Paint sprayers are an essential tool for professional contractors working on large-scale projects and DIYers looking to upgrade their painting abilities. Whether you opt for a full department with rentals or just a few linear feet of accessories, the paint sprayer category can provide versatility for your operation. Leaning into sprayer rental and repair, see how one retailer has positioned his operation as the go-to in this category. 

Repaired and Ready

At Norberg Paints in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, sales and technical support technician Sam Norberg focuses on curating a well-rounded paint sprayer category.

“Spray equipment is important, as it is an everyday tool for many painting contractors,” Norberg says. “We carry a variety of pump manufacturers and accessories.”

Sprayer rentals and repair services provide an extra layer of service for when a professional’s equipment breaks down or when painters prefer to rent for a shorter period of time instead of purchasing these hefty and pricey pieces. Norberg Paints is a certified service center offering services for spray repair issues and rental spray pumps. Customers bring in their sprayers for general maintenance and cleanouts, filter replacements and packing kits replacements. On average, the store services anywhere from 10 to 20 repairs per month. 

While not as often, Norberg occasionally sees more technical issues that need repairs, like faulty transducers, in the winter months. Rental activity also varies seasonally, with more customers renting pumps in the summer months. Although most of Norberg’s paint sprayer customers are professionals, DIYers rent this equipment more often while contractors utilize the repair services.

“Rentals are more common within homeowners and DIY’ers, and our rentals usually double in the summertime,” Norberg says.

Maintaining a clear and streamlined process for any rental or repair category is essential in staying organized and reducing opportunities for confusion among customers. At Norberg Paint, the sprayer repair process operates on a basic ticketing system. Units are tagged as they are brought into the store and an employee opens a sales ticket for that repair. Once the work is completed, the sales ticket is finalized with parts and labor. Similarly for rentals, the store runs an inventory checkout system to monitor the status of rental pumps available.

Trusted Expertise

Norberg keeps spray equipment in the central area of the sales floor with accessories and pumps nearby. Most of his customers for sprayers and spray equipment are contractors, which requires expert knowledge and customer service to cater to this customer group.

“I truly believe your best way to merchandise on the contractor level is to have a knowledgeable and effective sales staff that your customers understand are working for them,” Norberg says.

Norberg is often asked about sprayer costs and the right size equipment for projects. To build trust with customers, Norberg ensures his employees are equipped with the training and expertise they need to deliver accurate and thorough information to contractors looking for paint sprayers.

“Our employees gain the basics of spray equipment through our online training and vendor reps providing in-store and off-site training opportunities,” Norberg says.

At Northwood Paint & Supply in Traverse City, Michigan, general manager Kyle Rosinski saw a need in the community and met it, offering paint sprayer rentals to professional and DIY customers. Several local companies discontinued paint sprayer rentals, so Rosinski added the service to Northwood Paint & Supply earlier this year to fill that void. 

“We are starting out slow, just offering one sprayer for now that is rented a few times a month,” Rosinski says. “We also have a power washer we rent at the beginning of the season and sell toward the end of the exterior season each year.”

The sprayer is rented by customers who need a backup when their sprayer breaks down, and Rosinski has also had several of his handyman and DIY customers rent the sprayer rather than owning, storing and maintaining their own. 

“We have seen some new faces looking for a sprayer to rent, which has led to added paint and sundry sales,” he says. “And we are always more than happy to help customers who own paint sprayers find the parts they need and coach them on maintenance.”