The Short-Term Yard Ramp Rentals Truck Stops Here
Continuing our series on the challenges related to short-term yard ramp rentals, here we describe The Yard Ramp Guy approach to the complexities of logistics and in-the-field responsibility.
∞ Challenge #2: Accountability; or, who’s the real customer?
Short-term yard ramp rentals are significantly more time-consuming to manage than a long-term rental of 1-6 months. Short-term rentals typically involve multiple individuals within each of multiple companies involved in the project. Adding to all of the confusion this can create, the majority of these short-term rentals involve contracts for off-site use. It is common that the use site is not the end-user’s location. Instead, the ramp is needed at an arena, stadium, fairground or for property moves. By design, nobody’s going to be there when the event is over.
So what happens? Our 3rd-party freight broker hires their 3rd-party carrier to pick up our ramp. The independent driver shows up to the empty parking lot of a massive stadium and is lucky if he can find the ramp, let alone a point-of-contact to assist.
√ Solution to Challenge #2: The Yard Ramp Guy motivates all involved to be accountable for their role.
The accountability challenge is the primary reason why competitors elect NOT to enter the rental ramp niche and, most particularly, the short-term yard ramp rentals ramp niche within the niche.
This is where we have to take the bull by the horns because it is in everyone’s best interests. We require a definitive “Customer” to be clearly designated as the responsible party for the rental contract and ultimately the ramp. We also require a definitive “Point-of-Contact” to be designated as the responsible party for the ramp at the actual use site.
Customer must be the person who pays us. They are also required to put down an additional 100% refundable Ramp Return Deposit. Since we have implemented the Ramp Return Deposit, every short-term rental has gone from payment to delivery to return without a single hiccup. Each Ramp Return Deposit has been fully refunded.
Point-of-Contact must be the person physically receiving the ramp and physically attending to the ramp’s departure.
Coming up next week: “Availability; Others Claim They Rent, but Don’t.”