Your items need more prep time than you think. Here's a framework for calculating realistic turnaround windows that prevent double-bookings and keep customers happy.
Most rental shop owners calculate turnaround time by gut feel. "An hour should be enough." "I'll leave a couple hours, just in case." This works until it doesn't—and when it fails, it fails spectacularly.
A realistic turnaround calculation isn't about padding. It's about understanding every step between one rental ending and the next one beginning.
The three phases of turnaround
Every turnaround has three distinct phases. Most people only think about one of them.
Return processing
Check-in, inspection, documenting condition, handling any issues with the customer.
Restoration
Cleaning, charging, resetting, repairs, replacing consumables, quality check.
Pickup preparation
Staging, final check, packaging, documentation for the next customer.
When you ask "how long does turnaround take?", most people only think about phase two—the actual cleaning and prep. But phases one and three can take longer than you expect, especially during busy periods.
The turnaround calculation framework
Here's a simple framework for calculating realistic turnaround time for any item in your inventory:
The Formula
+ Restoration Time
+ Pickup Prep
+ Buffer (20%)
That 20% buffer isn't pessimism—it's realism. Things take longer than expected. The customer wants to chat. The battery was dead. There's a queue of items to process.
Real examples by category
Let's run the numbers for common rental categories:
| Category | Return | Restore | Prep | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema camera | 30 min | 2.5 hrs | 30 min | 4+ hrs |
| Basic lens | 10 min | 20 min | 10 min | 1 hr |
| Lighting kit | 20 min | 45 min | 20 min | 2 hrs |
| Audio recorder | 15 min | 30 min | 15 min | 1.5 hrs |
These numbers will vary based on your operation, but they give you a starting point. Track your actual times for a week and adjust.
The hidden factor: business hours
Here's what catches most rental shops off guard: turnaround time doesn't pause when you go home.
A camera that comes back at 5pm on Friday with a 4-hour turnaround isn't ready at 9pm that night. It's ready at noon on Monday, because your shop is closed over the weekend.
The weekend trap
Saturday 6pm return + 4hr turnaround ≠ Saturday 10pm availability. It equals Monday morning. Every rental shop learns this the hard way at least once.
Stop guessing, start calculating
The goal isn't to maximize turnaround time—it's to make it accurate. Accurate turnaround times mean:
- No more double-bookings
- No more scrambling before pickups
- No more apologizing to customers
- No more leaving "safety gaps" that cost you revenue
Run the numbers for your top 10 items. You might be surprised how much time you actually need—and how much you've been leaving on the table by padding too much.