Despite the best efforts of many in the industry, there’s plenty of evidence that the general public still views the portable restroom as the bathroom option of last resort. I’ve run across YouTube videos shot at events where people give impromptu and unflattering reviews of portable sanitation services. And I occasionally read blog posts that are critical of portable restrooms.
A recent comment under a story about a municipality placing portable restrooms on a downtown street corner said this:
“You can’t compare a portapotty to an actual restroom. Far more people would use them if they were actual bathrooms. Only people who really have to go would use a portapotty,’’ the poster wrote.
Of course this blanket condemnation of all portable restrooms is unfair. But all portable restroom operators are damned by the poor products and services presented by the few. I’ve had this experience myself. I’ve entered an overused and under-serviced restroom at a special event, only to exit immediately in disgust. It’s difficult to erase the memory of a bad experience like that. I get it and I don’t hold it against the writer for the disappointing assessment.
WE NEED TO DO MORE
As an industry, we have a big job to change these negative perceptions. Affirmative pronouncements from a trade group like the Portable Sanitation Association International are helpful, but that’s not enough. A constant barrage of stories in PRO about professional restroom contractors is good but won’t do the trick either. The answer is in thousands of small efforts every day from restroom company owners, technicians in the field and those with a voice to promote industry advances.
We all need to recognize the legitimate complaints from users and work to rectify cleanliness issues when we see them. Technicians must be ever vigilant about presenting a consistently sanitary product, never letting up on quality control in the field. We need to remember that little in life is more objectionable than a dirty bathroom, and individuals on the vacuum truck are on the front lines of this reputation-building campaign.
We want the public to be comfortable using portable restrooms and never fear what they see when they swing open that spring-loaded door. The big question is, how do we get there?
December is a good time to ponder that question. You’re finishing up the books for 2014 and looking toward ways to improve your service quality for 2015. The slow season gives you the opportunity to look at the industry’s big picture and how you can play a role in creating a brighter outlook. The blog comment above prompted me to do a little blue-sky thinking and I’ve come up with a few suggestions:
Be a vocal supporter of regulations for enhanced service.
Do not fear upgrades including flush units and hot-water availability where appropriate. Embrace stricter rules, especially for events and agricultural clients where the need for cleanliness is particularly critical. More service requirements means more revenue for your company as well as a cleaner industry reputation.
Raise the expectations of service technicians and pay them accordingly.
Create a manual for best service practices, then train and regularly retrain technicians to raise and maintain service standards. When is the last time you ran a spot-check on your drivers? Tell them you’re going to follow on a route and critique their work. Do uniform and truck inspections on a monthly basis. Expect more of your workforce, then pay them for better performance. Don’t think about how you can hold down wages. Rather, think about how you can raise wages and benefits to motivate and retain top performers. All of these efforts will result in more positive experiences for end users.
Always upsell event clients.
When an event organizer orders the minimum number of units and services, stop them and start a conversation about why they need an upgrade. Explain that bad user experiences as a result of long lines and overused restrooms will reflect poorly on the event and cost them in attendance next year. Show them the value of additional units in strategic locations, a restroom trailer for staff or VIP use, and attendants to monitor usage and address issues as they arise. Don’t be afraid to give them an honest assessment of their plans for portable sanitation. You are the expert, after all, and they might not realize the negative impact under-ordering can have on their event.
Don’t just clean units. Stage them.
The dread for portable restrooms can start when users queue up into long lines. The closer quarters and banging doors don’t make for a comfortable experience for many people. In the past few years, I’ve seen more attention to staging of portable sanitation areas, particularly where there is a variety of equipment including urinal stations and hand-wash equipment. Consider using screening more often to improve privacy. Make areas more inviting with potted plants, nice signage to direct traffic and outdoor carpeting in areas that may be prone to getting muddy. Every little nice touch helps.
Make it easy for users to give you feedback.
Sometimes a bad experience can be tempered if the user has a convenient way to lodge a complaint or ask for help. Put a placard out front with your name and a text contact for feedback. Put all of your contact information on restroom stickers, inside and out to reinforce that you want to know about problems. Consider offering an incentive for feedback. This could be in the form of an online survey or a complaint form that, when filled out, makes the user eligible to win a token of appreciation. Maybe it’s a drawing for a $10 gift certificate for a local restaurant, as an example. This feedback is valuable in helping you improve service. Follow up with anyone kind enough to share their opinions about your service.
Raise your voice for professionalism.
Join the PSAI and get involved. Contact me and let me show your clean updated trucks, uniformed crews and best practices in the pages of PRO. Call your local media and offer to be a source of information whenever portable sanitation issues arise. You see industry standards for professionalism are improving all the time. Now it’s time to make sure the public and restroom users know it.
