How to automate customer support for rental businesses
Learn how rental businesses automate bookings, payments, access control, and self-service support to cut costs, reduce tickets, and run 24/7.
Automating customer support in rental businesses saves time, reduces costs, and improves customer experience. Common tasks like bookings, payments, and inquiries can be handled automatically, freeing up resources for growth. Tools like Lockii allow businesses to operate 24/7 with minimal staff involvement, using features like smart locks, automated messaging, and real-time tracking. Whether you run a staffed or self-service model, automation helps streamline operations and handle up to 95% of customer interactions without human input.
Key Takeaways:
- For Standard Hire Models: Automate bookings, payments, and communication to reduce admin work and improve efficiency.
- For Self-Service Models: Use contactless tools like smart locks and customer portals to enable 24/7 operations.
- Cost Savings: Automation reduces labor expenses, minimizes errors, and ensures faster bookings and payments.
- Lockii Features: Online bookings, smart locks, GPS tracking, and self-service portals simplify processes and reduce support tickets.
By integrating automation tools with AI, businesses can handle complex customer issues while automating routine tasks, creating a more efficient and smooth operation.
How To Automate Your Customer Support
To ensure you don't miss any critical steps, follow a rental business automation checklist to streamline your setup.
What Can Be Automated in Rental Businesses
Standard Hire vs Self-Service Rental Model Comparison
How much you can automate in your rental business largely depends on your operating model. Do you run a standard hire operation where staff manage pickups and returns? Or do you have a self-service model where customers handle everything themselves? Both setups can benefit from automation, but they tackle different challenges. Ultimately, automation helps streamline operations, reduce errors, and improve response times for customers.
For standard hire businesses, automation is all about cutting down on repetitive administrative tasks. Think of the time spent on manual bookings, chasing payments, or answering the same customer inquiries over and over. Automation can free up your staff to focus on delivering better service.
Self-service businesses, on the other hand, aim to operate independently of staff presence. The goal is to create a seamless, 24/7 experience where customers can rent and return items without human intervention. Whether it's 2 AM on a Sunday or a busy holiday, automation ensures everything runs smoothly - from access codes to equipment tracking.
Automation Options for Standard Hire Businesses
In standard hire operations, automation typically focuses on back-office tasks that support staff-led interactions. For example, you can automate web inquiries, payment processing, and customer communications.
Payment automation can be a game-changer. Instead of manually tracking payments, you can set up workflows that automatically cancel a booking if the deposit isn’t received within a set timeframe. No more awkward follow-up calls, and your inventory stays available for paying customers.
Communication is another area ripe for automation. Templates for booking confirmations, return instructions, or reminders can save hours of repetitive work. These templates can even be customized to include customer names, rental details, and pickup locations. The trick is to keep the messages personal enough that they don’t feel robotic. This way, your staff can focus on resolving customer issues rather than typing out the same responses repeatedly.
Automation Options for Self-Service Businesses
For self-service models, automation is all about contactless rental models. The aim is to eliminate the need for on-site staff while ensuring a flawless customer experience.
A key feature here is contactless access control. Smart locks that generate unique, time-limited codes for each customer remove the need for physical key exchanges. These codes can be automatically sent via SMS or email once payment is cleared, giving customers immediate access to their rentals.
GPS tracking is another essential tool, allowing real-time monitoring of equipment. Pair this with a customer portal where users can extend their rentals instantly - even during off-hours - and you’ve got a system that works around the clock.
Returns can also be automated. For instance, customers can upload photos of the returned equipment or complete a checklist to confirm its condition. Clean returns can be processed immediately, while flagged issues can be escalated for follow-up. This ensures accountability without requiring staff to inspect every single return.
Standard Hire vs. Self-Service: Key Differences
The main distinction between these models lies in human involvement. Standard hire automation enhances staff efficiency, while self-service automation removes the need for staff presence altogether. Here’s a quick comparison:
| Process | Standard Hire Limitations | Self-Service Advantages | Customer Support Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking Management | Manual entry, phone calls during business hours | Automated booking widgets with instant confirmation | 24/7 availability, no delays |
| Payment Collection | Manual tracking or delayed payments | Instant online payments with automated retries | Faster cash flow, fewer payment issues |
| Customer Inquiries | Staff must respond to each query | Automated FAQs, chatbots, and self-service portals | Up to 90% fewer support tickets |
| Rental Pickups | Staff must be present during scheduled hours | Contactless locks with code delivery | Anytime access, no scheduling conflicts |
| Extensions & Changes | Requires staff intervention via calls or emails | Self-service portals for instant updates | No delays, reduced admin workload |
| Return Verification | Staff inspections for every return | Photo uploads and automated checklists | Faster processing, clear audit trail |
Take the example of MIRO Rooms Rentals in Riga. By integrating a property management system with smart locks and automated messaging, they managed to automate 95% of their check-ins. This saved them 15–20 staff hours per week. Their team could then focus on growing the business and tackling more complex tasks, like maintenance and portfolio expansion.
"The point of customer service automation is to delegate repetitive tasks related to service work to computers - so your support team can spend time on more valuable stuff." - Krystina Martinez, Zapier
Switching from a standard hire to a self-service model doesn’t mean eliminating staff entirely. Instead, it’s about refocusing their efforts on high-value activities, like solving complex customer issues or building loyalty. Automation handles the routine tasks, so your team can concentrate on what really matters.
How Much Money Each Automation Saves
Automation isn't just about making life easier - it’s a game-changer for cutting costs and boosting efficiency. In the rental business, automating customer support tasks can slash labor expenses, minimize errors, and ensure you don’t miss out on revenue opportunities. These savings free up resources for more meaningful customer interactions. Let’s break down how specific automated processes can directly impact your bottom line.
Savings from Online Bookings and Payments
Online booking systems are one of the smartest investments you can make. By letting customers book and pay anytime without staff involvement, your business essentially operates 24/7 without the added labor costs. Research shows that in fully automated systems, 95% of customer bookings don’t require any human intervention. Automation also reduces errors like manual data entry mistakes or double-bookings by syncing inventory in real time. Considering that 70% of customers begin their rental search online, automated booking ensures you capture these opportunities effortlessly.
Payment automation takes these savings even further. From handling deposits to managing rental extensions, automated systems improve cash flow and reduce risks like late payments or bad debt. This streamlined process not only saves time but also ensures smoother financial operations.
Labor Cost Reductions with Real-Time Management and Tracking
Automation doesn’t stop at bookings - it significantly cuts labor costs through real-time management tools. For example, GPS tracking eliminates hours of backend work by instantly handling tasks like cross-referencing returns, chasing overdue items, and updating maintenance logs. Automated notifications do the heavy lifting, saving your team countless hours.
Smart check-in processes, such as using smart locks and pre-written messaging templates, can cut down on driving time and travel costs for rental owners. These tools also simplify routine guest communications, making operations more efficient.
Maintenance management is another area where automation shines. By automatically flagging items for repairs based on usage or specific dates, it removes the need for manual scheduling and reduces the risk of renting out equipment that isn’t in top condition.
Cost Savings from Self-Service Extensions and Customer Portals
Self-service features like rental extensions and customer portals shift routine admin tasks to customers. When customers can extend their rentals or pay additional fees online, you save valuable support time while capturing revenue even during off-hours.
The benefits are clear. In fact, 88% of small business owners say automation helps them compete with larger companies.
"It's all about understanding what you can automate to get your time and money back. In my case, automating some key processes gave me back sufficient time to grow my business by expanding my rental portfolio." – James Coupland, Holiday Rental Owner and Investor
The secret to success? Start with the processes that consume the most staff time or cause the most friction for your customers. Automating tasks like online bookings, payments, and self-service options often delivers the quickest return on investment by boosting revenue and cutting labor costs.
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How Lockii Automates Customer Support
Lockii streamlines the entire rental process - from online discovery to item returns - offering rental businesses a way to operate efficiently with minimal staff involvement while maintaining a polished customer experience. On average, businesses using Lockii manage over 10 locations.
The standout feature of Lockii is its ability to prevent customer support inquiries before they even happen. By automating tasks like booking confirmations, access code generation, payment processing, and return verification, Lockii eliminates the most common reasons customers typically need assistance. In fact, 95% of customer bookings are completed without any human intervention. This allows your team to focus on more pressing issues rather than routine questions like “What’s my lock code?” or “Can I extend my rental?” The result? Fewer interruptions and more time for your team to handle complex tasks.
Automating Online Bookings with Lockii's Widgets
Lockii’s embeddable booking widgets make it easy for customers to complete their reservations directly on your website. This keeps the entire process under your brand while the system takes care of inventory management, payment processing, and identity verification behind the scenes.
Once a booking is made, Lockii assigns inventory, generates unique lock codes, and sends them via email and SMS - no back-and-forth needed to arrange pickups. For businesses with physical locations, Lockii also offers QR and NFC-based "instant pages." These allow walk-in customers to handle express checkouts without staff involvement. A quick scan lets customers verify their identity, pay online, and receive access codes - all in under two minutes.
Customers can also add extras like insurance or accessories during checkout. This automated upselling happens seamlessly, increasing revenue without requiring additional effort from your team.
Contactless Pickups and Identity Verification with Lockii
Lockii replaces traditional ID checks and key handovers with a contactless rental process. Customers verify their identity online before pickup, ensuring high-value items stay secure without manual oversight.
Once verified, Lockii sends digital lock codes that allow customers to access rentals 24/7. This contactless process integrates smoothly with IglooHome smart locks and other compatible hardware, eliminating the need for staff to be on-site.
To protect your business, Lockii maintains detailed audit logs for every item and order, recording who accessed what and when. This verifiable record helps resolve disputes about pickup times or item conditions.
Real-Time Tracking and Management Using Lockii
Lockii’s GPS tracking system keeps you informed with real-time notifications for items that are late or moved. It also automates maintenance schedules, reducing the need for manual tracking of returns or overdue rentals.
The platform simplifies maintenance by letting you block items for servicing and track important dates through an audit log. This ensures unavailable equipment isn’t accidentally booked, cutting down on scheduling conflicts or safety concerns.
For businesses with multiple locations, Lockii helps customers find the nearest rental site and supports cross-location bookings. This minimizes common questions like, “Where do I pick this up?”
Self-Service Features: Extensions, Returns, and More
Lockii’s self-service tools empower customers to handle routine tasks themselves, significantly reducing the need for direct support. Through the customer portal, renters can extend their bookings, pay any price differences online, and receive updated lock codes instantly. This eliminates a large chunk of support tickets.
At the end of a rental, Lockii automates return verification through hire-end photos and digital forms. Customers document the item’s condition with photos and confirm the return location via GPS, creating a detailed record in the audit log. To ensure proper handling, the system can even require customers to complete quizzes on shutdown procedures or safety protocols before returning items.
These self-service options not only reduce your team’s workload but also allow customers to make changes or finalize rentals outside of regular business hours. For example, a customer could extend their rental late at night, and the system would handle everything automatically.
Automated Communication and Audit Logs in Lockii
Lockii simplifies customer communication by automating email and SMS notifications. It sends booking confirmations, lock codes, pickup reminders, and return updates based on triggers you set, ensuring customers stay informed without requiring manual follow-ups.
Every interaction is logged in detailed audit trails, capturing the complete history of each item and order. This includes maintenance records, usage patterns, and status updates, making it easier to resolve disputes over lock codes or damages.
Lockii integrates seamlessly with tools like Stripe for payments, Zapier for workflow automation, and various SMS providers for communications. These integrations trigger automated actions across your systems, keeping everything running smoothly.
Connecting Lockii to AI Customer Support Software
Lockii already manages 95% of customer bookings through automated access solutions without any human involvement. But what about the other 5%? These are the tricky edge cases - things like product inquiries, damage disputes, or situations that exceed standard automation capabilities. By linking Lockii to AI-powered customer support software, you can tackle these more complex issues while still maintaining a smooth and efficient customer experience. This added AI layer fills in the gaps, ensuring no customer is left without a resolution.
Using AI to Handle Edge Cases in Customer Support
AI customer support tools rely on Natural Language Processing (NLP) to interpret customer intent and provide context-aware responses. These tools step in when automated systems hit a wall. For instance, if a customer has trouble with a lock code or wants to extend their rental, the AI can pull data from Lockii - like booking details, audit logs, and item history - to resolve the issue on the spot.
Candace Marshall, VP of Product Marketing for AI and Automation at Zendesk, highlights this shift, stating that 90% of CX Trendsetters anticipate that over 80% of customer issues will soon be resolved without human involvement. AI systems trained on billions of interactions are already handling complex problems independently. And when they encounter something they can’t solve? They pass the ticket to a human agent, complete with all the context from Lockii’s audit logs. This ensures the agent has everything they need to resolve the issue quickly and efficiently.
AI copilots also lend a hand to your support team. By analyzing data from Lockii, they suggest the best responses, allowing your staff to focus on tasks that genuinely need human insight or empathy. This hybrid approach keeps customers happy with fast resolutions while letting your team concentrate on higher-priority issues.
How to Integrate Lockii with AI Tools
Integrating Lockii with AI customer support platforms builds on its strong API capabilities. Through APIs and webhooks, Lockii can share real-time data with tools like Zendesk or HubSpot. For a simpler setup, you can use Lockii’s Zapier integration to connect your rental operations with AI systems. Webhooks can be configured to send updates on bookings, lock code events, and return confirmations directly to your AI platform, providing instant access to customer details.
Here’s how it works: When a customer reaches out, the AI uses NLP to identify the issue and pulls relevant data from Lockii via its API. If the problem is straightforward - like resending a lock code or approving a rental extension - the AI resolves it immediately. For more complicated cases, the system forwards the ticket to a human agent, complete with Lockii’s detailed audit trail.
To keep your AI running smoothly, update its knowledge base regularly with your latest rental policies, product details, and troubleshooting guides. This ensures the system can handle new scenarios as they arise. By integrating Lockii with AI tools, you’re not just streamlining day-to-day operations - you’re also ensuring that even the most challenging cases are handled efficiently, creating a seamless and complete customer support system.
Conclusion
The automated systems we've explored are transforming customer support in the rental industry. By automating key processes, businesses can not only reduce operational costs but also improve the overall customer experience, paving the way for steady growth. A solution like Lockii makes it possible to handle everything seamlessly - from online bookings and contactless pickups to real-time tracking and self-service extensions.
Most bookings are now fully automated, enabling businesses to operate 24/7 without the expense of staffing multiple locations. This shift allows rental companies to stay competitive while maintaining efficiency.
Key tasks like identity verification, payment processing, and booking management are streamlined through automation, drastically cutting down manual work and minimizing support tickets. Features like GPS tracking and audit logs also add an extra layer of security for your equipment. As Gavin Shields, CEO of Stora, highlights, "88% of small business owners report that automation allows them to compete effectively with larger companies". This ability to "do more with less" is a game-changer for small and medium-sized businesses.
By integrating Lockii with AI-driven customer support, you get the best of both worlds. While routine tasks are handled automatically, more complex issues are escalated to human agents with full context provided by the system. This ensures that no customer concern is overlooked, striking the perfect balance between automation and personalized service.
Rental businesses are increasingly adopting autonomous, contactless solutions, and those who lean into this trend are scaling faster and more efficiently. With Lockii managing the day-to-day and AI addressing exceptions, your operation can run smoothly, 24/7.
Take the leap into automation with Lockii and AI to create a reliable, round-the-clock rental business.
FAQs
How does automation enhance customer support for rental businesses?
Automation has redefined the rental experience, turning it into a smooth, self-service process that keeps customers informed and in charge every step of the way. With tools like digital lock pickup and drop-off, renters can collect and return items anytime - day or night - without needing to wait for staff. This not only speeds things up but also makes the process far more convenient. Automated SMS and email notifications keep customers in the loop with updates like booking confirmations, reminders, and return instructions, so they always know what’s happening and what to do next.
But it’s not just about convenience. Automation also boosts reliability by minimizing errors and delays. Features such as instant payment updates, GPS-tracked returns, and automated identity verification enhance security and transparency, giving customers added peace of mind. By streamlining these touchpoints, rental businesses create a support system that feels effortless and user-friendly. And for those rare, more complicated situations, AI-powered support steps in to resolve issues quickly while still maintaining a personal and professional touch.
How does Lockii simplify and automate customer support for rental businesses?
Lockii simplifies rental operations by automating essential tasks, such as 24/7 contactless pick-up and drop-off through digital locks, managing bookings online, and sending automated SMS and email notifications. It also includes advanced features like identity verification, GPS tracking, and support for multiple locations. These tools minimize the need for manual effort while boosting overall efficiency.
By handling these processes automatically, Lockii not only improves the customer experience but also helps reduce fraud, accelerates payment processing, and makes it easier for businesses to expand. With Lockii, rental companies can concentrate on growing their business while offering customers a smooth, self-service experience.
How does Lockii use AI to manage complex customer support issues?
Lockii makes managing complex customer support tasks easier by connecting with AI-powered help-desk tools via Zapier. With this setup, AI takes charge of triaging, routing, and resolving those tricky, out-of-the-ordinary inquiries, ensuring customers receive prompt and reliable assistance.
Meanwhile, Lockii’s key features - such as automated SMS and email notifications, identity verification, and booking workflows - keep running smoothly in the background. This seamless integration means both everyday support tasks and more challenging issues are handled efficiently, saving time and improving the overall customer experience.