State RTO Assocation News

State RTO Assocation News - Aaron's rent-to-own franchise replaces Santa Claus in Connecticut

January 6, 2008

By Richard May Aaron's franchisee Charles Smithgall embraced the holiday spirit by donating a house full of home furnishings to the company's most deserving customer among its 61 SEI/Aaron's franchise stores. Aracelis Liciaga and her family of five were the lucky recipients after Aaron's poured through the many nominations for the charitable gift. Two other families were also recipients of Aaron's holiday spirit-one received a free computer and the other a sofa and love seat. But it was the Liciaga family of Hartford, Connecticut, who received the grand donation of a house full of furnishings. "It was the right thing to do," says SEI Operations Director Dave Edwards. "We wanted to help one of our customers who not only deserved it, but needed it." The Liciaga family was recently devastated by smoke damage from an electrical fire that destroyed all of their home furnishings. Until Christmas Eve, they had an empty house with a few donations of clothing and kitchen items donated by friends. But the empty house quickly filled when Aaron's delivered a holiday miracle that the Liciagas had no idea was coming. The story caught the attention of the Hartford Fox News affiliate, which featured the story on Christmas Eve, showing the family's excitement and gratitude for such a charitable gift. Edwards and Aaron's were featured prominently in the lengthy television news story. While Smithgall and Edwards plan on donating annually because "it's the right thing to do," they and many other RTO dealers like them may not know that such donations are also significant in improving the rent-to-own image. Studies show that 42 percent of potential rent-to-own customers are more likely to consider rent-to-own if they know the company is involved in a local charity or donates to a charitable cause.
About APRO
The Association of Progressive Rental Organizations is the official voice of the rent-to-own industry and the most accurate and trustworthy source of rent-to-own news in the industry. Founded in 1980, APRO is the national, nonprofit trade association advocating and representing the rent-to-own industry before the U.S. Congress, state legislatures, courts, media and the public.

For more information, visit www.rtohq.org.




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RTOHQ: The Magazine
RTOHQ: The Magazine is the Association of Progressive Rental Organizations' award-winning rent-to-own industry magazine, and it's available here.

Complete issue of RTOHQ: The Magazine | June - July 2008
Download the entire June- July 2008 issue of RTOHQ: The Magazine by clicking on the link above (PDF file size is approximately 11 MB). by APRO

 

The Connectors
By Kristen Card
Taking into consideration APRO’s 2008 Convention theme, “Rent-to-Own Connections,” we debut RTOHQ: The Magazine with a series of profiles on some of those in our industry who use their insights about rent-to-own and their abilities of persuasion to connect with members of Congress: Congressman William Lacy Clay, Steve Kruse, RSSS’ Ellison Crider, Missouri’s Mighty Cs (Larry Carrico, “Tiger” John Cleek and Dan Cole), Lyn Leach, Bryce Company’s Bryan Collins, Tom Bernau and Benefit Marketing Solutions.

 

Identity Theft in the Rent-to-Own World
By Ed Winn III
These days, businesses are being held more accountable for the records they keep and the safeguards they use to protect them. Should your customers’ personal and financial information fall into the hands of thieves, you might be liable for the damages caused.

 

APRO’s 2008 Convention Education: Your Gateway to New Ideas
The education schedule at APRO’s 2008 Rent-to-Own Convention and Buying Show in St. Louis has been revamped to provide an entire day of great ideas that you can take back to your stores. Check out the complete schedule and seminar descriptions in this issue.

Association of Progressive Rental Organizations
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