on his lot and let his customers decide which machine he should buy. "My customers preferred the MT52 because it was sturdier and stronger."
These features also mean that Bobcat equipment offers the reliability and durability that the rental business demands. "That's one thing I've always really liked about Bobcat machines," Dennis says. "We put about 2,000 to 2,500 hours on them and don't have many problems."
This dependability, plus regular maintenance, also pays off when it comes time to replace the machines. "Their resale value has always been pretty good," he says.
Strong support from his dealer, Bobcat of Portland, also adds to the value that Dennis places on the Bobcat name. "They treat us very well and bend over backwards to help us," he says.
The consistent combination of good rental activity, little downtime and low maintenance costs of Bobcat machines has been good for Interstate Rentals. "Bobcat equipment has always proven to be a good source of profitability for us," he says. "The return on investment has been above and beyond our expectations."
Rental Center Capitalizes on the Bobcat Name
John Dyer and Dan Piel, owners of Advanced Rental and Supply, Troy, Mo., have carried Bobcat® loaders since they opened the rental center four years ago.
The Bobcat name was one big reason they chose this line of compact equipment.
"Bobcat loaders are the preferred brand in this area, and that has meant more business," says Dyer.
They also liked the relatively close location of the Bobcat dealership, Bobcat of St. Louis, and its sales and service people.
Today, they offer their customer base, which includes about twice as many contractors and industrial renters as homeowners, a choice of 11 Bobcat loaders. They include an MT52 mini track loader, five skid-steer loaders (an S150, S160, S185 and two S250s) and five compact track loaders (a pair each of the T190 and T250 machines and a T300). Half a dozen different types of Bobcat attachments are also available.
Dyer and Piel have equipped their Bobcat loaders to better meet the customers' and their own needs. For example, the optional Advanced Control System gives customers a choice of using either foot or hand controls to operate the lift arms and bucket functions. And keyless start assures them and their customers that only authorized operators will use the machines on a jobsite.
Dyer and Piel are pleased with the rental activity of the Bobcat equipment. "Customers are well satisfied with the machines," they say.
Contractors and industrial customers usually rent them for a day or a week. However, if these customers are working on a big project or are short of their own equipment during the busy season, they may rent the loaders for a month at a time.
Their residential customers also like the Bobcat loaders. "They tend to have a good experience the very first time they rent one of the machines," according to Dyer and Piel. "As a result, many of them will rent the loaders again."
In addition to their popularity, the profitability of the Bobcat loaders has been good for Advanced Rental and Supply. "The return on investment in the Bobcat equipment is about 25 percent higher than with our other equipment."
Bobcat Equipment Pleases Rental Center and Its Customers
Three years ago, the hour meter showed Scott Durden, who owns Cobb Rental Service, Inc., that it was time to replace his skid-steer loaders. In doing so, he switched to the Bobcat brand, a line he previously offered his customers in the Marietta, Ga., area.
One factor motivating his return to Bobcat machines was the service provided by his dealer, Perimeter Bobcat. Another was Durden's desire to add compact track loaders to his inventory. These versatile, rugged loaders offer his customers, most of whom are contractors, the traction and flotation to keep working productively in conditions that would stop a wheeled machine. Of course, other features that have kept Bobcat the leading name in the compact equipment industry for years, also factored into his buying decision.
To meet customer needs, Durden offers four S185s, six S250s, two T190s and nine T250s. He also stocks half a dozen different types of Bobcat attachments.
He's been satisfied with the way his Bobcat equipment has performed for him and his customers. "We've had positive feedback about the ease of operating the machine and they've been very dependable," Durden says. "My dealer has taken care of any problems very well. Also, the Bobcat loaders stay out on rent and provide a good return on investment. We get a lot of repeat and monthly rentals of the machines. Once customers get a hold of them, they don't want to bring them back."