Putting CX First

As the largest equipment rental company in the world, United Rentals recognized that to continue being the market leader, it needed to press forward in the digital space.

Though United Rentals had a website with a catalog of equipment, it did not expose pricing or availability, nor did it allow rental transactions to be completed online. Instead, site visitors were instructed to pick up the phone to secure needed equipment. 

Added to this lack of usability was an outdated design and cobbled-together technical infrastructure, and, due to time-consuming manual updates, a catalog prone to incomplete and inaccurate information.

United Rentals partnered with VMLY&R to redesign and rebuild its digital catalog from browsing to booking. Along with a modern, mobile-friendly design, a slew of functional enhancements provides customers the ability to discover, decide and transact online - all without requiring them to make a call.

Under the covers of this improved user experience is an upgraded technical foundation. The underperforming CMS and ecommerce platforms were consolidated into the Drupal CMS, and automated feeds were built, eliminating a significant manual effort while ensuring that the site is always in sync with the back-office systems. 

The new UnitedRentals.com website launched in mid-2016 and has been an incredible success. Mobile-friendly, this site allows customers on remote job sites conduct business as if they were in the office, and with the greatly enhanced ecommerce capabilities, they can transact with greater efficiency than ever before. And with the new pay-by-credit-card feature, a new B2C customer base has opened up.

United Rentals continues to place an emphasis on digital transformation, and this website and underlying technical platform are the foundation to ensure that it happens.