Counter Talks

Artificial intelligence has been exciting tech nerds for decades, but the rental industry has struggled to see how it can actually improve profits in its operations. The benefits of improved data collection and analysis have seemed marginal next to the costs in time and technology investment. But now, “generative” AI, like that powering ChatGPT, promises a new level of assistance that could have a meaningful impact on all rental operations. Dave Swan of information technology integrator, Trackunit, joins Counter Talks to explain.

Dawn Bloomer is going to put on a very special presentation at Rental Mart + Turf & Rec Show on Oct. 17 in Calgary. Dawn’s fun, informed and interactive workshop will give you some time to chew over key strategies for your company based on her Seven Drivers of Business Success. This is not your typical business trends talk and Dawn is not your typical business consultant. Listen here to find out why.

The Canadian Rental Mart, Canada’s trade event for the equipment and event rental industries is coming to Calgary, Sept. 11 – 12. Canadian Rental Service brand manager Navneet Matharu joins Counter Talks to talk about our excitement to bring Canada’s big rental event to the west for the first time in its 40-year history. And to let us know about all the new and old friends who will be joining us there.

Melanie Misener has taken over as interim executive director of the Canadian Rental Association following the departure of Nathalie McGregor, who led the organization for 10 years. Here’s your chance to get to know Melanie and hear her plans to get Canada’s rental association back to the thing it does best: bring Canadian store owners together to support each other.

Contact with electrical power lines has killed 20 people in Ontario in the last 10 years. As powerline safety and code specialist for the Ontario ESA, Patrick Falzon’s mission is to empower people with the information they need to avoid these horrific incidents. And as the industry that rents equipment and erects tents that can reach overhead high-energy lines, we have a role to play. Falzon clears up some critical misunderstandings around powerline safety and offers some solid tips on this episode of Counter Talks.

Kelly Brincheski, general manager of Collective Event Rentals in Winnipeg, is the new Region 10 director for the American Rental Association. It’s a big honour, but the title itself contains a challenge. As just one of the ARA’s several regions, Canadian rental store members have sometimes wondered if they are lost inside the U.S. behemoth. The ARA is trying to address that with a Canada task force charged with addressing the specific needs of Canadian members. Brincheski chairs it, and joined Counter Talks to discuss it and lots of other things about the ARA and her life in the industry.

Dan Crowley spends his days talking to rental operators so we brought him on to address one of the most vexing problems we all face: hiring and retaining the right people to work in our stores. He boils his observations of what works and doesn’t work down to solid tips you can apply in your store tomorrow. Key to attracting and keeping the right people is your company values – they tell you both what you want and who you should hire. Crowley explains it all and gets into some additional industry talk in this useful conversation.

Now for something completely different. Pat Flannery brings you his conversations from the Canadian Rental Association’s National Show held in Ottawa in January. Only one technical glitch!

In his role as vice-president of products for Trackunit, a telematics and emissions-tracking provider, David Swan has seen a sea change in attitudes about sustainable power in the construction equipment manufacturing world. What were formerly hesitant, even reluctant, moves to demonstrate some capability in low-emissions power sources has become a flood of enthusiasm that is dominating the industry. He joins Counter Talks to share his stories from the front lines of developing monitoring technology for the industry and to bat around some theories for how and why this happening and where things may go in the future.

Another year has gone by and it’s time for a high-level view of our business conditions and results in 2023. Marvin Cruz, research director, and Christina Santini, national affairs director, for the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses join Counter Talks to tell us what they are hearing from small and medium-sized businesses across the country. We hit inflation, labour shortages, regulations and red tape, credit card fees, housing and more. Happy holidays to everyone and all the best for 2024!