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Communication is the key to it all
January 1st, 1970
By Janice Kleinschmidt Whether introducing a new car or a new cereal, the key to a successful product launch is communication. “It is always beneficial for the vendors to meet or at least speak on the phone to make sure that each of their production schedules can work together,” says Dan Hooks of Party Reflections. […]
Power up with LED lighting
January 1st, 1970
By Maura Keller LED lighting drastically reduces the amount of power necessary to light up a tent, especially 20-by-20- or 20-by-30-foot structures. “Where power is not available at all, battery-operated LED units can provide much the same effect as wired units,” Doc Waldrup of Full Circle Lighting says. Power requirements should be combined in order […]
CAD: A vendor’s perspective
January 1st, 1970
By Holly O’Dell Not only is CAD useful to clients and crews, but it also helps tent rental companies work more smoothly with an event’s other vendors. AirPac Inc., a vendor of temporary and portable heating and cooling solutions based in Front Royal, Va., relies heavily on the 2-D or 3-D CAD drawings they receive […]
DJ system helps set the mood
January 1st, 1970
By Danielle Beurteaux Not every event needs a full band or DJ, but music still helps to set the mood. Carlos Martinez of Austin, Texas-based Marquee Rents came up with the idea for iDJ—a rental package including an iPod touch®, wireless mic, speaker and mixer—when he realized that many smaller events didn’t require a full […]
Washing machine buying tips
January 1st, 1970
By Maura Keller With a choice of washing machines on the market, it is important to analyze the company’s goals before making an investment. For instance, Steve Arendt of Teeco Solutions says if a company has predominantly flat panel tops and needs high production rates and a dry top at the end, it might consider a […]
What to ask before purchasing new equipment
January 1st, 1970
By Janice Kleinschmidt What should a tent rental company owner or manager ask before purchasing new equipment? “Do you really need it? Do you have a multiple-year contract? We try to stick to a three-rental rule,” says Kurt Goeman of JK Rentals Inc. “If we have a rental for a piece of equipment three times […]
5 Tips
January 1st, 1970
Advice to harmonize interiors and exteriors. Go with greenery. Plants are a common part of tent decor, but consider new ways to incorporate them. Instead of using large planters that take up floor space, create a living vertical garden with a “green wall” made of foliage. Light the way. Install bistro-style lighting along the ceiling […]
An unwelcome trend
January 1st, 1970
If you pay attention to only one seating trend, it should be increased risk/product liability from chairs collapsing. “Chair collapse is very much a concern and affects all party rental companies nationwide,” says Kevin Lococo, rental market sales manager for Palmer Snyder. “We think that product liability from chair collapsing is likely to gain prominence […]
Cameras & computers
January 1st, 1970
“Digital cameras are indispensable in site evaluations,” says Scott Sutherland of Olympic Tent. “They give me the ability to tie photographs of the site to other paperwork for an event and make it readily accessible to anyone with a computer. I can take a picture of the measuring tape on the ground at the site […]
Managing for profit at the last minute
January 1st, 1970
A client recently told me I should refer to the week before an event as the “Golden Week,” because that’s when you make (or lose) all your gold! Last-minute changes under stress can undermine profitability for a myriad of reasons, causing expensive over-booking problems, pulling errors and costly second trips. A change on one order […]