Rental Tough: Party Rental Operators Know How to Persevere
We’re just going to say this outright: rental operators haven’t gotten the credit or attention they deserve during this pandemic. They’re unsung heroes who contributed directly to saving lives. And being rental tough is definitely worthy of some adulation.
The event and party rental industry is rooted firmly in social gatherings. Weddings, birthdays, graduations … rental operators offer essential services during the most important parties and events people organize. We’re maestros of memorable moments. We usher important milestones to their seats in a partygoers' memories.
That’s important work that goes unnoticed in and of itself. But the work rental operators did during the pandemic deserves its moment in the spotlight. And that’s what we’re hoping to do here.
Initially, the virus knocked us all to our knees. Our industry so heavily relies on those social functions. How do you stay in business as a party rental operator when you’re obligated, both legally and morally, to maintain social distancing? How do you promote to customers a fun, safe experience with friends and family in a time when everyone is doing their best to guess how much space makes up six feet?
But rental operators kept their cool. They used their experience and their equipment to forge lemons into lemonade. And in the end, some event and party rental professionals didn’t only come out in one piece, but standing more firmly than ever before.
And that takes us to the point of this article: recognition. You rental operators deserve credit for all the hard work you do each and every day. You played a significant role in keeping this country moving during the ugliest year we’ve collectively had in recent memory. So this article is just our little ode to you and all the important work you do.
Rental Operators and Their Party Tents Saved Lives
As a nation, we praised a lot of different types of food industry and retail workers during the pandemic. But you never hear the news mentioning rental operators, and that’s a shame. After all, rental operators played significant roles in helping medical professionals save lives. They should be counted among the unsung heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the pandemic first appeared in America back in March of 2020, the rental industry was initially overwhelmed with concern. How does an event and party rental company weather the storm of cancellations and the sudden urgency of everyone staying indoors?
In the opening hours of the COVID-19 pandemic, the outlook seemed grim. But some companies spotted an opportunity to pivot their operations using their party tents. And this rapid adaptation wasn’t just an effort to save their businesses. They were saving lives, too.
Commercial party tents are incredibly versatile. You’ll have a very difficult time trying to list off events that party tents aren’t well suited for. And that adaptability translated into a literal lifesaver for patients, the medical industry, and the rental operators setting them up.
Party tents were used throughout the pandemic for countless purposes. Drive thru COVID testing, outdoor hospital triage, decontamination, temporary quarantines … there really weren’t any limitations on how medical professionals found value in the party tents and other equipment rental operators had on hand.
Some hospitals, urgent care centers, and pharmacies purchased their own party tents and had their staff set them up. But most of these facilities around the country were turning to you, the event and party rental operators in their areas, for help. And you guys figuratively and literally delivered.
That ‘Rental Tough’ Mentality Helped Out Other Industries, Too
America’s medical professionals weren’t the only ones to benefit from the dedication and quick thinking of event and party rental professionals. A number of other businesses and nonprofits suddenly found themselves reaching out to our industry for help, too.
Restaurants needed setups for both outdoor dining and curbside pickups. Some retail outlets used tents and other equipment to create outdoor shopping areas. And grocery stores found value in using event equipment for putting together outdoor queuing areas.
Meanwhile, schools and colleges started using party tents, folding tables and chairs, and even commercial inflatables for educational uses. Outdoor classrooms never really entered the mainstream, but some schools saw them as a clever, healthy alternative to social distancing indoors. And inflatables allowed younger students to let loose while getting some plyometric fitness in.
Many rental operators adapted their consumer bookings, too. The cancellation of school graduations paved the way for virtual graduation parties hosted at home. Families would rent one or two party tents for their backyard, and set up live video streams with family and friends who couldn’t attend in person. And some parents set up private outdoor classrooms for their kids as well.
Let’s Raise a Glass to the Rental Tough Professionals Who Helped Keep America Going
At the time of this article’s writing, America still has a long way to go before we’re out of the danger zone with COVID-19. The vaccine is slowly making its way into the arms of the American public, but we could stay in social distancing mode until summer, or even fall.
Rental operators are just as excited to see the quarantines and social distancing rules end as anyone else. But when the going got tough, event and party experts got rental tough. And that quick thinking and relentless professionalism helped a lot of Americans in a lot of critically important ways.
We’re looking at another unconventional year in the rental space, though it doesn’t seem like many rental professionals are worried. Will there be challenges? Of course. Will we be returning to “business as usual” any time soon? Probably not. But rental professionals have proven conclusively that they’re up to the challenge. And rental tough industry professionals aren’t backing down.
So thank you, rental operators, for all of your hard work in 2020 and 2021. Thank you for the resilience you’ve shown, and for the enduring spirit that drove you to transition your business plans from entertaining people to helping save lives. This pandemic would have gone a lot worse for a lot of people if not for your hard work. And we just wanted to take a brief moment to thank you for all you did.
Rental Tough is the theme of our upcoming virtual trade show, taking place this February. We’ll have more details on that in the near future. But for now, join us in raising a glass to, well, yourselves! From all of us here at TNT, thank you for doing your part in keeping this country going during this pandemic. It hasn’t gone unnoticed!