When a family comes together to pursue a business opportunity, the results can be extraordinary. Corey and Janelle Hooks discovered this to be true when they started Hooks Hoppers together in 2016. Just one year later, they had grown to where they needed rental software to manage their rental business. So they chose Booqable and never looked back.
Bounce houses or “hoppers” have been a staple of children’s parties for quite some time. They are affordable, provide children (and adults) with hours of fun, and are generally a hit wherever you find them. So, when you’re in one of America’s biggest party states, you can bet they’ll fly out the door.
Hooks Hoppers
In 2016, Corey Hooks, a firefighter, and his wife Janelle, a health care professional, decided to test the waters in renting out inflatables. In the summer, they purchased a bounce house from Jungle Jumps and tried out renting it for about a year in their hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.
They found there was a demand for them, and their customers included parents who wanted them for their children’s parties. In addition, they catered to local fairs and events where bounce houses proved to be a big attraction. This gave them the proof they needed that it was a viable business, and the following summer, they invested in four more inflatables.
They had been taking bookings via phone calls from customers who were searching for inflatables until this point. But, of course, with both of them working in the emergency services, this wasn’t an ideal solution. They couldn’t dedicate enough time to taking calls and managing bookings, so they needed another solution.
Bouncing higher
Corey and Janelle decided that they needed a website to rent their inflatables online and a way to manage bookings. They chose Booqable as it allowed them to manage their incoming orders and integrate an online store onto their new website. In addition, it allowed them to keep track of their inventory and stay on top of managing their business.
This has allowed Corey and Janelle to keep growing their business without having to answer the phone and enter orders manually. It has been a massive timesaver for both themselves and their customers. As well as allowing them to introduce more products to their inventory knowing they will be able to keep track of them properly.
Customers can now go directly to their website to book the equipment they need without ever interacting with Corey or Janelle. It has also facilitated considerable growth in returning customers as they can now re-book equipment within a couple of minutes.
Up up and away
Since integrating Booqable with their business in 2017, Corey and Janelle have grown their inventory beyond inflatables. They now offer a complete equipment service for parties, including waterslides, tables, chairs, tents, speakers, and popcorn, snow cone, and cotton candy machines.
Hooks Hoppers has grown faster and easier than they ever anticipated while allowing them to continue the jobs they are both passionate about. They are planning to keep Hooks Hoppers in the family as it continues to grow and their children grow up to be more involved in running the business.
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