“We have always enjoyed traveling within our state, and having our own camper allows us the flexibility to travel anywhere we want to go and bring the comforts of home with us,” Outdoorsy owner Marc Ferguson tells us when asked why he purchased an RV initially.
“Not long after we got our camper, my wife, stepdaughter, and I met my brother and nephew in the mountains of North Carolina. We brought our camper with us and spent the weekend off the grid hiking the mountains of North Carolina. Our camper offered us the comforts of home to return to after a long day hiking and a comfortable bed to recharge at night.”
Trips like this one are fantastic of course, but owning an RV is expensive. Fortunately, Marc had the idea to rent the trailer. “When we purchased the camper, we made the decision to rent it to help offset some of the cost,” he explains. “The rentals have not only paid the loan every month but have also brought in a profit.
“Initially, bookings were coming in a little slower than I had hoped; it took a couple weeks for the interest to start. Now that we have gotten a few rentals and positive reviews, we have had steady interest and rentals. So far this summer we have had more interest than available time.”
Of course, success in the RV rental business doesn’t just fall into your lap. Marc has to work hard for his success, and part of that work comes in the form of offering excellent customer service. “We offer free delivery, setup, pickup, and tank dump services if our renters book at Falls Lake State Park in North Carolina,” says Marc. “We offer rentals of our kayaks, bike rack, generator, and solar panels as well.”
You see, Marc really wants his renters to have a good time. He shares, “I hope our RV offers renters a unique experience and a place to enjoy the outdoors with their families. A place to make memories. Maybe even encourage some renters to buy their own camper.”
Having the goal of getting families outside together is wonderful, and Marc accomplishes this with most rentals. However, his favorite rental story doesn’t involve time outdoors or any other traditional camping activities.
“During COVID-19 shutdowns and stay-at-home orders, we had a unique request from a family,” Mr. Ferguson begins. “I was contacted on a competitor platform to quote a family for our camper, with same-day delivery to their home. They were trying to find a way to have their family in one place while their grandfather—who was a veteran—was at home on his last days before passing. Due to COVID-19, hotels were not an option for the family.
“After multiple attempts with the competitor platform, the same-day booking was not possible due to a glitch in the system,” Marc continues. “Normally I would not send a renter from one platform to the other, but given the circumstances, I did not see another option. Outdoorsy’s platform and app made it extremely simple to send them a quote and book for a same-day booking. Outdoorsy immediately approved the insurance, and within an hour of the booking we were on our way to deliver the camper.”
He adds, “We offer military/first responder discounts, and due to the circumstances we applied that discount plus an additional discount to help the family. We included a full tank of water so they could use the facilities in the trailer, as well as the generator rental. They were more than thankful for the experience, as was I. Being in public safety my entire career, I try to help out whenever and however I can.
“We returned after a couple days to pick up the camper, and learned that the family did not end up using the camper the last night of their rental because their grandfather had passed away faster than expected,” says Ferguson. “Without asking the family, we decided to refund their unused night in full. We knew it was the right thing to do.
“Little did we know, that family would contact us again the next week for another rental for their grandfather’s funeral,” Marc tells us. “We were touched that the family reached out to us and wanted to rent our camper again.”
“The goal was not to make money on these rentals, but rather to help a family be a family during a very tough time,” the businessman concludes. “This rental experience will be tough to beat for us as our most memorable.”
All About Marc
Favorite morning beverage: “Coffee, hands down! Drinking it now, in fact.”
Favorite campsite meal: “That’s tough—it’s either cooking breakfast on our outdoor griddle or burgers over the campfire. Then there’s also s’ mores… that’s a meal, right?”
Music you like to play on the radio: “We listen to all sorts of music from ’80s to ’90s and alt-rock.”
Best game to play on the road or at your campsite: “My personal favorite is UNO.”
Favorite season: “That’s another tough one. North Carolina has fantastic weather and a lot to offer in each season. I would have to say Fall if I had to pick. Perfect temperatures, lots of sunshine, and the leaves changing in the mountains are hard to beat.”
Last photo you took: “My Jeep.”
What’s your Outdoorsy spirit animal? “Never thought of this. Maybe raccoon? I say this because we have named my Wrangler ‘Trash Panda.’ I don’t know why, but it fits.”
If you could travel anywhere in an RV, where would you go? “Iceland. Hands down, I want to see Iceland, and would love to do so in an RV rather than hotels.”
