Delivery Problems and How To Solve It

HOW TO HANDLE CERTAIN SITUATIONS – Your main goal is to make the customer feel you have things under control.

No matter what situation you are in, you must keep a cool head. Do not panic or complain to the customer. Keep calm, and try to find a solution. Read this section as most scenarios have been listed here. If the issue can not be resolved, please contact Kheng.

DO NOT CALL OR SMS management during shifts because the inflatable is dirty/wet or the set up location is hard to get to or further than expected.

Get the job done first and take pictures for proof where you can and report to management AFTER the shift so we can investigate the situation.

Make sure you are at the correct address! Sometimes there may be several events going on at the same location, so make sure you are talking to the right customer! DO NOT SET UP UNTIL YOU ARE SURE!

Cleanliness of Inflatable – You can always expect a little bit sand, grass inside.

Inflatable is Dirty Upon Set Up

1. Take Pictures for proof, video is even better
2. Get the vacuum, towels and spray and start cleaning
3. Report to management AFTER the shift

Inflatable is Wet Upon Set Up

1. Take Pictures for proof, video is even better
2. Get the vacuum, towels and spray and start cleaning (keep one towel to remove the excess water and the other towel to polish. Do not use both towels to remove the water, otherwise both towels will end up completely drenched)
3. Report to management AFTER the shift

Inflatable is Wet or Dirty after Pack Down

1. If the wet weather is continuous or its too dark to see, do the best you can to remove what you able to.
2. Report to management AFTER the shift. IT IS IMPORTANT you do this so if the unit is going out the next day, the other driver can be notified so they can be prepared upon arrival of the set up.

Customer is not home or late

1. Contact the client immediately. Call first, if no response, SMS the customer.  Hi {customer name}, its {your-name} from Perth Bouncy Castle Hire. I’m here at the event location. Please call me ASAP. Thanks
2. Notify Kheng on 0421 464 018 or Helen on 0404 341 584.
3. 10 Minutes waiting – Keep calling and SMS the customer, “Hi, Just wanted to advise that I can only stay here for another 20 minutes. Please call me ASAP.”
4. 30 Minutes waiting – Keep calling and SMS the customer “ Hi , Just wanted to advise that I can only stay here for another 10 minutes. I have to leave for my next delivery at {time}. Please call me ASAP to avoid any delays. Thanks
5. At 40 minutes if still no response, Notify management, and leave for your next delivery.
6. The customer may call you up to come back. Don’t PANIC. Have a look at your schedule, and figure out what time you can get back to their location and let them know. If you have a difficult customer, let them know that management will contact them soon.

You are LATE to a SET UP

1. Contact the client immediately. Call first, if no response, SMS the customer.  Hi {customer name}, its {your-name} from Perth Bouncy Castle Hire. I’ll be there {X} minutes.
2. Upon arrival and greet the customer and set up as fast as you can. Assure the customer you will get this done SUPER FAST.   The main thing is get the castle up and make sure its clean so they can start using it . All the details such as keeping extension cords safely tucked away, safety barriers can be completed after.

You are LATE to a PACK UP

1. Contact the client immediately. Call first, if no response, SMS the customer.  Hi {customer name}, its {your-name} from Perth Bouncy Castle Hire. I’ll be there in {X} minutes.
2. Upon arrival and greet the customer and start cleaning and packing up. If the event is at a park or public location and the customer has been waiting for you, apologise and tell them that they can leave if they want to. You have it all sorted.

Unit does not fit in set up location (do not climb up trees or use ladders to saw off any branches. It is the customers responsibility)

1. If its a tight fit, you can put towels, bouncy castle bags, or any sort of protective material against the inflatable and the wall/fence/roof eave.
2. Check if you can face the bouncy castle another way to make it fit?
3. If the equipment does not fit at all, look around to see if there are other options. Examples are: front of the house, back of the house, side of the house,
4. If you end up setting up at a location where the exit or entrance is near a wall/rock or dangerous object. You MUST advise the customer that an accident could happen if you set up that way. Note that down on the hire agreement form and let the customer sign next to it.

Unit does not fit through access way

Check if there are other access points? If no other options are available tell the customer if its possible they can assist you in getting the inflatable through.

OPTION 1: bring the inflatable close to the gate/door and lay it on the floor and jump to try to squish it as flat as you can (you may need to kneed it a little bit to get it flat enough). Sometimes you may need to loosen the straps so u can flatten it even more. Then stand it up on the trolley and check if its thin enough.

2a. If it looks like its really close to fitting, try a combination of lowering it, standing it up, getting someone to push the sides in. DO NOT DAMAGE customer property.

OPTION 2: Re roll the inflatable so it is tall and thin.

OPTION 3: Open the inflatable so its only one strip. Then have 2 or people to pull that through the gate/door.

OPTION 4: If you have tried all of these options, and it still can’t fit, advise the customer you are unable to get it through the access, therefore you can not set up. DO NOT SAY THIS unless you have really tried to get it through.

Set up location is far from parking

1. Analyse the area and see if there is gates or vehicle access anywhere.
2. If no options are available, and the customer seems friendly, you can try to ask for assistance from the customer or some other staff/people around. (DO NOT ASK if the customer seems very busy)
3. Do a few stretches and get ready to get some exercise! Start working
4. If you are going to take longer than the expected time, contact the next customer after finishing set up or pack down.

During Set up or Pack downs, customer wants to extend the hire

1. If you are at the set up, have a look at the schedule and check if there is anywhere you can fit them in. After set up, YOU MUST contact management to advise of the change as we will need to talk to the customer.
2. If you are already at the pack down, advise the customer its too late, as you are on a schedule and you won’t be able to get back there.

Can’t find the event location

1. Contact the client immediately. Call first, if no response, SMS the customer.  Hi {customer name}, its {your-name} from Perth Bouncy Castle Hire. Iim close by but can’t find the address. Please call me ASAP. Thanks
2. Check if you have the correct address. Look at things like correct suburb, street vs way vs road vs lane etc..
3. Check on the schedule. Is there any other numbers on there? check in the notes section and sometimes there is a few numbers in the phone number section. TRY CALLING THEM ALL
4. KEEP CALLING
5. Notify Kheng on 0406 161 959 or Helen on 0404 341 584.
6. 10 Minutes waiting – Keep calling and SMS the customer, “Hi, Just wanted to advise that I can only stay here for another 20 minutes. Please call me ASAP.”
7. 30 Minutes waiting – Keep calling and SMS the customer “ Hi , Just wanted to advise that I can only stay here for another 10 minutes. I have to leave for my next delivery at {time}. Please call me ASAP to avoid any delays. Thanks
8. At 40 minutes if still no response, Notify management, and leave for your next delivery.
9. The customer may call you up to come back. Don’t PANIC. Have a look at your schedule, and figure out what time you can get back to their location and let them know. If you have a difficult customer, let them know that management will contact them soon.

Missing or wrong size blower (This should not of happened. You should have double checked before leaving the warehouse. You should always have a spare blower in your van. NO EXCUSES)

1. However if you did. Check if you have time to drive back to the warehouse to get one? If not, Call management immediately on 0421 464 018. If you can’t get a response, contact the other drivers and ask if they are close by?
2. If no option, drive back to the warehouse and get one.

Missing sandbags (This should not of happened. You should have double checked before leaving the warehouse. NO EXCUSES)

1. However if you did. Check if you have time to drive back to the warehouse to get one? If not, Call management immediately on 0421 464 018. If you can’t get a response, contact the other drivers and ask if they are close by?
2. Use ropes to tie down to metal stakes, cars, poles or anything else secure.

Customer Asks You To Move The Castle to Another Location After You Have Already Set Up

We need to avoid this at all costs. Its VERY IMPORTANT that you get the customer to agree to the set up position before you start setting up. But we know sometimes it does happen.

1. If you are going to be late to the next delivery, let them know that unfortunately you won’t have enough time to move it now or you will be late to the next delivery. 
2. If you have time, then just DO IT!
3. If you feel that if you move the castle, theres a chance that you may not be set up in time for their event, make sure you advise them of this.

Generator Problems

Pull String has snapped

1. Check if you have time to drive back to the warehouse to get one? If not, Call management immediately on 0421 464 018. If you can’t get a response, contact the other drivers and ask if they are close by?
2. Call a local hire company and hire a generator (minimum 3kva for each inflatable). Try Coates hire, kennards hire. Google “Generator Hire” or “generator hire perth”. If you can pay for this first, we can re-imburse you, if not tell management who the company is to arrange payment.

Generator Doesn’t Start

1. Check the fuel
2. Check the start button (usually red button or lever) has been switched on
3. Check fuel has been switched on
4. Check safety switch is turned on
5. Start on CHOKE, If the blower is starting on cold engine. If the engine has been warmed up, put the lever to RUN mode (rabbit)
6. Call Management
7. If the generator started, but after you turned on the blower, it turned off, flick the safety switch back up and start the engine again.
8. If it really doesn’t start, check if you have time to drive back to the warehouse to get one? If not, Call management immediately on 0421 464 018. If you can’t get a response, contact the other drivers and ask if they are free to drop it off for you.
9. Call a local hire company and hire a generator (minimum 3kva for each inflatable). Try Coates hire, kennards hire. Google “Generator Hire” or “generator hire perth”. If you can pay for this first, we can re-imburse you, if not tell management who the company is to arrange payment.

The generator starts, but the blower keeps tripping it

1. Have you got the correct generator for the blower? Any 2HP Blowers require our biggest generator.
2. Turn the safety switch back on.
3. Warm it up longer and try again
4. If it trips again and the generator has been warmed up, turn the safety switch back on, keep the blower plugged in with the switch on and pull the string to start the engine.
5. You can also try this: Turn the safety switch back on and turn the generator back on. Keep you finger on the safety switch to prevent it from flicking off switch and turn on the blower.