Rent-to-own News - Blue Ribbon wins Ohio's "Battle for the Bell", all companies see gains

Bill Wendell and George Schorsten at Blue Ribbon Rental will retain Ohio's coveted "RTO Victory Bell" for a second year after dominating the country's only inter-company rent to own sales competition for the second year in a row, beating out three fellow Ohio indies for bragging rights.

The "Battle for the Bell" is an annual competition that turns Ohio's four largest independent rent to own companies into fierce competitors for two weeks in November as each company fights for a bigger share of the state's $285 million RTO pie, specifically gains in “potential income from balance on rent”.

All four companies took home meaty gains however, based on sales numbers shared between the companies, with the two-week growth spurt boosting total monthly potential rent across the companies by $12,326. That's close to $150,000 in potential growth projected out across the next 12 months with several companies seeing even greater gains.

The boost in sales generated by the "friendly" competition is one Blue Ribbon owner Bill Wendell is happy to accommodate.

"I said it last year and I'll say it again, this competition is the best two weeks of the year for us," Wendell said. "These guys we compete with in this contest are really good guys, wonderful businessmen and it's a pleasure to compete with them every year. It's safe to say all four companies benefitted from this contest in a very real way."

This year, Blue Ribbon was followed by Countryside in second place, UHR Rents in third and Showplace in fourth.

The first week of the competition pitted Blue Ribbon against Gary Ferriman and Showplace Rent to Own with Mike Tissot and Countryside Rent to Own competing with Ernie Lewallen and UHR Rents.

The championship run the week after Thanksgiving pitted Blue Ribbon against against Countryside and UHR against Showplace. Blue Ribbon had the greatest projected rental revenue increase of all companies for both weeks.

Wendell said one of his company's strategies was to hold customer appreciation Christmas parties in each of his stores during the final week of the contest. That and daily contact with store managers kept everyone their toes, he said.

"The managers really won this for us," he said. "We tried to energize them and they really came through and did their best."

The bell is currently rotating between his stores he said.

Mike Tissot, owner of second place company Countryside, said the benefit of annual rivalry was felt by all companies regardless of finish. Tissot, who is also a board member of the national trade association for the rent to own industry, said that a national competition could provide a unique opportunity to create more business and do great things on behalf of the industry.

"When Gary (Ferriman) and I started this four years ago, we saw it as really a winning formula not only for generating more business but for having some fun and building that camaraderie that is such a part of the rental industry culture," Tissot said. "I think there is great potential to take this thing national and incorporate the APRO Educational Foundation Scholarship program and possibly some other community outreach opportunities."

A third place showing in the competition amounted to the best November sales month ever for Ernie Lewallen, owner of UHR Rents.

"We had the single greatest November in our 26 year history and still got beat," Lewallen said. "Nobody likes to lose least of all us but I am proud of what we accomplished this month. I am also proud to have been beaten by great competitors like we have in Ohio. Nobody is a loser with growth like we experienced."