Each month we post new Questions and Answers to assist our visitors in determining and managing their computer rental needs.  To send a question for our consideration, send to info@American-Computer-Rentals.org

Q.  Our company participates in at least one major show per month?   At what point does owning versus renting computer equipment make sense?

A.   You have to ask some hard questions to find an answer to this common conundrum. The biggest issue for most event planners should be:
 - Is obsolescence going to be an issue?   Are your interactive programmers going to need more RAM for their next iteration of the show-stopping presentation?
 - The conservation of working capital: Are the ongoing large expenses to purchase equipment used one day per month making sense to the current bottom line?
 - Tax write-off?  Check with your accounting staff to determine the pro’s and con’s to renting versus purchasing.  This can change yearly, so it’s wise to check.
 - And, finally, manpower.  Can you send fewer staff to exhibitions if the computer-related issues are outsourced.   Add up travel, food, and lodging expenses, along with staff hours and examine the results closely.  For more than 80% of  visitors surveyed last month by our Association, the savings were gained most through rentals versus acquisition.

Q.  My manager insists that we deal with computer rental vendors who guarantee on-site services.  Do this mean I should contract with a different, local vendor per venue?  That makes it more of a hassle for me.

A.  You’re right.  Finding area-specific vendors that you can rely on, and save money with, is a time-consuming task.   Fortunately, most of our members guarantee on-site services at any venue, even if they do not have a “bricks and mortar” site in the particular city of the event.  They can do this because most events are one to three days, and it is more economical for them to keep the service technician at the contracted city throughout the event, not just fly him in to set up the equipment and then fly him back to break down the equipment a few days later.

Ask your favorite vendors about their policy, and ask for it in writing within your next contract.