Association of Professional Rental Organizations (APRO)
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Delivery & Installation Safety for RTO Teams 

For rent-to-own businesses, every delivery is more than a transaction. It is an opportunity to build trust, demonstrate professionalism, and lay the foundation for a long-term customer relationship. During APRO’s Delivery & Installation Safety Webinar, Trent Agin, president of APRO member SKC Enterprises Inc. dba Rent One, joined facilitator APRO Vice President Jen Troke for a practical discussion of the new Delivery & Safety 101 micro course and the everyday habits that help teams work more safely and confidently. 

The webinar also introduced APRO’s new RTO Ready training series – a collection of five free micro courses available to APRO members – that will be released later this month. Designed for entry-level employees, the program helps new team members build a strong understanding of the rent-to-own industry from their very first day while earning digital certificates as they complete the coursework. 

Delivery Installation Safety Starts Before the Truck Leaves 

One of the webinar’s biggest themes was that delivery installation safety begins long before a vehicle arrives at a customer’s home. Agin emphasized the importance of preparation, from verifying inventory and paperwork to making a courtesy call before leaving the store. 

That pre-delivery conversation serves multiple purposes. It confirms the customer is ready, identifies potential obstacles, and gives customers time to secure pets before the delivery team arrives. Simple steps like these reduce unnecessary risks while creating a smoother experience for everyone involved. 

Agin also encouraged companies to prepare new drivers for the realities of operating larger commercial vehicles. Cargo vans and box trucks require longer stopping distances, slower cornering, and greater awareness than passenger vehicles. Those conversations, paired with ongoing coaching and technology such as vehicle cameras and telematics, help protect employees while also documenting safe driving practices when accidents occur through no fault of the driver. 

Once at the customer’s home, the presenters stressed the value of slowing down. Walking the delivery path, removing trip hazards, identifying tight spaces, and planning the safest route before lifting heavy products can prevent injuries and property damage. Agin also reminded attendees that it is perfectly acceptable to pause, reset, or use a dolly whenever needed rather than rushing through a difficult carry. 

Another important takeaway focused on customer experience. Agin encouraged attendees to focus on earning the customer’s first renewal. A professional, courteous delivery creates confidence in the company and helps establish the relationship that keeps customers coming back throughout the life of their agreement. 

Practical Job Aids Reinforce Delivery Installation Safety 

In addition to the interactive micro course, attendees received a preview of downloadable job aids that companies can customize for their own teams. Agin explained that training alone is rarely enough, especially for technical installation tasks employees may not perform every day. 

The job aids include step-by-step guidance for common delivery and installation procedures, including proper dryer cord installation, safe lifting techniques, refurbishing tips, and equipment inspection. Agin demonstrated how seemingly small mistakes, such as using the wrong screw or failing to install a strain relief clamp, can create serious electrical hazards. 

These reference materials are designed to remain accessible where work happens, whether printed in a stockroom or viewed on a mobile device during a delivery. Combined with the course’s built-in knowledge checks and final assessment, they provide employees with practical reinforcement long after initial training is complete. 

Throughout the webinar, Agin returned to one central message: safety training is an investment in people. Protecting employees, customers, products, and company vehicles ultimately strengthens the professionalism of the entire rent-to-own industry while delivering a better customer experience. 

Watch the full APRO webinar replay – proudly produced and presented by the Association of Professional Rental Organizations. 

SKC Enterprises Inc. dba Rent One has been an APRO member since 1990.

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Mike Lewis

Central Properties dba Premier Rental-Purchase

Mike Lewis is a Premier Rental Purchase franchisee with multiple stores and currently serves as Vice President of Operations. With 33 years of experience in the rent-to-own industry, he has spent the past 20 years working closely with franchisee owners and previously spent 12 years in Corporate RTO, gaining a strong foundation in the business.

For the past five years, Mike has been sharing his knowledge by teaching managers and franchisees at the company’s Training Center.

Outside of work, he enjoys time with his family, kids, and grandkids, and appreciates the simple things in life – especially riding his Harley Davidson with the sun on his face. If you know, you know!

Lauren Talicska

Arona Corporation dba Arona Home Essentials

Lauren Talicska is an experienced multi-channel marketing specialist and the Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Arona Home Essentials. She has found her home in the RTO community, supporting stores in branding, growth, and increasing traffic.

You may recognize Lauren as a former RTO vendor, including her time as a partner for Nationwide RentDirect, or her previous participation in the APRO Vendor Advisory Committee. Lauren calls Columbus, Ohio, home and spends her workday crafting and executing marketing promotions from inception to realization, all while supporting the branding and social media needs of all the Arona stores in 12 states (plus Puerto Rico!).

Charles Smitherman

APRO

Charles Smitherman, JD, PhD, CAE, became CEO of APRO in 2023, bringing years of legal and executive experience in the rent-to-own industry. 

Prior to joining the association, Charles served as COO, General Counsel, and Vice President of PTS Financial Services, where he played an active role in the rent-to-own industry by representing his company through PTS’s club program offering with APRO member dealers. Charles is an attorney with two decades of experience across a wide variety of areas, including RTO, consumer financial services, antitrust, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, franchise law, and privacy law. Following law school at the University of Georgia, Charles earned a Master of Legal Studies and PhD in Law from the University of Oxford in England.

Charles is credentialed as a Certified Association Executive (CAE) with the American Society of Association Executives, a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) with the International Franchise Association, and a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals. As APRO’s sixth CEO in its 45-year history, he brings a collaborative, member-focused approach to association leadership, emphasizing transparency, advocacy, and value creation. Outside of work, Charles is an active ultra runner and open water swimmer.

Mike Kays

Ashley Furniture Industries

As VP of Rental Sales for Ashley Furniture Industries, Mike thrives on building relationships with our RTO industry veterans, and helping businesses grow through new product, new marketing, and new supply chain options.

Mike works to leverage a wide breadth of relationships and influence, intimate knowledge of market trends, and unique knowledge of what RTO dealers need from a supplier to be successful.

The saying goes that a high tide raises all boats, and our goal is to leverage the world’s largest furniture manufacturer to drive the continued growth of the RTO industry and all the suppliers.

Mike Tissot

Countryside Rentals Inc., dba Rent-2-Own

Mike grew up in the rent-to-own industry under the guidance of his father, former APRO President and RTO legend Darrell Tissot. For nearly 25 years, Mike’s innovative leadership has helped expand the family business to more than 40 stores across Ohio and Kentucky while also shaping the industry as a whole.

He has served as President of the Ohio Rental Dealers Association, an APRO board member and Treasurer, and President and Treasurer of the TRIB Group. His contributions have earned him the APRO President’s Award of Excellence and the title of APRO Rental Dealer of the Year.

Outside of RTO, Mike enjoys time at the lake house or in Orange Beach, Alabama, with his girlfriend, Angela Strong McCool. A passionate Cincinnati Reds fan, he rarely misses a game, whether watching or listening alongside his parents. He also takes every opportunity to visit Arizona, where his daughter is currently attending Arizona State University.