You’ve probably heard the advice to work smarter, not harder. In construction and industry, one way to do it is to lean on digital tools that streamline processes, save time and give you greater control.

Whether you need to rent or return equipment, locate your equipment or monitor utilization, digital tools put action and information at your fingertips. But as with having too many TV remotes or complicated remotes that defy understanding, having too many tools that don’t work together or are difficult to use can subtract rather than add to efficiency.

United Rentals’ digital tools, including UnitedRentals.com, the United Rentals Mobile App and Total Control®, the cloud-based fleet management system, all sit in the same toolbox, so you can find what you need, and do what you need, no matter where you are or what device or tool you’re using.

Find, rent and return equipment

In the digital age, you no longer need to make a phone call to order takeout — or reserve equipment. You can do it yourself, at your convenience.

For example, UnitedRentals.com features the world’s largest online catalog of commercial and industrial rental equipment. With a few clicks you can find the equipment you need, order and receive an instant confirmation.

With Total Control and the United Rentals Mobile App you can track your deliveries, see the location and utilization data for all your telematics-enabled assets and request service with a few clicks. Digital tools put this power at your fingertips.

They also open the door to alerts that can help you manage your rentals more easily and track your equipment more effectively. For example, with United Rentals, you can choose to receive alerts when equipment is due back and potentially save your company thousands of dollars in late returns.

All of these digital tools are accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Whether accessed via the desktop or via mobile devices you get the same seamless experience.

Manage your rented and owned fleet

Digital tools can help you manage your rented and owned fleet all in one place, in ways that save time and money. For instance, they can arm you against the significant problem of underutilization.

The longer an asset or piece of equipment sits idle, the more it costs you, whether it’s owned or rented. Many companies don’t regularly track utilization and aren’t aware how much underutilization is costing them. But utilization is easy to track in a fleet management tool such as Total Control, which is accessible through desktop or mobile.

Running utilization reports and leveraging real-time low-utilization alerts are smart ways for companies to meet their utilization goals (once they set them) and beat industry benchmarks. Some Total Control customers cut their annual rental costs by a third.

Another potential money saver: Total Control facilitates equipment sharing by letting users share equipment costs across multiple purchase orders.

With the right digital tools in your toolbox, it’s possible to work smarter and accomplish more in less time with fewer resources. United Rentals’ integrated suite of tools enables 24/7 self-service and unlocks the power to do with a few clicks what you used to do with more effort, or not at all.