Imagine juggling between technical design services such as sound, lighting, video, and fabrication for high-profile clients like Netflix and Amgen. That’s the daily pressure for the team at Reason One, a Los Angeles-based technical production company, which is renowned for its creative and personalized execution.
Eric, the founder and president of the company, talked about the day-to-day activities of his company. With more than 150 projects delivered per year and 100+ freelancers to coordinate, planning all the resources can seem overwhelming.
The challenge? Having multiple sources of information
Since there are few layers of management inside Reason One, Eric described himself as a jack of all trades. However, his main responsibility is to manage productions and plan all the needed resources. One of Eric’s biggest challenges was making sure that all the information they had was up-to-date and synchronized in their previous software.
‘There were a lot of challenges before’, said Eric. Managing projects meant juggling between error-prone data entry, switching between modules that were not well integrated, and constantly fearing that information silos could cause major scheduling conflicts that could lead to unnecessary extra expenses.
In our previous software, we had to put the same information in multiple modules, which made it challenging and tedious. This led to errors, such as not being able to correctly detail our schedules for our customers.
What Eric said makes sense. Whenever there are multiple sources of information that are not synced with one another, this leads to complex planning situations, such as scheduling conflicts. Not being able to have a detailed plan for your customers means that there could always be extra unexpected situations, which could be a dealbreaker for your project (because there could always be extra costs involved).
Because Reason One has a passion for customized solutions and attention to detail, this meant they had to look elsewhere, as their existing software simply couldn’t keep up with their current workflows. The search for another software began.
The long search for the right software
Reason One embarked on a long search for a new software solution. One thing was certain, they needed an innovative, flexible platform that could scale alongside their ambition and operations. They needed a software that could cope with the complexity of their projects.
Eric spent a lot of time and years researching potential solutions in-depth, more than most people would. ‘We weren’t just looking for software’, said Eric, ‘we were looking for a partner’. They also tried various solutions and ways to find a better option for their situation, which made their search very thorough.
Rentman was a strong contender in their search. The ‘younger, growth-oriented approach of Rentman’ resonated with Eric's vision. He appreciated our willingness to listen to feedback and continuously improve. But the key deciding factor was the seamless integration between modules, removing the challenge of relying on multiple sources of truth.
Mismatched data? That’s so 2010
By having all information in one centralized yet interconnected system, Rentman saves Reason One significant time, prevents planning errors, and essentially allows them to cut down on expenses that arise from mismatched data.
Eric stressed that Rentman’s inventory management system is seamless and easy-to-use in tracking details of all equipment, as well as having complete timelines and visual indicators of equipment statuses. Since they have real-time availabilities of their inventory centralized in one place, they can keep a good grip on whether they need subrentals to fulfill project needs.
Furthermore, by using Rentman’s integrations, they were able to integrate their Xero processes and remove the need to store information in two separate places, which was not possible with their previous software.
Not having to do data entry several times and being able to use the software for everything we need really shows that Rentman is the most full-service software out there.
Today, Reason One use all solutions provided by Rentman. From inventory management to track details of all their equipment (such as manuals, specifications, repair histories and quantities on hand), do pull sheets and manage their maintenance; to crew & transport scheduling and quoting & invoicing.
By using one centralized place to store all their necessary information, they stopped planning their productions the hard way by eliminating information silos and potential risks, such as shortages and double bookings.
Now, at the touch of a button, they can ‘transform information into call sheets and pull sheets that they can use to quote & invoice their customers’, making the whole financial process smoother and ensuring them that they’ll stay profitable.
And the cherry on top? Localized support
Before ending the interview, Eric wanted to praise the North American support team of Rentman, stating that the team has always been great at solving any problems they had. This has also been part of the reason why Rentman has been such a great success for them.
Having an awesome North American support team that goes above and beyond has been very valuable for us. [Our previous software] was only in the UK, so we had to deal with support overnight.
The bottom line
By finding a solution that resonated with their values and vision, Reason One managed to take their performance to new heights. And with Rentman as their trusted partner, their future is really exciting.
The new change has empowered them to scale their business significantly, taking on more projects without compromising their approach. Eric also admits that without Rentman, he ‘doubts they could maintain the same volume or thoroughness given their current team size and requirements’.
Rentman helped Reason One to:
- Centralize all project information in one place;
- Prevent errors and mismatched data;
- Cut down on unexpected expenses & ensure they stay profitable;
- Be sure that they always have the right equipment & crew for the right job;
- Grow as a company and take on more projects than before.
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Do you also struggle with having information stored in multiple places? With Rentman, you too can avoid information conflicts & have one centralized place where you can store all your information. Not sure if Rentman’s right for you? You can try it 30 days for free and see for yourself. No strings attached.