Canadian Rental Association: Why join an association?

As incoming president for the Canadian Rental Association (CRA) I would like to thank past president “Bobcat Brad” Williams for his guidance and his support during my progression to the president’s office. Throughout his term as president he worked tirelessly to promote the goals of the association while making it look easy. I hope to continue his President’s Message published here in Canadian Rental Service magazine where we have the opportunity to share association news with members and non-members alike. This column is a venue for sharing what we have learned, and the most important thing that I have learned from this business is that I am not alone.

I realized that in December after a fire in my rental store. Immediately I started receiving calls from other rental companies with all of them asking the same question: “How can we help?” I had offers for equipment, trucks and everything else I needed to keep my business running while we recovered from this incident.

Why?

The answer is simple, I am a member of the Canadian Rental Association and as a member I am never alone in the rental industry. I have met a lot of individuals in this industry and I have made a lot of friends along the way. I intend to make more as I travel across the country meeting rental professionals and their suppliers.

Two of the most frequently asked questions I hear are: “Why join an association?” and “What is the association going to do for me?”

I can tell you right away by joining the CRA you will learn about the success of businesses like yours. You will attend conferences and seminars where exclusive topics of interest will be presented to you. You will meet experience rental operators who are willing to share their knowledge with you. You will learn by networking with professionals and competitors who do the same work you do. You will connect with multiple suppliers and manufacturers and keep up to date with new and exciting technologies.

What is the association going to do for me? The answer is nothing, unless you are willing to do something. Simply, you get out of it what you put into it. Associations bring a sense of professionalism, education, and individual support that will eventually bring money back to your bottom line. Associations like the CRA provide educational resources and marketing tools. No one has the time to keep up with all of the changes in technology, government legislation and safety standards legal issues, employment situations, and other topics relevant to our industry. Your association can do this for you!

Support your association by joining and taking a little bit of time from your schedule to contribute to it. If you do so, you will see the benefits. If you are an owner or a manager of a rental company that is not already a member of the CRA, take the time to evaluate what you want to get out of this industry and what you can do to improve the industry as a whole. When you join the CRA you are joining a support group that is very much like a family and when you do you will learn what I have learned. As a member of the CRA you are not alone.