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From Mark Jerram:
BRITISH INFLATABLE HIRERS ALLIANCE www.biha.org.uk Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/biha4u Forum: www.BouncyCastleOwner.com ==============================
13 Sept 2015
Hi to all BIHA Members,
Welcome to this week's "Spotlight on an Inflatable Hire Company" featuring Spencer from Bouncing Higher in Kent.
I hope that you enjoy reading his answers and pick up some good ideas and tips which he mentions.
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SPOTLIGHT ON AN INFLATABLE HIRE COMPANY.
YOUR NAME?
Spencer Elliott
NAME OF YOUR INFLATABLE HIRE COMPANY?
Bouncing Higher
YOUR LOCATION?
South East London/North Kent
WHAT IS YOUR AGE?
33
WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE YOU STARTED HIRING OUT INFLATABLES?
I'm a business application owner for several different pieces of software, deployed globally at a corporate bank. These applications are owned by Facilities Management (room booking, desk booking, print management etc).
Before that, I was a printer.
WHAT MADE YOU START AN INFLATABLE HIRE BUSINESS?
My wife went part-time after having our first child, and then after our second child she took voluntary redundancy. This left us without much left-over disposable income. We purchased a bouncy castle for our eldest when our second child arrived, as we decided that we couldn't take a newborn to the beach and other locations, but it was unfair to keep our eldest indoors and bored over the summer. It was also cost effective, considering the cumulative costs of day trips over the holidays.
Pretty soon, driven by our own new found austerity and the surprising high demand for our bouncy castle and interest from other parents at our daughters nursery, we decided to look into the requirements of leveraging this castle to start hiring it out, and supply and demand took over.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?
Golf (although I am terrible at it), Stop animation and programming in C++.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MOVIE?
The Star-Wars trilogy.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MEAL?
Christmas dinner.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE UK HOLIDAY DESTINATION?
Centre Parcs
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION ABROAD?
New Zealand, both islands.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TV PROGRAMME?
Currently Game of Thrones (followed by the Walking Dead), but previously it was Breaking Bad.
YOUR FAVOURITE SONG?
The Cave - Mumford and Sons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgDNCmGr-Q4
or anything my daughter sings !
WHAT DO YOU MOST ENJOY ABOUT THE INFLATABLE HIRE BUSINESS?
Many of the things I like about it are not specific to the industry, but rather being a small business owner. However, specifically about the industry, I like how cooperative and friendly my competitors are, how I am helping to make a child's party special and playing an important part in making so many kids happy. I also like how the suppliers are active and engaged with customers.
IF YOU COULD WAVE A MAGIC WAND WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT THE INDUSTRY?
I would remove all copyright infringing themed inflatables so that you didn't have to take a risk with those themes just to compete.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD A HIRING FROM HELL? (Horror story or an unusual booking?)
BIHA note: this "hiring from hell" has been slightly edited and censored for family reading! Yes! I had a late pick-up of a castle recently... When I arrived, one of the party guests who was drunk was being held back by two other guys while he was swearing and threatening to punch his partner's face in.
Another guy thought he'd try to create a distraction, and starts singing an Arsenal football song. Unfortunately, the host doesn't appreciate this as 'his' team lost 4-1 to Arsenal that very day, and swears at him and orders him out of his house.
The host's wife comes up and tries to defuse the situation, but swears and insults her husband in front of all the guests.
By this time the host is now absolutely fuming, and told her she needs to watch her foul mouth or else.
To my horror, the drunk man then head-buts the host.
The two guys holding back the original drunk rush over to break it up.
The original drunk staggers over to his partner and gives her a punch.
In retaliation, she kicks him where it really hurts and he drops to his knees in agony.
The host then tries to wade in with more punches but slips on the wet wooden decking and almost knocks himself out as his head hits the deck.
After some more alcohol-fuelled fighting, things settle down and they carry on drinking, leaving the host on the decking very dazed.
I've had all this violence going on around me as I've just about finished rolling the castle up, and there's a kid about 7 years old sitting on the edge of a trampoline playing on his phone. I say 'That was interesting', to which he replies 'yeah, they always act stupid after a drink'.
I've got to admit, I took ages rolling the castle up, I didn't fancy trying to walk past them with my trolley while World War 3 was kicking off...
Anyway, I get all my equipment out, and literally have to step over the host while carrying the castle.
When I'm finished, I go back to say "I'm off" to the hosts wife. The host is back on his feet, and says he'll see me out. I shake his hand and leave.
Not a booking I'll forget in a hurry!!!
DO YOU HAVE ANY USEFUL TIPS OR IDEAS THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH THE OTHER BIHA MEMBERS.
Be aware that if you primarily use Facebook to get bookings - then you may get messed about by people wanting a big discount. Also, it's easy to get side-tracked into constant PM'ing with potential customers which can suck up a great deal of your time. You want affluent customers and less management and interaction taking the booking.
When you purchase your leads, consider getting an inline RCD. It helps make sure you always have an RCD on the plug, and don't forget them, plus it's easier for the outside garden type grey box terminals that don't allow for the large RCD fitting to connect. If you do get an in-line RCD, have it close to the male end, approx 3 foot from the end. Too close causes issues when it goes through windows.
HOW HAS THE BIHA HELPED YOU IN YOUR INFLATABLE HIRE BUSINESS?
SEO Back-links, logos on the website and other material give my company an accredited perception to clients. I get help and advice from other members on the BIHA Facebook Group, and an enormous easy to access historic archive of past operators experience on the BIHA website.
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Thank you Spencer for spending some time answering these questions - it's greatly appreciated. Some very interesting info you have shared there.
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***URGENT--URGENT--URGENT--URGENT--URGENT--URGENT***
Is your hire business listed on the BIHA Members Map - powered by Google ?
See: http://bit.ly/1uDQ0Ku If not, please text Mark on 07880 -- 540201.
By being listed on this map - it gives Google an extra reason to rank you higher to make it easier for your prospective customers to find you!
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Join the hot conversations on our PRIVATE discussion forum and on our new Facebook Group and see what other bouncy castle hire companies are saying and doing to improve and grow their businesses.
www.facebook.com/groups/biha4u
and also on the forum at:
See you on the inside.
Best regards
Mark and the rest of the BIHA Team.
BIHA Founder - Mark Jerram
TEL: 07880 - 540201 (Please text if possible)
www.BouncyCastleOwner.com (Sister site and online PRIVATE interactive discussion forums)
www.facebook.com/groups/biha4u BIHA Facebook Group
http://bit.ly/1uDQ0Ku BIHA Members Map - powered by Google. Not listed? please text 07880 -- 540201 or reply to this email.
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www.BouncyCastleHireUK.com (Alternative Online directory for inflatable hire companies) - Don't forget to add your listing! - There's no charge)
Claim your free report to show you how to get listed on the brand new Google "Local Listings Platform"
-------------------------------------------------------- Interested in an online booking system for your hire business?
Check out:
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Don't forget to claim your discount on PL Insurance of up to 30% by quoting your BIHA membership number. See: www.leisureinsure.co.uk
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As a reminder, here is the link for the complete list of 6,000+ topics (threads) and over 41,000 posts on the discussion forum.... http://bit.ly/1qvvlbU