Rental computer system

Rental Computerization: From the 1970s to the Present

The history of business computerization in the American tool, equipment, party and specialty rental industries (called the hire industry in Great Britain and Europe) had its early start in the 1970s with the development of software and systems by Taylor Rental Corporation (TRC), a large rental business franchisor at the time. It wasn't until the 1980s that the leading edge of the trend toward automation took shape. The industry's major movement toward automating rental business operations was led by software innovator Solutions by Computer. Its founder and president, Jack Shea, a former senior executive of TRC, started Solutions by Computer in 1982.

On the strength of its first computer product, CounterPro, introduced in 1983, Massachusetts (USA) based Solutions by Computer captured the predominant market share of the [http:www.ararental.org North American rental industry] within 12 months. Since then, more than 50 software companies have entered and, in many cases, exited the market, leaving Solutions by Computer at the head of a handful of enduring software suppliers.

The rental industry does not maintain market share or industry penetration data for computerization. However, statistics indicate that Solutions by Computer continues to serve the largest share of the computerized North American market. This lead share is approximately 1,800 individual rental companies that currently utilize the SBC's CounterPro and Windows based Enfinity software and systems, representing 2,200 rental business operations in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Great Britain and Europe. In recognition of Solutions by Computer's role in revolutioning rental computerization, Jack Shea was awarded the prestigious Special Service Award by the American Rental Association, the industry's flagship member service organization.

The rental and hire industries are extremely diverse in terms of the types of rental businesses they encompass. Operations range in size from small, single locations to large, multi-store chains and national players. National companies are primarily concentrated in the heavy equipment, aerial and general construction sectors. In total, the industry offers rentals and sales for homeowners, contractors, industry, municipalities, special event stagers, lawn, garden and professional landscape needs, facility management, lighting, broadcast and audio-visual equipment, prop rental, and other specialties.

Typical software offerings available to the industry include automation of contract writing, reservations, quotations, asset management, availability data on rental inventory (called kit or stock in some countries), customer relationship management, rental rates management, accounting, reporting and analysis, resale and parts management, and maintenance and repair services management.