A good prerequisite for running an unmanned rental business is that you as a renter have a booking system that makes it easier for both you as a business owner and for your customers. Regardless of whether you want to rent out kayaks, canoes, boats, trailers, bicycles, SUPs or skis, Rentalbuddy helps you rent out smoothly, safely and easily. In this blog post, we explain how it works to start and run an unmanned rental with Rentalbuddy's booking system, and how we help you along the way.
Did you know that Rentalbuddy's booking system works equally well for unmanned- and manned rentals, and a combination of the two?
The booking system can most simply be described as 3 parts:
The Admin tool - This is the central hub where you can manage all aspects of your rental business. From here, you can set up and modify product listings, adjust pricing, view bookings, and analyze transaction data. It’s designed to give you complete control over your operations with a user-friendly interface.
Book button - This refers to the user interface that your customers interact with. The book button is prominently displayed on your website, allowing customers to easily initiate a rental process. The check-out flow is streamlined to ensure a smooth and quick booking experience, guiding the customer through selecting products, choosing rental dates, and completing the payment.
Lock - This component is integral to facilitating unmanned rentals. The system includes digital locks. Once a booking is made, the customer receives a unique code or access credential, enabling them to unlock and use the rented item securely without needing physical keys.
1. Create an account
The first step to get started is an account with Rentalbuddy. All it takes is an email. When you log in, you enter the Admin tool. Once you have access to this, you can easily start setting up your rental.
Enter your email and password to access the account.
Basic settings are made by creating a Location and add an address, as well as specifying the type of product you will rent out and some other contact information.
Then you add Products and set prices. It is possible to add several different product types, accessories, and insurance products, as well as the ability to set high and low season prices and more.
Enter your opening hours. Unmanned rentals enable longer opening hours.
Enter the Terms and Conditions that apply to those who use your rental service.
Read the point below for how the locks are connected to the Product in the system.
With an account at Rentalbuddy, you don't have to worry about your business growing. You can create unlimited Locations, Products, and Product Variants and more.
Did you know that you can add events and let other actors create offers with your rental using the booking system?
2. Purchase of padlocks for unmanned rental
You buy a padlock directly from us. We use digital locks from Igloohome that integrate seamlessly with the booking platform. When you have determined the number of locks, we set it up in the system for you and send the locks via postal service, which normally takes 2-3 working days.
You can also use manual code locks. You simply enter the codes in the Admin tool. When a customer then books, they receive the code in the booking confirmation
The advantage of digital locks is that you get a unique code for each booking.
We also have a proprietary hardware that communicates over 4G/Wifi as a Software Development Kit (SDK), which the handy or system and software developer can build concepts with.
Did you know that Rentalbuddy's platform is built to integrate with any locking solution?
3. Connect to the payment system and take payments
Rentalbuddy's booking system is integrated with Stripe for secure payment. With Stripe, whoever rents from you can choose how they want to pay. There is support for:
Card
Swish
Klarna
Link
Apple Pay
Google Pay
As well as some other country-specific solutions
Account with Stripe
In order for you as an renter to be able to use Stripe, you need an account that we link to the booking system. If you want to know more, you can read this article which explains more about what Stripe is and how it works .
Rentalbuddy does not handle any money, Stripe, the world's largest payment exchange solution, does this securly
4. Install the Book button on your website
You are now just one step away from being able to receive bookings and payments. In your account with Rentalbuddy, you will find a link (URL) that you can easily copy and paste on your website. This activates a Book button that your customers can use to see the products you offer and complete their orders directly by paying online. You also have the option to update and change information about the products, such as descriptions, prices and more, at any time via your account in Admin.
Test the booking flow here, where you can also read more about the booking platform.
Rentalbuddy's system works on the majority of all website platforms such as Wix, Wordpress, Foursquare, Loopia, One, and more - If you don't have a website, Rentalbuddy can help you with one
Want to learn more about how to make your website better? Read our guide where we explain how you can increase your bookings with an optimized website.
5. Ready to start
Now you as a product renter are ready to start up your unmanned or manned rental business.
Did you know that customers can book directly on the spot by scanning a QR code? These can be printed directly from your account
6. Support
Via your account, you get access to many smart functions so that you, as a renter, can provide support to your customers remotely:
If your customer calls and has a problem with the product they booked, you can easily move the customer's booking to another available product.
If your customer calls and wants to extend their booking, you help them via your account.
If your customer calls and says: "Now I've rented a lot from you!", you can easily create unique discount codes or 'season tickets' - a pleasant problem to have!
If you need to repair a product, you can deactivate it during the repair.
If you are away and want to 'pause' your rental, you can easily block pick-up and return dates.
There is much more information and guides in your account under FAQ (Frequently asked questions). If you yourself as a landlord encounter problems or are unsure how to use the booking system, Rentalbuddy is here to help you.
Read more about us, people at Rentalbuddy here .
Summary
With Rentalbuddy's rental booking system, it is easy and convenient for you to either start a rental business, or expand your existing rental business. We are here for you if you need help and support you throughout the process.
Are you interested in Rentalbuddy? We offer a free demo where we show you how you can simplify your rental business, increase your revenue, and save time by using our simple booking system. Book a free demo, and we'll go through it with you!