Each month, Jeff and Terri Wigley draw upon 22 years’ portable sanitation experience to answer your pressing questions in At Your Service. Before this year ends, pause and review the questions from At Your Service and then click through to find the answers. You might find a thing or two to add to your 2023 business plan. Happy New Year!
January 2022, PPE
QUESTION: As we begin a New Year, we would like some suggestions to encourage a higher rate of PPE usage in our company. Could you please help?
See the answer Jeff and Terri Wigley provided in There Are No Excuses for Ignoring Safety Gear: Tell your crew there is no alternative to following OSHA rules and find ways to make it more convenient to follow through with PPE requirements.
February 2022, Customer Relations
QUESTION: As the COVID pandemic is approaching the two-year mark, we are finding the overall stress level among our customers seems to be increasing. Do you have any suggestions as to how our company can better handle angry customers?
Find the answer in Retaining a Customer’s Love Sometimes Means Saying You’re Sorry: Cross-train, listen carefully and show concern to convert an angry customer to your friend for life.
March 2022, Special Events
QUESTION: Having started our business in the fall of 2019, we have yet to experience a “true” event season. How should we get our equipment ready?
Compare the Wigleys’ answer with your own in Spring Cleaning for Special Event Equipment: Get your units, trailers and sinks in shipshape condition for when your most discerning customers come calling.
April 2022, Hiring
QUESTION: Over the last several months our company has been searching for new employees — primarily route service drivers. What are your recommendations as to various approaches that we can take to help with this situation?
Read the answer in You Need Workers and We’ll Help You Find Them: From writing a job description to a multi-prong approach to recruiting, PROs have many tools to find great job prospects.
May 2022, Hiring Costs
QUESTION: Recently you addressed the issue of searching for new employees and the various methods of recruitment. Currently, we are a company with 10 employees running three routes per day and a small special event presence. We are planning to add another route driver and another administrative employee. What are some of the factors that we should consider in determining the cost of new personnel?
See the answer in Need a New Employee? Beware of Hidden Hiring Costs: “Invisible” recruiting and onboarding expenses can have an impact on small businesses. Employee retention may be your best strategy.
June 2022, Efficiency and Service
QUESTION 1: Our routes are really growing right now, and we need to concentrate on efficiency in servicing this growing number of units. Please share tips to reduce delays at the job site and thereby increase our efficiency.
QUESTION 2: Our company strives to constantly improve our level of service. We have considered some type of unit inspection program in the field. What suggestions do you have to structure such a program?
Click to find the answers in It’s Go Time! Help Your Crew Get the Job Done Faster: These days service routes are long and available hours in the day seem short. Follow these tips to raise efficiency in the field.
July 2022, Recycling
QUESTION: What do you do with portable restroom units that are no longer in rentable condition?
Compare how you process old units with the answer in As Environmental Stewards, PROs Must Look for Recycling Options: You are already responsibly recycling restroom wastes; the next step is finding the best ways to reuse plastic units retired from service.
August 2022, Expansion and Acquisitions
QUESTION: We are in a small metropolitan area and are considering establishing a remote location 35-40 miles away from our office to provide storage for units and other equipment. If our growth continues, perhaps at some point, we could consider this as another fully functional location. What can you share concerning remote locations?
Read the answer in Satellite Operations Present Opportunities for Efficiency: But opening a secondary yard requires a solid plan for inventory and supplies, as well as careful communication with remote workers.
September 2022, Employee Training and Registration
QUESTION 1: Our company is in the process of initiating employee training sessions as part of our monthly company meetings. What suggestions do you have as to how to conduct these sessions and if this training would satisfy educational requirements for our state? (The state was not named.)
QUESTION 2: Our company is new in the industry. We have completed the registration of our company with our secretary of state’s office. How do we investigate further requirements for our employees?
Find the answers in Routine Training Makes Better Employees, Improves Customer Service: Seek out information on your state’s training requirements and look for ways to make sessions more compelling and useful.
October 2022, Networking and Nonprofits
QUESTION 1: Our company needs to get out there and to become more involved with potential customers through various groups or organizations in our area. What suggestions would you offer to begin this process?
QUESTION 2: Special events represent almost 30% of our business, and many of those organizations ask for donations for their events. We want to be strong supporters of causes in our local community, but we can’t donate every time that we are asked. Do you have any suggestions as to how to handle donations of products and services and how to tactfully explain this to customers?
See how the Wigleys answered in Network Your Way To Prosperity: Joining a local business group and judicious donation of your goods and services will build your brand and identify new customers.
November 2022, Uniforms and Promotionals
QUESTION 1: What are your thoughts about company uniforms? We have considered this in the past, but we have not decided up to this point.
QUESTION 2: Besides the traditional promotional giveaway items such as pens, hats, shirts, etc., do you have a “unique” promotional idea?
Read the responses in ZZ Top Had It Right: Customers Go Crazy For a Sharped Dressed Employee!: Snappy uniforms, email and social media promotions are good ways to build your company’s reputation and generate new business.
December 2022, Business Basics
QUESTION: We are starting a company. Thanks in part to PRO magazine, we have researched the industry, attended the WWETT Show, done financial analysis, worked with our local bank and obtained legal counsel concerning state and local rules and regulations. Now all we need is a name. What are your thoughts and suggestions on naming a company?
To find the answer, read Follow These Steps to Choose a Winning Restroom Business Name: The goals for naming a new portable sanitation business: Convey professionalism, explain what you do, and make it memorable.
