"Are your audits convenient?"

From start to finish, our waste audits are designed to fit your companies’ unique waste and utility concerns. As a result, our audits are remote and efficient. Our audits do not require more than just a few hours work from you or your employees.

We often ask companies to think of this commitment in terms of the tradeoff: is just a few hours work on your end worth the potential payoff of a 10% minimum reduction of your monthly waste expenses? For our clients, the answer is almost always yes!

Let’s take a closer look at how our audits are convenient.

Our waste and utility audits are remote.

The majority of our audits are completely remote. This has always been how we functioned, but it’s something we’re especially grateful for now. As of publishing, many areas of the country are still suffering from Covid-19. Hundreds of thousands of employees are still working from home, and many expect to continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

We can review waste streams and equipment and find the right solutions for you 100% remotely.

First, we use google maps and google earth to look at the location of dumpsters on your property. We can often verify sizes and the number of dumpsters simply through googling your facility.

Second, your documentation shows exactly where your real needs lie. Your service agreement tells us about your terms, pricing, and auto-renewal clauses. Your invoices show us the hauler’s record of service levels, equipment, rates, fees and pattern of overage charges.

These two resources give us a clear picture of what your needs really are and how your current waste and recycling disposal processes are aligned with and meeting those needs.

And just to really be sure that we’ve accurately diagnosed your waste disposal problems, we almost always will get in touch with each site’s manager to verify service levels and equipment on site. We’ll also ask questions about seasonal variance and possible waste solutions. We often find that site managers can give a level of detail that open up other avenues of savings. 

A remote exhaustive audit is possible with this solutions-oriented approach. 

Our waste and utility audits are efficient.

We’re committed to helping you make the best use of your time. So we like to set expectations for exactly how much time you and your team can expect to contribute to our initial audit project.

• 10 minute discovery call 

• 20 minute zoom presentation to learn about our process

• 1-2 hours compiling invoice and service agreement information

• 1-2 hours over 3 months verifying data, or answering questions

• 1 hour going over audit findings and savings report

  In sum, you or your staff will most likely spend a mere 4 hours contributing information to the process. 

What you have to decide is whether those 4 hours are worth it when compared to your returns.

Can putting in that time result in savings for me?

In short, yes. If you spend $10,000 total in your portfolio of locations on waste and recycling expenses, we’re 90% sure you’re sitting on savings. We can’t guarantee that there will be savings every time, but we do typically save companies 10-35% on their waste and recycling expenses on average.

Other companies who put in those 4 hours have saved $114,000, and $126,000 annually on their waste spend. Take a look below to see what some of these companies had to say about working with us.

We know that there’s a 90% chance you’re like the companies above! You’re almost certainly overspending - the question is whether you want to commit those 4 hours to doing something about it. 

Your time is valuable. Be proactive about protecting it, and make sure get returns on any time you invest. 

Our audit process makes it easy for you to do both. 

“How Risky Are our Waste Audits?”

In all honesty, the majority of companies we work with have never heard of a waste audit prior to finding us. Many knew their waste and recycling disposal rates were high, and more than a few were frustrated with the lack of quality service and customer care.

But they didn’t necessarily know that a waste audit was the answer to their problems.

Trying a new solution can be uncomfortable for some companies, which is why we incur 100% of the risk. We don’t charge anything for the audit itself - we will only ever charge a client when our cost-cutting solution impact waste and recycling invoices. In other words, we only charge after you’ve started saving. (This method works - we find 10-35% savings for 90% of our clients.)

We incur this risk in two major ways.

1) Our audits are entirely self-funded.

2) We are paid only after you find savings.

Protecting your bottom line allows us to serve you best. Below, we’ll go into detail about each of the ways.

1) Our audits are entirely self-funded.

“Self-funded” means that we incur the initial expenses of performing the 1-3 month long audit. 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.

2) We are paid only after you find savings.

Our services are guaranteed to be cash-flow positive.

If we find zero savings, you owe us nothing. If this is the case, you essentially get a free audit. You get the confirmation that your waste streams are running the way they should. You get the assurance that your waste equipment is running efficiently, and that your service levels are suited to your actual needs. You know that you aren’t sitting on any hidden savings opportunities - and you didn’t have to pay anything out of pocket in order to obtain this knowledge.

If we find savings, we share in them at a rate of 50%. If we find you $100,000 in savings a year, you’ll keep $50,000 and we will be compensated $50,000. This also means if we find no savings, you don’t owe us anything. So our services aren’t an additional expense since you pay us solely out of the savings we find for you.

We charge this flat rate because it keeps us accountable, and it provides you with the best services possible.

Ultimately, using performance-based pricing is in your best interest. It encourages a higher discovery of savings because it motivates us to find every opportunity available for you.

This model makes us better partners - we have a huge incentive to produce results.  So our audits aren’t cut and dry; they’re tailored to your industry, your location, and your unique needs.

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.

Why are you willing to take on so much risk?

We’re willing to incur risk because we know there’s a 90% chance we’ll find waste and recycling savings at the locations in your portfolio. After 18 years of being in business, we know where to look for savings.

We have success across multiple industries; click below to see for yourself.

5 Reasons You May Need a Compactor

A trash compactor can help you significantly reduce waste costs by reducing the number of pick-ups needed for your location(s). A compactor does exactly what you’d think; it compacts trash so that fewer pick-ups are necessary. The most frequently used size is 30 cubic yards. It requires an investment up front, but it can save quite a bit of money over time. 

Is a compactor the right solution for you? Here are 5 reasons you may need one.

1. You’re a higher trash generator.

   Does one 8 yard dumpster picked up every day meet your service needs? If you’re generating more trash, you need equipment that will minimize your waste spend. We typically find that most high trash generators tend to be multi-family complexes, retail properties, and restaurants. Not all of these examples have the space or budget for a compactor, but for many of them a compactor represents a long-term savings option.

   2. Prevent unauthorized access or illegal waste disposal.

   I can’t tell you the number of times we’ve had a multi-family property manager ask us how to cut down on illegal dumping. We recently did a site survey (back in spring of 2020) where we found that someone had dumped mattresses, box frames, and toilets! Needless to say, the property manager was less than thrilled.

   Unfortunately, this kind of dumping is a common problem. There are several ways that you can minimize the opportunity for people to dump, and a compactor is one of them. Depending on the design, some compactors can restrict access to employees or residents, making it more difficult for illegal dumping to occur.

   3. Save valuable space.

   A compactor can take up less space than several dumpsters, and it can maximize the space available to your site guests, residents, or employees for trash.

   Compactors can be 30-40 feet long (though some can be much smaller!), so in order to install one you will need a good bit of space on your site. Many high-trash generators find that the upfront costs to install and rent (or own) a compactor are off-set over several years of use.

   A typical compactor can contain at least 5 tons of garbage - far more than even the largest dumpsters. This means that a site can go longer periods of time between pick-ups, which can significantly decrease your waste spend.

   4. Gain better control of liquid waste.

   Nobody - not one single person we’ve ever talked to - enjoys the smell of garbage. We find that for sites that generate food waste, compactors can be a helpful solution to cut down on unpleasant smells.

   Some compactors are specially outfitted to contain liquid and semi-liquid waste. As a result, the less than ideal smell that radiates from open dumpsters is contained (for the most part) within the compartments of the compactor. This helps keep your location smelling clean.

   5. Eliminate litter from wind-blown debris.

   Another feature of a trash compactor is its ability to reduce litter across a given location. If the garbage is fully contained in a compactor, it’s much more difficult for large amounts of debris to escape. This makes it less likely for garbage to be strewn about your site, which helps make a good impression on your site visitors. This also helps prevent complaints, which your employees will be happy about.

   Benefits of waste and recycling compactors

   Compactors can be excellent solutions for companies that are hoping to reduce their waste disposal expenses. They offer an opportunity to reduce pick-ups by compressing waste, can minimize illegal dumping, and can keep your location clean and tidy.

   How much could a compactor help me save?

   If you’re a high-volume waste generator, a compactor installation could be one solution that could help you save 10-35% on your waste expenses. By reducing the number of pickups, we can significantly reduce waste disposal expenses. When we conduct our thorough audit for clients who may need this piece of waste disposal equipment, we typically evaluate short and long term savings opportunities based on your location, the pricing for equipment, and the service estimates provided by area haulers.

   You’re sitting on savings. You need different equipment and better contracts. Learn more at our on-demand webinar!

   Just fill in your information below, and we’ll redirect you to the video so you can start watching immediately!

Do I have inefficient waste equipment? - Part 2

In part I, we talked about what waste equipment is and how easy it is to overspend on it. We also talked about the solutions we frequently recommend to our clients.

Today, we’re going to talk about additional solutions for ineffective waste and recycling equipment.

At any one of your locations, you may need:

• more dumpsters (with fewer pickups)

• larger containers

• smaller containers 

A thorough waste audit will show what cost-cutting solutions are right for you.

You need more dumpsters but with fewer pickups.

You may be in a situation where it’s cheaper to pay for additional dumpsters, but fewer pick-ups. Assuming your dumpsters are being emptied when they are completely full, adding more dumpsters can be a cheaper option than paying for more pick-ups. 

This solution depends on:

• What your haulers charge for pick-ups

• What your waste haulers charge for dumpster rentals

• When your contract expires.

For clients that are in the middle of a current contract term, we see if the hauler is willing to adjust service levels. Our success depends entirely on the hauler. Some haulers are more amenable to mid-term adjustments than others. It’s much easier to make changes to a contract if you are nearing the end of your contract term. The hauler likely wants to keep your business, so they are more willing to give allowances they wouldn’t otherwise be open to.

You may need larger waste and recycling dumpsters.

On the other hand, you may have the opposite waste disposal problem. Instead of needing more dumpsters, you may just need larger ones. 

Suppose you have three 6-yard waste dumpsters on your site location that are picked-up 3 times a week. We do an extensive audit, and we find that these dumpsters are not used to capacity. Then we evaluate your options and find that the best option is to replace your current dumpsters with 2 8-yard waste containers instead. As a result, the larger size will allow you to decrease service to once a week. The rent for the larger dumpsters will be more expensive, but you’ll save more over time because you’ll be paying for fewer pick-ups. 

More companies need a solution similar to this - and they have no idea! As a result, many overspend by thousands of dollars over the term of their contract.

Most haulers we’ve seen aren’t going to volunteer cost-cutting solutions. Of course, few are willing to cut into their profits to benefit you. But there’s another reason - haulers are experts on trash and recycling pick-up, but they’re not experts on evaluating waste streams. There’s a difference between knowing how to service your dumpsters and being able to thoroughly evaluate your waste output, service levels, and equipment. Haulers are incentivized to make as many pick-ups as possible, not to find cost-cutting solutions that are right for your business. What they do and what we do could not be more different!

Haulers are haulers - not waste consultants.

You may need a smaller waste or recycling container.

If your dumpsters are not full when serviced, you may need to downsize the containers. But you may also need more frequent pick-ups. How can you tell what’s right for you?

When we find that one of our clients is in this situation, we get in touch with the hauler and ask which would be least expensive. Pick-up rates and rental fees for dumpsters vary based on what hauler you use and your geographical location. Hauler A may be more expensive than Hauler B. And waste rates tend to be less expensive in the midwest than in the southeast. There are no blanket fixes that are right for everyone, which is why we tailor our solutions to you.

In the end, we would typically recommend implementing the least expensive option based on your particular variables.

Smaller containers vs. fewer pickups

When we evaluate a location, we also weigh the benefits of getting smaller containers against keeping the current containers and instead getting fewer pickups. 

Suppose you have four 8 yard dumpsters, but we find that they’re only half-full when they’re picked up. So long as there are no seasonal usage issues to keep in mind, we would likely recommend that you remove two of those dumpsters. Why pay for what you’re not using?

You could keep the same pick-up schedule; but you’d be paying significantly less.

Implementing Waste And Recycling Changes

When we conduct an audit, we persistently look for common and creative ways for you to save on your waste expenses.

Before we implement any changes, we first talk to your site managers, and then with you.

We get in touch with every site manager and go over their waste and recycling details. We ask questions about current service levels and pick-up frequency. We ask about the equipment they have on site. We ask these things to ensure that we have accurate information. Hauler invoices sometimes say one thing, but the reality may be something completely different!

We also find it invaluable to talk with those who have day-to-day knowledge of your current waste management process. We’ve found that they often have information that allows us to tailor our recommendations to the real needs of that location. 

For instance, when our senior analyst will often ask “I’m thinking about “X” solution for this particular problem. Have you all ever tried that before? Would that work for your location from your perspective?”

Sometimes the site manager will give us really good reasons why that idea may or may not work. Maybe there’s a construction issue we don’t know about. Maybe there’s a vendor issue we haven’t heard of. Before we present our final recommendations to you, we run them by the site manager who will likely know how feasible a possible solution really is.

Then, we present our findings to you.

We go over our findings from the audit, and show how much you can save - and how. The recommendations themselves show what changes you ought to make to reduce expenses at every applicable location. (Some sites save thousands of dollars, some don’t have any savings. Overall, we reduce most client’s annual waste and recycling expenses by 10-35%.)

Then we get your feedback. Most clients are excited to have us quickly implement the vast majority of savings solutions immediately. Every so often, there are minor adjustments that need to be made to implementation timelines or other lesser changes that need to be made. We talk through every step of the implementation process to ensure you are kept in the loop about exactly what to expect on each of your sites.

Learn more about how to save on waste expenses>>

Do I Have Inefficient Waste Equipment? - Part 1

Over 60% of clients in the past 18 years have had inefficient waste equipment. Could you be one of them?

In this post, we’ll go over what waste equipment is and what problems you could have.

What is Waste Equipment?

Your waste equipment comprises every waste and recycling receptacle serviced by your hauler. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Compactors

• Front Load Dumpsters

• Open Top Dumpsters

• Balers

• Toters

The efficiency of your waste equipment has a direct impact on your waste spend. If you don’t have the equipment you truly need, or if you have too much equipment, you’ll overpay.

You’ll also overpay if your service levels are incorrect. “Service levels” indicate how often trash and recycling is picked up at your locations. About 70% of the clients we’ve worked with in the past 18 years are being serviced too frequently! Are you one of them?

How Your Service Levels are Ineffective 

Your hauler is paid to pick up your trash, not to find cost-cutting waste solutions. As a result, we’ve seen inaccurate service levels occur in almost every state - regardless of which waste vendor was employed.

What exactly do we mean by inaccurate service levels? We mean that your real waste disposal needs have no correlation with what you’re paying for.

You may be paying for 5 pick-ups a week when you only actually need 2. Or, alternatively, your dumpsters are too big.

How would we know the difference? Let’s walk through an example that shows the level of detail we frequently use to maximize savings.

Thorough Audits Reveal Savings Opportunities

Suppose you have a location in Raleigh, NC with two 6-yard dumpsters that is serviced three times a week by Waste Management. We would find out:

• How full those containers are when serviced

• The equipment history for the site

• Pricing options for larger dumpsters

• Pricing options for less frequent service

• Whether the materials in these containers can be recycled

• Whether the hauler frequently misses pick ups

• If there is a history of overage fees

These questions would give us the full picture of your current waste process. We’d find that your dumpsters are only about half full when serviced, and that it’s more cost-effective to pay for larger dumpsters that get serviced fewer times per week. After checking in with you, we’d implement the change, ensuring all parties involved are kept in the loop. 

A typical client in this scenario could save as much $3000 over the lifetime of their waste hauler contract.

This is only one cost-cutting measure that we typically take out of many.

Waste Equipment Solutions

For clients who have insufficient equipment problems, we most often recommend one or more of the following solutions:

• fewer dumpsters 

• a compactor

• more dumpsters (with fewer pickups)

• larger containers

• smaller containers 

What we recommend is based on several variables: whether your current hauler can amend your equipment, whether other area haulers can provide cheaper service, when your contract expires, and what limitations you may have onsite. (You may be able to pay less with bigger dumpsters and fewer pick-ups, but if you don’t have room for larger containers this isn’t a viable option for you!)

This post will cover the top two recommendations we most frequently make: fewer dumpsters and compactors. An upcoming post will cover the rest.

Waste Disposal Solutions: Fewer Waste and Recycling Dumpsters

Are your dumpsters full each time they are serviced? Does your dumpster usage differ seasonally? Do you need every dumpster at every location? You may be paying for wasted space. 

We often remedy this situation by evaluating your unique location needs. First, we’ll scour your invoice history. Do you have any overages? If so, how many? If you have none at all, your dumpsters may not be used to maximum capacity. We help our client find their usage balance: you don’t want to pay for too little service and end up with overage fees. You also don’t want to pay for too much service. Our audits find solutions tailored to you.  

If you have a waste container that is charged by weights, we’ll look at your tonnage history. If you consistently have low container weights, this is an indicator that either you need few containers or that you ended fewer pick-ups. 

Our recommendations will take into account pricing from other market providers and your waste hauler contract specifications. We also evaluate your seasonal needs. You may need a contract that stipulates different levels of service based on the time of year. You may need five pick-ups a week in July, but only two in November. Tailored contracts make sure you’re not paying for service five times a week all year if you don’t need it.

Waste Disposal Solutions: Compactors

There are many reasons you may need a compactor, but these are the top two:

1. You’re a higher trash generator. Does an 8 yard dumpster picked up every day meet your service needs? If you’re generating more trash, you need equipment that can perform accordingly. 

2. You generate food waste. You don’t need me to tell you this, but food can reek if it’s left out too long. Compactors help contain liquid and smells, keeping your location tidy and clean. 

A waste compactor crushes garbage so that fewer pick-ups are necessary. The most frequently used size is 30 cubic yards. It requires an investment up front, but it can save quite a bit of money over time. 

We typically recommend compactors to clients who produce large amounts of waste and those who have space at their site.

Learn more about the ways you’re overspending on waste!

"Why do short waste contract terms result in savings?"

Short contract terms allow us to frequently reevaluate your current rates in comparison with available waste rates. It gives us the opportunity to help you take advantage of the best rates in your area as often as possible.

How long are most waste and recycling contracts?

Most waste and recycling service agreements or contracts are 5 years in length, though some are 3.

It may seem like a great idea to sign a 5 year contract. After all, who wants to think about trash arrangements more than they have to? It’s really convenient to sign a contract and not have to think about it for another 5 years. What’s not convenient are the savings opportunities that this contract all but guarantees you’ll miss.

How do long contract terms make me overpay?

5 year terms are too long because they can ensure that you pay for waste disposal and recycling services at a higher rate than other area companies. The rates that other area haulers charge will change - and possibly improve - in the time it takes your contract to expire. Do you want to miss this savings opportunity?

If you’re four years in to a five year contract, you won’t get the chance to employ a new area hauler who is charging a third less than your current vendor. We make sure this never happens.

With a waste ally on their side, our clients don’t have to worry about missed savings opportunities. We track every client contract expiration date, and are ready to renegotiate contracts or find other haulers as necessary. The vast majority of the contracts we negotiated have short terms of three years and typically have no auto-renewal clause of those terms.

This means that we can continue to review your area hauler options and renegotiate your waste hauler contracts continually in the future. Every three years, we will continue to evaluate your service rates and your haulers to ensure you are paying competitive prices.

We almost always will request pricing bids from area haulers, even if you are thrilled with your service. The reason for this is that even if you intend to stay with your hauler at a certain location, it’s much easier to get reduced pricing if we can prove that other area haulers are offering better pricing.

If you’re already under contract with a hauler and you are nearing the end of your contract, this is the perfect time to renegotiate your terms. Haulers are much more willing to acquiesce to your request for different terms if they know there’s a chance they might lose your business.

I have long waste contract terms. What can I do?

First, don’t worry. The vast majority of clients we work with have long contract terms. You have two options:

1. You can set calendar reminders to review your rates and cancel your auto-renewal clause. In order to have time to renegotiate your rates, you must cancel your automatic renewal clause. This clause is usually found in the second page of your contract and stipulates that unless you cancel the clause within a certain window of time (usually 90-180 days prior to expiration). Your contract will renew in its entirety, meaning price hikes and poor service will continue to occur for the next 5 years.

   If you chose this option, you or your staff will need to have the time necessary to keep on top of this deadline, send the auto-renewal cancellation letter in a specific timeframe, follow up for receipt (you’d be amazed at how often haulers “forget” they’ve received these letters), and then send out bids for pricing.

   This option is ideal for those who have a pretty good handle on a) what’s wrong with their hauler contract b) how to fix it. You’ll have to be comfortable renegotiating your own waste contract(s) and finding other area haulers to obtain bids from. (See the video above for some helpful tips!) It’s also ideal for those who have the staffing resources to bring the process to complete resolution.

2. You can sign up for a free consultation to learn more about our waste ally services. If you know you need expert help at untangling your waste management process and that you don’t have the time to find your savings opportunities, a discovery call is the next logical step for you. As waste allies, we excel at providing tailored, cost-cutting solutions to companies in almost every industry.

Do our audits really find savings? How much?

If you’re spending more than $10,000 a month on waste, we can likely help you save 20-40% 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. 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 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 20-40%. Your odds are better than good that you’ll save - in fact, they’re great.

Want to learn more about what our audit process looks like? Fill out the form below and we’ll immediately send you our free PDF, “Our Six-Step Audit Process”!

"What does your audit process look like?"

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 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.

Click the slideshow below to see how much some of our clients have saved.

Download this slideshow for free! Just click the button below.

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

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

We are frequently able to renegotiate the terms of your contract with your current vendor. You stay with your service provider but get better rates and more favorable terms. You get recourse for service issues, and your ancillary fees are either limited or completely reduced.

Take Rhonda Cummons of Presbyterian Homes. She had waste contracts in place, but we were still able to save her 22% of her gross waste expenses. We renegotiated several current contracts so that they did not include ancillary fees. We also adjusted their service levels since they were being serviced too frequently.

As a result, her gross waste savings was $25,000 yearly - or $100,000 in the next four years! So having a waste contract is not an obstacle for our services. Every client we’ve had in the past 18 years have had waste contracts in place.

This is typical because the term length for contracts tend to be long. Most trash hauler service agreements have terms of 5 years. This means that you only have the opportunity to find better pricing once every 5 years! This is not ideal because so much can change in your area from year to year. There may be better pricing available to you, but you almost certainly can’t take advantage of it if you’re in the middle of a long contract term.

Additionally, your service levels may change significantly over this period of time. What you need now may not be what you need in five years.

So when we negotiate our client’s contracts, we include 3 year terms, not 5 year terms. This shorter time frame allows your waste and recycling streams to be reviewed more frequently. It gives us more opportunities to find the best pricing, thus potentially finding savings for you.

When a client’s contract term is up - and it’s not one that we were originally able to update through renegotiation - we will not only evaluate pricing, but ensure the ideal provisions are included in it to maximize your savings. We cap or eradicate price hikes and fees, we include service provisions, and we prohibit the auto-renewal of terms. These adjustments eradicate waste issues (and overspending!) before they happen.

How likely is it that my waste contract is a bad one?

There’s a really easy way to tell if your contract is costing you. Pull out yours and ask these questions:

1. Does my contract cap or eliminate rate hikes?

2. Is there recourse for service issues?

3. Is there an auto-renewal clause?

4. Are my terms limited to 3 years?

5. Are my service levels accurate?

If the answer is no to any of these, there’s a high chance that you’re overpaying. Most waste hauler contracts are not structured with the provisions and clauses that will protect your bottom line. Most waste hauler contracts, in other words, tend to be bad.

Want to know for sure how good your contract really is? Download our free resource, “The Waste Hauler Contract Scorecard.”

"Why do I need a service provision in my waste hauler contract?"

You need a service provision in your contract so that if your vendor repeatedly fails to resolve an issue, you can terminate the contract with no penalty.

Waste haulers vary in their ability to provide quality service to clients. Some, like GFL, have excellent customer service, are easy to get in touch with, and are quick to resolve waste issues as they arise. Others are incredibly difficult to get a hold of, won’t resolve problems in a timely manner, and or cannot permanently provide a solution.

When repeated waste issues occur - and especially when they occur in conjunction with other common waste hauler problems - you need the ability to terminate the contract.

A service provision clause keeps the hauler accountable for promptly resolving issues. If they know you have the right to cancel their contract if they don’t resolve problems, they are going to be far more motivated to quickly provide solutions.

This kind of clause ultimately ensures that you aren’t stuck paying for terrible service. If you don’t have this clause in your contract, you will have very little recourse when these issues arise. If a hauler is less than amenable to providing permanent solutions, you will be stuck with them for the remainder of your contract until it expires. Since most contracts have five year terms, you could be stuck with an ineffective, frustrating hauler for years on end.

How can I tell if I have a service clause?

Take a look at the first page of your contract. It may look something like the picture below.

There will almost always be a section for notes somewhere on this first page. If you have a service provision clause, it will be here. In the picture above, the notes section is in the bold black square. As you can see, no service provision exists on this contract.

This clause is not something that comes on standard hauler contracts. It will only rarely appear in the additional pages on your contract. And it is almost always something you need to proactively request. Most - though not all - haulers are not proactive about making sure you’re protected in the event that their services are less than ideal. Very few will provide you an out if they consistently miss pick-ups or if other issues repeatedly occur.

Learn more about how you’re overspending! Get premium access to our on-demand webinar, “7 Ways You’re Making Your Waste Hauler Rich”

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"What are ancillary waste fees and am I paying them?

Most haulers will pass the cost of administrative and overage charges to you. Most companies assume they have to pay them, but in fact, it is not mandatory for them to appear on your invoices.

We reduce or eliminate most of the following fees on all client contracts:

• Fuel/environment fees: This fee supposedly helps recoup the cost of gas, but is actually a huge profit center.

• Recycling recovery fee: Covers the fees incurred by hauler to transfer recyclable, but again, is typically a profit center.

• Minimum tonnage fees: Fee charged by the hauler (typically on roll-off or open-top accounts) when a container’s weight upon pickup is below a specific threshold. 

• Administrative fees:  typically charged if a client elects to receive paper invoices instead of electronic delivery of invoices.

• Regulatory Cost recovery fee:  Some haulers, (like Waste Management) will charge this fee to cover costs in other regions - not necessarily yours. They explain it like this:
  “This charge is not specifically tied to such costs to service your account, but instead helps us cover Waste Management’s enterprise-wide costs for host community fees, waste disposal taxes and similar charges to service all WM operating company customers in the United States and Canada, and to achieve an acceptable operating margin.” (From Waste Management, retrieved July 23, 2019.)
  The regulatory cost recovery fee is not “tied to . . . your account.” In other words, you’re helping cover their costs to service other companies. Why should you pay for what you don’t benefit from?

Where will these fees appear on my invoice?

These fees will most often appear as itemized entries on your monthly billing invoice. Their names may be confusing, but once you know what to look for they are easy to spot. 

In the picture above, you can see this company is paying $71.82/month. These fees may not initially seem like that much, but over the course of a five year contract this company will pay $4309.20. This is why we always ask the haulers we work with to cap or completely eliminate these fees. Otherwise, you'll continue to overpay. 

Not sure about the quality of your contract? Want to know its weaknesses for sure?

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"How do I know if I have inaccurate waste service levels"

About 80% of our clients have had inaccurate service levels. It’s one of the main ways that companies overpay for waste expenses.

The best way to know if your service levels align with your actual needs is to get a free waste audit. Every company needs an independent, objective oversight on their waste management processes. Haulers are not financially motivated to provide cost-cutting solutions. They don’t have incentive to recommend changes that will cut into their bottom line.

An independent audit will thoroughly examine your waste service levels in conjunction with every other relevant aspect of your waste and recycling streams.

What are indicators of inaccurate waste and recycling service levels?

When we complete our exhaustive audit, we examine the following to determine if your current service levels are ideal:

1. Dumpster fill level when they are serviced. If your dumpsters are only half full when they are serviced, you are paying for too many pick-ups.

2. Compactor size, if relevant. Having a bigger or smaller compactor may reduce your costs, depending on your true waste needs.

3. How many dumpsters you have on site. For some companies, it is less expensive to vary the pick-up schedule for sets of waste containers. Suppose you have five dumpsters at two locations at your property. You may be able to save on your waste expenses by having dumpsters 1 and 2 and dumpsters 3-5 serviced on different days of the week. It’s a less conventional solution to a common problem.

Waste service levels and waste equipment must be evaluated simultaneously.

You can’t evaluate your service levels, however, without also evaluating the waste equipment you have on site. If you don’t have the correct equipment onsite to begin with, you almost certainly have inaccurate service levels - and vice versa!

When we complete our waste audits, we thoroughly analyze every component of your existing waste equipment and service levels to find the solutions that are right for you. But we also examine possible solutions as well - we often ask other area haulers to bid on services to see if better pricing is available. And we look at possible ways to divert waste streams and recycle, both of which will impact your need for waste and recycling pick-ups.

We get the whole picture of your waste services so that we can find the very best waste solutions for you.

How much will inaccurate service levels cost me?

The answer to this question depends on how misaligned your current service is with your real needs. If you’re employing the most expensive hauler in the area and are receiving too many pick-ups per week, you’re likely overspending by at least 10% every month. If you have a hauler with better pricing - and your contract does not allow price spikes - you won’t be overcharged as much, but you will still overpay since you’re receiving too many pick-ups.

Overpaying by $100 a month may not sound like a lot, but that adds up to a hefty $6,000 over the life of a five year contract - and that’s assuming your inaccurate service levels are your only problem!

As with most waste problems, inaccurate service levels can be completely eradicated by simply ensuring your contract is airtight.

Learn more about your waste problems - get access to our on-demand webinar, “The 7 Ways You’re Making Your Hauler Rich"

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"How often do haulers increase their rates?"

If your contract doesn’t include rate caps, it’s not a matter of when and if you will receive price increases, it’s a matter of when, how much and how egregious the price increase will be.  

You can expect your hauler to increase prices up to two times each year, by as much as 15% each time. In the worst cases, we’ve seen up to four prices hikes in one year. Most haulers will only increase your rates once a year, but if there’s nothing stopping them from increasing more frequently, chances are they will.

Take the screenshot below, for example. This Republic customer’s rates increased by 200% over the past two years.

They were paying $275.42 for service. Now they’re paying almost $300 more - $573.15. That’s a 200% increase at a single location! If this increase occurred in a portfolio of many locations, this client would in effect be overpaying by thousands - something they could have prevented by just a few additional lines on their contract.

This is why we’re so intent on solving every contract issue you have. When we lock in your in your price, we eliminate the possibility that this will happen to you. Your staff will be able to budget with confidence for the entire term of your contract since your rate increases will be capped. And we’ll be there to hold the hauler accountable if they “forget” the price cap.

Are Some Price Spikes Legitimate?

As time passes, the cost of providing services increases. Fuel prices tend to rise over time, disposal charges at the landfill increase, as do the price of dumpster and garbage trucks. It’s reasonable for your hauler to increase prices to match the cost of doing service. But price spikes often go beyond these allowances.

How do we know? We know how haulers calculate their costs. To service your locations, your hauler incurs the following charges. We would expect for them to pass on some of the cost of these fees, but we find that they typically pass on the majority of them - and how much is added in on top of that.

Disposal cost to drop off waste materials at disposal facility. Waste disposal facilities (landfills) charge for the garbage they receive. Haulers must pay this fee, and this fee can be passed onto you in its entirety.

Cost of hauler equipment. Dumpsters, garbage trucks, and compactors are expensive to make and they can be extremely expensive to service. The trash haulers isn’t gentle on equipment. Dumpsters lose tops. Dumpster container bottoms become rusted. Compactor parts stop working. Since most companies rent the dumpsters or compactors from their waste hauler company, the haulers have to buy the equipment and service it.

Cost for servicing account. It’s expensive for haulers to drive their trucks to and from your locations. Haulers have to take into account employee compensation, the fuel charges, and the cost of maintaining the trucks. Haulers will typically divide up the number of locations they have to service to figure out how much to charge each customer.

This means you aren’t necessarily charged exactly what it takes to get from your location to another; it’s presumably divided up equally among those who are on the same route. However, it must be said, there’s no external oversight on this. Most companies trust that their haulers are accurately and fairly charging them.

Haulers should make a profit doing what they do - it’s important work! But they don’t need to overcharge simply because they can. 

Want to know more about how you’re overspending?

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"How is my waste hauler contract costing me?"

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 additional fees

4. They make it nearly impossible to cancel 

5. They have no provisions for bad service

Below, we’ll go over each of these in detail. If your contract includes even one of these items, it’s not a question of if you’re overpaying, but by how much.

Take Rhonda Cummings of Presbyterian Homes, for instance. She had a poor contract, 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. What could you do with an extra $22,000?

Waste Industry Profit Centers

The five contract problems above are examples of waste industry profit centers. Most waste companies are typically set up to exploit profit centers. 

A profit center is an opportunity that haulers use to generate revenue. Profit centers yield more revenue, and they are almost never tied to the actual cost of servicing your locations. The ancillary or additional fees on your waste hauler contract, for instance, are huge profit streams. These fees are often not actually tied to recouping costs, and they are different from the line items for the services performed. They exist on your invoice because they can. 

On the sample invoice below from Waste Management, this company is being charged:

• A Fuel/Environmental charge

• Regulatory Cost charge

• Administrative charge

All of these are additional fees that do not necessarily have to exist on your invoices each month. They can be either reduced or completely eliminated.

If your contract allows, your hauler can - and almost always will - pass on excess charges outside of standard operating costs.

Most haulers will not willingly or voluntarily cap their revenue. Very, very few haulers are going to come to you with ideas on how to reduce your expenses - because it’s not in their financial interest to do so. For this reason, it’s critical to have an impartial third party review your waste and recycling expenses. Without review, haulers have no accountability to charge fair pricing for their services or to provide ideal service levels.

As industry experts, we know where to find the gaps in your current waste management process and provide permanent, cost cutting solutions.

Want to learn more about how you’re overpaying on waste?

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"What 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 pick up and dispose of any waste and recyclable materials.

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 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 site and billing addresses, 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 at the end of the 3-year term. This clause is in the black square).

Is my contract costing me?

If your hauler contract has any one of these five issues, it's almost certainly costing you money. 

1. Allows price spikes.

2. Has inefficient service levels. 

3. Allows ancillary fees.

4. Has inefficient waste equipment.

5. Has an automatic renewal clause.  

Have one of these issues means you're likely overspending on waste and recycling expenses. Having all of them practically guarantees it. 

Most companies don't realize that their hauler contract is set up in their hauler's best interest. The hauler wants to be able to increase your rates at will - this guarantees more revenue. They don't have financial incentive to provide service that meets your true needs. They are more than happy to service your dumpster 5 times a week when you really only need service 2 times a week. They are not going to suggest cost-cutting solutions because it cuts into their profit. 

You can read more about these issues - and their solutions - here! 

Should I sign a waste hauler contract?

You almost certainly need a waste hauler contract; 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 often no recourse clause for 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

• Outline the allowable annual % increase on services

• Have no auto renewal clauses

• Include the correct service levels

• Have an unresolved service clause

• Reduce or eliminate ancillary waste fees

Want to learn more about good and bad contracts? Sign up for our free, on-demand webinar!

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How Much Can I Save On My Waste Spend?

The realization that you have a problem is the first step to finding a solution. What if you don’t know what to look for? How can you come to a realization of a problem that you didn’t know existed? 

Hundreds of businesses are continually overspending on waste disposal, reduction, and removal, yet so few of them are taking active measures to rescue their spending. We want to help you get into the right group, and start immediately helping your bottom line. 

How much am I overspending?

If you’re spending more than $10,000 a month on waste, we can likely help you save 20%-40% on your waste spend. For some companies it will be a little less (LINK), for others, it will be more (LINK).

This is the average amount of savings for a company. How did we come up with this average? In the 17 years we’ve been in business we’ve helped hundreds of clients. And we typically have saved them 20-40% on their waste spend. 

Why is this number so dependable? 

It’s because we’ve been overseeing the industry for 18 years.  In short, because 90% of all our clients for the past 18 years overspend. 

If you’re spending north of $10,000 on waste, there’s a 90% chance you’re overspending. We help mid-size companies across every industry reduce and manage their waste. Most companies need our services. They’re overspending, and they have no idea.

We know how the waste industry operates. They’re going to try to overcharge you. Your waste hauling rates are going to increase, and you’re going to be charged for all kinds of fees that aren’t really service related (LINK). 

They’re going to overcharge you because it’s the industry norm: because they can. These haulers rely on the way that waste disposal and waste reduction contracts are so infrequently reviewed and prey upon that by implementing a variety of charges. 

What if you don’t find any savings? 

Over the years, there have only been a small percentage (about 10%) of companies that don’t benefit from our services. 

There can be any number of reasons for this. Sometimes certain markets are really tough. Other times, there are external factors that keep the companies from savings. 

When we don’t find any savings for a company, we actually see this as a benefit for them. First, the company now knows for certain that they’re paying fair prices for their waste spend. 

They know that their contracts are airtight, and they know that what they’re paying is commensurate with the market.

Secondly, the company just got a free waste audit. We don’t believe that you should pay for something you don’t benefit from. It’s part of our performance-based pricing. If our services aren’t of benefit to you, you don’t owe us anything. You only pay us when we find savings that affect your bottom line. Here’s more ways that our audit can prove to be beneficial. (LINK)

How do we help reduce your Commercial Waste cost? 

We have worked to construct a system of accountability and investigation that has evolved into a proven reduction formula. 

We help hold hauling companies accountable for their billing information and the contracts they create,  we recognize the ways that they intentionally overcharge, and we ensure a reduced and beneficial contract renegotiation.

 During our audit, we also assess a number of different variables that could contribute to overspending on waste removal, things like improper equipment and location of equipment. You can find five specific ways we do just that here.

You can’t afford not to have our services! 

Our end goal is to save a company all the money that has been unknowingly shoveled out to waste haulers. We find a considerable number of companies struggle with regulating their waste removal spending and are regularly taken advantage of. We strive to