Background
Party Reflections is one of Special Events’ 30 Top Event Rental Companies in the United States. Founded in 1958 by Wayne Hooks as Chair Rental Service, the company has grown from a small inventory of tables and chairs in a garage to four locations serving the Carolinas, with warehouses in Charlotte, N.C., Greensboro, N.C., Raleigh, N.C., and Columbia, S.C.
Problem
The recession had hit Charlotte and the Party Reflections team didn’t want to stick with their same ol’ software. It wasn’t stable enough and they simply didn’t see a future with it. They searched for software they could count on – both at the time, to run consistently, and in the future, to adapt to their needs as a company planning on growing.
Solution
In 2011, Chief Business Officer Jonas Hutchison and the team decided they needed to move quickly. “We made a decision and we told Point of Rental, ‘We’ve got a month,’” said Jonas. “We wanted to get it in before our busy season, and we got it done. The installation process was actually great.”
Results
The combination of Point of Rental’s implementation and a rebounding regional market have seen Party Reflections grow from its Charlotte headquarters to four locations in Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh in North Carolina and Columbia, South Carolina in recent years.
The company uses Point of Rental in every aspect of their operation, from electronic signatures to dispatching to Mobile Workforce, and it’s helped them each step of the way.
“Years ago, everyone in the event rental business printed reports, and handed those out to everybody. With Point of Rental, all the information, data, that everyone needs, is in their own hands,” said Jonas. “They can do their own work and be self-sufficient.”
As Party Reflections has grown, their software has been able to grow with them, and the company’s outlook is rosy.
“We’re in a growing industry, we’re in growing markets,” said Jonas. “The last seven or eight years have been great, we just have to keep that going.”
