The rental market can sometimes seem saturated, and bringing something new is often difficult. However, Ryland Jones saw the potential in Starlink’s satellite internet system for short-term rentals to people who needed internet access for short trips in remote areas. He created Starlink Rentals and found Booqable to be the perfect match for booking experience and management.
Starlink Rentals
When SpaceX announced Starlink, it was met with excitement from technology enthusiasts worldwide. It is billed to revolutionize how we access this internet and bring service to remote areas. Many were skeptical at first, but by mid-2022, they had proved themselves, and coverage grew to the point where almost anyone anywhere could use it to access the internet with their receiver dishes.
Ryland Jones had been carefully watching this progress, and he came up with the idea to rent them out on a short-term basis. He saw the potential in people and companies being able to use them to access the internet during trips to remote locations. Everyone from families on vacation to production studios filming in remote areas could benefit from the possibilities they provide.
So, in the late summer of 2022, he purchased inventory to start Starlink Rentals and created his marketing website. He wanted people to feel like they were going to space when renting from him to make it fun for customers to connect when they are visiting remote locations. As such, the theme of flight features heavily on his website and marketing materials.
Taking flight
While creating a business, acquiring inventory, and setting up a website were tasks Ryland could accomplish, he had no idea how to manage inventory and bookings. This would be essential to the success of his business as he needed an easy way for customers to book online, manage these bookings, and track inventory availability in one place.
With these goals in mind, He came across Booqable, which looked promising, so he decided to try it out. He quickly added his products and learned the order workflow, seeing that it had all the features he had been looking for to manage bookings, inventory, and payments. He also loves that he can manage practically everything from his iPhone with the mobile app.
He also integrated Booqable with his Squarespace website, where he has been able to create a smooth booking experience. The self-service process allows customers to browse what dishes are available, decide on the best one for them, add their rental dates, and pay through the checkout. All Ryland has to do is monitor incoming bookings and fulfill the orders.
The next level
By implementing Booqable early, he has avoided some challenges of starting a rental business. This has enabled him to quickly get his business off the ground and focus on marketing his business. Ryland has seen an incredible interest in his offering, and bookings have been flying in from regular people looking to go off the grid to companies like Toyota, HBO, BMW, and Warner Bros.
Up next is growing and expanding Starlink Rentals to reach a wider audience, which started with worldwide shipping. Ryland is also looking to expand the products it offers and increase availability. He got into the niche very early and is pioneering the rental market for Starlink systems. This industry is only going to grow in coming years and it’ll be exciting to watch.
