Chris Kollmar runs Swing, a paragliding rental service based in Bavaria, Germany. As both a manufacturer and rental provider, Swing has been running since 1986 to both manufacture, supply, and rent out paragliders across Germany and the globe. In their flagship store in Germany, Swing offers customers the chance to test paragliders before committing, with the flexibility to swap gear based on changing needs. “We offer a full service of getting a paraglider in the right size in the right period to the customer,” Chris explains.
The business caters to customers keen on trying different paragliders before confirming a rental, and also serves B2B clients directly from their warehouse through in-person service. As a certified paraglider manufacturer and dealership, Swing’s paragliders are stocked in many retailers and rental stores around the globe. Before Booqable, Swing already had a website showcasing their range of products that customers can reserve in their store.
However, behind the scenes, the team relied heavily on Google Sheets to keep things running, which became increasingly difficult to manage as the business grew. “We were struggling to find an easy point of sale, set up a payment connection, and have easy communication with customers.” Booqable gave Swing the tools to move faster and manage better, with a paraglide rental website setup that combined Booqable as a point of sale, backend Stripe connection, and communication features in one place.
Building a better front desk with Booqable
Before Booqable, Swing used Google Sheets to manage gear inventory, customer details, and booking info. But for a walk-in rental model, that created friction. Finding an easy point of sale became a priority as they looked for something more responsive during face-to-face bookings.
With Booqable as their point of sale system, Swing now manages everything from one screen. They can select an existing customer or add a new one, with all information saved immediately. Rental dates and product availability appear in real time, and they can reserve gear, add order notes, take Stripe payments, and email documents without having to switch platforms.
Here are three things this enables them to do:
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Instantly check gear availability for last-minute walk-ins
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Quickly reserve products while keeping accurate stock records
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Collect and store customer rental history without extra admin
With Booqable as their point of sale system, Swing no longer worries about mistakes or delays caused by spreadsheet juggling. The in-store experience is smoother, and booking a paraglider now takes minutes instead of multiple steps.
Getting paid faster with Stripe and Booqable
Payments were another hurdle for the Swing team. Setting up a payment connection was difficult without a system that could handle different types of transactions in real time. They needed a way to process in-person payments, issue links for remote ones, and manage authorizations when needed.
With Booqable’s backend Stripe integration, they can now take payments through multiple channels. Credit card payments can be completed in-store. When needed, the team sends payment request links or payment authorization links to hold funds on a customer’s card, which can all be refunded straight from the Booqable screen.
This payment connection with Stripe gives them the ability to:
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Accept and log card payments at the time of booking
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Send payment request links directly through Booqable
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Manage authorizations and approvals without needing separate tools
Booqable’s payment tools give Swing more control over how and when payments happen. Customers get flexibility, and the team gets clear records they can trust.
Making customer communication simple
Running a sports rental business means keeping customers informed at every stage, from pickup to return. For Swing, managing this communication manually was a challenge. Having easy communication with customers was one of the biggest frustrations they faced before switching to Booqable.
With Booqable’s built-in communication tools, Chris and the team can now send confirmation emails, embed rental terms to their documents, and collect signatures digitally. This saves time and reduces confusion for everyone.
The communication tools allow them to:
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Use email templates to confirm and follow up on orders
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Send document templates for terms and conditions
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Have Booqable automatically fulfill document and emails with the correct information
Now, everything customers need to know is shared clearly and consistently. It keeps the process moving without adding to the team’s workload.
Scaling their rental vision with confidence
Swing started with a clear goal, to make paragliding rental easier, more flexible, and more accessible. With Booqable, they now run their in-store booking process from a single system that handles customer management, payment processing, and communication.
“We now have more time set aside to spend on marketing,” Chris shares. As they grow, the Swing team continues working toward their bigger vision: becoming the go-to place for paraglider rentals and purchase.
