How does a bbq-donut® rental office work?

A bbq-donut® rental location can not be compared with a classic boat rental. The bbq-donut® offers flexible applications in a variety of business expansions. Classic boats are rented to customers per hour. However, the bbq-donut® but is used by a customer group of max. 9 persons, providing people an "event" on the water. Of course, the bbq-donut® can also be used to "just" a ride in a friendly round.

But its strength clearly lies in the overall package, which its users can book. The operator of a bbq-donut® can use this strength offering his customers a completely new experience on the water! In order to draw the attention to his rental office, small promotions and a clear website with a booking system is very important (see also: Customer acquisition / retention)

There are different ways to start the bbq-donut® rental and event business:

a. Integration into an existing boat rental

Here, the bbq-donut® is used alongside other rental boats. Existing rental offices offer their existing customers a completely new service. The subject "Event", which previously was more or less unknown to a classic boat hire receives a new meaning. Experience of recent years have shown that the use of the bbq-donut® also the boosts the previous rental business with classic pedal or motor boats. The bbq-donut® is not a competition to the previously used boats!

b. Opening a bbq-donut® rental station

Many customers have come to open a bbq-donut® rental office to an entirely new location, without having previously owned a boat rental. If the admission has been settled and a good location was found, nothing stands in the way of opening. Often started as a sideline, a well-run station may grow to a small company in the course of the time. Basically, everyone can open a bbq-donut® rental station who likes the event business and dealings with humans. For us as a manufacturer of bbq-donut®how creative of our clients are operating their business and develop new rental programs and events for their customers. The applications are as diverse as its operators: Whether on a river, on the lake or the sea, at home or abroad, the bbq-donut® works everywhere!
(Tip: To get a perfect and cheap floating dock for a bbq-donut® rental station, our Multidock® floating dock system is recommendable!)

c. Integration into an existing restaurant or amusement park

Another group of our customers uses the bbq-donut® as an exceptional restaurant concept e. g. in hotels and restaurants with a water access point. In restaurants, the bbq-donut® serves as a "floating restaurant table", in hotels and amusement parks as an additional attraction or service for customers. Whether as a wellness platform, event catering, or just "cruising" ... the bbq-donut® delighted in over 34 different countries on nearly every continent in different waters, its operators and users!

How does an average bbq-donut® rental station look like?

We have explained 2 standard concepts in detail. (The illustrated floating dock configurations show which components are required for which type of investment.

a. model plant* for 3 bbq-donut® "e-power", floating dock along quay wall or shore

b. Model plant* for 4 bbq-donut® "e-power", floating dock 90 degrees away from the shore or quay wall

Efficient use of bbq-donut® accessories!

We offer an extensive range of accessories for the bbq-donut®. But what kind of accessories can be used best, and what is its value for the rental business?

Serially the bbq-donut® is equipped with everything to immediately begin the rental business. However, following accessories should be considered to protect and maintain the equipment:

a. Tarpaulin (protection against rain, closes the unit at night)
b. Screen protection (Protects the screen after use)

Thus, the device is now well equipped for professional rental use. If you want to offer your customers an even more diverse program of events, which will also have a positive impact on your business, we recommend the following accessory items:

a. RGB LED screen lighting

Offer your clients unforgettable twilight tours. With the LED screen illumination, the passenger can easily decide by himself which color lights up the entire screen. This lighting is also excellent, for example in order to respond to special customer requests. As a lot of corporate events are held on bbq-donut®, the shield may shine in the colors of the company, which has just rented the unit for party.

c. Beverage bowl

Without any questions, the highlight of a bbq-donut® is the get together for barbeque on the water. But not everybody wants to barbecue. There are plenty of occasions where the customer "only" wants to be supplied with drinks*. Simply take the barbeque out and put the drinks tray in, ready is the ultimate beverage platform. Expand your rental program and offer your customers "dry runs" or "cocktail tours"!

* Basic rule: The driver of a sport boat shall not drink alcohol!

Potential revenues (sample calc)

This topic will give you a rough direction of possible sales, which may be achieved with a bbq donut® rental counter including 3 bbq-donut®. Since every customer has other strategies and rental programs, we can only show an average calculation based on the most common programs. All transactions shown here serve as examples. Sales of the bbq-donut® mainly depend on the following criteria:

1. Conscientious and professional operation of the station
2. Good start marketing, durable, easy advertising
3. Various event package (grill not only ...)
4. Cooperation with existing leisure facilities
5. Care and condition of the equipment
6. "After Event" offers
7. Location

A good running bbq-donut® rental location does not have to be near to a big city! Many of customers meanwhile prove for for years that this factor is not important. A good and interesting location and a rich event program are much more important.

With the following dumbed down programs**, our yearly estimated revenue has been developed:

1. bbq-donut® / hour rent (without eating barbecue, or drink) € 45,-/h
2. bbq-donut® / hour to let (the client uses grill, brings food itself) € 55,-/h
3. bbq-donut® as a "barbecue events" to let (incl. food, drink, etc for about 3 hours) € 300,-
4. bbq-donut® as the "beverage platform" to let (incl. drinks for about 3 hours) € 220,-

Our calculation considers the strongest month, i.e. July. A rental season is open usually from April to October. In order to view a shortened annual sales presentation, we have adjusted the sales figures for the months of April, May, June, August, September, October percentaged.

* Represents a section through the main rental offer used by our customers since 2007. These bids will not be offered by all hirers.

** In case of these offers, additional income for beverage and food sales are NOT included. Other price / hour ratios are partially possible by offering other services.

* Revenues were determined based on experience of existing stations. Regional differences are possible. Not included are additional revenues through sponsorship and other services offered by the hirer. Errors and omissions excepted.

Customer acquisition & retention

In case that you did not have any boat rentalswith solid customer base before the bbq-donut®, you should place special emphasis on those two points.

By the following promotional activities you can simply but efficiently draw the attention to the new bbq-donut® station:

1. Flyer distribution (e.g. parking areas of supermarket or retail stores, pedestrian zones, etc.)
2. Advertisements in the respective regional newspapers
3. Cinema advertising (often has a high impact and is not as expensive as many think!)
4. Contact with regional channels (invite the press to your opening!)
5. Cooperation with existing hotels or catering establishments
6. Good website with online-booking system
7. Direct letters e.g. to local associations, etc.

Such advertising or marketing activities should be planned from the beginning and also be performed during the rental season and over again. This will draw attention to your new local attraction!

Past experience has shown that groups of customers that have hired the bbq-donut® once, come back and book a similar event. Reward customer loyalty with interesting loyalty programs. This gets around and provides a permanent occupancy of your unit!

The best customer loyalty can be reached, however, if you run your business professionally and with a lot of fun. A "full service" is well! Customers who enjoyed the time on the bbq-donut® probably come back and tell their friends, colleagues and acquaintances.

Growth opportunities

bbq-donut® Vermietstationen lassen sich je nach Bedarf sehr einfach erweitern. Die Nachfolgenden Visualisierungen zeigen die Erweiterbarkeit mit Hilfe unseres multidock® Schwimmstegsystems. Damit ist es möglich auf wachsende Kundengruppen zu reagieren und sich seine bbq-donut® Vermietstation individuell anzupassen.

Why open just one rental office? Take advantage of the experience of your first station and use it for the opening of another station! A well-systematized bbq-donut® rental station can be applied to other places after previous, careful site analysis.

What works well in one location, also works at other sites. You should use this effect for the growth of your bbq-donut® company. And one thing is certain: People celebrate, no matter where they are!

Rental offices