What does a Rental Manager do?

A rental manager is responsible for leasing items or space to clients. Rental spaces may include vacation or apartment rentals as well as commercial offices. Items available for rental purposes include cars and equipment. Following procedures to help ensure that the rented items are returned on time or that the lease payments are paid by the agreed upon date are main goals of any type of rental manager.

In car rental or equipment leasing companies, training front line workers who deal with customers in renting out items is an important task for the manager. Workers must be able to accurately collect and store customer information to help the company track the merchandise it rents out. If the products are lost or stolen, the business suffers a loss and the rental manager is typically held responsible.

Making sure there is enough rental stock to meet customers' needs is a crucial managerial task at a rental company. The rental manager has to keep warranties and maintenance work up to date. He or she must build relationships not only with customers, but with repair and maintenance workers to help facilitate prompt service.

If rental merchandise isn't available to customers, maximum profits can't be realized. Rental managers must plan and strategize the most effective ways to increase sales while also ensuring customer satisfaction. Holding regular staff meetings to discuss new strategies, products or other information with workers who report to them is a required duty of most rental managers.

An apartment rental manager may have a different type of work environment than those who lease equipment or vehicles. Rather than traveling to an office, many apartment rental managers live in the building they manage as part of their job compensation package. They must also enforce building management rules, such as limits on pets, as well as hold regular fire safety drills.

Like other leaders in car rental and equipment companies, apartment managers must also collect and account for customer or tenant payments as well as any deposits. They must keep the building as secure as possible just as the other managers must protect the rental vehicles and equipment. Any type of rental manager must also typically report to and meet with the owner of the building or company. All rental managers must negotiate costs with repair and maintenance workers. They also have to be able to deal with customer complaints promptly and efficiently.