Running a dumpster business is a complex and ever-changing process. Having the right tools for the job is an important part to running a successful business.
By Joy Weber
Expert Disposal is a 14-year-old roll-off company located in Castle Rock, CO. They currently operate out of seven storage yards across the front range and own 300+ dumpsters. Expert Disposal serves the Denver metro area, including Castle Rock, where their primary office and yard are located, as well as the surrounding cities. All in, their territory
covers more than 3 million people.
Expert Disposal’s previous owner, (and current do-it-all employee) Galen Westfall, had experience with using other software to manage operations, including track units and handle scheduling, in the past, but none had lived up to expectations. When Chad and Jeni Pottenger purchased the business in 2020, Galen and team were still running the business on pen and paper. This included recording new orders, tracking drop-offs and pickups, and everything in between. Without previous dumpster company experience, Chad and Jeni could not imagine getting their heads around such a complex system with so many moving parts. However, they were not going to let that stop them from starting this new business that had long intrigued them. After working with Galen on various projects in the past, they knew that starting a dumpster company could be a lucrative opportunity. So, despite not having experience, they jumped at the chance to buy in.
Challenges
Shortly after purchasing the business, Chad and Jeni started looking for software solutions that could alleviate the complexity and keep the business running smoothly. Expert Disposal faced a number of challenges running their dumpster business, all of which could be traced back to having the right software. Scheduling and inventory tracking were a couple of the larger challenges. Scheduling their units on paper frequently caused issues where two drivers would attempt to complete the same drop off or pick- up. Obviously, this was a waste of time and resources, however, it was very challenging to avoid overlap without real time tracking. The team needed the ability to update the office and other drivers immediately once a unit had been picked up or dropped off. To add to the scheduling issues, every Sunday Galen would have to physically go into the office to set up the paper schedules for the week, creating more unnecessary work.
With a pen and paper system, Expert Disposal never felt 100 percent certain that they knew where all of their inventory was. Jeni mentioned that one challenge with pen and paper is, “You don’t know how much inventory you have.” This uncertainty left them wondering if they were missing out on potential revenue due to boxes sitting unused. Plus, they were not sure how many boxes were sitting in each yard without having someone drive by and do a check. To maximize their revenue, they needed to know exactly where each unit was at the drop of a hat. A better pen and paper process was not going to solve this problem for them since, according to Galen, even when you know where a unit is, there is always human error with writing down box numbers, as “people make mistakes.” In that same vein, the team felt certain that some of their boxes had duplicated numbers. However, with units spread across their territory, they were not able to determine exactly which ones.
They did not know it at the time, but Expert Disposal even had a dumpster sitting on a site for a year because the wrong dumpster number was written down. While the mistake was uncovered during onboarding with ServiceCore, this was a year of potential revenue they lost because they were not renting it out. In a busy Colorado market, that meant thousands of dollars left on the table.
Implementing the Right Software Solution
Running a dumpster business is a complex and ever-changing process. Galen said it best, “It was a giant puzzle with a hundred pieces that move every day. It was a lot.” Having the right tools for the job is an important part to running a successful business. After suffering through the inefficiencies and lost time and money, Expert Disposal decided it was time to make a change. This is when they found ServiceCore.
After researching and conducting demos with four to five different companies, Chad and Jeni chose ServiceCore because of the wide range of functionality, reviews and video learning library. By implementing ServiceCore, Expert Disposal has drastically improved its inventory tracking and maximized revenue, all while saving time and increasing system efficiency.
ServiceCore is a cloud-based software built for the roll-off industry to help manage companies efficiently. ServiceCore is able to schedule jobs, track inventory, manage customers and streamline the accounting process with a single application. Drivers also use the ServiceCore app on either iOS or Android devices where they can close jobs, add notes and navigate between sites.
ServiceCore is also integrated with Quickbooks and offers a click to pay option to get paid faster. With ServiceCore Software, Expert Disposal no longer double books dumpsters. The ServiceCore system will not allow a unit to be picked up twice—once the driver completes the job, it will not appear in the driver’s queue. Plus, by organizing the day’s jobs under driver queues, the team is able to focus exclusively on what they have been assigned. Expert Disposal’s drivers come into work each morning knowing that they are provided with the tools to succeed and be professional. Not only has this improved business operations, but it has also been a hit with drivers as well. Even older drivers that may not be up-to-date on the latest technology have found the app easy to use and helpful in the field.
By using a cloud-based program, the Expert Disposal team has also uncovered increased flexibility. Jobs can easily be moved around and scheduled from anywhere with a phone, iPad or laptop; Jeni and Chad do not have to be in the office to run their business. Jeni said, “We don’t have to come to the office every Sunday and schedule.” The team has gained flexibility both throughout the week and on the weekend while maximizing the number of jobs they take on.
After onboarding with ServiceCore, Expert Disposal was able to uncover the missing dumpster, address duplicate numbers and track their inventory in real-time (including viewing all units on a map). Chad told us with confidence, “I can look it up right now and know where every single box is.” This is tremendously helpful for future planning. When the front office gets a call about a future rental, it is much easier to confirm availability. This type of certainty helps to develop strong levels of trust with clients; in turn, allowing them to charge more than cut-rate competitors without sacrificing bookings.
Succeeding with Software
Since onboarding with ServiceCore, Expert Disposal feels like they are operating much more smoothly. They have seen increases in efficiencies, time savings and decreased headaches that cumulatively have made their business easier to run and more profitable. When Chad bought the company, he realized he could not do all the manual labor that came with paper routing. The first couple months he said he did not help Galen with routing because it was overwhelming and knew he would need a new process at some point. The team at Expert Disposal can now manage all of their scheduling daily, weekly or even monthly to help get ahead. After signing up with ServiceCore, Chad and Jeni learned of yet another positive—their drivers love the app! This was not something they entirely expected as some of their drivers are not the most tech-savvy. Finally, the company saved time and money on fuel by implementing ServiceCore. Every time a truck leaves the lot, it is on its way to making money. | WA
For more information, contact ServiceCore at (888) 691-1333 or book a demo at ServiceCore.com.