The Association of Professional Rental Organizations (APRO) has expanded RTO Ready into a free, 10-course online training collection designed especially for new and entry-level rent-to-own professionals. The collection combines five RTO 101 courses covering core industry and store functions with five Sales Skills courses focused on customer-facing sales fundamentals.
Developed by APRO’s Education and Engagement Committee, RTO Ready provides a structured introduction to key responsibilities within a rent-to-own business, including customer communication, delivery and safety, account management, and sales.
“Our goal is for all new RTO employees to take the entire micro-course series to strengthen their understanding of RTO and help elevate professionalism across the industry,” noted Committee Chair Michael Strong, Co-Owner of Mike Strong Inc. dba Mike’s Rent-To-Own. “We are thrilled to share RTO Ready with our industry and are working on ways to recognize employees who complete the series, reflecting their newfound knowledge and skills.”
By giving new hires a structured, accessible path to industry knowledge, the series is designed to support employee development, strengthen onboarding, and create a foundation for long-term career growth in rent-to-own.
What Courses Are Included in APRO RTO Ready?
The RTO 101 Series is a set of five micro-courses designed to provide a high-level overview of the industry and key functions found within the stores:
- Introduction to the Rent-to-Own Industry
- Delivery and Safety 101: Introduction to Professional Delivery
- Communications in the RTO Workplace: Interacting with Customers
- Account Management 101: Rent-to-Own Account Maintenance & Resolution
- Rent-to-Own Sales Training 101
The Sales Skills Series includes five additional micro-courses focused on developing practical sales skills for rent-to-own employees.
- Sales Fundamentals
- Why People Buy: Boost Sales by Understanding Customers’ Needs
- Building Relationships in Sales
- How to Handle Objections: Getting Customers to Say, “Yes!”
- Expert Strategies for Overcoming Sales Objections
What Does the RTO 101 Series Teach?
APRO introduced the first RTO Ready course, Introduction to the Rent-to-Own Industry, in 2025 as a comprehensive orientation for new rent-to-own employees. The course takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes and introduces learners to the rent-to-own business model, the benefits and flexibility the transaction provides customers, the history of the industry, and other foundational concepts new employees need to understand.
“I am very excited to introduce the new APRO online educational training modules to our company,” said Cleek’s Home Furnishings/Rentals & Sales Owner John Cleek, Jr. of this foundational course. “The Intro to RTO course provides useful information for new hires, helping them understand the benefits we offer customers in the rental transaction and appreciate the history of the RTO industry. This course sets them up for a successful career and is another example of how our APRO membership offers us tremendous value.“
The RTO 101 Series has since expanded with four additional micro-courses covering professional delivery and safety, customer communication, account management, and rent-to-own sales. Designed to fit more easily into an onboarding schedule or workday, these courses take approximately 15 to 30 minutes each and include instructional modules, knowledge checks to reinforce learning, and a final assessment to confirm comprehension.
Together, the five RTO 101 courses give new employees a structured introduction to the rent-to-own industry and several of the core responsibilities they may encounter in a store. Here is a closer look at what each course covers:
Introduction to the Rent-to-Own Industry
Introduction to the Rent-to-Own Industry gives new employees a foundational understanding of the rent-to-own industry and its unique business model. Learners explore how rent-to-own transactions work – including payment structures, customer options, and flexibility – as well as the motivations behind customer decisions. By the end of the course, employees should be able to explain the basic features of rent-to-own and respond to common customer questions.
Delivery and Safety 101: Introduction to Professional Delivery
Delivery and Safety 101: Introduction to Professional Delivery is built around the idea that “every delivery is more than a transaction” and introduces the practices that support safe, professional rent-to-own deliveries and positive customer experiences. The course covers preparation before leaving the store, including inventory and paperwork verification, customer communication before arrival, and the importance of care and professionalism throughout the delivery process.
Communications in the RTO Workplace: Interacting with Customers
Communications in the RTO Workplace: Interacting with Customers focuses on the everyday communication skills employees need when working directly with rent-to-own customers. Learners explore how to communicate clearly, professionally, and courteously during common customer interactions in the store and throughout the customer relationship.
Account Management 101: Rent-to-Own Account Maintenance & Resolution
Account Management 101: Rent-to-Own Account Maintenance & Resolution introduces employees to the core responsibilities involved in maintaining rent-to-own customer accounts. The course covers account upkeep and approaches for working through questions or issues that arise, helping employees build a practical foundation for supporting ongoing customer relationships.
Rent-to-Own Sales Training 101
Rent-to-Own Sales Training 101 introduces the fundamentals of the rent-to-own sales process and gives employees a baseline understanding of how to guide customers through a rental-purchase transaction. The course also provides a foundation for the more in-depth sales skills covered in the RTO Ready Sales Skills Series.
What Does the Sales Skills Series Teach?
The five-course Sales Skills Series builds on the foundation established in the RTO 101 sales course with five additional micro-courses focused on practical, customer-facing sales skills. The series is designed to help rent-to-own employees strengthen their understanding of the sales process, customer decision-making, relationship building, and objection handling.
Together, the five courses provide a deeper look at the skills employees can use to communicate effectively with customers and navigate sales conversations with confidence and professionalism.
Here is a brief overview of these skills-building courses:
Sales Fundamentals
Sales Fundamentals introduces the core building blocks of the sales process, including the sales funnel and a consultative, customer-first approach. The course gives employees a stronger understanding of the structure behind an effective sales conversation and the role customer needs play throughout the process.
Why People Buy: Boost Sales by Understanding Customers’ Needs
Why People Buy explores the psychology behind purchasing decisions and the motivations that influence a customer’s choice to move forward. The course helps sales associates better understand customer decision-making and recognize the factors that can shape buying behavior.
Building Relationships in Sales
Building Relationships in Sales focuses on the skills that help sales associates build stronger customer relationships, including rapport-building, active listening, and effective communication. Learners explore how those skills can strengthen customer connections and support longer-term relationships.
How to Handle Objections: Getting the Customer to Say “Yes!”
How to Handle Objections introduces practical techniques for responding to common customer concerns and objections with confidence and professionalism. The course helps sales associates develop a more thoughtful approach to navigating customer pushback during the sales process.
Expert Strategies for Overcoming Sales Objections
Expert Strategies for Overcoming Sales Objections builds on the fundamentals covered in How to Handle Objections with more advanced techniques for navigating challenging customer objections. The course helps sales associates strengthen their objection-handling skills and move more complex sales conversations forward with confidence.
Together, the Sales Skills Series gives employees a more complete set of tools for the customer-facing side of the job, complementing the broader industry, operational, and customer-service knowledge covered in the RTO 101 Series.
How Do I Access APRO RTO Ready Courses?
RTO Ready courses are available free to APRO members through the APRO Educational Resource Hub.
Members can log in to the Hub to access the RTO Ready training portal, create an account, enroll in courses, and track their progress as they complete the RTO 101 and Sales Skills series.
What Is Next for RTO Ready?
APRO plans to continue developing RTO Ready with input from rent-to-own HR professionals, training directors, dealers, and other industry leaders. That feedback will help identify workforce-training needs and guide future course development.
Have a training need APRO should address? Contact info@rtohq.org to share your feedback.
