On October 9, more than 180 of the world’s top rental experts arrived in Dallas with one thing in mind: Getting their business positioned to get even better in 2017. By the time they left Point of Rental’s 2016 International Conference on Oct. 12, they were equipped to take on the world.
“Every time I come to the International Conference, and this is the second or third one I’ve been to, I find that we probably aren’t using 25-30 percent of what’s available in the system,” said Terry Trusgnich of Aide Rentals and Sales. “It’s pretty cool to know that no matter how big we get, whatever we go after, [Point of Rental] has already thought it out and we can use it to help our businesses grow more smoothly.”
The conference kicked off Monday morning with Point of Rental CEO Wayne Harris’s opening remarks, showcasing the company’s growth in 2016. Our new staff and locations are set to help Point of Rental customers grow their businesses, he emphasized. Attendees learned about the new features and software updates that had been added to their systems with the 2016 upgrade. They were able to sign up for a new conference feature, one-on-one training sessions with Point of Rental’s trainers.
As part of our celebration of our expansion into the UK, we welcomed friends from across the pond. A handful of customers and employees made the long trip from England to Dallas to get a taste of American customer support.
“[Our reason for coming to the 2016 International Conference] was seeing who [Point of Rental] is, really. It’s not even about the system, it’s about the people. You can tell by being here what they care about. It’s been worth coming just to see that,” Mark Newell of Mark One Hire said.
“One of the great things about coming to this conference is that you get a lot of face-to-face time with the people who know the most about this software. The Point of Rental employees are great, they’re always willing to help. There’s one-on-one time if you need that, there’s ways to ask questions…there’s always new shortcuts or new items to learn about,” said Marynell Popst of Construction Rental, Inc. “I’ve been using [Point of Rental] for more than six years, and I still learn something new every time I come.”
In addition to the in-depth classes and roundtables, attendees appreciated the networking opportunities with others who live and breathe rental. To help build those relationships, night events engaged users with fun activities, games and amazing food. Night events were held at the iconic Reunion Ball of Dallas catered by Wolfgang Puck and “Casino Rentale,” held at the top of the Bank of America Building.
Casino Rentale was especially dazzling with breathtaking views from the highest point in Dallas, casino tables, and a special awards banquet to honor our first annual International Innovation Award winners. We also had a special celebration of CEO Wayne Harris’s 23rd anniversary with the company that happened to fall on the same day.
The conference wrapped up on Oct. 12 with tours of a couple of local rental stores, Rental Stop and Peerless Events and Tents. Visitors toured offices and warehouses, took a hayride, and learned how other Point of Rental users capitalize on the software.
Our sponsors really make the whole conference possible. Thank you to Platinum sponsors Rouse Analytics, SmartEquip, TSO Mobile and RentalHosting.com; Gold sponsors In-A-Bind and AP Equipment Financing; and Silver sponsors Harland Technology Services, Bit by Bit, and Positek RFID.
Thanks to everyone who attended and made this year’s International Conference so memorable! We hope to see your smiling faces again in 2017.