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At B&B Hardware in Milan, Illinois, owners RJ and Helen McDaniel added rental services to provide an even higher level of customer service. When the McDaniels moved the store to its current location in 2007, it was the perfect opportunity to expand services and products in the 15,000-square-foot space.
The rental center is open seven days a week and offers a variety of tools and equipment for DIYers and contractors. Some of the most popular items customers rent are yard tillers, post hole augers, sewer machines, sod cutters, plate compactors and the large trencher.
“Our main rental customers are DIYers working on their own projects,” RJ says. “Tillers are the most common rental item in May as homeowners are getting in their gardens. The post hole augers are popular for homeowners putting in their own deck or fence, and the sod cutter is great for backyard projects where people are leveling out their property.”
RJ says they listened to their local contractors on what they needed in terms of rentals and brought in a large, walk-behind trencher that goes six inches wide and 48 inches deep to handle the frost in the winter.
“Rental is a great addition for homeowners working outside and inside on their properties,” RJ says. “Being a core hardware store, we have most of the items DIYers need to complete their projects. We want to listen to our customers and invest in some of the most common equipment they feel comfortable renting and using themselves.”
Learn more about how retailers are serving customers and elevating customer service in Hardware Retailing’s Checkouts section.
