CRA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: December 2014

As we head into the heart of winter, for many this is a season to catch our breath, reflect on the year gone by and plan for the challenges coming at us in the upcoming year. Depending on which part of the country you call home, your biggest challenge in the next year could be changes in transportation regulations, labour-force issues, a slow economy or the dropping exchange rate. You might face several of these at the same time. While there is never a single solution that will solve all of these problems, there are resources out there you can tap into. If you have been around for some time you have probably already checked into what the Canadian Rental Association and American Rental Association have to offer their members for support. People new to the rental world have probably noticed that suppliers and even fellow store owners are great sources of information and are willing to share. OK, perhaps the stores in your local area may not be the best place to ask for assistance because of the competition factor; however, if you place some distance between yourself and the person you are asking for help, you will be quite amazed at what rental people are willing to share with you.

Providing solutions is built into the DNA of rental people and they simply cannot ignore a request for help with a problem. I have spoken to many rental people throughout the continent and have been taken aback at the vast amount of information they will provide and how they readily they share the benefits of their experiences, both good and bad, in order to help you avoid making their errors.  So if you have questions that you cannot find the answers to through your standard sources, I would suggest asking a fellow rental owner.

One great place to do that is at your regional CRA trade show and The Rental Show, hosted by the ARA in New Orleans, Feb. 22 through 25 [see page 24]. Finding another Canadian on the vast show floor of The Rental Show could be a challenge, but your association gathers all your fellow Canucks conveniently together in one place at its (in)famous Canadian Hospitality Event for a night of networking, tale-telling and re-hydration. The 2015 Rental Show Hospitality Event will take place Feb. 22 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the River Room of the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. CRA Regular and Associate members are welcome and invited to wear your best Mardi Gras attire!

On the CRA front, with the many challenges of the past year now behind us, we are looking forward to focusing on improving our level of service to all members across the country. Our website upgrades continue with the aim of providing members with a quick reference point for upcoming events and details on association happenings at your local level as well. Other board committees are actively engaged in streamlining all aspects of the association’s activities in order to provide the best value possible for your businesses. We invite your input and suggestions at all levels and try to implement as many ideas as we can to improve. I trust that you have seen some improvements in the past year and will continue to do so as we move forward into 2015.

In closing, I would like to thank all of our members, both regular and associate, for their support during my time serving as president. It was a great pleasure meeting so many of you during the tours of some of your stores and during the various trade shows and other events in the past year. I would encourage you to provide the same ongoing support to Mr. Mintenko and our head office staff throughout 2015. Happy renting!