One of the most common mistakes operators make is not being available for potential clients. This is partly because of the nature of the bouncy castle rental industry. About 70% of all hire companies - especially smaller companies - are not hiring bouncy castles full-time. The owners of these companies either have a full time job or another business on the side – in fact, more often than not, the bouncy castle business is the business on the side.
Another common problem is not having a website with a functioning booking system. It can be frustrating to find the product you like and not be able to book it there and then – when this happens, there’s a good change the customer will simply look elsewhere and book with someone who is able to process their enquiry immediately.
For some clients, calling a company can be a problematic for a number of different reasons. Others may prefer to do everything per email in order to prevent misunderstandings and to keep a written record of all communication. Make sure you have every means available for a customer to contact you if you are otherwise occupied - once you lose a customer to your competitor, it is very hard to win them back!
Remember - the more time that passes after the initial unanswered call, the more likely it is that the caller has already booked a castle with your competition. Answer all enquiries promptly.
With an online booking system, you can fully control the number of hires you do in one day, giving you the opportunity to receive plenty of enquiries while never working more than you can handle.