As lockdown measures begin to ease, it’s clear that the way we live and work is likely to have changed for good. Businesses have had to find new ways of adapting to the circumstances to keep supply chains running. In particular, essential industries such as grocery retailers and pharmaceutical organisations have had to cope with massive surges in demand while also ensuring the safety of their employees during the pandemic.
Businesses must modify the way they operate to maintain continuity of service and revenue, and not just in the short term. The future is unclear, and it is vital that companies prepare for, and mitigate against, the possibility of additional interruption. The flexibility offered through forklift truck rental can support businesses in sustainably managing peaks and troughs as the situation evolves.
Flexibility and cost management
Organisations have sought ways to respond to the challenges of a 24x7 marketplace for some time, brought about by rising customer expectations. Rental, along with used forklift trucks, is a compelling solution – providing both short-term cover to manage volatility and supplementing fleets to satisfy long-term core requirements.
Short-term rental provides flexibility and enables business more significant control over costs during times of uncertainty and reduced activity. Utilising rental means production can be ramped up quickly in line with demand.
Output-driven solution
One key innovation within the warehouse and logistics market is a rental model predicated on truck usage. Instead of fixed-term agreements, this ‘pay per use’ model leverages telematics data. For a business that has scaled back operations, trucks remain on-site with a standby fee charged at a fraction of what they would typically pay. Once production resumes, materials handling equipment is already on-site and available, ready to be brought back online.