How rental solutions are helping the supply chain avoid Black Friday bottlenecks

Black Friday is often viewed as something of a double-edged sword for retailers. Online traffic can spike to more than ten times the average on Black Friday¹ and many experience an incredible surge in sales. However, this also puts a great amount of strain on operations in their supply chain.

Huge delays in delivery can significantly impact a company’s reputation, and as the pressure increases even a few minutes of downtime can result in substantial profit loss. This makes it essential for supply chain providers to be able to remain agile and respond quickly to meet demand.

Rental solutions can make all the difference for these extended operations. Many companies hire temporary staff to cover these hectic periods, so why not also employ temporary devices?

There are a lot of benefits to this as not only does it avoid the expensive long-term investment around buying devices to expand your infrastructure, but it also provides external management for these devices. Taking the pressure off of your IT and management teams so they can focus on meeting SLAs and satisfying customer expectations.

In this article, we explore some of the ways in which rental solutions can support businesses in the supply chain during the peak period around Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Rapid and easily scalable

A rental solution is the ideal way to unlock increased sales during a limited period of peak business, as they can be rapidly and seamlessly deployed. Rented hardware can be ready to deploy straight out of the box, fully optimised with the applications and network access those devices will need to immediately begin earning their keep.

Rental solutions – especially those designed for deployment throughout the peak season of Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the wider holiday period – can also be supported by repair and maintenance contracts. Much like the rental period itself, these are often flexible, offering supply chain providers and retail organisations the freedom to create the support package that meets their unique seasonal requirements.

Additionally, any rentals can also be easily scaled in line with your needs. Rental contracts are flexible, allowing you to rent for any period from 5 days to 3 years, and to adjust the number of devices in line with your operational demand.

This is particularly useful for unpredictable periods such as Black Friday, where even the most careful forecasts can sometimes fail to accurately predict the level of demand.

Cost-effective and high value

Black Friday’s range of tempting discounts also puts pressure on retailers, and thus their suppliers, to balance attracting customers while still ensuring expenses don’t outweigh that potential increase in business. Extending the size of a fulfilment space or opening a pop-up warehousing facility can extend the operational capabilities of a supply chain provider, but that expansion comes with its own logistical and financial challenges.

A rental contract enables you to manage these prospective costs by renting additional hardware on a short-to-mid-term basis instead of purchasing them permanently. This also means that the purchase counts as an OpEx (operational expenditure) instead of CapEx (capital expenditure). Covering just the peak period while still protecting your bottom line.

Moreover, the flexibility of the rental contract means that it scales in line with demand so that you invest for only how much you need for how long you need it. And unlike with many short-term measures, there’s also no trade-off with quality.

The right rental solution will ensure your leased devices match – or even exceed – the same build quality of your existing device pool. You can select hardware from a wide technology roster of high-quality devices. Choosing different devices from different manufacturers to suit your specific operational needs.

Thus, guaranteeing high performing devices with seamless rollouts and integrations that won’t slow down your operations. All while staying in line with your budget for the Black Friday and peak season periods.

Applications for the supply chain

There are a wide range of technologies with a broad range of applications within the supply chain that can deployed on a temporary basis – and it’s not just your typical pieces of mobile hardware.

From barcode scanners, mobile computers, printers, voice-directed headsets and vehicle mounts. To even more specific applications, such as RFID readers, robotics, ATEX devices and packing tables. There are hardware devices available for almost every function from industry-leading manufacturers.

This also extends to software applications and development support. Whether you need particular software applications for specific devices or integrations. Or even temporarily using a more extensive system for your operations. Rental providers often have the ability to seamlessly integrate with your current systems and pressing needs.

Then there’s wireless coverage for your operations. Supply chain operations require fast, and reliable, connectivity that can support a variety of processes without any lagging.

A wireless rental solution provides secure and stable enterprise-grade networks for coverage throughout your infrastructure (even for operations outdoors). Relieving pressure on internal IT resources while ensuring better coverage throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Take the pressure off your internal teams

As your operations come under increasing pressure during peak periods such as Black Friday, your staff will quickly have their hands full with tight deadlines, increased orders and a sharp uptick in footfall. The same pressure applies to your internal support teams such as your IT department.

In terms of hardware, managing extra devices is often a headache your IT teams simply don’t have the capacity to onboard and support, even for a shorter period of time. This is where an external provider can make all the difference. The management of your devices can be centralised, and their deployment, maintenance and repair are all handled by the same solutions partner.

Rentals for new or extended wireless networks, which would usually entail a lot of preparation, are also made easier to design, deploy and manage. The solutions partner sources all the additional access points, routers and network switches. In addition to assessing your infrastructure and current coverage to provide optimal connectivity.

All of this enables your organisation to benefit from additional devices / coverage without any additional workload, avoiding a significant outlay of time and resources.

Supporting your Black Friday operations with rental solutions

Rental contracts offer highly adaptable and cost-effective solutions that ensure supply chain providers can meet increased demand, while satisfying customers expectations. As they can flexibly scale in line with demand, provide high-quality performance and still stay within budgetary requirements. All while taking the burden off your teams, so that your staff can keep focusing on their key objectives.

Be prepared for Black Friday with an affordable, reliable and easy to deploy rental solution from Renovotec. Get in touch with our experts for a tailored rental solution for your operations here.

Footnotes

[1] https://www.siteground.co.uk/blog/how-to-prepare-your-website-for-black-friday-and-the-holiday-traffic/#:~:text=During%20Black%20Friday%20most%20online,Analyze%20your%20site’s%20traffic%20behavior.