My windows washed… WOW

The other day I pulled into a BP gas station for fuel.   I have been reluctant to fuel at BP since the oil spill happened.   When I pulled up to the pump I was greeted by a clean looking attendant in a new uniform with a friendly smile.   I was greeted with “Good morning sir, and welcome to BP, I’m here to serve you today”.    I pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming or asleep at the wheel.     My usual trips to the gas station are usually not as friendly.    To be perfectly honest, getting fuel is usually a non event situation,   one in which I can’t wait to get it over with and get the  out of the station.

Before I could pull out my credit card, another attendant in a matching new uniform with an even bigger smile was,  get this; WASHING MY WINDOWS!  I did not ask for this.  I did not expect this.  I don’t know about you, but the last time I saw that done was in the 60′s and my parents were driving an American car  and I was in the back seat playing with my “etch-a-sketch”.   Now I know I was dreaming, customer service at a gas station!  That does not happen.  I kept waiting for Alan Funt to pop out and say “Surprise you are on Candid camera”

Now the kicker, a third attendant came by, again in a shiny new uniform and a big smile  and asked me  if I wanted my oil checked.   Now, I knew something was up.   I cant even remember the last time I had to find the button to release the hood.  I had to go in the glove box and check the manual.   OK, what is going on, this is not normal.

I politely asked the first attendant, who was now finishing the fuel up, if I had won some kind of prize.  Am I like the “one millionth customer” or something?  He informed me, ” NO sir, at BP all our customers are special”.  Being polite, my reply , Gee that is really great.  I wonder if he wanted to know what I was really thinking.

Now, obviously there must be something going on a BP for this to happen.  Lets take a look at this situation.   First, a gas station is the last place I expect customer service.  It has been so long since I have been treated nicely like this at any station.  Remember, NJ is one of the few states where self service is not allowed.  I will save that topic for an entire blog.    Second, BP didn’t wake up this morning and decide today is the day we are going to treat customers like they should be treated. Three, does this have anything to do with a recent oil spill?

Personally , I think that whether you are in a gas station, dry cleaner, appliance store or even a rental store, customer service should always be job #1.   Do you think BP would have not of had people boycotting their gas stations during the oil spill crisis if their service staff treated customers like they do now?   My guess is people might have thought twice before boycotting.  Apparently someone at the executive level at BP decided that if they were going to get customers back, the best strategy is going to be to start to treat people the way they should be.   Its amazing that it takes a man (BP) made disaster to get this to happen.

As for BP, time will tell if their strategy is going to work.   Are they making a honest effort to get there clients back?  I think so.  Will others take notice and improve there customer service?  Not sure on that one. What we do know is that customer service is important before disaster strikes.  Never under estimate the power of a good and reliable customer base,  it will get you through the good times and even more important the bad times.

Will my second trip be as delightful to the BP station?   I’m hoping…..  You think they will check the air in my tires?  That might be pushing it!  Will every trip to our rental store be pleasurable, YOU BET IT WILL.

Summer Newsletter 2010

“What’s going on”

Rutgers Commencement 12,000 chairs

It’s hard to believe it’s July.  May and June just flew by.  Seems like just yesterday we were moving another truck load of chairs and tenting for University commencements.  Check out some interesting statistics that we are pretty proud of.  During the month of May we loaded, unloaded, setup and broke down  about 80,000 chairs.  Our crews worked pretty much around the clock for a two week period during mid-May.  We worked through one of the strangest months of May weather.  Besides the record cold and hot days, we had 70 MPH wind gusts that knocked chairs down like domino’s.   But as always we completed the work with flying colors and our clients were very happy.Several other May and June events we were glad to be a part of included the following:

BASF Corporate Event

McCarter Theater Gala

Rutgers Day

TCNJ Commencement 2010

“What’s Hot in New York City”

Our New York City Crews have been very busy this quarter.  The “A” list for successful events includes: Sex and the city II premier parties, HBO’s series “Smash his camera”, El Museo Gala at Cipriani’s, People Magazine in Espanol top fifty party and CBS Survivor Finale party.  Other major events included Japan Day in Central Park, The Webby Awards, and the Red Bull Air races at Liberty State Park.   Our NYC crews worked many long hours and many times throughout the night to make sure the clients’ needs were always met.   We are really proud of our very own NYC superstars.

“Looking forward”

If  the job is complicated, we are up to the challenge even more.  It seems we are getting our fair share of projects that require proper planning, detailed logistics and skilled personnel.  The picture on the left is a pool before we covered, floored and carpeted.  All this was done on the 12th floor of a building in Rockefeller center, NYC. The picture below (right) is the finished product.  Would you even know there is a pool underneath! Our sales staff is anxious to hear about your next project.  We feel confident , that if you can envision it, we can make it happen.  Our years of experience is a plus when it comes to tackling special projects.  Choosing the right rental company to do your event is a decision we know is critical to success of your events.  Rest assured when choosing Miller’s, you are in good hands.  Be sure and read all the testimonials from our happy clients.  Miller’s is also looking forward to the return of Karen Schneider, our star event specialist, who will be returning from Maternity leave very shortly

“Crew Corner”

This  month  in our employee    corner, we are featuring    Frank Pelaez,    who has been with Millers    for seven   years.   Frank    is not only the   warehouse     manager at our Route 1 facility in Edison, but also creates custom carpets for our Special Events Dept., operates our Skytrackers, and is an all around Maintenance McGuyver.   Frank is an Edison resident,    originally from Acapulco, Mexico   and in his free time, enjoys playing Soccer and having Movie Night with his family. Frank is married to Myra and the proud father of 3 children, 2 girls, Tiffany and Stephanie and his namesake Francisco Jr

“Social Networking….its fun”

We are having a great time with our  Facebook fan Page.  Our fans are growing every day. We surpassed 400 fans in  May and we are well on our way to 500.  We have had several promotions and giveaways and our friends and fans are asking for more.  Watch for more cool stuff this summer! We’d like you to have a little fun with our Facebook fan page.   Keep checking our page for more details.  And if you’re not already a fan, we invite you to join!

We wish everyone  a safe, happy and healthy summer. Let us know if Miller’s can be  a part of your next celebration or special event. We are very appreciative of your calls, emails and referrals.   Again, we want to thank you for your continued patronage and we look forward to working with you soon.

Millers rentals website online catalog contact us new linen processing service.

So you need a permit……

I remember a day not so long ago when renting someone a tent for an event was a simple process.  For many years very few rental companies were aware that a permit process even existed let alone that there were any existing rules and regulations on the books being enforced. Well, that is not the case any more.  Times have certainly changed.  Manufacturers have produced a variety of tents and structures that are more complex, not only to install but also ones that have gotten the attention of local government. Today’s structures are often judged to be more of a “temporary structure” rather than a tent. The tent industry today is more than just a “canvas tarp” and a useless “Flame Certificate”.

Several accidents and near accidents have recently raised National attention to our Industry. Accidents such as this are enough to cause concern and send a clear message that inspectors are going to have to clamp down on tent renters that provide shabby installations, especially, those that don’t follow the proper permit process.

Tent rental companies, such as Miller’s, need to be aware of several issues that have developed.  First, most, if not all, local governments have some system in place for applying for tenting permits. Secondly, part of the process will require specific documents to be submitted with the permit application that will assist in the acceptance process. Finally a detailed knowledge of the products rented will have to be known not only by the rental company but by the local government reviewing the application.

Your rental company should be aware of the rules and regulations in your base location..  This can be a very frustrating task to accomplish.  There is very little consistency from one area to another.  For example, in the State of NJ, we have 521 local municipalities. No two process permits the same way, although all are governed by the department of Community Affairs based in Trenton, NJ.  We have found that local laws supersede State rules.  In most instances, rules and changes implemented at a State level never work there way down to a local level quickly.  The best defense is always a good offense.  A professional rental company, such as ours, knows who the officials are and what they require. We have found that local officials have excellent long term memory, aggravate them once, and they will remember forever.

One of the things that I found very interesting is how little the State of New Jersey knows about the tent industry.  It’s amazing how many people still think of tents as those used for the “circus” and “carnivals”.  Secondly, we also have been able to enlighten officials that the need for Flame Certificates is almost a null point today.  Every manufacturer that I know has been making flame retardant tents for over twenty years.  Most companies sew the labels directly on the tent pieces.

The permit process is evolving.  Hopefully, someday it will become universal from town to town, and it will also become easier to apply with online applications readily available.   Most States are trying to adapt to the rules and procedures of the Universal Fire Code. This will help clarify which structures need permits and which do not.              In the mean time until this happens, my suggestion is to be as detailed and specific in your applications as possible.  This will require correct documentation, which will include CAD drawing of your events.  Luckily, Miller’s has specific software available to produce detailed drawings that fire, building and electrical inspectors can understand and appreciate.

The last thing an inspector wishes to look at is a hand drawn “Doodle” of an event that has tenting and equipment present.  Not only is this unprofessional, but in most cases they don’t correctly note proper egress.  Some of the items inspectors look for in a drawing are: emergency exits, locations of heating and AC duct work,  Length, width and height of the actual structure, emergency lighting, size of aisles, and actual guest counts and seating arrangements.

Using a CAD program can give drawing in various scenarios, including two and three dimensional schematics, top removed, sides removed, color renderings and actual visuals of the structure on the proposed venue.    An added plus is that these drawing can be delivered not only in paper format, but they can be e-mailed as simple PDF files or delivered on removable media such as thumb drives and CD’s.

We wish all of you a happy and healthy summer and rest assure we will make certain  all your tents will pass inspection.

Commencement Boot Camp 2010

Want to get in shape, loose some weight and see what you are made of?  Join me and the entire crew at Miller’s Rentals for 2 1/2 weeks of commencement boot camp.   Yes, folks gather up your steel tip boots, back packs, food rations, water canteens, dry clothes, winter coats, rain coats, gloves and t-shirts its time to board the bus to camp commencement!

Looking for excitement and non stop action then this is the place to be.  Couch potatoes are not welcomed. Only the strong and determined will survive.  Are you looking for stories to share with your grandchildren and memories that will last forever, then you have come to the right place.

Each May for as long as I can remember Miller’s has been involved in three major University commencements. They usually fall the first, second and third week in May.  Every year they get bigger and bigger with more equipment and logistics involved. On occasion one of the three might change their date and we would have two major commencements in one week. This year we experienced the “perfect storm”.  All three Universities graduated within 48 hours of each other.  We have known about this for months and luckily we had a workable plan.  Moving vehicles and equipment in such a short period really was a tremendous task.  We were up for the challenge and were prepared for whatever “Mother Nature” would throw at us. She did give us a run for our money.  We even experienced a day that included wind gust of 50 MPH.  Anybody ever play chair domino’s?  That day as fast as we set chairs up, the winds would knock them down.

Along with the thousands of chairs we handled, also was the task of several large stages and floors, most with carpeting, railing, staircases and handi-cap ramps.  It seems that everyday brought with it another trip to The Home Depot to buy more staples,  nuts and bolts.  As fast as they stocked the shelves we emptied them.  One stage alone was 60′ W x 100′L x 8′H.

Eating and sleeping was a privilege we didn’t see much of and were thankful when we were able to grab one or both.  Our full time crews, part time workers, temp workers and High School helpers really shined.  We all worked together as a team and managed to get the job done.

A special thanks has to go to all my ARA of NJ member rental stores that assisted with equipment and support when needed. Without them this job could never of been done.   Its wonderful when we can all work together. This list includes:  The Party Corner, Friendly Rental, United Rentall, A Party Center, Unirents, Main Attraction and  L & A Tents.

I would also like to thank my entire office staff including, Karen, Jodie, Elaine and Mellisa who put up with my screaming, ranting and constant yelling.  Also special thanks to our warehouse manager, Damon Ferber for the coordination of work crews and constant loading and unloading of vehicles.  These were my support teams and really made things happen.  A special thanks to my wife Linda, who basically wrote me off for the entire period and saw me come and go in the middle of the night and early hours of the morning.  This period happened to fall not only during Mother’s day but also her birthday.   I have a lot of making up to do.

If your a facebook fan, you were able to follow our progress daily as we setup, broke down and moved equipment from place to place.  Great videos included “Caveman sledge hammer” and “Raise the 60w”.  Many of these post were done by my staff.  It just shows how the entire team worked together and had fun as well.  Isn’t that what it is all about?

From the Balloons to Tents and everything in between, commencement 2010 was a blast and 20 days that I will remember always.  As I look back on boot camp 2010, I can’t help but think only 345 days until we do it again. Bring it on………….

Time to play let’s weight a tent

Ladies and gentlemen is time to play the weighting game. Grab a chair and fasten your seat belts. Today’s match-up is going to be a good one. In corner #1 to your left we have your discount tent company weighing in at 200 Lbs per stake. In corner #2 we have the current champ weighing in at an incredible force of 80 MPH, “Mother nature”.

Today our contest takes place in Mr. & Mrs Luck’s backyard. A big graduation party is going to happen this weekend and our proud parents are planning on putting a huge tent up. Seems there is one big problem. Directly underneath the property are assorted gas, sprinkler, phone and fiber optic cables. The Lucks have decided rather than have a mark out done and for the simple fact they really don’t know where anything underneath the ground is, to have the tent weighted.

So now the discount tent company is ready to play the weighting game. They have quoted the Luck’s a really cheap price in order to acquire the contract. They are counting on their opponent “mother nature” not putting up much of a fight. The Luck’s not knowing anything about proper tent weighting procedures are obviously going to go with the discount company with the cheap cost.

Now the game gets interesting. The discount tent company placed a couple sand bags down to the tent straps and assumed all would be great. If the tent company did there research they would of realized that “a couple sand bags” is not the correct way to weight a tent. Not many people understand exactly how much weight is needed to properly secure a tent structure.

Mother nature is a unpredictable opponent. Some days she can be calm and easy to handle, other days she can be a terror. Lifting a tent off the ground and flipping it over and making it look like a pretzel is always possible. Unless a tent is properly weighted mother nature will win every time.

Weighting a tent properly comes from years of experience, knowledge of the product, and the ability to understand that doing the job correctly is more important than making a quick dollar from an unsuspecting customer.

When playing the weighting game make sure you choose a company that understands “Mother Nature” and knows how fierce this opponent can be. A qualified rental company will not let cost dictate the contract. Safety and the integrity of the installation should always come first.

Your rental company should do everything possible to keep Mother Nature safely in her corner. Not only will you come out the winner but your event will be worry free. Weighting a tent is not always the best solution but when it has to be done, make sure you choose a company that does it properly.

Have a safe event. Don’t always count on luck.

Rent the runway? Not a bad idea or is it?

Just when I thought I knew just about everything to know about renting, I learned something new this week.  One of the items we specialize in renting is runways for fashion show.   Well I found a company that will send you one fed ex’d overnight for about $95.00.  Really I’m serious, check this out  http://www.renttherunway.com  Now this isn’t the actual runway but the dress you wear on the runway.  Had you going there for a moment didn’t I?

Not a bad deal for $95.00 you can rent a designer labeled dress and for another $25.00 you can have a backup one.  So if you cant decide, you take two to be sure.  Dresses have to be returned in four days, but not a bad concept.   Not sure I’ll personally ever have a need for one, but its good information to pass on.

Now imagine if I could apply this same principle to items that we currently rent.  Imagine if I could overnight you 1 tent, 50 chairs and 5 tables.   Use them for your party and send them back when your done.   I just don’t think that is going to happen.  The special event business is much more than a product.  Its all about the services that go with it.

Any Tom, Dick or Harry or what I commonly refer to us “Garage Guy Rental companies” can purchase some tables, chairs, tents and numerous special event items and say they are a rental store.  When it comes time to provide a service that is when we separate the pros from the amateurs.

A quality rental company is there for you every step along the way of your event,  providing customer service, product support,  technical expertise , advice and equipment that is well maintained.

A “package deal” should be more than just a package.   Make sure you check out the company that you work with for your event.   The internet can be a great source for you to find information on the company your considering working with.

The last thing you want is to expect a designer label and get a bargain basement product.   although the runway in “in a box” concept is interesting, we will  keep delivering our “runways” and all our products the old fashioned and proven way;  in person with  years of experience behind us.

Thanks for being a Millers Rental customer. We always appreciate your business

Spring ahead…. You bet

This past Saturday marked the annual ritual of turning the clock forward one hour.   Did you remember to do  that?  Did you do it before going to bed or when you woke up?  The usual procedure at our home  is to do it Sunday morning upon waking up.  I think that makes all the difference.  The actual act of moving a clock forward gives one a sense of having the power to control time if only for  a brief second.  For those of you that do this precisely at 2:00AM its more of an act of following instructions then controlling your own destiny. The other advantage of doing it when you wake up is you don’t feel as if you have lost an hour of sleep.

At Miller’s on Monday morning, we repeat the procedure on the clocks and computer systems.  Again, the feeling of controlling time is experienced by us.

Spring ahead signifies for us the start of a whole new rental reason.  Clients start to place their orders for warm weather events that will eventually arrive.  The schools and universities are now focused on commencements and lets not forget about those June brides planning their tented events.

Yes, “spring ahead” is a time to brush off the dust and get the wheels of progress rolling.  All the winter projects should be just about wrapped up and new fresh attitudes can be seen all around.  The electricity in the air means all our batteries are recharged and we are ready for the challenges of Spring.

Did you know that “spring ahead” can be traced back to a quote made by Benjamin Franklin in 1784 which said, “Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise”. Though good old Ben didn’t invent DST he sure had the right idea.  You have to agree that this quote does have merit.  A fresh “spring ahead” is the perfect way to start a new season .  Ben also suggested the sound of cannons to wake everyone up to start this new day, now that might be pushing the envelop a little too much.

Well I hope you are all ready for Day light savings time, At Millers we are ready and glad its here.  The trucks are ready to deliver  equipment to an event near you.  So wake up, get the coffee going and start to think about what events you are going to have this spring.  There is no falling back at this point.

Have a great spring and we look forward to hearing from you.

Facebook going to the dogs?

Bruno the Brussels is enjoying a restful weekend in the Hamptons. I know this because I just read it on his facebook page.   Just in case you haven’t figured this out, Bruno is a dog.   Did you know that dogs can have facebook pages?   This was news to me.   Bruno to date has 504 friends.  Go figure that.

I have spend the last five months very focused on how facebook can be a great business tool.  I have promoted it to my colleagues, friends, employees and family.  I studied the ins and outs of facebook and have become pretty good at learning the “do’s and do nots” of this  social media craze.  Now I find out dogs can have pages and fans.  Not sure they can take out facebook ads.  If they could, what would they advertise anyway?

What do dogs post on Facebook?  “Hey sparky you have to check out this tree I just found out about on Elm street, I left you a P-Mail, go check it out today”.   How about, “Rufus did you check out the new poodle that moved in on Main Street, wow can’t wait to play with her”.   What would Rufus reply ” Ok Spike, as soon as my owner goes to work I’ll send you a “barkogram” and we can meet in the courtyard”.   Something is just not right with dogs having facebook pages.  How do they hit the keys with their paws?

Obviously I now know what our dog Mimsey, (pictured above) does when we are not home.  She goes on the laptop, logs in to facebook and chats with her dog friends.  I guess this would explain why our computer always has these strange viruses that I can’t identify at times.  Tonight I’m checking for milk bone crumbs.  I’m always one for change and I can live with most changes but this one is going to be hard to deal with.  What’s next cats with facebook pages. Wouldn’t that be just perrr…fect

Well rest a sure, we will continue to provide quality information on our Facebook Page.  You can count of quality post, timely information, up to date events we are doing and you will be the first to hear about new products and services. We believe facebook has not gone to the dogs and it’s a great way to share what we do with our fans.

I really hope Bruno is enjoying the Hamptons this weekend. I Can’t wait to read his post on Monday morning.  After all I am now fan number 505

Great Rental Show

I’m sitting at ‘the airport now and waiting for a flight to return to NJ. Due to the major snow that has blanketed the North East I have plenty of time to reflect upon my time at the ARA trade show. I am going home feeling positive about our industry. The mood on the convention floor was one of optimism and progress. My fellow rental store operators and even the vendors we buy from all had terrific attitudes. The show floor was bustling with activity and I feel that transactions were taking place. That is a good sign for economic recovery.

I believe it is important that rental stores like ours need to be aware of new products that are entering the market and to be alert to new marketing concepts and ideas. This and much more was evident on the show floor. While walking the show floor and attending seminars I was not only able to recharge my batteries but also able to get a feel for the direction of the rental market.

Something new I was able to do this year was to post products I thought would be interesting to add to our inventory on our facebook page and get instant client (our fans) opinions and comments. I found this to be helpful in making buying decisions. I was amazed on how fast the comments came in. What a great way to do market research.

It was great to see new faces at the seminars. There were plenty of business entrepreneurs just thirsting for more information on how to make their businesses more successful. Knowledge is the key to success and I’m always happy to see rental operators educate themselves. So many businesses take the go in alone approach and the percentage of these that end up failing is usually high. Our industry is one place where our members are willing to share there knowledge. The more you learn and the more you know the more successful you will become.

Sometimes it’s the little things that we pick up at seminars that really count. Several items I learned I will put into practice immediately. IPhone Etiquette is #1. Never make Email or texting more important than your clients.  Besides being rude, it’s not polite.  When you shake someone’s hand do it with positive attitude.  A good solid handshake is very important.  Always remember what your second grade teacher taught you. Sit up straight, never slouch, pay attention and look interested.  These things make a big difference.

As I walked the show floor is was amazing to see all the new tent sizes and shapes.  Items that we would have never considered a couple years ago to add in our inventory are now “must haves”.  Change is imminent, even in the rental inventory.  From candelabras to seating, numerous choices are now merging. Peoples taste change and as a progressive rental company we need to be aware of these changes.

While walking the show floor, we not only look at new items for inventory, we also search for ways that can make rental more efficient for our staff and employees.  From carts that move equipment to new ways to heat and cool tents, we look for ways to work smarter not harder.  By talking to other rental store owners we pick up great tips and tricks.  These items are just important to us as new items to rent.

Attending the rental show has been a great adventure. We look forward to our annual buying show. Next year it is off to Las Vegas

Our next adventure will be getting home today. Usually being stuck in Orlando would not be a bad thing, but even here the temperature is not favorable and it’s windy.  Even a visit to see Mickey would be challenging.  I am hoping to be at the office tomorrow so I can begin to share all the things I have learned with my staff.

Watch for updates of all the new products and accessories we will be adding to our inventory. Check out our facebook page and website frequently and you are always welcome to stop in and say hello in our showroom.  I promise to put my IPhone down, and shake your hand with a smile!

What do you have to rent?

As I prepare to attend the Rental Equipment trade show next week in Orlando Florida, the biggest question I have it, “What is going to be the next biggest thing to rent” .   Yes, we are always updating our current inventory.  We like keeping our most popular items well stocked.  But what out there is going to be new and exciting?  What will our clients be asking for?  Even in the party rental market, changes are imminent.  Items that were popular even a year ago are no longer trendy or requested.

Each year seems to bring one or two unique items that become “must have” for your inventory. In past years this list has included; chocolate fountains, nacho machines, roll up  dance floors, porta potties, karaoke players, disco lighting, carnival games and my all time favorite dunking tanks.  Each of these items that I mention at one time was a “must have” now they are considered “must get rid of”.

So that brings us back to the big question: What are we going to get that is new and exciting this year?  I have heard rumors that lounge seating is going to be big.  Just what we need in our warehouse big contemporary sofas and chairs hanging around.  Others say that lighted tables and bars will be big movers. This  adds new meaning to getting lite up at the bar!  Then there are all the new funky tents out there in new colors, shapes, and sizes.  If I only had a crystal ball or a really big bank roll then I could buy one of everything.

Part of the fun and the challenge  of doing this every year is trying to pick the winner.  I know that decisions should be based on strong economical principles and studying market trends but most of the the time it comes down to just dumb luck and a gut feeling.  I wonder if this is how Warren Buffet feels when he makes a decision?  I must say its really a great feeling when you pick a winner. Unfortunately for every winner there are usually three losers.

Sometimes I like to play the role of the client rather than the store owner. I ask myself; “If I was planning a big party and I wanted it to be really special what items would I like to rent? “.   Some of the things I come up with are 1) a large blow up screen to watch movies videos and photos where my guest can plug in their portable devices like iphones and zunes  or 2) Video equipment that can project my party live to those guest that opted not to attend or 3) a revolving buffet table so the food would come to me rather than having to stand in long lines.  I wonder if any of my ideas would work or if they are even available.   Just think I could have just come up with the next big rental craze.

I promise when I get back from Orlando I will write a blog on all the cool items I saw, the ones that received a thumbs up and the ones that got a thumbs down.  You never know I could be the first rental company to have a roll up lighted combination chocolate fountain nacho machine that will eventually end up in a Porta Potty.