As the number of residents subject to HOA requirements continues to grow, add-ons like cart liners, odor eliminator pods and lid latches help address resident concerns driven by HOA regulations while increasing revenue.
By Derrick Masimer
Each week, trash loads can build up, resulting in a mountain of foul odors. More and more people are subject to homeowner’s association (HOA) requirements, about 20 percent of the U.S. population according to the Community Association Institute, which typically requires residents to keep their trash can inside their garages or living spaces, making odor control a challenge and possibly leading to more complaints. However, by carrying products that address this pressing issue, haulers can increase their revenue streams, differentiate themselves in a competitive market and maximize customer satisfaction.
Odor Concerns
Charlotte, NC resident Tina Pfaff’s HOA regulations for waste collection echo those of many across the country: “You have a choice of keeping your trash carts behind an HOA regulated trash wall on the side of your house or putting it inside your house in the garage, until it can go back on the street for trash pickup. The problem with the wall is that it must follow specific design guidelines and be in a particular location on your property, which makes it super inconvenient to get to and not everyone has room on their property to install one. The alternative is to keep your trash cart in your garage and if you neglect to have it there, you can get fined.
“With two kids in diapers and a busy household, our trash can get really stinky and sticky, and the odor doesn’t go away with trash pickup,” Pfaff added. “I would love for haulers to come up with a solution for this distinctive demand.”
Alex Babbitt, the co-owner and founder of Carolina Trash Pickup, Inc., based outside of Raleigh, NC, works to differentiate his business daily in the competitive hauler market. He shares his awareness of the odor control issue and how offering new products and services to solve the odor issue could provide him with a unique advantage. “We see odor control as a problem for many people. I get calls every day from potential new customers who are reluctant to sign up for our service because they are concerned that I am going to bring them some old smelly beat up trash can that they won’t be able to store in or right outside their garage.
“As a new local hauler, we constantly have to search for new ways to differentiate ourselves to get our name out into the market,” Babbitt continued. “As competition grows, the margins are becoming smaller and smaller for haulers, and customers are wanting to pay less for their garbage service, so it is key to find products that are low cost and provide large benefits to customers.”
A Win-Win Solution
Adding optional odor control products to their offerings is an excellent way for haulers to provide a win-win. Babbitt and other haulers offer the following tips on increasing profitability through odor control.
Offer Odor Eliminator Pods to Your Carts
Bring freshness and odor-fighting power to trash carts by providing HOAs with odor eliminator pods that easily adhere to the inside of any trash cart lid. They are an ideal odor eliminating solution for residents who keep their carts in indoor spaces or close to their homes to keep their trash from emitting foul odors. Uniquely designed to fight tough trash cart odors around the clock, odor eliminator pods leave a fresh fragrance with refillable pods that slide easily into the housing. It is also best to find an odor eliminator pod with citronella that keeps bugs away. By providing customers with odor eliminator pods, haulers can enhance customer satisfaction by reducing trash odor and increase their line of revenue with an additional service.
Supply Cart Liners for HOAs to Line their Carts
Cart liners can shield residents’ carts from sticky messes to keep carts clean and virtually odor free. HOAs will receive fewer complaints about trash odor since cart liners can reduce odor issues significantly, and residents will not have to clean their trash carts. Since cart liners easily slip out and fall right into the garbage truck on trash day, residents can easily put in a new liner once their trash cart has been emptied.
Offer Organics Containers for HOAs to Compost Food Scraps
Kitchen scraps and leftovers from cooking are some of the biggest offenders for pungent trash odors. From the kitchen sink to the curb, organics containers make it easy to collect and transport organic materials from residents’ homes, without stinking up their trashcans. If there is a food composting site nearby, haulers can easily add a revenue stream by offering organics bins and carts to customers. Haulers should look for bins and carts that have locking seals and are easy to clean. Many smaller bins are dishwasher safe, and larger carts have animal latches to keep pests away.
Provide HOAs with Trash Carts that Have Secure Lids and Latches
A trash cart with a secure lid and latch is key to solving odor control issues. It is best to invest in a trash cart with a tight-fitting lid to keep trash in its place and odors contained. Latches are a great option for haulers to keep trash carts secured at all times, so HOAs do not get complaints of trash being scattered out across residents’ yards on trash day. Find a latch with gravity-based functionality, meaning the lid opens automatically when the garbage truck tips and empties the cart and then the cart latches when it is set back down on the curb.
Differentiate Yourself in the Market
There are many ways to incorporate these products into haulers’ service offerings to differentiate themselves in a competitive market, address customer needs and increase their revenue. Contact the local manufacturer’s regional sales manager for pricing and options for cart latches, carts with secure lids and organics bins. For the odor eliminator pods, start customers with a pilot program by delivering one batch of them for a trial period. Haulers can purchase cart liners or odor eliminator pods online or through a local retailer and increase their revenue stream by adding these odor control solutions to their customers’ billing insert.
As the number of residents subject to HOA requirements continues to grow, add-ons like cart liners, odor eliminator pods and lid latches help address resident concerns driven by HOA regulations while increasing revenue. Haulers can differentiate their service offering by proactively offering HOAs solutions aimed at preventing dirty trash carts, foul-smelling odors and wind-blown trash. Haulers can also add a revenue stream by offering organics bins and carts to customers in areas with food composting facilities.
Derrick Masimer is the Vice President of Sales Operations for Toter, a brand of Wastequip (Charlotte, NC). During his 16 years of experience, Derrick has worked as a Territory Manager for Allied Waste, a Territory Manager for Waste Management and most recently as the Regional Sales Manager for Marathon Equipment. He can be reached at [email protected]. For more information, visit www.toter.com/request-information.