Most people start their own rental business but some, like McKay Dalgleish, enter the industry by purchasing an existing business. He bought Chunky’s Beach Rentals a couple of years ago and has since spent time improving the service. One of his most significant changes was switching to Booqable to manage inventory and create a website to accept online bookings.
Chunky’s Beach Rentals
Chunky’s Beach Rentals has a long history stretching back almost ten years to 2015. Its founder made it a favorite among locals and visitors to the Isle of Palms in South Carolina. They decided to sell it to another budding entrepreneur a couple of years ago to keep it going. McKay chose to purchase it, and he has been hard at work improving the business.
He inherited an inventory of beach chairs, umbrellas, boogie boards, surfboards, and cabanas. These items have remained the primary offering of the rental service, and he also offers surf and Zumba lessons to visitors. Each customer is treated to personal service and is presented with unique items that other beach rental companies in the area do not have.
When they opened for the season this year, they sponsored a big barbecue for all the potential employees, and that’s where most of the current staff met. Currently, there are 12 temporary staff who are working throughout the 2024 season.
Regaining control of inventory
When McKay took over Chunky’s Beach Rentals, he found it challenging to keep track of inventory and stock levels. Often, he would have to go through paperwork and manually work things out with a calculator. So, he searched for a software solution that would help automate much of this management and allow customers to book online if they preferred.
His search led him to Booqable, which helped him regain control of his inventory. He could add all of his stock and keep an accurate count of stock levels. This made it easy to create new bookings for orders made over the phone and ensured he would have everything he needed in stock. It was also easy for the temporary staff to learn, and it helped them get up and running quickly.
In addition, McKay created a rental website utilizing the Waverunner theme. He quickly customized it to meet his needs with branding, colors, and layout. This enabled his customers to find what they were looking for quickly, check if it was available, and make a booking instantly. The result has been fewer phone calls and manual orders, a massive time-saver for the team.
Expansion into luxury products
Now that McKay feels the business is more under control, he is setting his sights on the future. He plans to expand the business across multiple locations and become more well-known outside the beach community. He also plans on offering more luxurious products and services, which will aid in his other goals.
