Somebody has to ride herd over that summer concert series, Fourth of July fireworks show or downtown art fair. It’s summer, after all, and people are practically desperate to be out and about.
Summer also means event planners are thinking about the two-way radio network they’ll need to keep people safe and ensure things run smoothly. The savvy ones know the advantages of renting radios, repeaters and accessories — and they have planned ahead because summer is the busiest time of the year for BearCom, the largest provider of two-way radio rentals in the U.S. Those who wait too long might find the radios they need have already been rented to the early birds.
Why do people rent rather than buy two-way radios for their events? These five reasons are the most common:
1. One-time events require temporary gear
Like any capital investment, radios have to be in use to justify the cost. If you pay good money for a bunch of radios that get used only a few days out of the year, a large fraction of your investment is going to waste.
For one-time events like those tied to a summer holiday, it makes much more business sense to pay for only as much radio gear as you need — and only for as long as you need it.
2. Rental radios have the latest technology
BearCom’s inventory of more than 20,000 radios comes from top manufacturers like Motorola Solutions that build tough gear for heavy-duty use over the course of years.
Meanwhile, advances in microprocessor technology are allowing companies to pack new features into their radios every year. If you buy new radios, you might wait years for them to wear out before you can benefit from the next generation of goodies. Rental radios, by contrast, are the latest models with the latest features.
3. Somebody else handles the technical details
Events requiring large security crews or intricate public address systems also need a sophisticated radio network set up by experienced professionals. Experts need to assign frequencies, configure equipment, repair and replace damaged radios, and assess sites to make sure buildings and terrain don’t block communications.
That’s why so many event planners turn to BearCom, which has the most experience of any rental radio provider in the country. We’re the people who provided radio networks to the Oscars and the NBA All-Star Game on the same day.
4. Experts can provide training
There’s more to operating radios than pushing one button and talking into a microphone. Protocols must be observed and the obvious must be explained to volunteers who have never held a walkie-talkie.
BearCom can help ensure that everybody carrying a two-way radio for your event has the right training to use their gear to the best of their abilities. This is especially important given the tendency for events to be trouble magnets — radios can be lifesavers, provided people have the right communications training.
5. You can try before you buy
If you’re planning an event for the first time, renting is pretty much mandatory because you cannot be certain the event will be repeated next year. Once an event is in its fourth or fifth year, however, it’s safer to assume it’ll keep happening.
Renting for a few years will make it clear precisely how each radio in your network needs to perform. You’ll find that some jobs require a basic push-to-talk radio with very few features, while others require the latest generation of technology.
BearCom can help you decide whether your experience merits renting every year or perhaps buying some radios if that makes more sense. We’ve seen just about every radio rental scenario imaginable, so you can rest assured we’ll find the right mix for your event.
