Weaving Success with Open Rental Systems
Open access is a guiding principle for PHALANX 6, our latest version of Spartan Solutions’ Rental Operations platform. The concept is simple yet powerful: rental customers should be able to effortlessly add or extract any data from the PHALANX system, free from hassle and additional costs.
This open philosophy is evident in the modern web and mobile apps the Spartan team employs daily. Tools like Xero for Finance, PipeDrive for Customer Management, and Float for Project Management all share a common thread: they utilise the remarkable power of Application Programmer Interfaces (APIs). APIs serve as the threads that knit different systems together, enabling the creation of unique workflows tailored to each organisation.
Adopting open systems like PHALANX 6 can bring many business benefits to rental companies:
Integration and Interoperability
No single rental system excels at everything. An invoicing system designed for data entry on a large screen in the Hire Control office will not be suited for mobile servicing and logistics. APIs serve as bridges that enable different software systems to communicate and interact harmoniously. This integration facilitates the seamless data exchange between diverse components, resulting in streamlined processes, heightened efficiency, and enhanced productivity. Think of APIs as the gears in a well-oiled machine, connecting various parts to ensure flawless operation.
Scalability and Flexibility
Placing all rental functionality eggs in a single system basket may lead to slow, clunky systems that are both sluggish to use and expensive to adapt and modify. By decoupling different components within a system, APIs allow for the independent scaling of specific functionalities. This flexibility empowers businesses to adapt to changing needs, handle increased workloads, and seamlessly accommodate growth without requiring extensive architectural modifications. APIs act as elastic bands that stretch and expand alongside business demands, ensuring a comfortable fit for any situation.
Partner Collaborations and Ecosystems
APIs support partnerships and collaborations with equipment manufacturers, telematics vendors, and other organisations. By exposing APIs to external parties, businesses can forge ecosystems around their services, sparking innovation, expanding their reach, and uncovering new business opportunities. Consider the rental industry’s increasing need for telematics data from multiple equipment manufacturers. Rental companies must access this information in near-real time, and emerging API standards like AEMP 2.0 (now ISO 15143-3) act as bridges, enabling seamless data exchange and fostering fruitful collaborations.
AI and Data-Driven Decision-Making
APIs empower businesses to access and integrate data from diverse sources or services. This consolidated data serves as a wellspring of insights, empowering informed decision-making and driving strategic business initiatives. For instance, near real-time access to live equipment telematics data is pivotal in enabling the latest generation of Artificial Intelligence rental platforms like the PHALANX 6 Copilot. APIs are the key to unlocking the treasure trove of valuable data, transforming it into actionable intelligence and informed choices.
In the grand tapestry of the digital app landscape, APIs have become indispensable tools that offer a wide array of business benefits. From fostering integration and collaboration to enhancing customer experiences and driving innovation, their significance cannot be overstated.
But what if your vendor is unable or unwilling to provide APIs?
In such cases, all hope is not lost. You can utilise the following techniques:
Add Open Integration to the Vendor Product Roadmap: Every software vendor should listen to its customers to remain relevant. Request a meeting with the vendor’s product team, explaining the importance of integration to your rental operations. Ask the vendor to add integration options to the product roadmap, ensuring they provide a clear timeline for expected delivery in your version of the product. While you wait for this integration, explore other possibilities.
Use a Software Robot: Robotic Process Automation (RPA) offers a well-established technology for connecting closed systems, such as older applications, to new systems like PHALANX 6. For example, Microsoft Power Automate is a powerful RPA tool that Spartan employs to integrate PHALANX with legacy systems. RPA tools effectively record and “remember” user actions within the old application’s user interface, replicating these actions to perform tasks automatically. Picture RPA as a reliable assistant, bridging the gap between old and new systems.
File-Based Integration: If the system you wish to integrate with can export or import data in a specific format, file-based integration comes to the rescue. This approach involves generating or consuming files in a mutually agreed-upon format, such as CSV, XML, or JSON, which can be easily shared between systems. Scheduled file transfers or exchanges via FTP or shared network locations offer common approaches for file-based integration. Think of files as couriers, swiftly transporting data between systems in a standardised and coordinated manner.
Database Integration: If the system you want to integrate with possesses a database, you can directly access and interact with the database to exchange data. This method necessitates understanding the database schema and acquiring permissions to perform Create, Read, Update and Delete operations on relevant tables.
In conclusion, open integration unlocks major opportunities for rental companies. No software vendor or internal IT team can provide all the services a modern rental company needs. And since digitisation is increasingly a key difference to the services you can offer and the costs of providing these services, open integration will only become more important.