Gatis, the founder of GB Rentals in London, began the company as a personal hobby that steadily grew into a small but busy rental business. Today, GB Rentals provides speakers, lights, soundboards, cameras, and accessories to freelance contractors and event companies across the city. Known for their quick service, the two-person team has built a reputation for reliability and speed.
Before switching to Booqable, Gatis managed every booking using Google Sheets, tracking orders, availability, and payments manually. “I used Google Sheets to manage everything,” he said. “It was fine when we were small, but it was hard to get more clients.” Without an online booking system, potential customers had to reach out directly to check availability, which slowed the process down.
When the company decided to grow, Gatis wanted to add rentals directly to their website. That’s when Booqable’s equipment rental software came in. “It’s an easy web building platform,” he explained. Adding Booqable’s equipment rental website helped GB Rentals attract more clients and get the rental side of their long-running business moving faster.
Building a professional site with the rental website builder
Creating a professional website had always been difficult for Gatis. Managing web design, payment options, and booking pages felt like too much work for a small team. “We wanted something simple that would work straight away,” he said. That is when Booqable’s rental website builder made things easier.
Here’s how it works: GB Rentals chose a ready-made template, edited the pages and navigation to fit their brand, adjusted colors and fonts, connected their custom domain, and linked their Stripe account to accept upfront payments. Everything is managed directly from their Booqable account, so changes to pricing or product details appear online instantly.
With this setup, GB Rentals can now:
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Keep their product catalog accurate and current.
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Accept online payments securely through Stripe.
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Make website updates easily from their Booqable dashboard.
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Offer customers a professional booking experience.
“The web builder made everything faster for us,” Gatis said. “It’s easy to change something when we need to.” Their equipment rental website now helps bring in more clients by letting them browse and book equipment whenever they want.
Saving time with Booqable’s email templates
Before using Booqable, GB Rentals wrote every customer email manually. Sending pickup instructions meant copying and checking information for each order. “It took time to make sure every message had the right details,” Gatis said.
With Booqable’s email templates, that process became much faster. GB Rentals customizes the pre-made templates in their account, which automatically fill with the correct order and customer details. “We use them to send collection details and pickup instructions,” he explained. These messages can now be sent with one click from the Booqable dashboard.
For GB Rentals, this feature means they can:
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Save time by sending ready-to-go messages.
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Avoid errors that come from typing details manually.
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Keep all customer communication clear and consistent.
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Send instructions quickly to confirm every booking.
“The templates save a lot of time,” said Gatis. The automated emails help the small team stay organized while maintaining a professional level of communication with every customer.
Protecting gear through refundable security deposits
As GB Rentals invested in more valuable lighting and sound equipment, keeping track of deposits became harder. “We used to handle deposits manually,” Gatis said. “It was confusing and took too long to refund people.”
Using Booqable’s refundable security deposits, Gatis set up an automatic system for collecting and returning deposits. He decided how deposits are calculated in Booqable, added them to the online checkout, and connected payments through Stripe. When equipment is returned, the system prompts the refund automatically.
Now, GB Rentals charges deposits upfront and refunds them within five days after the equipment is returned. This helps them:
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Keep deposit amounts consistent on all orders.
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Show deposit details clearly during checkout.
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Manage payments and refunds from the same place.
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Protect their valuable gear while keeping customers happy.
“It’s easy to manage now,” said Gatis. “Customers know how deposits work, and we know everything is covered.” Deposits are no longer a source of confusion, and refunds are quick and reliable.
A smoother way to rent
What started as a hobby has become a focused and professional business. With Booqable’s equipment rental software, GB Rentals now manages bookings, payments, and communication in one place. “It’s easy to use,” Gatis said.
By using Booqable’s equipment rental website, GB Rentals has gained more clients, saved time, and improved the customer experience. The software gives their small team the tools to stay organized and offer quick, professional service to every customer who rents from them.
