June 13, 2024
Larry McLaughlin
Larry McLaughlin is the manager of the Candia, N.H., branch of ATS Equipment, a four-location construction equipment rental company headquartered in Boston.
At 70, McLaughlin is not retiring just yet, but is slowing down on a career in rental that has spanned more than 50 years and a couple of generations’ worth of innovation and connections. This New England-to-the-core rental vet reflected on his industry experience in a conversation with Rental Management.
Rental Management: How long have you been with ATS Equipment and what are your duties as manager?
Larry McLaughlin: It will be 14 years in July. I train new employees, chase accounts receivable, look over and manage 475 registrations within the company, manage dispatch and take charge of regular day-to-day stuff. This store has four mechanics, and I give them things to do to make sure they’re busy at different periods in the year so stuff can be ready for rental when it is needed. I’m also in charge of hiring and letting go of people as needed, which I hate to do in some instances. Sometimes, being a branch manager isn’t as rosy as everybody thinks.
Rental Management: You’re not retired yet, but it’s on the horizon. What is your status at ATS these days?
McLaughlin: I told them back in November that I’m coming up on 70 years old and thinking of cutting back a bit, and if that’s not in the cards, then ‘no hard feelings.’ They said, ‘If you want to come in just two or three days a week — you tell us how many. We’d love to have you stay on.’ So, I ended up cutting back one day a week right now and I’d love to work just two days a week at least until I’m 75. And then we’ll see what happens.
Rental Management: Where did you start in the rental industry and how did your career progress?
McLaughlin: I started right out of high school in 1972. I went to work as a driver for Logan Equipment in East Boston, Mass. I worked there for two or three years, working my way up to a yard person. Then I went to PJ Equipment Co. in Everett, Mass., where I worked for 20-25 years. During that time, I started as a driver, became a mechanic’s apprentice, slowly worked my way up to counter sales and eventually became the branch manager. Then United Rentals purchased PJ Equipment Co. I served as the branch manager there for seven years. But with big companies there are a lot of rules and regulations — some I agreed with and some I didn’t. So, I moved on to a smaller company in Revere, Mass., called Atlantic Asphalt Equipment. They were a roofing equipment company but had a lot of general equipment as well. I worked for them for four years and then came to ATS.
Rental Management: What do you think has been the key to your longevity and endurance in this industry?
McLaughlin: I always liked that you don’t go to work and do the same thing every day. Every day is another challenge and interests you in another aspect of the business. Sometimes you are asked to sell something on the display floor, so you turn from manager into salesperson. Or somebody might ask, ‘Do you have any experience repairing this?’ That kept me very interested. And because we handle so many product lines from so many different manufacturers, it was interesting to interact with their outside salespeople when new products came around. I really enjoyed that. And I absolutely loved interacting with customers, helping them and having them ask me to solve their problems if they had an issue. That kept me in it as well.
Rental Management: What were some of the biggest changes you saw in the operation of a rental business over 50 years?
McLaughlin: One of the biggest changes since the ’70s is the technology. Back in those days we did every contract manually, up until the 80s. Then we obtained a computer system, and it was a whole different life. Way back then we had pagers. Now we have cellphones, tablets, computers in trucks, texts, GPS — it’s just a whole different world. It makes it so much faster today. You have so many different, quicker and faster ways to get in touch with people nowadays. That is probably the biggest change in my eyes.
Rental Management: You have a daughter who is also employed in the industry. How has working in the rental business stayed in the family?
Tracy McLaughlin
McLaughlin: I do. Her name is Tracy McLaughlin; she’s an area manager for United Rentals in New Hampshire. Back around 1998, she worked as a preschool teacher, and she was not making great money. She asked me if there was anything open at United Rentals. I said, ‘Sure, come over, put in an application and I’ll send you over to one of the other managers.’ But I didn’t tell the manager she was my daughter. I wanted her to get the job on her own merits. He ended up hiring her, and she started what is now a 25-year career with United Rentals. She loves it. She loves the corporate world and I like the old-school world.
Rental Management: Do you have any words of wisdom for people looking to enter the rental business or who are just starting out?
McLaughlin: If anybody wants to start up in this in this business, there are a lot of people out there that will help you, such as manufacturers. You can get started with lines of credit if you have a good reputation. I’ve been happy with my life in the rental industry without being an owner of a company. But something that I would caution about is hiring and firing people. Somebody starting up in this business needs to be prepared for that. I’ve probably hired and let go hundreds of people in my lifetime. That’s part of business and if you’re not ready for that, don’t bother because you won’t be able to sleep at night.
Rental Management: As someone with a lot of hiring experience, what do you look for when trying to hire a quality worker?
McLaughlin: People come in from all walks of life. It’s so hard when you meet a stranger to make a decision on whether or not to hire them. When I interviewed people, I would ask questions like, ‘Do you own your own vehicle? How would you get back and forth to work?’ Then I would check their references and ask those people simple questions like, ‘Was he reliable? Did he steal anything from you? Could you trust him?’ Some would say, ‘I can’t really tell you that.’ So, I used to have a little trick. I would say to them, ‘If I ask you the question and you just clear your throat, that’s an affirmative answer. You wouldn’t have to say yes or no to the question.’ A lot of them participated. It was a simple way for me to see if they would hire the person back again.
Rental Management: What has worked best for you in finding employees in the current labor market?
McLaughlin: I’ve found indeed.com to be very successful. We’ve had some fabulous people come from Indeed.
Rental Management: When you are finally retired, what will you miss the most about the rental business?
McLaughlin: The people. I have had customers who have chased me to each of those companies I went to because they trusted the answers and insights that I could provide them. To this day, I have customers calling me from 40-45 years ago to say, ‘Hi, how are you doing?’ I won’t forget that and even after I retire, I will probably be in touch with those people to say, ‘Can I take you out for a sandwich?’ And, naturally, I’ll miss the coworkers I’ve been with for the last 15 years. That’s like a brotherhood.
Rental Management: Are you planning to relocate to a warmer climate in retirement?
McLaughlin: No, I will definitely stay. I love New England. I don’t think I could move to Florida or any of those sunny places. I like the four seasons. Some people complain about it up here, and you have to say, ‘If you live in New England, you either like it or you don’t. If you don’t, then get out.’
