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!

“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.

The Top 7 Resources for Cutting Waste Expenses

There are lots of resources for you to help you reduce your waste and recycling expenses.

But the internet is a pretty big place so we’ve collected the very best resources for you below and summarized them.

Below, you’ll learn how to find and identify ways you can save on your commercial waste management expenses.

Tips for Cutting Waste Removal Costs at the Office - This article covers some of the more detailed questions you should be asking yourself that could lead to savings. Some of these questions include:

• Have you right-sized your schedule and containers?

• Are there options to change providers?

• Do you qualify for regional or national savings?

10 Ways to Reduce Your Waste Management Costs - Here, you’ll learn some tricks of the trade to reduce your waste disposal output by reducing waste volume separating recycling waste from regular trash, garbage, or by-product refuse.

10 Ways to Cut Business Waste Disposal Costs - This blog post has specific actions to take to evaluate whether your current waste management process is truly efficient - and cost effective.

6 Ways Your Business can Cut Commercial Waste Management Costs - Learn a few additional ways to reduce your waste expenses. This is a short, concise guide that can help you quickly identify overlooked savings opportunities.

Stop Wasting! 7 Steps to Cut Costs, Reduce Waste - This one says it’s specific to Florida businesses, but don’t be deterred. The vast majority of tips discussed here are applicable to you regardless of where you live.

7 Tips for Reducing and Managing Waste on Commercial Properties - Did you know that going green and saving money can go hand it hand? This article lays out exactly how to assess your current waste management system, and how to solve hidden waste problems.

How to Save Money on Commercial Waste Management Costs - This post has some innovative ideas for reducing your waste expenses, including sharing waste costs with other businesses!

Which of these was most helpful to you? Leave a comment in the space below!

"How much can I save on my waste spend?"

We help 90% of our clients reduce their waste and recycling expenses by 10-35%. It’s likely that you’re sitting on multiple savings opportunities, which is exactly why there’s a need for independent auditors.

Waste audits reliably find savings.

Because of the way the waste industry typically operates, most companies will overspend in waste expenses in one of six ways. The most common one? 80% of our clients have overspent on their service levels. The more pick-ups waste disposal haulers make, the more profit they make. So while many haulers are not actually out to trick you, the system is set up in their favor.

They don’t have incentive to evaluate the efficiency of their services, so they rarely do.

Our gross client savings of 10-35% is reached so consistently because haulers are consistently unfair and/or indifferent to your actual needs.

In all fairness, we could go out of business in six months if all haulers everywhere decided to offer fair contracts and reliable services. But many garbage service companies are not willing - or not able - to make changes that could undercut them financially.

Unfortunately, this is how the industry functions. But you don’t have to be held hostage by it. Get recourse by using a third-party waste auditor - they’re trained to find your unique savings opportunities. See some specific client examples below.

How does your pricing work?

Different independent waste auditors have different pricing models. We use a shared savings model - we share in the savings we find at a rate of 50%. If we find you $200,000 in savings a year, you’ll keep $100,000 and we will be compensated $100,000.

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.

What if there are no savings?

When no savings are found, we charge you nothing.

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. 

On the rare occasion when this happens, the client in essence gets a free waste audit. They get the assurance that they’re not overspending - that all of their waste and recycling disposal streams are working at maximum efficiency.

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.  

5 Reasons to Overspend on Waste (+ Infographic)

Incredibly, there are some reasons to overspend on waste . . . but should you?

Take a look below at the 5 reasons to keep spending more than you need to on waste!

How can I save 10% on my waste invoices?

You can likely save 10% on your recurring waste and recycling expenses by carefully and critically examining your monthly invoices. In the 18 years we’ve been in business, we’ve found that this is the rate that errors occur on average. How much has this cost you in the past 5 years?

In this article, you’ll learn:

• Why errors happen.

• What kinds of errors happen.

• How they can cost you.

• What you can do about it.

The more you know about the billing errors, the more equipped you’ll be to spot them.

Why do waste and recycling invoice errors happen?

There are a couple of different reasons that invoice errors happen. Sometimes they happen when service changes occur at your site. Suppose we learn that you need to reduce your dumpster sizes from 8 yards to 6 yards to reduce costs. It’s possible that your hauler may continue to charge you for the 8 yard dumpsters after your 6 yard replacements are on site. If you don’t carefully check your monthly invoices, you won’t find these mistakes. In the wake of other more seemingly urgent tasks, this effort may seem superfluous. But over time, it’s likely to help you save hundreds if not thousands of dollars on your waste contract.

Other times, your hauler will charge you despite certain stipulations in your contract to the contrary. We recently worked with a client who had about a dozen hotels in the midwest. They had recently signed a new contract that prohibited regulatory fees on their waste disposal expenses. But we found out they were continuing to be charged for this fee - and were paying for it.

We documented the exact amount of overcharges and the months they occurred, then presented it to the vendor. They couldn’t deny the charges or what the contract stipulated. So they agreed to provide several hundred dollars in credits.

You can follow this exact process with your hauler. Hold them accountable when their charges are not in accordance with your contract, and you’ll protect your bottom line.

What kinds of errors can occur on waste and recycling invoices?

As in the case above, you can be charged something that is prohibited by your contract. This often occurs by oversight - we haven’t found hauling companies to be the best at communication between departments. The salesperson that draws up your original contract may not make billing aware of all of its specifications. As a result, the billing coordinator may charge you for fees not in your contract.

Typos are another example of errors. They happen to the best of us, but they’re particularly inconvenienced when they make you overpay. A misplaced decimal can be extremely costly - just ask this client whose waste invoices increased by 900% in one month!

How much can these errors cost me?

Typically, waste and invoice errors will cost you about 5% of the amount invoiced.

Waste and recycling invoice errors will actually cost you in two ways. They can be expensive monetarily, of course. But they can also drain other resources, like your time. In my experience, resolving a waste service issue will take a minimum of two communication touches. This is the case for smaller waste issues, like moving a dumpster from one spot in a parking lot to another, or requesting an additional pickup. I will typically make an initial communication to address the issue, then will follow up to ensure the request has been resolved.

These two communications can take up to an hour, depending on how long I have to wait on hold, and how many people I have to speak to to get the issue addressed. Smaller problems, like a missed pick-up, can usually be resolved by the initial representative I speak with. Other issues like adding a pick-up day or confirming the specifications of a contract term often need to be resolved by speaking to the account manager. Some haulers seem reticent to disclose their direct phone numbers, so it can be a little tricky to get in touch with them.

If the company is one of the few more responsive haulers, only two communications via phone (or email) will be necessary. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case with significant billing errors. Depending on the hauler and the significance of the error, it can take months to fully resolve.

If your trash hauler overcharges you by several hundred dollars, it’s likely going to take more than a few calls to rectify the situation. When we fight overcharges on our client’s behalf in the past, it has taken up to three months for the billing cycle to reflect the correction. Your staff may not have this kind of time, which is why it’s a service that an independent waste auditor provide.

What can you do about it?

When it comes to auditing your waste disposal and recycling invoices, there are two best practices.

First, you and your staff need to carefully review your waste hauler invoices. Look for price hikes and inexplicable fees. How different is this month’s invoice from last month’s? Are there any charges that seem high or shouldn’t be there?

When you find these errors, you’ll need to call your hauler and ask for a billing credit for the next invoice cycle. Prepare to be persistent! We have found that many haulers are reticent to provide credits to you that may adversely affect them.

Second, you’ll need to be fairly familiar with your waste hauler contract. Are you allowed to be charged ancillary fees? Does it prohibit price hikes or cap them at a certain rate? Your contract will specify what can and cannot appear on your invoices. Be sure to look for what is there in addition to what isn’t! If you don’t have certain terms included on your contract, you’ll get surprise price hikes, and your contract may automatically renew - all of which can cause overspending.

Want to know for sure how quality your waste contract really is? Use our free Waste Hauler Contract Scorecard - just fill out the form below and we’ll immediately send you a copy!

5 Reasons Why You Should Overspend on Waste {+ Infographic} - Part 2

Incredibly, there are reasons to keep overspending on your waste and recycling expenses. Most companies in the US are overspending on their disposal services, but there are some who may prefer it that way. Below, we’ll go over the last two reasons why.

1. You like having waste problems.

2. You like to ignore relevant data.

In this series, we’re exploring all the reasons you should keep overspending by 10-30% on your waste expenses. In this blog post (part 2 of a 2-part series), we’ll look at the last two reasons.

You like having waste and recycling disposal problems.

You may actually enjoy the surprise of waste problems. You may love it when your staff tells you your hauler has missed pick-ups at a particular location for the third time this month. You not have a problem with recurring issues because you may think this is normal.

Additionally, you may not have a problem devoting the time and energy needed to resolve these situations. You may have lots of spare time to call your hauler, wait on hold for 20 minutes and then have a customer service rep tell you that they can’t help and that you’ll need to get in touch with your account manager. You may have the expertise to know who to navigate hauler customer “service” departments, but most people don’t.

And, more importantly, they don’t have the time to waste. Do you?

You like to ignore relevant data.

Take a look below - these are the stats we’ve found after 18 years of service in the waste industry. Bottom line? Most companies are overspending, and they have no idea. Don’t be one of them.

If you have the resources to make your hauler rich, you should keep overspending on your waste expenses. If you don’t mind having inefficient waste and recycling services and equipment, you’ll almost certainly keep overspending. And if you don’t want to take advantage of professional expertise, you can keep paying more than you need to for expenses.

But if these reasons aren’t true of you - if you value your resources and your time - then you can chose to stop overspending on waste expenses.

Are there other reasons to keep overspending on waste? Let me know in the comments below!

5 Reasons Why You Should Overspend on Waste - Part 1

As strange as it sounds, there are in fact some solid reasons to overspend on waste.

But for the majority of companies nationwide (the actual number hovers in the 90% range), these reasons aren’t actually applicable. These reasons aren’t actually good reasons to overspend! Why would you chose not to save money? Most companies simply don’t realize they’re overspending.

There are 5 reasons why you should overspend on your waste and recycling disposal expenses.

1. You can afford to make your waste hauler rich

2. You love inefficiency.

3. You don’t like to delegate to experts.

4. You like having waste problems.

5. You like to ignore relevant data.

In this series, we’ll explore all the reasons you should keep overspending by 10-30% on your waste expenses. In this blog post (part 1 of a 2-part series), we’ll look at reasons 1-3.

You can afford to make your waste hauler rich

You may be one of the few companies out there who has excess funds. You may be flush with extra revenue, so how much you pay for waste services at all of your locations isn’t of concern to you. You may not have to worry about budget forecasts or balancing the books at the end of the month.

And if you do have excess funds, you may have already decided to allocate them to overpriced waste expenses. You can afford to spend whatever the waste companies charge you. (An aside: most hauler contracts are designed to allow indiscriminate price hikes, so most companies pay more than they should for expenses incurred over the term of their contract.)

Or, you may just enjoy overspending. Maybe you like the idea of helping your chosen waste vendor become rich. You may like helping them increase profits by paying extraneous fees. You may enjoy the sudden price hikes that add to their bottom line.

But chances are, this isn’t true.

You love waste service and equipment inefficiency.

You may love knowing that you’re likely one of the 70% of companies who are being over-serviced by their trash vendor. You may enjoy getting too many pick-ups every week at your locations. After all, who doesn’t love paying for services they don’t need?

These extra pick-up only benefit one person - and it’s not you. Your hauler is likely incentivized to make additional pickups because more pickups almost always mean more revenue. When was the last time you heard of a hauler voluntarily reducing their service frequency?

Additionally, you may like leaving equipment inefficiency to chance. You may be satisfied with inefficient waste and service levels. (50% of companies have too much or too little waste equipment.) You may prefer not to have an expert review your current waste management process for redundant equipment or ineffective waste equipment.

You don’t like to delegate to experts.

You may think you have the resources to complete your own waste review. And some people are able to complete a cursory review on their own! But most CEOs and COOs don’t have the expertise it takes to do their own waste analysis. Waste reviews are not simple processes to complete. It can be difficult to know where to begin, what exactly to assess, and how to assess your current process in general.

And if they do have the expertise, it’s likely they don’t have the time. We provide our clients the two things they need most - a professional waste assessment or review, but with very little demand for their time. (Our reviews are almost always 100% remote). We’ve been doing waste reviews for the past 18 years, and we know how to find your hidden waste problems and solve them - for good!

You can keep overspending on waste . . . but you don’t have to.

We provide our clients the two things they need most - a professional waste assessment or review, but with very little demand for their time. If you don’t mind having inefficient waste and recycling services and equipment, you’ll almost certainly keep overspending. And if you don’t want to take advantage of professional expertise, you can keep paying more than you need to for expenses.

But if these reasons aren’t true of you - if you value your resources and your time - then you can chose to stop overspending on waste expenses.

Are there other reasons to keep overspending on waste? Let me know in the comments below!

How often do waste and recycling 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?

Get premier access to our on-demand webinar. Fill out the information below and we’ll redirect you to the video so that you can start watching immediately!

What would you do with an extra $12,000? This company found out!

Not too long ago, Anita Huffman got in touch with us. As the corporate director of a large manufacturing plant, Anita knew that there was a chance that they could be overspending on waste. They had several dumpsters and compactors on site, but they were also producing plastic byproducts that weren’t being sold.

When they got in touch with us, we explained that they would take on zero risk during our audit process. They wouldn’t pay us anything if we didn’t find savings.

We began the audit process in 2018 and we examined every waste stream that was available to them.

In the end, we found $12,000 worth of monthly savings!

Anita wrote us:

“My team and I were pleasantly surprised how much of a difference you made on our bottom line. 

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. 

With your help, we’ve reduced our waste spend by thousands of dollars every year. We’ve decreased equipment inefficiencies, and we have service schedules that align with our production needs. 

Your team has gone the extra mile, and we couldn’t be happier with the results.”

Anita were overspending on their waste and they had no idea! She and her team found out that they were unknowingly making some critical waste management errors. But now, thanks to our exhaustive audit, they’re saving.

Too many companies in the US are overspending on their waste and recycling expenses. You don’t have to be one of them! What could you do with the savings from a 10-30% reduction in waste?

What we don't do { + Infographic}

We hold a unique niche in the industry, so there can be confusion about who we are and what we do.

To that end, here are a few examples of what we don’t do!

What Exactly is a Waste Review and Why Do I Need One?

A waste review is a thorough review of all your waste expenses.

You need one because there’s a 90% chance that you’re overspending on your waste and recycling spend.

Below, we explain our process and how that process is tailored to your needs.

Accumulating Information

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. 

Reviewing Documents and Finding Solutions

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%.

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.

The Top 3 Ways to Save on Your Waste Expenses

Your waste expenses could be costing you! There are three things every team should be doing to review the accuracy of waste charges. Have you done any of these recently?

What to Expect Before a WCI Waste Audit: Preparations

Suppose you know that you have a waste management problem.

You know that what’s “normal” in your dealings with your waste hauler is actually hugely problematic: the price spikes are egregious, and you have constant service issues. You know that you need a solution to your waste disposal problems.  

And you know that we provide these services. We monitor billing, we create airtight contracts, and we find every savings opportunity available to you. 

But you’re not sure what the next steps might look like. 

What kind of terms does our contract include? Will our audit process take too much time from your staff? And how sure are we that we’ll find savings for you?  

We’ve included answers to these - and a whole lot of other related questions - below for your convenience, organized by topic. 

Questions about Savings and Service Charges

How much do you think I could save?

If you’re spending more than $10,000 a month on waste, we can likely help you save 10%-30% on your waste spend. For some companies it will be a little less, for others, it will be more.

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 10-30% on their waste spend. 

Why is this number so dependable? It’s because 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 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. 

How sure are you that I’m actually overspending by 10-30% each month? 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. They’re sitting on potential savings opportunities, and they aren’t aware of them at all. 

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. 

How do you charge us?

It’s pretty straightforward. We don’t use algorithms or percentages; we charge you half of the savings. 

This means if we find you $5,000 in savings every month, we’ll send you an invoice for $2500. 

And to be clear, after we complete our initial audit process and begin invoicing you, we don’t just sit on our laurels. 

We monitor your bills for accuracy. Why? Because there are inaccuracies on one out of every ten of your invoices. We know because we find them for our clients. Haulers are human too, and we find that they often make unintentional mistakes. Sometimes these mistakes aren’t that big of a deal. But sometimes they are!

And even if they are small, they’re can be a pain to get resolved. Our staff spends hours every week resolving customer service and billing issues. This is time that your staff can devote to other, more significant projects .Our staff makes your staff more efficient.  

We are the first line of defense against haulers that miss pick-up or leave trash strewn across your property. Or when you get a 900% rate increase on your bill. We know what’s normal, and what’s not. And we know how to negotiate for fair charges and resolutions on your behalf. 

Have you ever heard of a waste audit? Sound a little too good to be true? Sound off in the comments below!

Why You Need a Waste Ally {Infographic}

When it comes to the waste industry, you need a waste ally to help you avoid hidden waste problems.

These hidden problems are unfortunately the norm in the waste industry. Typical waste contracts are written in the haulers favor. And up to 70% of companies nationwide are being overserviced. You need a waste ally to protect you. Read more below!

How do we implement changes to yield savings?

We may have all the great ideas in the world, but if we can’t make them happen, they’d be useless. 

We’re as intentional about our audit implementation process as we are about evaluating your utility, telecom, and waste disposal process  - and finding savings. 

To enact savings, we typically make changes to your:

• Service levels

• Waste Equipment

• Vendor

These changes occur with your full knowledge and consent. We go over each and every savings solution we have found with to ensure they really are the right solution for you.

Let’s take a close look at how exactly we implement changes. 

Changing Waste or Utility Service Levels

Suppose our exhaustive audit shows that you can save $4,000 every year by being serviced twice a week instead of four times a week. We evaluate your service levels and find that you weren’t actually producing enough garbage to justify all those pick-ups. After sharing our full savings plan with you, we would carefully coordinate the needed changes.

We would call your service provider and explain that we need to eliminate the unnecessary services. We would propose an amendment to the current contract, and explain why the change is necessary for you, the client. 

The vendor would likely agree and send over an updated contract. We would review it to ensure that the new rates are fair and that pricing is equitable. 

After reviewing the contract, we would send it to you for your signature. (We don’t ever sign documents on your behalf - you’re in the driver’s seat!) Once you signed, we would send it back to the vendor, and it would likely take effect the following month. 

We update our records accordingly, and let you know when to expect the update. With changes like this were service levels are being adjusted, we frequently ask our clients to get in touch with us if the service levels don’t change. Waste disposal hauler companies can be pretty big - and communication that happens with a sales rep isn’t always successfully communicated with the trash hauler, or driver. 

We try to anticipate problems before they become issues. We’ve learned it’s a lot easier to deal with concerns when they’re small before they have a chance to get big! 

Waste Equipment Changes 

If there’s anything people hate more than taking the trash out, it’s not having a place to take the trash to! Making sure that dumpster or compactor changes happen without service disruption is vital to your sanity - not to mention your resident’s or customer’s satisfaction levels. 

Sometimes we recommend that you stick with your original hauler, but use a different hauler-provided dumpster or compactor. 

When this is the case, the process is really simple. We simply ask the hauler to switch out the dumpster with one that is the correct size effective on a certain date. We ensure this date is ideal for you, and that there aren’t any events happening at the site that could interfere with the proposed delivery. 

Waste Vendor Changes

But other times, equipment changes happen because you are changing waste disposal service providers. 

Suppose you’ve been paying $500 a month for bi-weekly service on you two 8-yard dumpsters. But we found a vendor who will only charge you $350 (this big of a price change is not actually that unusual)!
So your term with your current provider ends, and we facilitate the paperwork for you to sign up with a new service. 

We first make sure that the new service date will work for you. Then we contact the old provider in plenty of time to cancel the contract without incurring a termination fee. We ask them to remove their dumpsters the day prior to the date the new service begins. 

The week before the switch-out is set to take place, we call the new and old vendor to confirm they have the switch-out in their records. 

If there are any problems - if the old hauler takes a little longer to remove the equipment, or if the new vendor’s truck breaks down and can’t deliver the new equipment - we troubleshoot. We make sure that you’re in the loop, and that you know we’re working for solutions on your behalf. 

Rest Easy Knowing that Your Savings are in Good Hands 

We carefully implement service level, equipment, and vendor changes. We understand your concerns about smooth transitions - you don’t want your residents or visitors up in arms!

We don’t leave things to chance. We proactively anticipate hitches and prevent them. We make sure you are in the loop at all times about what is going on at your locations. 

We’re as careful about the implementation process as we are with your audit. Because your peace of mind matters - and with us, it takes priority.