Brad Skinner and Kelly Roberts acquired Swans Lane Event Hire in 2023 and relocated it to a larger warehouse to accommodate their growth plans. Taking over an existing business came with challenges like double bookings, data issues, and a lot of manual work. They decided to use Booqable to confront these issues and bring a new online booking and wishlist system to their website.
Swans Lane Event Hire
Brad and Kelly acquired the business in May 2023 from a couple who had been operating it out of their home in Bacchus Marsh. They immediately saw the potential for expansion and relocated it to a larger warehouse in Geelong, Melbourne. This proved to be a success, and they have spent the last year improving the operation, expanding the inventory, and providing excellent service to clients.
Swans Lane Event Hire specializes in event furniture and lighting rentals, offering a wide range of stylish and functional options to suit any occasion. Clients can choose from elegant dining tables and chairs to eye-catching fairy lights and festoons, and they have everything a client may need to create a memorable event. In addition, they offer professional setup and pack-down services.
They typically work with a diverse range of clients, including couples planning weddings, corporate event planners, event professionals, and individuals hosting private gatherings. Their unique combination of personalized service, high-quality equipment, competitive pricing, and excellent customer service led to them winning the Geelong Excellence Awards in 2024. This ceremony recognizes businesses that have achieved excellence in the Geelong region.
Preventing double bookings and more
Relocating Swans Lane Event Hire was just the beginning of the challenges Brad and Kelly would face after acquiring the business. Managing a rental business can be a complex task, especially when you’re starting out. They began to have difficulties with overbooking items, double-entering data from emails into their booking system, and processing security deposits and payments.
These challenges led them to search for a better solution to manage their bookings, inventory, and payments. They found Booqable and quickly discovered that it provides features that prevent overbooking, reduce manual data entry, and improve accuracy. The inventory management system’s real-time availability means that nothing can be overbooked, completely reducing this issue for them.
Meanwhile, they have been able to use the website builder and its built-in rental features to create wishlist functionality. This significantly streamlined the quoting and booking process and has also been well-received by clients who can now do much of the process themselves. In addition, Stripe integration allows them to receive credit card payments online, which is convenient for them and customers who can now make payments quickly.
The premier provider of event rental services
Since implementing Booqable in their rental business, Brad and Kelly have seen valuable time savings across the board. This has given them more time to focus on being “the premier provider of event rental services in the Geelong region and beyond.” They aim to achieve this by expanding their inventory and enhancing their online presence through growing their website and marketing channels.
