I would base my decision on whether to rent or buy on how many times I would need to use the item and how often. If I need it several times a year and over a long duration, then I would most likely purchase the equipment. But if it was a short duration or one time event, then renting makes more sense from a financial and equipment maintenance stand point.

It will depend on how long I will need it. Purchase price verses rental price

How many times I intend to use it.

I rent equipment if i need it only up to 5 times a Year.

Credit checks help reduce the risk of nonpayment. However, when invoices don't get paid, services need to stop immediately. Time Value Money is a very important concept to understand.

1. I talk to them and see what their situation is, & what past history has been. I work with them.
2. If they are dishonest and its more than $200. I take them to conciliation court, if I know where they bank. Court will not collect money, it just shows they owe it. Sheriff department collects after you get a jugdement.

Collection services never work. We file a small claim.

I begin by asking the customer: "What do you do when your customer fails/refuses to pay your invoice even just in a timely manner?"

When a customer fails to pay invoices I give them a call and discuss the situation with them, and resummit a new bill to them. If needed I give them payment options such as a personal check, bank check, company check, credit card payment or CASH money. If they still dont pay, then I refuse to do work for them, and then they will usually pay. If that doesn't work then I hang em upside down and shake em real good, then money seems to just fall out of there pockets. Just kidding ,ha, ha!

I own a small repair shop, piece bye piece small engine repair. I have been repairing engines for over thirty years. Vanguard engine is the best industrial engine on the market, they don't break down. I am glad that it took them so long to make this dependable engine because I was able to make money on the older style.

I worked for several small engine shops in High School. (I attended the local JVS) After high school I worked for a road construction company. We worked out of town a lot, and would usually get laid off after Christmas, until late March early April. I was in the store when I was laid off one time and the owner asked if I could help them in the shop for awhile. I said ok and I have been here 9 years since. What I learned since is it's not how much money you make an hour, its how many hours you get to spend with your family that matters the most. I am glad I am home every night to tuck my kids in bed, but I do miss the 3 months off a year.

I started Diamond Masonry because the company I worked for had no control of their expenses in a down turned economy, the lessons we have learned are to keep your over head down by buying machines that have less things that can go wrong and that are easier to maintain.

I own a lawn service. I started cutting part time to pick up extra money and it turned into more than I thought it would. A couple of lessons I learned the hard way is don't bid your prices too low no matter what the competition is doing, the other is to make sure you have good dependable equipment which is why I own a Vanguard engine.

No im not. Alternate fuel can cause damage to my engine or equipment. In case of emergency maybe. But I'm not using alternate fuel. I will use the fuel required for my engine or equipment because they were designed for that.

The alternate fuel that interests me is propane. We have a propane pumping station onsite.

Aloha from Hawaii. Correct maintenance is a must and failure to perform it, will guaranty you to have troubles with your equipment. I can't tell you how many times people have blamed the equipment when they should blame their own failure to perform scheduled maintenance. The other is for rental equipment it is even more so. Each piece of equipment should have an inspection on a schedule weather it is sitting on the shelf or out in the field. The customer, worker or end user should NEVER have to suffer from the failure of the maintenance department. Either do it yourself or pay the consequences. To many times the farmed out job gets the good enough treatment and you still get the bill. Most important is you may or may not get what you need when you need it. If you do farm it out be sure your own maintenance people do an inspection and sign off on it.

Service all our own equipment. Today we will be starting a brand new 3 cyl diesel. Great looking package, very good looking

I perform most of the maintenance to my equipment. I let the dealer have it during any warranty repairs and I'm too busy to mess with it.

Off season gives us time to review sales and project orders for upcoming season. Time to review product proformances and attend to needed improvements or added features ask for by customers.

The off season is a great time to plan, prep & prospect for new business. Its also a great time to get together with key accounts and review their business plan and how you can assist them in achieving their goals. Also, prospecting for new accounts within different segments can be productive!

In the off-season, when operations stop, there is quiet time to regroup and refocus. Unburdened from having to run your business, I use the off-season to plan out the operational and fiscal goals for the following year. I also use it to update systems or material or for the maintenance and repair of equipment. Off-season is also a time to begin preliminary sales and marketing activity.

In short, running a successful seasonal business means thinking ahead and having a lot of flexibility. Though it may be a challenge the rewards are great.

The "Off-Season" gives us time to re-focus on the customer as opposed to the problem at hand. We have time to re-tool and fine-tune our approach. We have time to fail in the off season and learn from our mistakes.

We pare things down to a skeleton crew to handle snow removal and salting. We've been able to convert 40% of our summer business to winter, but wish we could find ways to do even more.

Here in Maine, we look forward to heavy snowfall to keep us afloat during the cutting "off-season". Last year, we started installing holiday lights, but we've been struggling to get that part of our operation up and running.

I look to fellow buisness owners to learn new things about running a business.

Trade Journals often provide artilces that are applicable to basic business builders. Also, by joining a trade association you can have available seminars that could be helpful.

Large businesses have vice-presidents, knowledgeable in their area, to help make decisions. An experienced board of directors are also good sources of information. Peer groups are good. Sitting around a table with other business owners that sit in the same chair as you do at their business can give you good practical information.

Industry publications have great articles on successful businesses. Turf magazine has had some great articles lately.

I run a small construction business (residential paving, stonework, etc). The best place to learn about new products and tools are local dealers, we've got a great one in town. The annual trade shows are also a good resource. I went to World of Concrete a few years ago and am planning on going this year (2010).

I think the industry magazines are the best resource. The articles are in-depth and provide real-world examples of leading turf dealerships. I also visit turf websites and discussion boards.

Sirs-I prefer the gasoline engines over the diesel engines. To me the gasoline engines are much quieter running without all the clacking that diesel engines seem to make when they are running. I can see where their use would do very well on a big farm or company where most of the equipment would be of diesel motors being used all the time. As well as being used on the farms where all the tractors and farm trucks would be of diesel too. That way a farmer could save money in being he wouldnt need to leave to go buy gas for one piece of equipment where all the rest run on diesel fuel. You make some very good engines the one I have has been used in some very tough conditions in all types of weather and is still just as strong running for these 14 years I have owned it. Thanks for a great product. Sincerly Rick Pasour

Sirs-I prefer the gasoline engines over the diesel engines. To me the gasoline engines are much quieter running without all the clacking that diesel engines seem to make when they are running. I can see where their use would do very well on a big farm or company where most of the equipment would be of diesel motors being used all the time. As well as being used on the farms where all the tractors and farm trucks would be of diesel too. That way a farmer could save money in being he wouldnt need to leave to go buy gas for one piece of equipment where all the rest run on diesel fuel. You make some very good engines the one I have has been used in some very tough conditions in all types of weather and is still just as strong running for these 14 years I have owned it. Thanks for a great product. Sincerly Rick Pasour

SEPTEMBER WINNER
Diesel engines can't be beat for the professional who runs his equipment hard all day long. The fuel savings and longer life offset the higher initial purchase cost. With all the emphasis on the "green environment", the new generation of "clean diesels" really excel in terms of air pollution. Look for a bright future for new applications for small fuel efficient clean running diesels.

C. Williams - You are correct, the recession will end. Please continue researching and developing new engine designs that reduce pollutants while increasing torque. We (the customer) need that. As a company, please keep your eyes open for new ideas...they're out there!

As a manufacturer, we are cutting costs, first with fringe benefits, then with travel, and placing focus on our top movers. We've got to innovate, even though it is tough to find the budget, because the recession will end, and that's too late to start focusing on the future.

Luckily prices have come down but we're preparing for them to skyrocket again next season. Come spring we'll probably add a few ZTR's with fuel efficiency additives to our fleet

We've added a surcharge for our corporate accounts, but residential accounts have been left alone. We're concerned that our residential accounts could find alternatives more easily and we might lose that business

We’ve had no choice but to raise prices