Did you just return home from the Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo International in Indianapolis? If you did, you just saw the portable sanitation industry put its best foot forward for all the world to see.
What do I mean? Product manufacturers displayed their latest and greatest offerings, from feature-filled and chromed-out vacuum trucks to sleek and stylish upscale restroom trailers; from the latest high-tech office products to new designs for basic restrooms. The tools of the trade get better every year … better looking, more efficient, more reliable.
Portable sanitation service providers who make the annual trek to the Indiana Convention Center are equally impressive. They often bring the whole crew, decked out in matching uniforms every day of the Expo, spending valuable hours researching products, taking advantage of Education Day seminars and generally soaking in as much information as they can.
Follow The Leaders
The Expo is where many of the industry’s finest go to stoke the entrepreneurial fire. One PRO on hand might have 50 employees and 5,000 restrooms out in the yard, and he’s standing next to a one-man-band operator with 100 units in the field behind his house. But they have something in common: They both want to be the best. Whether you’re the guy who’s conquering the major market or the upstart with a passion for the business, the goal should be to look like an industry leader at all times.
With that thought in mind – and fresh from my own Expo experience – I present a list of several tips to build on your company’s professionalism. Follow these bits of advice and even the smallest restroom company can act like the big boys.
Clean Is King
It’s the second word in portable sanitation, but keeping things sanitary is your first priority. And there’s no room for error if you want to be considered a professional operator. Effective and consistent technician training is critical, and arming them with the best tools for clean service is paramount. Expo attendees learned the training part through seminars, and saw the best cleaning products on the exhibit floor. One tip for consistency in your restroom service regimen: Write a handbook outlining your expected cleaning processes and make sure employees review it regularly. Then spot-check technician performance by periodically following drivers on a route.
The Truck Is Your Business Nerve Center
First, make sure your service trucks are ready for a white glove test every day. Put together a maintenance and inspection checklist and have drivers follow the guidelines every morning before pulling out of the driveway and every night before parking the truck. Don’t fool yourself into thinking customers won’t notice a dirty rig. Then to improve efficiency and on-time service, you need to route right. Using office technology tools, prepare smart routes daily that will save gas and spend your labor costs wisely. Make sure drivers have a smartphone and a tablet or laptop computer for better communication and instant job site accountability and customer billing.
Don’t Let A Unit Leave The Yard Until It’s Perfect
Employ careful inventory control to ensure your customers never have to see a substandard restroom. Have a plan in place to handle, store and scramble units effectively when the driver brings them home. Clean units with a pressure washer when they return after a job and check them again before they leave for the next placement. Inspect for loose panels, popped rivets, tired springs, vandalism and faded or torn labels. Repair everything immediately.
All Signs Point To Success
Exceptional graphics and logos are no longer optional, but should be standard tools for a professional service provider. Do what you do well – as in pumping and cleaning units for your customers – and leave graphic design to the professionals. Just like you wouldn’t trust an artist to operate your vacuum truck, you shouldn’t attempt to draw your own company logo. Graphic art is as necessary as sound service practices to build the image you want. These services should be looked at as essential rather than something you’ll pay for when you think you can afford it. That goes for your advertising, your truck signage and your website. Make it carry a consistent, professional appearance.
Do One Thing Today To Bring “Wow’’ To Your Customer Service
Be memorable to customers by creating a signature service touch. Some companies offer uniformed attendants, bouquets of flowers in a restroom trailer or personal thank-you gifts going out to new customers. I recall one PRO I talked to who delivered fresh cookies to her customers as a holiday gift. Think about a grand gesture you can make to set your business apart from the competition. Then follow through.
Out With The Old, In With The New
At regular intervals, take a critical look at your service trucks and restroom inventory and replace aging or inefficient equipment. Err on the side of taking equipment out of service sooner rather than later. Ask someone from outside your company to conduct an inspection with you. They may notice something you don’t see because you deal with the inventory every day. Recognize product advances in the tools you use, from computers to restroom trailers, and regularly invest in upgrades.
Market Like You Mean It
Your image may start and end with a mission statement, and anymore you don’t want that mission to read: “No. 1 in the No. 2 business.’’ Go from embarrassing to emboldening by replacing tired, demeaning catchphrases with green and clean mission statements that will reel in big customers who demand to work with top-notch professionals. The kind of customers you want to work with appreciate a positive message, a streamlined and usable website and straightforward communication.
