What Are Valet Services ( + 2 Ways to Save on Them!)

Trash valet service is when trash and recycling get picked up outside your door.

These services are typically performed at multi-family residences, or apartment buildings. Residents simply put their trash outside their door and the valet service employee picks it up. Then, they either deposit it at your on-site trash receptacle, or they take it to the dump themselves.

This service can be very attractive to potential residents since so few people enjoy taking out the trash. It’s something that can make your apartment complex stand out to potential leasers.

But like trash services, valet trash services can be overpriced. How would you know? Below, we’ll show you three ways you can save on your services.

1. Check out other vendors.

The easiest way to see if you’re overpaying is to ask other area vendors what they charge for similar services. If other area vendors charge way more or way less than what you’re currently paying, you’ll get a good baseline for how fair your prices really are.

Keep in mind, though, that rates are not the only thing you should compare. Some vendors may have certain clauses in their contract that would impact their overall pricing. Be on the lookout for auto-renewal clauses and language prohibiting price hikes. If vendor A includes rate caps in their contract, and vendor B doesn’t, vendor B will likely cost you more in the long run.

It’s also wise to ask vendors for references. Asking pointed questions of these references can help you understand what potential shortcomings may be. (See the video below for an example of why getting references is such a good idea!)

Rates should not be the only thing you compare! The cheapest service provider may have a terrible track record. You can also google their business and see how their clients rate them.

2. Scour your contract

It’s critical to your bottom line that your contract does not include:

• auto-renewal terms

• the possibility of additional fees and price hikes 

• zero provision for bad service

Auto-renewal terms will ensure your current contract renews. Not all contracts have the provisions you actually need to make sure you don’t overspend. You don’t want to be stuck with a bad contract!

You don’t want surprise additional fees on your invoices. And you certainly don’t want price hikes. You must have language on your contract that limits the possibility of this happening to you.

Valet services are an excellent amenity, but they’re not perfect. You need to make sure that you contract specifies that you have recourse in the event that service is not performed well, or inconsistently.

We audit our client’s valet services precisely for these reasons. It’s easy to have a bad contract and not know it. It’s easy to employ the most expensive service in town and have no idea.

Take some time to review your services to make sure they’re actually working for you.

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Do you have valet services at your locations? Have you run into any waste service issues in the past? Sound off in the comments below! I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Guide to Waste Consultants {2020 Updated Version}

Why exactly is there such a thing as a waste consultant? Are they really necessary? Why is this not something I’ve ever heard of before?

These are just a few of the questions we get pretty regularly. Today, I’ll answer all of them.

Simply put, most companies have a waste management problem. Those who spend more than $10,000 a month on waste disposal services are being price-gouged and have unfair waste contracts.

We exist to help companies find savings by resolving their waste problems. We find and implement solutions that saved Lisa Russell $5000 a month and Scott Alderman is saving $116,000.

At the end of the article, you’ll know exactly what we do, and how we can help you. Let’s look at:

• The problem

• How we find savings

• How you can benefit

Upwards of 90% of companies across industries are overpaying on their waste spend. Why be one of them?

The Problem with Your Waste Management Process

If you spend more than $!0,000 in waste and recycling disposal fees, you’re likely over paying. Why? Because you don’t know what you don’t know.

You don’t know what your hauler is charging other clients. You don’t know that you can include clauses on your contract to limit price spikes and stop auto-renewals. You don’t know market rates and contract practices - and you don’t realize you could have recourse when service issues arise.

In the seventeen years we’ve been in business, we’ve seen that most companies are overspending by:

• Having ancillary waste or vendor charges on their invoices

• Having a waste hauler contract that auto-renews

• Having a hauler contract that allows price hikes

• Having incorrect disposal or recycling service levels

• Having expensive service rates

• Not having a waste ally

Read more about your waste issues here.

Your waste hauler contract is the epicenter of most waste issues. If it allows for ancillary fees, you’re going to get charged for them. If it allows for auto-renewal, you’ll be locked into a bad contract for the next five years without being able to review efficiency. If it allows price spikes, you’ll receive up to four each year.

Most haulers are not out to save you money. So they’re going to leave you open to price spikes. They’re not going to periodically review your service efficiency levels. And they’re not going to have a problem charging you 20% more than the company across the street.

This is exactly why you need a waste ally. You need someone who knows how to find your waste issues and implement solutions that actually make an impact on your bottom line. We know you’re overspending, and we know how to fix it - permanently. With our expertise on their side, the vast majority of hundreds of companies we’ve helped save 20-40% on their annual waste spend.

How We Find Savings on Waste and Recycling Spend

We follow the same six basic steps for every company:

• Assign WCI Personnel

• Review Waste Expenses

• Identify Cost Reduction Opportunities

• Develop Recommendations

• Implement Recommendations

• Provide a monthly savings report

After our clients sign our official agreement, one of our Project Managers takes over your account. Tony and Allen have been working in the waste industry for almost forty years between them. That’s a lot of trash - and it’s a lot of expertise! 

You - and any other decision makers for your portfolios - will meet one of them after you sign up for our services. 

Tony and Allen have seen it all. They know all about under-performing waste vendors. They can find the holes in your contract because they’ve seen the very worst of the worst. And they know how to adapt our proven process to fit your industry, your locations, and your needs. 

Want to know if you should get a compactor? They’ll tell you. And they’ll ensure you’re getting service at market rates by requesting and vetting waste bids. Any equipment or vendor replacement is done under our supervision to ensure smooth transition.

After we have all the documents in place, we get to work. While the overall effort is collaborative, we do all the work on our end. Our process is designed to happen behind the scenes while maximizing your savings.

For every account, we ask that you sign a Letter of Authorization so that we can ask waste and utility vendors to work with us on your behalf. We also ask for utility invoices and current service agreements - or the account log on information so that we can access them. 

Then, the review starts. For waste reviews, we look at your invoice history, and we complete 12-month audits on any equipment that is larger than an 8 yard dumpsters. Right off the bat, our PMs will know if you’re overpaying for a dumpster based on its monthly rate, or if you need to decrease frequency of pick-ups at a certain location.

But other information is not nearly so straightforward. For anything larger than a 8 yard dumpster, we have to evaluate your tonnage, and your frequency of pickup. Do you really need to be serviced twice a week? Or is bi-weekly service ideal? We’ll also ask you questions about your customer service experience. The hauler you have may have great rates, but suppose he’s only servicing one of your locations once a week instead of twice a week. This is vital information, and we take it into account when we review your portfolio. 

Then we find other pricing options. This is really where our expertise comes in handy. Do other reputable haulers have better rates? Are you in the right utility rate structure? If your contract has less than ideal terms, we evaluate whether it’s best to try to renegotiate the contract, or terminate it altogether.

Termination is pretty rare - we only recommend doing so if it is in your immediate best interest financially. Typically, our clients stay with their current haulers and we simply renegotiate their current contract. 

How You Benefit from Our Services

Our clients benefit by having savings solutions quickly implemented, documented, and protected.

We make sure you don’t leave any savings opportunities on the table - which is why we have a success rate of over 90%. If you’re paying for waste or utilities, you’re probably overpaying. And you don’t need to. 

We provide a report that shows the amount you’ll save on a month to month basis, but we’ll also show you how those savings compounds over time.

Waste and utility expenses are recurring, so whatever you savings we implement adds up quickly. Hundreds saved each months translates to thousands - even hundreds of thousands - for the duration of your vendor contract. 

This report also shows the savings at each and every location. And it shows your bill for that month. (We share in the savings at a rate of 50%.  So we’re motivated to find all possible savings opportunities!) 

Where there are service changes, we ensure a smooth transition. We manage contract cancellations and arbitrate any kick-back we get from the haulers. When there’s a really major problem, we’ll bring it to your attention. But for the most part, we are able to do what we do with minimal inconvenience to you and your staff. 

And going forward, we audit all of your invoices. We find errors 10% of the time, and those errors can be costly! So we make sure your waste and utility vendors are upholding their end of the bargain; that they’re charging you what they’ve agreed to in your contract. 

When service issues arise, we’re your first line of defense. We stay on top of the situation until it’s resolved. We wait on hold forty-five minutes, and we make multiple calls to your site managers and your vendors. Then we make sure that whatever resolution is promised actually happens.

Companies across the nation are benefiting from our services. You can’t afford not to!

Explore your options. Schedule a short, informal consult with our CEO, Tyler Brunson. He’ll shoot you straight about how our services can benefit you - and show you how our services can protect your bottom line for years to come.

What questions do you have about what we do? Let me know in the comments below!