The pro AV rental sector is set for a new way of doing business with Second Warehouse, a new web-based service set to democratise the essential but previously time-consuming and costly activity of equipment cross-rental.
Rental companies of all sizes will be able to trade with one another in a safe, fast, monitored and cost-effective environment. Second Warehouse only costs you money when it makes you money, and even then many transactions are entirely free of charge.
Cross-rental, often referred to as sub-hire, has always been an essential part of how AV rental companies make money and find AV equipment. As a source of revenue, it has long been considered not only a powerful method of achieving quick return on investment, but a lifeline for smaller businesses experiencing quieter months. Before Second Warehouse, however, pro AV cross-rental relied upon members of staff spending make time-consuming phone-calls, writing emails and searching social media to reach even the beginnings of an agreement. Second Warehouse plan to change that.
A rental company searching Second Warehouse for AV equipment will find what they need in seconds. Every item in their search will be from a fellow rental company whose gear would otherwise remain unused. Both companies can negotiate the equipment sub-hire and arrange transport without having to leave the Second Warehouse environment, with direct messaging to ensure no detail is missed. All transactions are safe thanks to Second Warehouse’s careful vetting procedures (including a full identity and credit check upon sign-up) and a built-in user-rating system.
Best of all for the supplier, the only cost is a small percentage commission, while for the hirer, the process is free. Companies are also able to select up to 2 ‘Preferred Users’, with whom they can trade on Second Warehouse as much as they like without any commission to pay. There are no sign-up or subscription fees.
The founder of Second Warehouse is well known touring engineer and industry veteran, Stuart Kerrison. “I’ve worked for many top professional rental companies and pro audio manufacturers, and along with my colleagues, and with valuable input from professionals in the rental business, I’ve drawn on my own experience in developing Second Warehouse to make pro AV sub-hire easy,” he said. “I know how important cross-rental is and also what a time-wasting drag it can be, because I’ve been the guy spending hours on the phone, calling friends in the hope of finding that one bit of gear I need for a show. Second Warehouse solves those headaches and lost hours, while making sure that your equipment is always out being used and earning you money.”
Coded by the same team as the popular Webix platform, Second Warehouse includes a wealth of features designed for the AV industry, by the AV industry. Users can quickly and simply expand their cross-hire network, get quotes, negotiate prices and organise transport, prioritise existing relationships via the ‘Preferred Users’ feature; trade commission-free with high volume use; and use the direct messaging system to ensure transparent communication throughout. As an option, Second Warehouse can also directly communicate with many rental management software applications, meaning users can choose to simply sit-back while Second Warehouse tracks their available inventory and keeps it booked out and busy. The system is completely web-based and works on all devices from mobile and tablet to desktop.
“Second Warehouse has the potential to fundamentally change how the rental sector functions, ensuring that companies of all sizes are able to trade with one another in absolute confidence, so everyone does better business,” Kerrison concluded. “No one got into this business to spend tedious hours on the phone or writing emails. Second Warehouse gets rid of all that so you can get back to doing what you really love – putting on great shows and making money while you do it!”