Fleet & Inventory Management

# Fleet & Inventory Management ## What You'll Learn - Organize your rental inventory into logical fleets (5 minutes) - Set up individual units with compelling descriptions (10 minutes) - Manage seasonal availability and maintenance schedules - Use AI instructions to improve customer service - Configure SmartWaiver requirements by fleet type - Track equipment condition and history ## Overview Your fleet and inventory setup forms the foundation of your rental business in RecSystems. A well-organized inventory helps customers find what they need quickly, reduces your administrative work, and maximizes equipment utilization. Let's build a structure that scales with your business. ## Understanding Fleets vs. Units Think of it this way: - **Fleet** = Category (e.g., "Pontoon Boats") - **Unit** = Actual item (e.g., "2023 Bennington 22' - Unit #PON-01") Customers browse by fleet, then select from available units. This structure lets you: - Apply settings to entire categories at once - Show the best photos upfront - Manage similar items together - Price by category with unit-specific overrides ## Creating Your Fleet Structure ### Step 1: Plan Your Categories Before clicking anything, think about how customers shop: - **By Type**: Pontoons, Fishing Boats, Speedboats - **By Size**: 2-Person, 4-Person, 8-Person - **By Experience**: Beginner Friendly, Advanced Performance - **By Activity**: Fishing, Watersports, Cruising ### Step 2: Create Your First Fleet 1. **Navigate to Fleet Setup** - Click **Inventory** → **Fleets** - Select **Add New Fleet** 2. **Choose Fleet Type** - Boats - Personal Watercrafts (Jet Skis) - Snowmobiles - UTVs - Equipment - Other 3. **Name Your Fleet** - Use customer-friendly names - Be specific: "Luxury Pontoons" not just "Boats" - Consider SEO: What would customers search for? 4. **Save and Continue** - This creates the fleet - Advanced settings appear after initial save ### Step 3: Configure Fleet Details After creating your fleet, enhance it for maximum impact: #### Marketing Content - **Description**: 2-3 sentences that sell the experience > "Our luxury pontoons are perfect for leisurely lake days with family and friends. Each boat features plush seating for up to 12, premium sound systems, and shade canopies for all-day comfort." - **Headline**: Attention-grabbing title for your booking widget > "Premium Pontoons for Unforgettable Lake Days" - **Subheadline**: Supporting message > "Spacious, comfortable, and fully equipped for your adventure" #### Display Settings - **Plural Label**: "Pontoons" (for multiple units) - **Singular Label**: "Pontoon" (for one unit) - These ensure proper grammar throughout the system #### AI Assistant Configuration Help our AI provide better customer service: ``` Fleet: Luxury Pontoons - Ideal for: Families, groups up to 12, leisure cruising - Features: Bluetooth stereo, cooler, sun canopy, swim ladder - Requirements: 21+ to rent, boating experience preferred - Included: Life jackets, safety equipment, dock bumpers - Not allowed: Towing, beaching on rocky shores - Typical rental: Full day (8 hours) for family gatherings - Price range: $400-600/day depending on season ``` #### SmartWaiver Integration If you use digital waivers: 1. **No Waivers** - Skip for this fleet 2. **Use Account Defaults** - Apply your standard waiver 3. **Custom Templates** - Select specific waivers - Example: Jet skis might need different waivers than pontoons ## Adding Units to Your Fleet ### Creating Individual Units 1. **Navigate to the Fleet** - Click on your fleet name - Select **Add Unit** 2. **Basic Information** - **Internal Reference**: "PON-01" (for your tracking) - **Make**: "Bennington" - **Model**: "22 SXSR" - **Engine**: "Mercury 115HP" - **Capacity**: 12 (passengers) - **Quantity**: 1 (if you have identical units, enter total) 3. **Customer-Facing Content** #### SEO-Friendly Title What appears in search results and booking pages: > "2023 Bennington 22' Luxury Pontoon - Seats 12" #### Key Features (Rich Text) Bullet points customers see first: - Premium Bluetooth sound system - Plush seating for 12 passengers - Full shade canopy - Swim ladder and platform - GPS navigation - Cooler and storage #### Detailed Description (Rich Text) Full marketing description: > "Experience the lake in style aboard our newest Bennington pontoon. This 22-foot beauty combines luxury and functionality with plush seating, a premium sound system, and all the amenities you need for a perfect day on the water..." #### Additional Fields - **Headline**: Quick selling point - **Description**: 2-3 sentence summary ### Managing Unit Images The drag-and-drop image system makes showcasing your equipment easy: 1. **Upload Photos** - Drag multiple images at once - Recommended: 800x450px minimum - Show different angles and features 2. **Organize Images** - Drag to reorder (first image is primary) - Click X to remove - Best practice: 5-8 high-quality photos 3. **Photo Tips** - Clean equipment before shooting - Include interior and exterior shots - Show unique features - Add lifestyle shots (people enjoying) - Update seasonally ### Unit Status Management Control availability with these states: - **Published**: Visible and bookable by customers - **Unpublished**: Hidden from customers (still in your dashboard) - **Archived**: Completely hidden (for retired units) Use these for: - Seasonal equipment (unpublish snowmobiles in summer) - Gradual rollout of new inventory - Temporary removal for extended maintenance ## Pricing Configuration While base pricing is set at the fleet level, you can override for specific units: ### When to Override Pricing - Newer models command premium rates - Larger capacity units - Special features or upgrades - End-of-season discounts for older models ### Setting Unit-Specific Prices 1. Edit the unit 2. Navigate to **Pricing** tab 3. Enable **Override Fleet Pricing** 4. Set custom rates See our [Pricing Guide](../03-revenue-optimization/pricing-strategies.md) for detailed strategies. ## Availability Management ### Regular Availability Set through **Timeslots** (covered in Availability Guide): - Operating hours - Seasonal schedules - Minimum rental durations ### Blocking Specific Dates For maintenance, private use, or events: 1. **From Calendar View** - Click on date(s) - Select **Block Time** - Choose reason - Apply to specific units 2. **Block Reasons** - Maintenance (scheduled service) - Private Event (owner use) - Weather (safety concerns) - Holiday (business closed) - Other (with notes) ## Maintenance Tracking Keep equipment in top condition while maximizing availability: ### Quick Maintenance Entry During busy season: 1. From unit page, click **Quick Maintenance** 2. Select: Oil Change, Inspection, Repair 3. System blocks availability automatically 4. Add completion notes when done ### Detailed Maintenance Records For comprehensive tracking: 1. Navigate to **Maintenance Log** 2. Click **Add Service Record** 3. Document: - Work performed - Parts replaced - Cost - Technician - Next service due 4. Attach invoices or photos ### Maintenance Impact - Scheduled maintenance auto-blocks calendar - Overdue maintenance shows warnings - History affects resale value tracking - Reports show maintenance costs by unit ## Multi-Location Management If you operate from multiple locations: ### Location Assignment - Units belong to specific locations - Customers see available locations during booking - Staff only see their location's inventory ### Transfers Between Locations 1. Edit unit location 2. System updates availability 3. Optional: Track transport time ## Best Practices ### Fleet Organization ✅ **Do:** - Create customer-friendly categories - Use descriptive names with keywords - Keep similar items together - Limit to 5-8 fleets for easy browsing ❌ **Don't:** - Over-categorize (30 fleets is too many) - Use internal jargon customers won't understand - Mix very different items in one fleet ### Unit Management ✅ **Do:** - Use consistent naming patterns - Keep photos current and seasonal - Document all maintenance - Update descriptions based on customer questions ❌ **Don't:** - Use only stock photos - Leave descriptions generic - Skip maintenance logging - Forget to update capacity/features ### Seasonal Considerations **Spring Prep:** - Update photos with current season - Refresh descriptions - Verify all equipment details - Set summer pricing **Mid-Season:** - Review utilization reports - Adjust fleet mix if needed - Update availability for demand **End of Season:** - Plan winter storage - Schedule major maintenance - Update status to seasonal storage - Plan next year's fleet changes ## Common Scenarios ### Scenario: Adding a New Boat Mid-Season **Situation**: Just purchased a new pontoon in June **Solution**: 1. Create as unpublished unit 2. Add photos and description 3. Set up pricing 4. Test with internal booking 5. Publish when ready 6. Announce to email list ### Scenario: Retiring Old Equipment **Situation**: Older jet ski needs to be phased out **Solution**: 1. Stop taking future bookings (unpublish) 2. Honor existing reservations 3. Archive after final booking 4. Keep records for history 5. Update fleet capacity ### Scenario: Seasonal Fleet Switch **Situation**: Marina switching from boats to snowmobiles **Solution**: 1. Set end date for boat availability 2. Unpublish boats for winter 3. Publish snowmobile fleet 4. Update homepage and marketing 5. Email customers about new offerings ## Troubleshooting ### Units Not Showing in Booking Widget - Verify unit is published - Check fleet is active - Ensure availability is configured - Confirm customer's selected dates have availability ### Images Not Displaying - Check file size (max 10MB) - Verify format (JPG, PNG) - Clear browser cache - Re-upload if needed ### Pricing Not Applying Correctly - Check for unit-level overrides - Verify timeslot configuration - Review active price rules - Test with different dates ## Related Guides - [Availability & Scheduling](availability-rules.md) - Set when units can be rented - [Pricing & Revenue](../03-revenue-optimization/) - Configure your rates - [Booking Management](../01-daily-operations/) - How customers rent your units - [Reporting](../07-reference/) - Track fleet performance