Australian startup Lockii has officially launched its fully contactless rental software designed to help rental companies navigate severe labour shortages across Australia, the United States, and beyond. Built in collaboration with leading self-hire operators, Lockii makes it possible for any rental business, from local equipment shops to national fleets, to offer 24/7 contactless pick-ups and returns using digital locks without staff on site.
“Labour shortages aren’t just a staffing problem, they’re an existential threat to rental businesses that depend on fast turnover and reliable service, and having worked in rental houses for the past few years, I’ve seen labour shortages rattle companies both big and small,” said Bodhi Hawken, founder of Lockii. “Lockii automates the entire hire process so businesses can keep growing, even when they can’t find workers to fill shifts.”
Rental companies worldwide are struggling to meet demand as workforce participation falls. In the U.S., over 50% of business owners report unfilled job openings (NFIB, 2023), while in Australia, according to the HRIA sentiment report, 79% of rental companies are finding it challenging to find new staff. Rental businesses, often reliant on throughput and extended trading hours, are among the hardest hit. And unfortunately, reducing either makes the already tight logistics of operating a rental business completely untenable. As such, businesses are looking for new solutions, especially in utility-based hire verticals like trailers and equipment, which make up as much as 70% of the growing $150 billion industry, where operators can’t rely on seasonal surges to bring in staff.
Lockii’s software addresses these challenges by allowing customers to book online and securely collect rentals any time of day or night using digital locks and codes – without staff input – including important safety processes like identity verification and post-hire surveys and photo collection. Lockii makes the entire process completely contactless. It includes tools to allow customers to find their orders without contacting the company, extend and update their rentals, and support for in-person instant reservations for customers already in front of the item.
Early adopters are reporting major efficiency gains. Businesses using Lockii have hit the ground running this year – in most cases, taking the reduced overhead, larger margins, and the reduced space requirement to grow like weeds and open new satellite locations as small as 2 carparks.
“I was struggling with three different systems before, and now it’s all in one place… and I can actually focus on running the business”, said Matt, Owner of Empire Trailer Hire.
Lockii has risen to the occasion – releasing complete multi-location support to handle businesses with multiple locations, as well as integrated GPS tracking to keep track of hires.
With demand rising across sectors such as trailers, cars, equipment, and leisure rentals, Lockii aims to make contactless hire accessible to businesses of all sizes and allow everyone the technology advantage to take on giants like U-Haul and MoveYourself.
