There’s one everyday tool that all portable sanitation contractors should carry on each of their trucks, and it’s one you may never have considered: a digital camera.
You might argue that cameras are a frivolous expense, especially now, when you would rather invest in a new restroom unit that is a direct revenue generator. While it’s a great idea to update the inventory, I would counter that a digital camera — well utilized — can help you operate more efficiently and build your business in many ways. And the cost of new camera technology is a drop in the bucket when you consider what it can do for you.
As the editor of PRO, I spend much of my day writing and editing stories for the magazine. But I am also a part-time professional photographer, so I keep a close eye on camera technology. Over the past several years, the quality of cameras has skyrocketed at the same time they have nosedived in price. A camera that would have cost $1,000 five years ago now costs $150. Given the low price, portability and ease of use of cameras today, there is no longer a financial barrier to prevent any small business from using their handy capabilities.
Today’s most common consumer cameras are 1. smaller than a deck of cards, 2. produce high-quality images that can be made almost poster size, 3. have automatic settings that allow anyone to pick them up and shoot decent photos and, 4. seamlessly transfer images to be stored and used in any computer. Most so-called point-and-shoot cameras also offer limited digital video features that will allow you to post commercials on your Web site or to a YouTube account.
Here are a few ways you can use a digital camera to help your business:
Document equipment placement for future reference.
Let’s say you have a regular summer event that doesn’t change much from year to year, but staffing requirements or worker turnover mean the job might be handled by a different driver every year. Have the driver shoot photos of each restroom placement, showing a building or other reference point in the background. Next year, the day before setup, print the photos of each bank of restrooms and give it to the new driver to take along on the delivery.
The photos can come in handy if you want to suggest portable sanitation coverage changes based on usage. The photos are a great reference in your year-to-year planning with the customer. As an example, if one bank of eight restrooms was overused last year, and another bank of eight was underused, you can use placement photos (maybe even showing the condition of overused units) to suggest re-allocating units to improve the restroom user experience.
Protect your business against liability claims.
Snap photos of each restroom placement from every angle at setup to protect your company from liability claims later. For instance, document that there is plenty of room for users to move about to defuse a claim that your placement created a tripping or restroom-tipping hazard. Date-stamped photos will prove that your units were in good condition upon arrival and that your drivers didn’t damage any property —like causing ruts in a lawn or breaking a concrete curb — while they were working.
These photos will also strengthen your case if you have to go after a construction or special event client to pay for damage to your inventory. Photos of your units in good working order at delivery, then follow-up photos of your damaged units after the event, will put you in a good position to collect money for repair or replacement of your equipment. If customers see a unit is in good shape one day, and burned to a crisp the next, they won’t be able to argue the point.
Create visual content for your Web site, social media marketing.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, you want some photos on your Web site and included as an element in other marketing materials. What better way to pitch a new events client than to show rows of sparkling clean units set up at the local county fair?
And you can use your camera to shoot detailed images of your units for the “products’’ page on your Web site. There is value to showing off your actual restrooms, restroom trailers and service vehicles on your Web site rather than posting generic photos provided by the manufacturer. The photos you take show the color of the units, your logo on the door sticker and your meticulous care of the inventory. You can also show off the nice touches you offer, for instance, flowers on the purse shelf in a unit used for weddings, or special screening or beautification you can provide.
And, using your own photography for Web sites, brochures or on your Facebook page ensures a consistency of quality wherever you use photos.
Track worker efficiency.
Enable the date-stamp feature and have your driver snap a photo of the work site or his delivery vehicle upon arrival, then again after setup is complete. The next time you question how long a setup took, you can review the photos and the driver can explain what the job involved and make suggestions to save time the next time this job rolls around.
In addition to tracking efficiency, photos will show you if a driver is detail-oriented. Look at how well the units are lined up, if everything is straight and as level as possible on the site. Are the hand-wash stations positioned where you would like them? Is there enough room around the outside of an ADA unit for a wheelchair user to move freely? The photos are equally helpful to keep an experienced technician on his toes or as a training tool for a new worker.
SHOPPING FOR A CAMERA
So you see the value in using a digital camera, but you don’t know where to start looking for one? In today’s retail world, where full-service camera stores are as rare as hen’s teeth, this is a good question. You may need to turn to the Internet to find the camera that’s right for your business needs.
To get you started, I’ll share two educational Web sites that are bookmarked on my computer and I return to frequently. The first is Steve’s Digicams (www.steves-digicams.com). When you visit the site, you can read camera reviews, ask questions on the forums, look for online camera deals, or go straight to the buyer’s guide. Click on the “best cameras’’ tab and choose your price range, starting with sub-$150 cameras if you want an inexpensive choice. The other Web site is Digital Photography Review (http://dpreview.com), which gives more detailed reviews and is a favorite site of amateur to professional shutterbugs.
FORGET THE PHONE
A parting word of advice as you plan to get into photography: Put away the camera phone! Most cell phone cameras will not produce the quality images you’ll be looking for. Poor optics and image sensors in most phone cameras render photos that have no use beyond texting snapshots to your friends. On the other hand, even a $100 dedicated digital camera will make photos good enough to post on your Web site, use in print materials and enlarge to look at important details, like cigarette burns in a restroom panel.
Oh, and one other thing: You’re invited to send your favorite new photos to me at PRO and I might use them in one of our features. See you in the pictures!
