New Jersey restroom operator Chuck Starr III often finds that pictures are worth more than 1,000 words; they can be worth money, too.
Starr Septic Services, based in Franklinville, rents about 1,200 restrooms for construction and special events. The CompanyCam smartphone photo app helps team members identify and deal with issues in the field in all divisions of Starr General.
Suppose a technician encounters an issue with a restroom — possibly damage, or a unit seemingly out of place. That person can snap a picture, which is then automatically uploaded to the cloud, where all technicians and company managers can see it.
“We can have a technician on a site take a picture of something, then call in and say, ‘I just identified this issue — what do you think?’” says Starr, general manager. “Before, we used cameras and SD cards, and an office person actually had to transfer the picture onto our server.”
The software was purchased by Starr Septic’s parent company Starr General Contracting. It provides unlimited cloud storage for photos and videos for all uses, including general construction, plumbing, dumpster rental, landscaping, snow removal and, of course, their complete septic service. All visual documentation is saved in one place and can be seen by the entire team on whatever devices they use, so there is minimal risk of miscommunication.
Every photo is automatically time-stamped and saved by location so team members don’t have to send photos by text, use complicated folder systems or spend time searching for visual evidence. To use the software, team members simply sign in, create a project by choosing their current location or typing one in, name the project, and tap Create.
Users can assign which team members are allowed to see the material. Individual users or groups can be added so everyone who needs the information has access. Field personnel then can snap virtually any number of photos at a job site, or upload photos from a phone or other device. Either way, they will be instantly available for viewing.
For situations that require more context than a photo can provide, users can record up to five minutes of video.
Users can clarify details and provide context and instructions by adding text, annotations, and drawings to photos. They can also create and apply tags to photos to categorize them within and across projects and add labels to use later as search filters. Files can be easily shared job site photos with parties such as insurance adjusters, customers and project stakeholders. Users can select specific photos or send a live link to show real-time progress.
For more information, read the full profile of Starr Septic Services in the March 2025 issue of PRO Monthly.
