Rental management software

The rental industry spans many different types of equipment from tools to heavy construction equipment, aerial to vehicles, party and event to computers and test and measurement equipment and highly specialized areas such as Crane and Temporary Accommodation rental. In the UK and some parts of Europe it is referred to as the Hire Industry.

History

Like most software development, initial rental software systems were developed in the 1970s and 1980s as custom or bespoke solutions provided for individual rental companies and occurred in parallel in locations across the globe. In the last two decades a number of leading players have emerged providing solutions for everything from one or two user systems in a single store to international, multi-company and multi-location organizations.

The rental industry itself continues to adapt and re-shape, as different players enter the market and national boundaries become less significant. The introduction and expansion of increasing numbers of manufacturers, such as Volvo Rents, and CAT into the rental industry as direct providers of rental services is also re-shaping the way that individual rental software providers adapt their software.