Why exactly is there such a thing as a waste consultant? What is it they really do? Do I need one?
These are just a few of the questions we get pretty regularly. Today, I’ll answer all of them.
Simply put, most companies have a waste management problem. Those who spend more than $10,000 a month on waste disposal services are being price-gouged and have unfair waste contracts.
Waste Consultants exist to help companies find savings by resolving their waste problems. We find and implement solutions that saved Lisa Russell $5000 a month and Scott Alderman is saving $116,000.
At the end of the article, you’ll know exactly what we do, and how we can help you. Let’s look at:
The problem
How we find savings
How you can benefit
Upwards of 90% of companies across industries are overpaying on their waste spend. Why be one of them?
The Problem with Your Waste Management Process
If you spend more than $10,000 in waste and recycling disposal fees, you’re likely over paying. Why? Because you don’t know what you don’t know.
You don’t know what your hauler is charging other clients. You don’t know that you can include clauses on your contract to limit price spikes and stop auto-renewals. You don’t know market rates and contract practices - and you don’t realize you could have recourse when service issues arise.
If your haulers were transparent about their pricing and honest about their services, we wouldn’t be in business. And to be fair, some truly are! But they’re the exception to the rule.
In the seventeen years we’ve been in business, we’ve seen that most companies are overspending by:
Having ancillary waste or vendor charges on their invoices
Having a waste hauler contract that auto-renews
Having a hauler contract that allows price hikes
Having incorrect disposal or recycling service levels
Having expensive service rates
Not having a waste ally
Read more about your waste issues here.
Your waste hauler contract is the epicenter of most waste issues. If it allows for ancillary fees, you’re going to get charged for them. If it allows for auto-renewal, you’ll be locked into a bad contract for the next 5 years without being able to review efficiency. If it allows price spikes, you’ll receive up to 4 each year.
Most haulers are not out to save you money. So they’re going to leave you open to waste disposal price spikes. They’re not going to periodically review your service efficiency levels. And they’re not going to have a problem charging you 20% more than the company across the street.
This is exactly why you need a waste ally. You need someone who knows how to find your waste issues and implement solutions that actually make an impact on your bottom line.
We know you’re overspending, and we know how to fix it - permanently. With our expertise on their side, the vast majority of hundreds of companies we’ve helped save 20-40% on their annual waste spend.
How We Find Savings on Waste and Recycling Spend
We follow the same six basic steps for every company:
Assign WCI Personnel
Review Waste Expenses
Identify Cost Reduction Opportunities
Develop Recommendations
Implement Recommendations
Provide a monthly savings report
Every account has their own dedicated project manager. Our PMs have over 30 years in the trash business between them, and they are expert waste and recycling auditors.
You - and any other decision makers for your portfolios - will meet one of them after you sign up for our services.
You’ll send them copies of your waste and recycling agreements and invoices, or pass on your portal log-on info so that we can access it.
Then the audit begins. Every aspect of your waste and recycling streams are reviewed by your PM. Our audits are so detailed they generally take 60-90 days to complete.
But at the end of that time, your project manager will present their waste and recycling solutions, and the potential impact the changes will have on your bottom line.
They’ll show you exactly where you can save at each location, and what they’ll do to implement solutions.
We make sure you don’t leave any savings opportunities on the table - which is why we have a success rate of over 90%. If you’re paying for waste or utilities, you’re probably overpaying. And you don’t need to.
Read more about our audit process here.
How You Benefit from Our Services
Our clients benefit by having savings solutions quickly implemented, documented, and protected.
Where there are service changes, we ensure a smooth transition. We manage contract cancellations and arbitrate any push-back we get from the haulers. When there’s a really major problem, we’ll bring it to your attention. But for the most part, we are able to do what we do with minimal inconvenience to you and your staff.
Your invoices will typically reflect the savings we implement on your behalf (and with your prior approval) in about 30-60 days. When that happens, we send you an invoice for 50% (LINK) of the quantifiable savings.
And going forward, we audit all of your invoices. We find errors 10% of the time, and those errors can be costly! So we make sure your waste and utility vendors are upholding their end of the bargain; that they’re charging you what they’ve agreed to in your contract.
When service issues arise, we’re your first line of defense. We stay on top of the situation until it’s resolved. We wait on hold forty-five minutes, and we make multiple calls to your site managers and your vendors. Then we make sure that whatever resolution is promised actually happens.
Companies across the nation are benefiting from our services. You can’t afford not to!
Explore your options. Schedule a short, informal consult with our CEO, Tyler Brunson. He’ll shoot you straight about how our services can benefit you - and show you how our services can protect your bottom line for years to come.
What questions do you have about what we do? Let me know in the comments below!