Most businesses have traditionally bought rather than rented any equipment needed to run their operations. But, in fact, there are a number of advantages to hiring instead of purchasing, some of which may not have previously occurred to you.
Here are a few of the benefits you can look forward to if you don’t buy:
1. Cost-effectiveness
This is one of the biggest benefits. Put simply, if you hire rather than buy for your business, you can make significant cost savings. After all, you’ll pay a fraction of the purchase price, freeing up valuable funds to direct elsewhere. Equally, you won’t have to worry about repair and maintenance costs, or the expense of the equipment depreciating in value, not to mention insurance fees. Meanwhile, the fixed monthly fees make budgeting really straightforward.
2. Flexibility and scalability
Again, these can be huge benefits. Hire something and you can choose what you need so that it suits your particular requirements perfectly. You’re not tied down to the commitment of long-term ownership, but have the flexibility to adjust to shifting market demands, and to order in exactly what you need, when you need it.
3. Reduced pressure on storage and space
Clearly, if you buy something outright, you’ll need somewhere to keep it permanently. But if you rent instead, that only applies when you actually have the items on-site, and not all the time. So you can help maximise productivity and efficiency by using the space for other things.
4. Stress-free repairs and maintenance
Renting also gives you access to hassle-free maintenance and repair services from professionals. Problems such as breakdowns are typically sorted quickly and reliably, minimising downtime and giving you one less thing to worry about – you’ll enjoy full engineering support.
5. A lighter administrative burden
You won’t have to worry about the admin of insurance or licensing – that’s the responsibility of the company you’re renting from. Focus on your core business without getting distracted by any of that.
6. Get the latest kit
When you rent, you don’t have to spend a fortune on frequent upgrades to enjoy the latest versions of whatever you’re hiring. You typically get regular replacements and access to the most recent models, while old equipment is just taken away, making life really simple.
Here are two examples of items it makes sense to buy rather than purchase outright:
- Infrared heater hire
Sometimes called ‘red rads’, infrared heaters radiate instant heat to warm things up, dry walls or cure paint. It’s the same effect as the sun would have, minus the damaging IV rays. These units give off infrared light which the items around them absorb, so they, rather than the surrounding air, are warmed.
Ideally suited to enclosed areas, they apply a direct, dry heat without any annoying noise. Equally, they do not affect a room’s humidity or oxygen levels, plus there are no open flames.
Many models are environmentally friendly, since they use non-CFC refrigerants, meanwhile temperatures can potentially be as low as -40°C.
What’s more, infrared heater hire is a classic example of something you may not need all the time, making renting the perfect arrangement.
- Chiller hire
Chiller hire provides portable machines for cooling or heating on a temporary or emergency basis, for example for short-term projects, events, or peak periods, such as during extreme weather, when there is a particular need for temperature control. And these units can handle a number of different environments and are available in a number of different sizes. (Go for a modular design and you can scale up or down based on what you need.)
These units work via a water-based solution which takes heat away from a space, instead of air. They can be used to keep the right temperature for shipping, or for special effects on television and movie sets, for example, as well as in some medical applications.
Set-up is typically speedy, via cabling and modular hosing, minimising downtime. Finally, flexible chiller hire generally offers great leasing terms for businesses with an eye on rapid expansion and capital spending.
