What it's Like to Partner with Us - Part 2

Thanks again to Patrick Theismann of Beacon Management for sitting down with us and answering these question.
Below, you’ll find the transcript of the remainder of our interview with him.

How much savings did we find for you all?

I think we saw a 25-35% reduction?

On a scale of 1-10 how easy was it to work with us?

10!

What service issues have we been able to help you with?

My hauling charges! And simple things like getting a new container. My managers have probably called the hauler 4-5 times, and now I can turn that over to you all.

We’ve also had missed pickups. Carolina Woods, one of our properties, is a good example. The haulers were dreadful, the containers were in terrible shape. We weren’t getting punctual removal. That has changed now!

We’ve got new containers out there and we’ve got a difference structure now. It’s been very beneficial. Carolina Woods was one where I really needed you all to step in and reach out to your hauler contracts especially since we had just taken over the management portion for that location. Taking over contract management for us

Would you recommend our services? Why or why not?

No, because I don’t want my competitors to find you!

Actually, I have recommended you all before. A lot of my colleagues and contemporaries are in similar positions to me.

I handle a lot of operations. I also wear a development hat, trying to organically grow the company whether it be through acquisition or new construction or new property management opportunities. I simply don’t have time to negotiate our hauling contracts.

Getting notifications that expirations are coming up is extremely helpful. A lot of the service contracts we have automatically renew. If I don’t know they’re coming up to the deadline of when I can serve notification, that locks me in for another year or two! I am just not as in tune with when those contracts come up.

Being able to rely on you all has made things a lot easier for me.

What it's like to partner with us - Part 1

What is Beacon Management?

Beacon Management was founded in 1979, by my father in law. We manage and develop affordable housing for families and seniors. That’s the bulk of our portfolio. We do commercial as well as market rate development, but the company was really founded on affordable housing.

We have 32 properties throughout the country from Connecticut to South Carolina. The bulk of them are in North Carolina from Winston to Wilmington. And we have three in South Carolina and one in Connecticut.

How did you initially find out about our services?

I think you (Tyler Brunson, WCI’s CEO) came to my office! We talked a little bit. I think you were just getting started when we first did it. As business moves on a day to day basis, there are only certain things you have time for. One of which is negotiating contracts. I found myself negotiating more and more contracts for hauling as they were coming up or trying to save properties money.

Operating costs for an affordable community are extremely important. Our margins are pretty thin, so anything we can do to help operations is always helpful.

Taking something that I don’t necessarily like to do and working with someone who has a lot more knowledge in the industry has made things a lot easier for me.

Were you aware that you needed waste solutions or had waste disposal problems?

Not really! I knew there was ways to cut costs. I knew that we could cut costs. But without the intrinsic knowledge of the industry, I had no way to know. I could haggle with people with the best of them, but if I don’t have the knowledge of the industry, it doesn’t do me much good. That’s where I found the most value in working not only our friendship, but in working with someone who has the knowledge in the industry that I had none in as well as saving my companies and my properties more money.

What had you tried previously to reign in waste expenses?

I was haggling with hauler and they would say “this is what it is” and I didn’t have any recourse to go after them with. I found myself going to hauler to hauler trying to find competitive pricing, but I wasn’t getting any real traction because you don’t really know who to contact.

As I think as we mature in our professional careers, what you know is very important. But who you know is also very important! Me calling a customer service line, and you calling someone you actually know? Much different outcomes.

What was most surprising to you about our audit process?

It wasn’t difficult! Half of our time is spend doing due diligence to close deals. Obviously getting you the service agreements and contracts are not the most difficult thing to do! There are alot more arduous tasks you have do!

I found it easy to send you the stuff — it was actually more difficult for me to find the documents. We’re trying to move to more digital records, so sending you the invoices and service contracts has helped me manage that process because we have to keep them electronically. Now every agreement that we’ve negotiated or renegotiated I have electronically, so the access makes that a little bit easier.

Was there anything that surprised you about our initial savings recommendations?

Well, it actually goes back further than that. When you and I talked, I was intrigued by your model because there’s a lot of services that will say, “If you pay me ‘x’, I will be able to find you this.” I liked your model because similar to a developer, you get what you get. If you’re able to save money, then you make some money, and you save some money.

So really, that was the biggest aspect of our meeting and why I wanted to do business with you. I knew that if you didn’t do your job effectively, I didn’t have to pay you. If you did do your job effectively, you earned it, you made the agreed amount that we had determined according to your agreement, and we also saved.

I really liked that because I wasn’t coming out of pocket right away. I found the savings, and you money that you agreed upon. It was a win-win because it wasn’t out of pocket! Liquidity as a developer is not something we have a lot of! As a management firm, we have a lot of cash that goes out for proposals and so me not having to put money up front for a hopeful savings on the back end made me rest a lot easier.

What makes a prospective partnership attractive to you? Let us know in the comments below!

Why Our Audits Work

Our thorough audits work - we find savings 90% of the time.

Take Anita Huffman, for instance. Her manufacturing company, TWE Nonwovens, was in need of waste solutions. After our audit, we found substantial savings and she was thrilled.

She told us: “During your audit, you uncovered more than $12,000 in monthly savings opportunities. Your exhaustive process and your team’s dedication to our success has permanently changed our approach to waste management.”

Tad Dolbier of Tar Heel Capital was similarly impressed. As the president of 75 Wendy’s restaurants, Tar Heel wanted to reign in their waste and recycling expenses.

Tad had already tried to reign in spending, but he was still sitting on savings. He just didn’t have the market knowledge he needed to find all the opportunities, so he put our expertise to use.

In the first month of invoice post-implementation, he saw gross savings of $6,800 a month. He wrote us: “When you came back to me with $6800 each month in savings, as well as significant refunds from over billing, I was truly impressed and grateful!”

We don’t just find savings in manufacturing and the food industries. We’ve also had huge success with multi-family housing.

Scott Alderman of Landura Management (multi-family management), got in touch and wanted us to evaluate his waste spend.

There were a lot of variables: 4,500 units in 9 states. They had different waste vendors and lots of bad contracts. The logistics were complicated.

But even though these variables were a challenge, our approach remained the same. We looked for savings opportunities, and we found them.

After we enacted our cost-cutting solutions, Scott reported: “The recommendations you implemented resulted in these expenses being reduce by 25%.” His gross savings? $116,000 each year.

But clients don’t only love the savings, they love our service.

We don’t want you to just save hundreds of thousands of dollars. We want your savings experience to be easy. We want working with us to be a breeze.

And fortunately, we find that many of our clients have this experience. Our clients appreciate being treated well.

Patrick Theismann of Beacon Management, an affordable housing management company, wrote,

"I am happy to report that we are realizing some nice cost reductions as a result of your recommendations, but I’m equally as pleased with the level of customer services that you have provided to Beacon.

It’s nice to know that I can pick up the phone or shoot you a quick email with any waste and recycling service issues that may come up and get a very quick response."

Patrick appreciated the savings, but he also deeply appreciated how well he was treated. He liked that we were quick to respond to any additional waste concerns.

Anytime had had any issue with his hauler, he didn’t have to go figure out what to do.

Instead, we fought for his company’s best interests - and we still do.

Tom Driscoll of PS Business Parks noticed and appreciated the same thing:

"Your team communicated with us every step of the way, met every deadline and put in the necessary time to help answer questions. I’m confident that your solutions-oriented process will benefit our waste management for years to come."

We go beyond savings. We make sure any hauler or billing concerns are completely taken care of without you or your staff having to lift a finger.

We save money and time, so our clients often renew their contract with us. This is what one of our clients had to say when asked why they were renewing:

• Convenience for staff: having one entity dealing with all our locations/haulers with service issues or service changes Hauler contract renewal negotiations. We have several contracts coming for renewal in early 2021

• It's good knowing that the waste invoices will be reviewed, looking for errors or add on charges (we do not have the staffing to do that)

• During 2019 with the recycling industry being in flux, it was nice having Waste Consultants explain various options in order to minimize cost increases.

Can you afford not to have a waste ally on your side?

We’ve tailored what we do - and how we do it - to ensure you have peace of mind.

You deserve to know exactly what is and isn’t working in your waste disposal process. You deserve to know whether your utility accounts are operating at maximum efficiency.

You deserve to have the relief of knowing that your savings are secure.

But most of all, you need a waste and utility ally. You need an objective third party to make sure what you’re paying is fair.

You need someone who will fight on your behalf when needed and provide accountability measures for your vendors.

Companies across the nation are benefiting from our services. Can you afford not to?

How to Find Waste Savings

There are three easy steps to find your savings opportunities.

1. Have a Discovery Call

2. Sign agreement

3. Audit review process

Let's look at each of these.

Have a Discovery Call

A Discovery Call is the first step towards finding savings. It’s a quick, free consult where a WCI rep will ask you questions about your current waste management system.

Some of these questions typically include:

• How much do you spend on waste? (We are able to bring the most value to the table for companies who spend more than $10,000 each month)

• How many locations are in your portfolio?

• How many waste streams do you currently have?

• What problems are you currently experiencing with your waste disposal?

• What are your growth plans over the next 1-3 years?

The purpose of these questions is to gauge how much value we can offer you. We aren’t always the best fit for every company.

For instance, if you have only one location with one dumpster, we’re not going to be able to help you very much! But for most companies, our unique offering is a true opportunity.

Who Should Sign Up For a Discovery Call?

You should sign up for a discovery call if one or more of the following is true for you:

• You spend more than $10,000 in waste.

• You are a key decision maker for your company.

• You want to save on your waste spend.

• You want to ensure your waste management is efficient.

• You are tired of paying too much for waste disposal.

If you suspect or know that you have waste issues, you need to know exactly what they are so that they be addressed. You need a waste ally who will bring their market expertise and high rate of success to your portfolio.

You need to someone who can find waste disposal problems, solve them, and prevent them from happening again. In short, you should sign up for a discovery call if you want a waste ally.

Schedule a Discovery Call by clicking here.

Signing our Agreement

After your WCI rep has explained our process, he or she will show you a copy of our service agreement. It’s a simple document; only two pages long.

In a nutshell, it specifies that you agree to share in the quantifiable savings we implement at a rate of 50% for service period of of 36-60 months (depending on the scope of the engagement).

We never expect that you’ll sign on the spot or pressure you in any way. Your WCI rep will typically follow up within a week of our meeting and see where you and other decision makers are at.

Your rep will answer any outstanding questions you may have, and once you sign the service agreement, we move forward with data collection.

Our Audit Review Process

Our audits find savings conveniently and consistently. If you’re like 90% of companies nationwide, your waste contracts are the primary reasons you’re overspending on waste and recycling.

And to get any new contracts right - or to renegotiate old ones - we know we have to review every pertinent detail about every waste and recycling stream at every location.

Fortunately, we can do that remotely, and with inconvenience to your staff being kept to an absolute minimum. To begin our audit, we request several key documents for each location in your portfolio:

• Copies of current trash hauler contracts

• Copies of the most recent invoice

• A list of every location under review

The majority of our clients can assemble this information in just a few hours.

Then, we take 60-90 day to thoroughly evaluate your current waste management process and find where your problems are. We use google maps and google earth to look at the location of dumpsters on your property.

The documentation you give usually tells us everything we need. Your current service agreement tells us about your terms, pricing, and auto-renewal clauses. Your historic invoices show us the hauler’s record of service levels, equipment, rates, and fees.

Right off the bat, our analysts 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. Does your site really need to be serviced twice a week? Or is bi-weekly service actually ideal? We’ll also ask your site managers questions about your customer service experience.

Your hauler may have great rates, but misses pick-up frequently - and doesn’t give billing credit. This is vital information, and we take it into account when we review your portfolio.

We look for unexplained price hikes, and we look at usage trends. We also look at your service agreements.

We’ll note expiration dates, and we’ll check to see if ancillary fees are limited or exempt. We’ll look for language that prohibits auto-renewals, and limits price increases to a certain percentage.

Then, we’ll find other pricing options. We keep records of nationwide haulers, and we know equitable rates when we see them.

Some of our clients profit from switching waste haulers, but for others, we renegotiate existing contracts for better rates.

Our analysis will make it clear which option is more financially sound for you. We make sure you don’t leave any savings opportunities on the table - which is why we have a success rate of over 90%.

An exhaustive audit is possible with this solutions-oriented approach. Our clients know our audits are thorough and our process works - and they save big.

Ongoing Billing Review and Service Help

Post-audit, we continue to monitor billing for errors - which we find happen about 10% of the time.

We also keep records of when your current hauler contracts are set to expire and contact them at the appropriate time to renegotiate better rates.

But perhaps our clients most appreciate our ability to take on service issues. We know that trying to resolve issues like missed pick-ups can take up an inordinate amount of your staff’s time.

We take these on so you don’t have to!

3 Reasons Why Our Audits are Risk Free

Not every one of our clients were 100% convinced they had waste problems prior to the review.

And to be frank, they didn’t have to be since our audit process is 100% risk free.

Many of our clients had never had a waste audit before, so our process involves three critical risk reduction factors:

1. You only pay us when we find results. We are willing to take the risk of finding no savings because we have such a dependable rate of finding savings. We’re 90% sure we can find savings. But in the event you turn out to be one of the 10% that don’t have savings, you don’t owe us anything.

As one of our clients, Chris Sprenger of SanStone Health and Rehabilitation Center, told us, ““We had zero capital exposure and very limited time invested with your company. When you couple that with the significant savings we were able to achieve, it makes the decision to hire Waste Consultants seem like a no-brainer.”

2. You only pay us out of the savings we find. In other words, our process is cash flow positive. Our services aren’t an added expense, and they aren’t something you have to budget for.

3. You pay us a rate of 50% gross savings. If we find you $100,000 in savings a year, you’ll keep $50,000 and we will be compensated $50,000. Our revenue comes out of the savings we find for you.

As a result, we’re motivated to find the most savings opportunities we can for you and your waste disposal expenses are further reduced.

This is exactly why our audits have such a high success rate.

We know exactly how to find the expensive problems you have with your waste management.

We know what questions to ask, and how to be persistent in finding creative solutions tailored to your needs.

Our success is your success.

The more savings we find, the more we all benefit.

The initial waste review process is entirely self-funded. “Self-funded” means that we incur the initial expenses of performing the 1-3 month long audit.

In other words, you don’t pay us during the initial investigation and analysis period; essentially making the audit itself free.

You don’t pay for:

• Our review of your contracts

• Our analysis of your invoices

• Our evaluation of market prices

• Our requisition of vendor bids

• Our waste and recycling stream analysis

While our waste and recycling audits have a 90% success rate, we don’t think it’s fair for you to pay for a service that you are not directly benefiting from.

You don’t pay for our analysis, you pay for our solutions - the real-world, cost cutting solutions that actually affect and benefit your bottom line.

Just take it from Jen Morrow, Tenant Services Coordinator at The Simpson Organization:

"The cost reduction opportunities that you identified and implemented were substantial and, in this current economic client to say they were welcomed, would be a vast understatement.

We are currently looking at over $100K in gross annual savings due to your efforts.

I also want to say a quick note about the Senior Analyst assigned to us, Tony Perkins. He has done an exemplary job - always professional and very quick to respond to any requests or questions!”

5 Reasons You Need a Zero-Risk Waste Audit ( Infographic)

When you get a waste audit, you take on zero risk - just scroll down to see why!

The entire audit process is easy and convenient for you, your staff, and your residents or visitors. It’s worth undertaking because of the high probability of finding savings. 90% of companies nationwide are overspending on their waste and recycling expenses, and we typically reduce these costs by 10-30% for the majority of our clients.

You need a waste audit, and you can get one risk-free. You can find out if you’re sitting on savings - and if you are, you only pay us from those savings. Our services are never an added line item.

What have you got to lose? Schedule a free consult today.

5 Signs of a Great Contract {Infographic}

Chances are that reviewing your waste contract is not at the top of your list of priorities today. But thanks to the infographic below, you can easily review your waste contract to determine whether you’re overpaying.

90% of companies nationwide are overspending on their waste and recycling disposal expenses. Much of this occurs because their contracts make it easy for their haulers to make excess profits.

If you ensure that your contract has the specifications below, you’re far less likely to overspend.

These clauses are the ones we ensure each of our clients have. They’re the most critical specifications that your contract needs, and they’re the the ones that most business don’t have. (Short on time? Talk to us right now - just sign up for a free, no obligation consult to talk about your waste concerns. 15 minutes is all it takes).

Have you ever heard of these contract specifications? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Course Launch: Your 5 Hidden Waste Problems {Free Access}

Most companies are overspending on waste - and they have no idea. Are you one of them?

We’ve been helping companies reduce their waste and recycling expenses for 18 years. We’ve found that the hidden problems you’re most likely to have are:

- Your contract allows price spikes.

- Your service levels and equipment are inefficient.

- You don’t know market rates for waste and recycling services.

- You’re paying ancillary invoice fees.

-Your contract automatically renews.

These issues can steal thousands of dollars from your bottom line.

So we’ve created a completely free video course for you to learn about these problems and how you can solve them. Click the button to sign up.

This course is the first of its kind and is designed for busy professionals who want to save on their company’s waste expenses.

Below, you’ll learn more about:

1. Why this course is necessary

2. How this course is delivered

3. What this course consists of

By the end of this article, you’ll know how this course can help you assess your waste expenses.

Why this free course is necessary

90% of companies nationwide are overspending on waste by 10-30% every month. Why? Because they don’t know how they’re overspending.

Not many people have the time or expertise to carefully review their waste and recycling contracts before they sign them. You have more important things to do during your day, right?

I’d like to challenge that by showing you how much some of our clients have saved. Many were spending thousands - even hundreds of thousands - more than they needed to due to these hidden waste problems. Just click below to learn more.

If you don’t have to time to learn about hidden waste problems, you’ll likely continue to overpay. We don’t want that for you.

But there’s another reason these problems are hidden. It’s because most haulers are not going out of their way to charge fairly and set up honest contracts. Haulers are out to make a profit, and they will sometimes go to extremes to ensure they retain your business.

In the course, we talk about how having automatic renewal clauses makes it difficult for you to change vendors. We talk about how not capping price hikes will make you overpay. We talk about how you actually aren’t required to pay ancillary fees.

We take a behind the scenes look at how haulers try to pull fast ones. And we show you what you can do about it.

How this course is delivered

One section of this 7-part course is delivered to your email inbox every three days. At the end of the course, you’ll receive a link with access to all of the videos and additional PDFs so that you can easily and permanently access the course.

This course is:

• Easy. We break down concepts and make it clear how each problem can impact your bottom line.

• Convenient. We’ll email you once every three days, so you can view the videos at your convenience. No rush, and no deadlines.

• Completely free. We’ve distilled 18 years of waste experience in this course and you can access it all for free.

And if you sign up right now, we’ll include an additional free PDF with even more savings tips!

Click here to sign up >>

What this course consists of

This course will show you where you’re overspending and what you can do about it. Each email will contain one video and the occasional bonus content. These videos less than 10 minutes long, and contain helpful visuals to explain the material.

This course and are packed with inside industry information about your hidden waste problems, including:

- How to prevent price spikes.

- How to spot inefficient waste equipment.

- How to prevent being overcharged on invoices.

You’re the only thing standing between you and savings. Sign up for free right now!

Your 3 Steps to Waste Savings (+ Infographic)

We estimate that 90% of companies nationwide are overspending on waste. So we’ve made our review process thorough so that no savings opportunity is missed.  

These three simple steps have saved companies millions of dollars over the past 18 years, so we know they can work for you too. 

During our review process, we:

1. Review your contracts and invoices for inefficiencies or errors.

2. Analyze your service levels and equipment

3. Implement cost-cutting solutions.

This process consistently reduces gross waste expenses by an average of 10-30% each month.

Schedule a Free, No-Obligation Consult Right Now

Review your contracts and invoices for inefficiencies or errors.

Our process is completely remote. You and your staff are busy. You don’t need a team to come on site and disrupt your day. We’re able to consistently save companies 10-30% simply by reviewing waste documents and asking critical questions of your site managers. 

We compile copies of:

• Every waste and/or recycling contract you have. 

• 12 Month invoice history or hauler portal log-on information

• A list of site addresses

• A list of site manager contact information

Most companies are able to send us all of this information in under 4 hours. 

From this information, we are able to compile a complete picture of your waste and recycling management process. We input all information into a Master analysis sheet that lists every location, every piece of waste equipment on your sites, contract expiration dates, and fee information. 

This is the most detailed part of the review process, because we take pains to ensure we have a clear picture of what your waste process truly is. 

Then, we analyze that information to see what your waste process should be. 

Have 15 minutes to talk with us about your waste concerns? You can sign up for a free consult right now! 

Analyze your service levels and equipment

Once the data is compiled, we find the gross waste output for every piece of equipment you have on site. Then we find your inefficiencies - and the correlating savings opportunities. 

Take Rhonda Cummings of Presbyterian Homes, for instance. She had waste problems she didn’t know about, just like many of you. She was paying ancillary fees, and she had inaccurate service levels. As a result, Rhonda was overpaying by $22,000 in her waste expenses every year before we stepped in. We adjusted her contracts and we fixed her service levels. 

Common waste problems include:

• Too many pick-ups

• Wrong dumpster sizes

• Not selling recyclable by-products (manufacturing)

• Not using cost-reducing waste equipment like compactors

• Having poor quality contracts

• Not limiting price hikes on contracts

• Not eradicating the auto-renewal clause

• Paying waste expenses at above-market rates

Want to learn more about common waste problems?

The waste industry isn’t set up to help you manage your waste disposal efficiently. It’s set up for haulers to make a profit. As a result, most of the companies we work with have at least one of these problems - and it’s costing them. How many of these issues do you have?

We create waste solutions that are beneficial to both you and your waste hauler. In fact, we complete this part of the analysis for free. You only pay us when we find savings. And even then, you only pay us out of the savings we find for you. We share in the savings at a rate of 50%.

Implement cost-cutting solutions.

After we have created a thorough plan to address your waste disposal problems, we present it to you. We ask your top level leadership to gather on a teleconference, and we present a slideshow containing information for each of the cost-cutting solutions we’ve discovered for your locations.  

It’s important for us to vet all solutions with you so that we get your feedback. We learn everything we can about potential obstacles to our solutions before this presentation, but sometimes there are unforeseen hiccups. There may be a last-minute construction job or other situation that could delay solution implementation. 

We almost always implement the majority of our proposed solutions, but every so often the implementation timeframe gets adjusted according to client needs. 

After we’ve discussed the plan going forward, we make those critical changes. Depending on your situation, this may include one or more of the following: 

• Renegotiating contracts with better terms

• Getting new contracts with better pricing

• Adjusting service levels

• Adjusting waste and recycling equipment

We ensure smooth transitions occur as necessary, and we are proactive about keeping everyone on your team and at your sites in the loop.  

When hiccups occur, we resolve them. And going forward, we resolve all service and contract issues at every one of your sites. When your current contracts expire, we get vendor bids to make sure you’re paying the absolute best rates.  We’re committed to your savings - present and future. 

There’s a 90% chance we can find you savings.

Our review process is painstaking. Our analysis is thorough. Our implementation process is convenient. As a result, we find savings for companies just like yours over 90% of the time. We consistently reduce gross waste spend by 10-30%, and our on-going services ensure no future savings opportunity is missed.  

Schedule a free consult to learn more. You can likely sign up for one in the next hour! You’re the only thing sitting between you and savings.  

Here’s Why You Have Hidden Waste Problems

Most companies are overpaying on waste and recycling problems, and most companies also don’t do anything about it. Why? Because they don’t know they’re overpaying. 

The waste industry has certain norms in how they operate. These norms ensure that rates go up year over year, and that you won’t have the time to find better rates before your contract automatically renews. They ensure that you won’t have much recourse when service issues arise and that you have the wrong service levels. They ensure that you overpay. 

In this article, you’ll learn why these problems remain hidden (and why you likely have them). 

These problems remain hidden because of three false assumptions:

• You can’t make changes to a proposed contract.

• Your stated service levels are accurate

• Your waste hauler is being fair. 

None of these things are necessarily true. We have great success negotiating contract terms. Most service levels are actually inaccurate (70% of our clients have received too many pick-ups). And your waste hauler isn’t always fair - particularly when it comes to price hikes. 

 Learn more about your waste problems here!  

You CAN make changes to a proposed contract  

If you remember nothing else about this post, remember this: you can ask for different terms than a standard waste contract. In fact, you absolutely should. 

Most default waste contracts are set up to help your hauler:

• Increase profits

• Not be accountable for poor service issues

• Retain your employment at the end of your contract. 

You have to be proactive about putting specific language in your contract to make sure price hikes are limited and service provisions are provided. You’ll also need to make sure no auto-renewal clause occurs in the contract. 

You should ask for the following inclusions on your contract:

• Short terms (3 years - no more)

• No automatic renewal

• Limited price hikes

• Provisions for poor service

• No ancillary fees

If your hauler wants your business, they’re going to be willing to listen to some (if not all) of your requests. If they aren’t willing to work with you, you may be able to find another vendor in your area who will. 

Your service levels ARE inaccurate 

70% of our clients in the past 18 years have had inaccurate service levels. Why? Because many haulers are paid based on the frequency of service. The more pick-ups they complete, the more they’re paid. So when they set up your contract, they’re likely going to err on the side of too many pick-ups. 

Your hauler is not often going to take the initiative to find cost-cutting solutions for you. They’re paid to pick up your trash, not reduce your waste spend. Doing so would run counter to their desire to make a profit. 

Check your dumpster fill levels. If they’re consistently less than half full prior to pick-up, you’re paying for too many pick ups.  

Your waste hauler ISN’T necessarily being fair 

Your hauler isn’t going to tell you if they’re charging more than their competitor. They’re not going to tell you that they plan to raise your base rates twice in the next year. They’re not going to volunteer information that could cut into their bottom line. 

 They’re going to do what is typical in the waste industry. They’re going to hand you a contract to sign and assume that you won’t want to tweak any of it. They’re going to assume that you won’t carefully look over it and that if you do, you won’t want to make any changes.  

It’s not necessarily because they’re out to get you - it’s simply because the industry has evolved this way because profits are paramount.  

It would be fair of them to:

• Agree to limit price spikes to a certain percentage -and timeframe. 

• Agree to cancel the contract without penalty if they can’t provide adequate serviced as agreed to. 

• Give you plenty of time to get bids of other service when your contract expires 

But again, most haulers are not going to voluntarily do this. 

The good news is that many of them will if you ask them to. Ask for what you want. The worse you can hear is a “no.”

Go in depth: learn more about hidden waste problems

We’ve created a free, comprehensive mini e-course for you to learn more about your waste problems. There are 5 ways you’re likely overpaying on waste expenses, and we go over every one of them in depth.  

Sign up below and we’ll send you the first video immediately - and include an additional downloadable PDF.  

Three Ways To Reduce Your Waste Expenses Today

You don’t have time for solutions that don’t work. 

Below, you’ll learn the top three things you can do today to reduce your waste expenses. These cost-cutting solutions are the same ones we routinely implement for our clients, so we know they work. 

These three solutions are:

1. Find out if you have an auto-renewal clause on your contract

2. Find out if your terms are long.

3. Find out if your price hikes are capped. 

Most companies we’ve worked with in the past 18 years have an auto-renewal clause, long terms, and no price hike caps. In fact, these are the default terms for most waste disposal and recycling contracts. So chances are you have them. 

It can seem daunting to dive into your waste contract specifics, but we’re going to break it all down for you, step by step. By the end of this article, you’ll know if these three clauses appear on your contract and what you can do about it. 

Read more about your waste problems here >>

So pull out your waste contract and let’s find your savings opportunities. 

1. Find out if you have an auto-renewal clause on your contract

An auto-renewal clause is a language that specifies what happens upon contract expiration. Most waste hauler contracts will renew for terms of 1 year, but we’ve seen contracts that renew for an additional 5 year term! 

If you have this clause on your contract, it’ll make you overpay. Most companies don’t track their contract expiration dates, and they don’t bid out for new services every few years. Your contract will renew without you knowing, and you’ll overpay because you didn’t have a chance to find less expensive vendors. 

We always cancel the auto-renewal clause for our clients because it allows us to find the very best pricing and services that are available to them at the end of their contract. It saves them thousands of dollars in the long-term because we make sure they’re saving the most they can on waste services - every time, for every contract. 

Check for your auto-renewal clause on your contract. Most of the time, they are on the second page under the “Terms” section and they look like this:

Many haulers will allow you to cancel your auto-renewal clause at any point in the contract. Call your hauler to find out today.  

2. Find out if your terms are long. 

Most waste hauler contracts are 5 years long. All the contracts we create for our clients are only 3 years long. This allows us to find the best pricing available at more frequent intervals. We want you to have as many opportunities as you can to take advantage of better pricing. Short terms allow us to help you do that.

 It may be surprising that we can ask for terms that are shorter than the industry standard - and that we get them. But we find that most haulers are willing to agree to shorter terms. And this brings up a key principle when it comes to your contract: be willing to ask for what you want. You’ll may be surprised what your hauler agrees to.  

There’s no mandate that says all waste contracts have to have terms of a certain period of time. Or that you have to have an auto-renewal clause, or that you can’t cap your price hikes. (Or that you have to be charged ancillary fees, for that matter!) 

Your term lengths - and several of your other contract specifications - do not have to comply with industry norms. Ask for 3 year terms. 

Again, short terms give you more opportunities to make sure you have the best pricing. You’ll be able to bid out for terms more frequently, so your waste disposal and recycling rates will be fair. 

3. Find out if your price hikes are capped. 

Your rates will climb if you don’t cap your price hikes to a certain percentage. Most haulers will charge you what they can. They plan on raising rates at least once over the next year, and your contract is going to let them do that - unless you have a clause specifying they can’t. 

This is one of the most frequent ways we’ve seen people overpay in the past 18 years we’ve been in business. People assume that these rate increases are fair, and this is not usually the case. Haulers raise their rates because they can. Not necessarily because they need to. 

Most price hikes are a 5-10% increase to your base waste rate. They can occur as often as four times a year, and there is no warning prior to their occurrence. When this occurs at one property, it can constitute a significant additional cost. When it occurs at multiple properties, it can be catastrophic. 

 Look for language like the following on the first page of your contract. This language will appear in the notes or comments section of your contract. 

If you don’t find language to this effect, you’ll likely be subject to a price hike in the next year. You won’t be able to edit your contract mid-term to prevent these hikes, but you can add this language to future contracts like we do for all of our clients. 

Sign up for our completely free e-course: “Your 5 Hidden Waste Problems”

If you’re like 90% of companies out there, it’s likely that you’ve found that your contract includes an auto-renewal clause, long terms, and no limits on price hikes. 

These are just a few of the hidden waste problems that most people have. Learn more about these issues by enrolling in our completely free, comprehensive video course: “Your 5 Hidden Waste Problems.” Sign up below and we’ll send you the first video immediately - and include an additional downloadable PDF. 

"I already have a waste hauler contract. Can you still help me?"

Having a waste hauler contract is not an obstacle; it’s an opportunity! Every client we’ve had in the past 18 years has had waste contracts in place.

We can help you if you have a contract because:

• We’re expert contract re-negotiators.

• We know how and when to break a contract if necessary

We carefully evaluate the options that are available to you. Could you save by switching haulers? Is your current hauler amenable to renegotiations? We find the choice that not only reduces your expenses but serves you well.

Our renegotiations work because we’re waste experts

It’s relatively rare that we recommend our clients change vendors during our initial audit phase.

For the majority of the clients we work with, we renegotiate the current waste hauler contracts. That means they keep their haulers, but they get better pricing and better terms.

Suppose you’re on year three of a five-year contract, and your pricing is abysmal. We do the research and find that 3 out of 4 haulers in your area offer less expensive pricing. We’d then present you with the options. We’d show you how much you could pay in the next few years if you switched. If you’re like most clients, you would likely chose the option that saved you the most money. (On rare occasions, we have had clients who have wonderful relationships with their haulers and chose to stick with them - even if they are losing money by doing so!)

Once we get your go-ahead, we would ask the vendor to draw up a three-year contract with better rates. (You can read more about how exactly we create airtight contracts here.) You get locked-in, equitable pricing. And the vendor is guaranteed your business for one year longer than you current contract. Everyone wins!

Contract renegotiations work - they save our clients money!

We use this process for most of our clients. Rhonda Cummons of Presbyterian Homes is a good example! Like many of you, she had waste contracts in place. But we were still able to reduce her gross waste expenses by 22%. We eradicated ancillary fees and adjusted service levels - and her waste spend dropped by $25,000 that year. (She saved $100,000 over the next four years).

How we know when to terminate a contract

You should only get a new waste hauler contract if you’re 100% certain that you will be terminating your service.

This means that one or more of the following is true for you:

• You can no longer work with your hauler due to on-going service issues.

• Your current contract is set to expire shortly, and you are getting a new hauler.

• There are other haulers in the area who could provide comparable or less expensive service.

• You will save more in the long run even though you’re incurring a termination fee.

We run the numbers for you, and then present you with the best cost-cutting solution. Every so often, this means that you should terminate your contract.

Termination fees can vary from vendor to vendor, but a typical termination fee is the average of the most recent 6 invoices x 6. So if you pay $1,000 a month, you’ll owe your hauler $6,000.

This may sound like a lot but for many companies, but this may actually be the less expensive option in the long run - especially if you’re about to hire a waste vendor with more cost-effective pricing.

Get premium access to the on-demand webinar, “7 Ways You’re Making Your Waste Hauler Rich!”

Give us your email, and we’ll redirect you to the video - and send you a free 20+ PDF on how to reduce your waste expenses!

How to Fix Waste Disposal Service Contracts

We find that most of our clients initially don’t have waste hauler contracts that maximize savings. For most of them, their sites are being serviced too frequently. Some are paying top dollar for low-quality service. For others, their rates rise several times a year. If you don’t have a contract that prevents these problems, you’ll overpay - and most companies do.

Knowing the difference between an efficient contract and a poor one will affect your bottom line. This article will give you the tools to evaluate the quality of your contract.

We’ll discuss:

1. What is a waste hauler contract?

2. How is my contract costing me?

3. Waste contract solutions

The more you know about the potential pitfalls of your contract, the more aware you’ll be of savings opportunities that can save you thousands on your annual waste and recycling spend.

What exactly is a waste hauler contract?

A waste or recycling hauler contract is a service agreement between you and your chosen vendor to provide waste and recycling service at a location or at multiple locations. You agree to pay them at a particular rate for a 3 or 5 year term, and they will pickup and dispose of any waste and recycling onsite.

99% of haulers will not do business with you unless there is a contract in place. Larger vendors like Republic Services and Waste Management will always require a contract in order to provide service. Some regional providers will operate on a gentleman’s agreement, but this is rare.

The agreement itself is typically short - only 2 or 3 pages. The first page specifies your billing and service information, pricing, and any special terms of the agreement. The second page usually states the contract terms, any auto-renewal language, and other service information.

Below, you can see an example of a contract one of our clients had with Waste Management. It includes an automatic renewal clause that made it more difficult for them to get better pricing from other vendors (this section is in the black square).

Should I sign a waste hauler contract?

You almost certainly need a waste hauler contract for; but you need to ensure you have a good one!

Most of the contracts we’ve seen in the 18 years we’ve been in business favor the hauler, not you, their client. They can raise prices at their discretion, and there is no language limiting service issues. As a result, some of our clients have overpaid by 50% on their waste expenses.

You should only sign waste and recycling contracts that:

• Limit price spikes

• Have no auto renewal clauses

• Include the correct service levels

• Have an unresolved service clause

• Reduce or eliminate ancillary fees.

Not sure if your current hauler contracts meet this criteria? Fill out the form below to download our free Waste Hauler Contract Scorecard today and find out!

How Your Waste Contract is Costing You

We’ve mentioned a few ways most companies overspend. In this section, we’ll look at the specific ways most companies are overspending, and how this typically happens.

Through no fault of their own, most companies have terrible hauler contracts. You don’t know what you don’t know - and most companies just don’t know!

All terrible hauler contracts have at least one of the following problems:

1. They do not preclude price spikes 

2. They have inaccurate service levels

3. They charge you for additional fees

4. They make it nearly impossible to cancel 

5. They have no provisions for bad service

If your contract includes even one of these items, it’s not a question of if you’re overpaying, but by how much.

Waste Hauler Contract Solutions

In the past 18 years we’ve been in business, our contract solutions have found consistent cost-cutting solutions. We save 90% of the companies we partner with 20-40% annually on their waste savings. Can you afford not to have us evaluate your contract?

In the sections below, we will discuss:

• Our proven audit solutions

• Customer success stories

• Our partnership process and pricing

Don’t leave your savings to chance. Below, we’ll show you how people nationwide have had tremendous results using our thorough audit services.

Our Proven Audit Solutions

Our audits find savings conveniently and consistently. If you’re like 90% of companies nationwide, your waste contracts are the primary reasons you’re overspending on waste and recycling.

And to get any new contracts right - or to renegotiate old ones - we know we have to every pertinent detail about every waste and recycling stream at every location.

Fortunately, we can do that remotely, and with inconvenience to your staff being kept to an absolute minimum.

To begin our audit, we request several key documents for each location in your portfolio:

• Copies of current trash hauler contracts

• Copies of the most recent invoice

• A list of every location under review

The majority of our clients can assemble this information in just a few hours. Then, we take 60-90 day to thoroughly evaluate your current waste management process and find where your problems are.

We use google maps and google earth to look at the location of dumpsters on your property. The documentation you give usually tells us everything we need. Your current service agreement tells us about your terms, pricing, and auto-renewal clauses. Your historic invoices show us the hauler’s record of service levels, equipment, rates, and fees. 

Right off the bat, our analysts 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. Does your site really need to be serviced twice a week? Or is bi-weekly service actually ideal? We’ll also ask your site managers questions about your customer service experience. Your hauler may have great rates, but misses pick-up frequently - and doesn’t give billing credit. This is vital information, and we take it into account when we review your portfolio. 

We look for unexplained price hikes, and we look at usage trends. We also look at your service agreements. We’ll note expiration dates, and we’ll check to see if ancillary fees are limited or exempt. We’ll also look for language that prohibits auto-renewals, and limits price increases to a certain percentage. 

Then, we’ll find other pricing options. We keep records of nationwide haulers, and we know equitable rates when we see them. Some of our clients profit from switching waste haulers, but for others, we renegotiate existing contracts for better rates. Our post-audit analysis will make it clear which option is more financially sound for you.

We make sure you don’t leave any savings opportunities on the table - which is why we have a success rate of over 90%. Read more about how our clients feel about their new found savings.

An exhaustive audit is possible with this solutions-oriented approach. Our clients know our audits are thorough and our process works - and they save big.

We Already Have a Waste Contract: Can You Still Help?

Every decision we make in our evaluation process is about what the the data shows us and how much savings you can gain as a result. We evaluate your locations, your invoice history, and all vendor options to determine what makes the most financial sense to you.

Having a current waste hauler contract is not an obstacle for us; it’s an opportunity.

For the majority of our clients, we are able to renegotiate the terms of their contract with their current vendor. Most of the time, they don’t even switch vendors!

Our analysis process makes it clear whether you should renegotiate your current contract or get a new one with a different garbage or waste vendor. In both cases, we handle all negotiations and transitions on your behalf.

You deserve to know exactly what is and isn’t working in your waste disposal process. You deserve to know whether your waste streams are operating at maximum efficiency. You deserve to have the relief of knowing that your savings are secure.

 A free consultation, or a Discovery Call, is the first step towards finding savings and peace of mind.

It’s a quick, no-obligation consult where a WCI representative will ask you questions about your current waste management system. It’s easy and informal; a time for you to ask whatever questions are on your mind and for us to learn more about your unique needs.

We typically cover these questions in a Discovery Call:

1. How much do you spend on waste and recycling? (We are able to bring the most value to the table for companies who spend a total of more than $10,000 each month) 

2. How many locations are in your portfolio?

3. How many waste streams do you currently have?

4. What problems are you currently experiencing with your waste hauler?

5. What are your growth plans over the next 1-3 years?

The purpose of these questions is to gauge how much value we can offer you. This call is the best way to find out if we may be a good fit for your needs.

If there was a possibility that a 15 minute phone call could save you over $100,000 each year, would you make time for it?

Anita Huffman, the Corporate Finance Director at TWE Smart Nonwoven Solutions, did. As a result, her company will save $300,000 in the next three years.

She told us, “You uncovered more than $12,000 in monthly savings opportunities. Your exhaustive process and your teams dedication to our success has permanently changed our approach to waste management.”

Anita took the first step toward her $12,000 savings with our Discovery Call. The questions we asked on that call made it clear that there were likely overlooked savings opportunities - and the rest is history!

90% of companies nationwide are overspending on their waste and recycling expenses. Stop being one of them.

Who Should Sign Up For a Discovery Call?

You should sign up for a discovery call if the following is true for you:

• You spend more than $10,000 total in waste and recycling each month.

• You are a key decision maker for your company.

• You want to save on your waste spend. 

• You want to ensure your waste management is efficient.

• You are tired of paying too much for waste disposal.

  If you suspect or know that you have waste issues, you need to know exactly what they are so that they be addressed.  We provide the solutions you can’t afford not to have.

"How much will an auto-renewal clause cost me?"

Having an automatic term renewal clause in your contract can cost you thousands of dollars.

Suppose you have a location in Memphis, TN with a five year waste disposal and recycling contract. Let’s say your vendor’s service record has been mediocre, and their rates have just risen for a second time in a year (a common waste problem). The site manager has a vague idea that their contract may be expiring soon, but they are too busy to realize that they are already outside the window of time that would allow for termination.

As a result, they can’t find better pricing. They won’t ever know that they could have saved $1000 a month at that one location. They won’t ever know that there was another hauler just down the street with a better service record and more ideal service rates. And your company will have missed out on a $12,000 annual savings opportunity because no one knew about the automatic contract renewal, and no one was keeping track of the contract expiration date.

Instead, you’ll be stuck with your current contract that will likely allow rate hikes and require too many pick-ups. And you’ll be locked in for up to five years. (We limit our contract terms to three years so that we can review pricing options sooner.)

Eradicating the autorenewal clause on your contract can save you thousands of dollars. A professional waste audit and contract review will find every savings opportunity available to you. Can you afford not to have one?

We Track Waste Hauler Contract Specifics

Most hauler contracts are extremely difficult to exit. You are required to send a certified letter - not an email - within a very specific time frame, usually 60-180 days before your contract automatically renews. If your letter arrives one day early, or when day late, your contract will automatically renew for an additional term. This means that you won’t have the chance to find better pricing for another year, or several years (depending on your contract specifics).

This is exactly why we track contract expiration dates and will continually find better pricing options for you during our partnership.

As a waste ally, we help companies take advantage of every savings opportunity available to them. We know how to find the best pricing and the best service providers because we’ve worked with many of them for years. We cancel all automatic renewal clauses because it gives us time to ensure you’re paying the very best rates.

And if no better pricing is available, we will let the contract run month to month. This means that the pricing under your current contract will stay the same, you’ll just be able to get new service in a quicker time frame if good pricing becomes available.

For our clients, we revisit these locations annual to see if better pricing as become available, then coordinate with you as necessary.

Is your contract costing you? Find out for sure.

Fill out the form below, and we’ll immediately send you the free Waste Hauler Scorecard!

"How to Get a New Waste Hauler Contract"

You may need to get a new waste hauler contract if you have found a new vendor with significantly better rates and are willing to pay the old vendor’s contract termination fee. Or, maybe your current vendor has breached their current contract due to repeated service issues. Or, your old contract may have expired and you want to get a new hauler with a better service record. Whatever the reason is, a new vendor will take over services for the previous one.

Getting a new hauler can seem like a daunting process, but these step-by-step instructions below will show you exactly what to do. 

You’ll need to:

• Cancel your auto-renewal clause

• Make a list of questions for potential haulers

• Compare bids

• Set up a new contract

• Let your current hauler know you are terminating service (if applicable and only after determining that there are other waste hauler options in your area). 

A reliable hauler who offers fair pricing will prevent a lot of future waste issues. Conducting a careful search will help you find a vendor that is right for you - and does their job well. 

Cancel your auto-renewal clause.

Cancelling this clause will give you the time you need to find new service and get a new contract in place. If you don’t cancel this clause, your contract will almost certainly renew with your current terms. This is likely not ideal because your current contract probably guarantees you’ll overspend on your waste expenses. Most contracts don’t have clauses that limit price hikes, or ancillary fees. And they don’t typically include service provisions and term limits of 3 years. Having these specifics ensures you maximize your savings opportunities.

Ask Potential Waste Hauler Thorough Questions

Before you do anything else, make a list of everything that bothers you about your current waste management situation. 

Do you want someone who will promptly pick up your trash? Want a contract that precludes price spikes? Whatever concerns you have, you want to make sure that they don’t become a part of your new contract going forward. 

Once you have a list, you can then ask potential haulers what their approach is to each of the issues you have. Whoever you partner with will need to be willing to listen to your needs and act accordingly. 

Compare Waste Hauler Bids

To find other area haulers, try googling “waste haulers near me.” Contact them and ask them to provide bids for servicing your locations. You’ll need to tell them:

• The number of locations you have

• The types of equipment at each site and their size 

• How frequently each site and equipment should get serviced

Most waste sales representatives will get back to you with estimates in under a week. 

Alternatively, you can also ask other businesses or companies in your area for recommendations. Since waste haulers can have spotty service records, it’s a really good practice to employ someone you know who has a good service record. 

You’ll want to go over your list of service issues or questions with the haulers and see what their responses are. Some may be a bit cagey about their service reliability. Others may not care to limit their price hikes. Asking questions will root out the bad apples.

Pick the Vendor that is Right for You

The more bids you have, the more you can compare services and find the one that’s right for you. You’ll obviously compare prices, but you’ll also need to compare service levels. You don’t want to go with the cheapest option if they have an awful service record!

Let the best vendor know that you’d like to employ them starting on a specific date.  Make sure to coordinate your waste schedule with your old and new waste vendors so that you don’t have a service gap! 

Your new vendor will then send you a new contract. Look over it carefully - does it include all the language it needs to? Does it prohibit price hikes or cap them at a specified, annual percentage? Does it eliminate or cap ancillary fees?

Since you have at least one other bid from an area hauler, you have a pretty good idea of the market rates for waste services. You can use this information transparently with the hauler you’re negotiating with. 

Suppose, for instance, that you’ve selected a hauler whom you know has a great service record but whose prices are a little steep. Let them know that another area vendor has underbid them and see if they would be willing to reduce their rates. 

The hauler’s aren’t guaranteed your business until the new contract is signed, and you can go elsewhere, if necessary. So they have incentive to work with you!

You may not have success every time you try, but it never hurts to ask.

Only after you have a new contract in place should you let the other vendors/bidders know that their services won’t be needed.  

Terminate the Old Service Provider

After you have found a service provider, you will need to terminate as previously described per your contract specifications. Usually, you will need to send a certified letter to them informing them that you are terminating the contract and that they will need to remove their equipment by a certain date. 

You may have to pay a termination fee (something you can find out more about on your contract), so be prepared for that in advance. 

A typical termination fee (for prior to expiration) is the average of the most recent 6 invoices X 6. So if you pay $1000 a month, you’ll owe your hauler $6000. This may sound like a lot but for many companies, this is actually the less expensive option in the long run. 

Most contracts require that you give 90-180 days notice if the standard clause is intact. Read your contract carefully to make sure that your termination notice falls within the required time allotment.

And most haulers require notice be given via certified mail and return receipt. So a simple email just isn’t going to cut it, unfortunately. 

Want to know the exact language to put in a new waste hauler contract or service agreement? Fill in your info below, and we’ll send one your way.

Learn more about how you’re overpaying on waste! Sign up for our on-demand webinar “The 7 Ways You’re Making Your Waste Hauler Rich”

How to Renew Your Waste Hauler Contract

You should only renew your contract if you meet both of the following criteria. First, your contract may be about to expire. Most hauler contracts have a length of five years, then they automatically renew for another term. Most terms are a minimum of one year, but some contracts will renew for another five year term. If you find yourself in the window of time prior to your contract renewing, you’re in luck! You have the freedom to evaluate whether there is better pricing or better service to be had.

Ensure your contract has these specifications, and you’ll maximize your savings opportunities. Want to know exactly which clauses you should include in your contract? Just give us your email address in the box below and we’ll send you a free PDF of our “Waste Contract Scorecard!”

Second, you need to know for sure that your hauler has the best available pricing. You need to know that you are receiving the best price and the best service.

In this article, we will thoroughly examine the steps to renewing your waste hauler contract with your current vendor. (Looking to get a new contract?)

To get a new waste hauler contract with your current vendor, you’ll need to:

1. Cancel your auto-renewal clause.

2. Reach out to your sales accountant.

3. Create a new contract.

In the next article, we’ll look at how to the next step of renegotiating your contract.

Carefully completing these steps will set you up for current savings and future opportunities.

Prior to Renewing a Waste Hauler Contract

Before you get a new contract with your current hauler, ask yourself these questions:

• Do I know for sure that no better pricing is available from other area haulers?

• Am I satisfied with the current vendor’s service record?

• Is the current hauler easy to work with?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, now is not the time to renew your contract! You need to know for sure that your current hauler is actually the best option for you.

Cancel your auto-renewal clause.

Cancelling this clause will give you the time you need to create a new contract. If you don’t cancel this clause, your contract will almost certainly renew with your current terms. This is likely not ideal because your current contract probably guarantees you’ll overspend on your waste expenses. Most contracts don’t have clauses that limit price hikes, or ancillary fees. And they don’t typically include service provisions and term limits of 3 years. Have these specifics ensures you maximize your savings opportunities.

To make sure these clauses make it into your contract, you must cancel the auto-renewal clause so you have time to draw up a new one.

Reach out to your account manager.

You must also reach out to your account manager to let them know that you are creating a new contract with additional specifications and that you are cancelling the auto-renewal clause.

In our experience, it can be difficult to get in touch with your account manager. You may need to call the general customer service line to get in touch with them; they may not have a direct line (you may rightly be suspicious as to why that is). You will also want to follow up with an email that details what you are going to do. It is always critical to have this information in writing, so that if anything is later called into question you can point to your documentation.

Some account managers are not going to be pleased since they know your specifications will likely cut into possible profits. In the event that you encounter resistance, you may need to remind your hauler that you want to agree on a contract that is mutually beneficial - not just one sided. Assure them that they will still retain your business as long as the pricing is comparable to area service rates and quality of service remains high.

Set up a new waste contract.

In almost every contract we negotiate, we try to have the following clauses in the contract.

1. Language limiting price spikes. This is by far the biggest way you’ll save. Depending on which hauler you employ, they may agree to limiting raises in your rates to one or two a year, and capped by a certain percentage. It may require a bit of haggling, but in the long run this contract specification will can easily save you thousands of dollars at one location. Read more about contract problems and solutions here.

2. No auto renewal clause. Eradicating this clause will give you the time you need to evaluate the very best pricing and service options for your waste disposal needs. It gives you the freedom to review and change contract specifications before the same old (often expensive) stipulations automatically renew.

3. A service provision. If you’ve ever had service issues at any one of your sites, you probably understand why this clause is so critical. If your hauler fails to perform, you need an easy out of your contract.

4. Short terms. We highly recommend getting three year contract terms instead of five year terms. You need the freedom to review your market waste disposal options as frequently as possible so that you can take advantage of better pricing. Shorter terms allow you to do just that, thus saving you money.

5. Limited or eliminated ancillary clauses. There’s no law saying that fees have to appear on your invoices. We prefer to have them included in the rate since your base rates are hopefully already capped. It’s really hard for your hauler to bump up your fuel charge if your contract prohibits you from having one.

Should I conduct a basic waste review? Pt 2

Below, we’ve distilled our audit process into just a few easy to follow steps that you can use to find savings at one or more of the locations in your portfolio. Let’s go over when and how you should conduct a review.

But first, find out for sure if you’re overspending. You can know for sure whether you’re overspending in two minutes by taking this quiz. It’s the quickest, fastest way to find out if you’re overspending.

90% of companies are overspending on waste, so it’s likely you’re one of them.

Conduct a Basic Waste Review when you’re overspending.

How many of these items in the list below has happened at one of your locations in the past six months?

• Your hauler repeatedly misses pick-ups 

• Hauler prices rise more than twice a year

• Your hauler is impossible to get a hold of

These are all signs that something is wrong.

Sure, you can keep going with the status quo, but at what cost? Consider all the costs involved - emotional and time, as well as financial. Does your staff like spending 45 minutes on hold to resolve a disposal issue? Can you afford price hikes over the term of your contract? Is it worth it to continue having these problems or ones like them?

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You can save 10-30% on your waste and recycling expenses!

If you're like most people, you probably suspect you're paying too much for waste and recycling services.

But you don't have the time or the expertise to properly and thoroughly review your waste expenses.

The Waste Review Blueprint will show you how to review your waste expenses quickly and efficiently. We break down the review process our team has honed over the past 18 years - the same process that's repeatedly found 10-30% reduction of waste expenses for our clients.

How much savings could you be sitting on?

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Complete an audit if you want to save.

90% of companies are sitting on waste expense savings, so there’s a good chance you’re one of them. If you haven’t thoroughly reviewed your waste expenses, contracts, and processes in the past year, you likely have some savings opportunities available to you.

To complete a review you’ll need to:

• Know what to evaluate

• Assemble a team

• Create a timeline for completion

We’ll show you how to do each of these in the steps below.

Thoroughly evaluate every aspect of your waste processes

You can’t fix problems you don’t know about. To make sure no savings opportunity is missed, you’ll want to do this basic audit as part of the larger waste review process. 

For those who want to do a Basic Waste Audit, we’ve outline a simple yet effective audit process below. This audit evaluates two of the biggest ways most companies overspend on their waste haulers: equipment and service levels. 

You can use the steps below to evaluate whether the service levels you’re getting are really what you need. At the end of the audit, you’ll know if you have an equipment problem, and you’ll know if your haulers are servicing your site as often as is stipulated in your contract. 

There are seven steps to a basic audit:

1. Review your contract(s). How often should your location be getting serviced? 

2. Make a list of all equipment that receives service. 

3. Pick a time to conduct the audit. (Try to avoid holidays)

4. For four weeks, at the same time each day, take pictures of the fill status of your dumpsters, toters, or compactors on all of your sites

5. Record this information in a google sheet that all parties can have access to, and upload the pictures to a shared drive, sorted by location

6. Evaluate information

7. Plan next steps

After four weeks have passed, review all of the information and pictures you have for each of your location sites. If you have the invoices for that month, take a look at those as well. 

Ask yourself two key questions:

• How often were my garbage containers or dumpsters completely full?

• How often were pick-ups missed?

If your containers weren’t completely full, you can consider making a few changes. Maybe you need smaller equipment. Maybe you need fewer pick-ups during the week. Maybe you need both! 

And if pick-ups were missed, you may need to do some follow-up work. Were pick-ups frequently missed prior to this four week period? Is there a solid history of this hauler completely bagging out? 

In either case, this audit will give you the information you need to evaluate if your service levels are really what you need. 

If you want to go one additional step,  you can also get other bids from area haulers. There is most likely another hauler near you who can provide the right service levels at the right price point. This will give you another valuable piece of information as you evaluate your waste management process. 

Basic Waste Audits Help Solve Waste Problems

Knowing exactly what the problem is is the first step towards finding a solution.

A basic audit gets at the heart of the two biggest problems in most company’s waste management: equipment and service levels. By evaluating both of these in one full swoop, you can find savings opportunities - and relief from repeated hauler issues. 

"How do I Renegotiate my Waste Hauler Contract?"

Prior to a renegotiation, you need to:

• Know what a good contract has in it, 

• Evaluate your own contract, 

• Decide what you want to change, 

• Know what market rates for services are. 

Set yourself up for success, and spend some time gathering some critical waste disposal information. 

See all of our resources on how to stop overspending!

Before you Begin the Renegotiation Process

You’ll need to know what your current contract length is. If your contract is a almost up, consider including some service or pricing addendum in the next contract. It’s much easier to negotiate a renewing contract than a current one. (This is also why those of you with month-to-month contracts actually have the best shot at renegotiating!)

And it’s also important to keep in mind that it’s incredibly difficult to renegotiate a contract that has quite a bit of time left in it. It’s not impossible, but it’s not something that we recommend doing. Haulers are simply not as likely to agree to new terms simply because you want them - there has to be some benefit in it for them as well. And since you’ve already signed a contract with them, they know they can just tell you “no” and go on their merry way. 

However, if your contract is about to expire, you have some leverage. The haulers know that if they don’t give you at least some of what you want, you’ll likely switch to a different provider. So they have incentive to bend a little more than they would otherwise. 

Determine if your contract is month to month. If it is you have more leverage and should get pricing from 1-2 other waste haulers if possible to determine the market pricing in your area.

Know What a Good Contract Looks Like

Most people don’t really know what a good contract includes. A good contract is one that has terms that are fair to the client as well as the hauler. 

Good contracts:

• Limit price spikes

• Has accurate service levels

• Limits ancillary fees

• Is easy to cancel

• Has provisions for poor service

A contract that includes these things will actually prevent waste headaches before they start. If you have a haulers who keeps missing pick-ups, you’ll already have a penalty in place. If a hauler tries to raise prices above a certain percentage, you can point to your contract and kindly say, “Not today, amigo.”

In short, you’ll have immediate recourse for when things do go wrong. 

Download our free Waste Hauler Scorecard!

Know What You Want to Change About Your Current Contract

Make a list of things you want to change about your current contract. Some of these things may include:

• Service levels (the number of pick-ups made by the hauler per week)

• Term (the length of the contract)

• Price Increase Caps - language that limits or eradicates price hikes

• Fee Caps - language that limits or eliminates ancillary fees.

• Auto-renewal - cancelling your auto renewal puts you in the driver’s seat when it comes to whom you entrust your waste disposal.

Now, prioritize that list. You have to be prepared to not get everything you want - especially if you’re trying to renegotiate in the middle of a term. Having clear top priorities will help you let smaller issues go, if need be. 

Know the Waste Market Prices

Even if you’re not intending to switch haulers, it can be exceedingly helpful to have a few bids from other area haulers. Some bids may be higher than your current service fees, but some are bound to be lower. 

Knowing waste market prices will give you an additional bargaining chip. Unfortunately, a lot of times haulers are banking that you don’t know what other haulers charge. If you’re blind, you’re more likely to accept the prices they’re charging you. 

But if you know market prices, you’ll have a pretty good idea about what’s fair and, well, what isn’t. 

If you know what you don’t like about your contract, what a good contract includes, and what area haulers charge, you’ll be well armed to renegotiate your contract. 

Renegotiating Your Contract Is a Critical Part of Your Waste Expense Reduction Strategy

Your contract can play a huge part in protecting you and your bottom line from waste expense increases. Renegotiating your contract can be time consuming, but you’ll reap the benefits for years to come. 

Ignoring waste problems don’t make them go away, unfortunately. Strategizing about how to stop overspending on your waste disposal and coming up with a plan of attack can yield surprising savings - and peace of mind!

Take a step towards savings: schedule a free consult today.

Do waste audits really find savings?

If you’re spending more than $10,000 a month on waste, we can likely help you save 10-35% on your annual waste and recycling spend. For some companies it will be a little less, for others, it will be more.

The actual percentage you save depends of course on the amount you’re currently spending on waste expenses.

Take Tad Dolbier, for instance. He had a gross savings of $6800 each month in savings. Scott Alderman of Landura Management (multi-family management) is saving a total of $116,000 every year. We’ve found millions of dollars in savings for our clients - how much are you sitting on?

And Lisa Russell of Ardmore? Click the video below to find out how much she saved!

Why is the average savings percentage so dependable? 

We know these percentages are reliable because it’s the average amount of savings companies have saved with us for the past 18 years. We’ve become experts in finding the gaps in your current waste management process. We know where to find your biggest hidden savings opportunities, and we know how to fix them.

Click the presentation below to see how much just a few of our clients have saved! (You can also download this file here.)

What if you don’t find any savings? 

On the rare occasion we find no savings, you don’t owe us a dime. When this happens, you get a free audit and the assurance that you’re managing your waste costs efficiently. You will only pay us when we find and implement precise solutions for you. 

Our services are guaranteed to be cash-flow positive. You only pay us out of the savings we find for you, so our services are not an added expense.

Our business model is unique, and we believe that it is one that is in your best interest. You take on zero risk to see if you are one of the 90% of companies nationwide who can stand to cut their waste expenses by 10-35%. Your odds are better than good that you’ll save - in fact, they’re great.

Schedule a free consult now!

What We Don't Do - Part 2

As waste consultants, our process is different from waste haulers or waste brokers. We believe we’ve created an audit and savings process that puts your interests first.

We don’t:

• “Estimate” your waste needs.

• Leave your savings unprotected.

• Perform waste services. 

Why? Because they are not ultimately in line with your interests. As a third-party auditor, it’s our responsibility not only to find the savings you’re sitting on, but to prevent future waste and recycling issues. Doing any one of these interferes with both of these objectives. It’s our goal to protect your interests - not undercut them.

We don’t “estimate” your waste disposal and recycling needs.

We don’t just give your waste needs our “best guess” and move on. 

Our waste audits take a minimum of two months. Why? Because you deserve to take advantage of every savings opportunity available to you. 

Not most of those savings opportunities. Not many of them. All of them. 

We don’t do perfunctory audits - we dig deep. We record all service information and perform history audits for every piece of equipment that is over 8yds long. We look for and record price fluctuation, increases, and fees. 

Then we analyze: 

• where you’re overspending

• what equipment is working and not working

• identifies gaps in your service

• Where there may be opportunities to introduce technology

• the best way you can stop overspending. 

Regardless of whether you have 1 location or 100 locations, we will look at every nuance to make sure no savings opportunities slip through the cracks. 

90% of companies are sitting on hidden savings. How much are you sitting on? 

We don’t leave your savings unprotected

After our initial audit is complete, we implement all recommended savings opportunities. We may make equipment switches or service changes that benefit your bottom line immediately or longterm. We may also adjust your service levels so they’re efficient. When the changes have been made and all transitions are complete, the savings show up on your invoices. Typically, we are able to decrease your annual waste and recycling spend by 10-35%.

It would be pointless to achieve these savings and then not protect them.

Accountability protects savings.

Most haulers are out to make a buck. They know that most people don’t care about what they pay for waste. They know that most companies will pay whatever they charge for waste services.

Haulers are rarely held accountable. As a result, you’ll likely have price hikes several times a year, and you’ll pay ridiculous ancillary fees, and you’ll have very little recourse when pick-ups are consistently missed.

This isn’t sustainable. So we provide the much-needed accountability haulers need to charge you fairly. We ensure our hauler contracts prohibit or cap price spikes, auto-renewal clauses, and terms longer than 3 years - among other specifications. So if your hauler raises prices, we can point to the contract provisions and insist on billing credits. Our contracts allow us to hold your haulers accountable for their billing practices and service quality.

We’re invested in protecting your savings.

We audit your waste invoices going forward. Vendors make mistakes 10% of the time - and some of them aren’t small. 

As an independent third party, we painstakingly monitor your invoices to make sure that service is being provided as specified in your service agreement. 

And as an added bonus, we take on all the service issues you may have on site. You and your staff have enough to do, so you can leave service concerns to the experts. 

Both of these on-going services protect your time. As waste experts, we are efficient billing auditors because we know where to look for mistakes - and how to get billing credits when necessary. Likewise, we resolve service issues for you. Here are some service issues that we’ve taken care of for our clients in the past few months:

• Moving the waste and recycling dumpster to the corral from the parking lot

• Increasing pick-up due to higher trash production

• Coordinating the transition of a new hauler

• Calling and sending reminders to a hauler who would consistently “forget” to service a compactor.

Most service issues aren’t particularly difficult or challenging, they just take time. We ease this burden for your staff, who almost always have other priorities to attend to.

Every so often, we have a major service issue that needs resolution. Earlier last year, a client in North Carolina had a valet vendor that had multiple service failures. They kept losing the compactor key and forgot to service entire floors. They also dragged garbage through the hallways, leaving unsightly smells and trails of garbage residue. At our request, the company gave our client a refund, which was the right thing to do. But the situation didn’t end there.

The issues didn’t stop, and after several turnovers of valet porters, we knew we had to terminate service. We had included a service provision clause for this express purpose. If your vendors consistently don’t perform, you need to be able to exit the contract without paying any kind of fee. Because we were looking out for our client, this clause was included in their contract.

In the end, this client terminated without penalty and had a new provider with a better track record of performance by the end of the week.

We have the time and expertise to find and fight billing errors and to permanently resolve waste, recycling, and valet service issues.

We don’t perform waste services 

We are waste and recycling solutions providers - auditors. We are experts in waste streams and invoice analysis, but we are not waste haulers.

We don’t own any dump trucks or waste equipment; you’ll never see us on your site lugging garbage around. We coordinate all these services on your behalf, but we don’t provide the services ourselves. 

We pride ourselves on being independent, third-party auditors. This allows us to objectively look at your waste streams and find solutions that will yield savings. If we were haulers, we wouldn’t have the incentive to find solutions that would reduce your waste expenses - ultimately costing haulers revenue in the process.

Because we’re not haulers, we aren’t paid based on how frequently we service your site or how many pieces of waste equipment you’re renting from us. We aren’t monetarily incentivized to over-service the locations in your portfolio. We’re paid based on the actual savings we provide for you.

Our waste and recycling audit services protect your interests.

We protect your time and your bottom line.

To provide you the very best service, we are thorough, we monitor hauler’s invoices and resolve service issues, and we remain an independent voice in the waste industry.

Learn more about what we do - and why our audits have such a high success rate.