Northeast Sanitation Blog

WEBSITE BUILDS BONDS

At first, McNamara relied on established business contacts — the “golden Rolodex,” as he puts it — and word-of-mouth referrals. But three years ago, he realized the company also required an Internet presence. The current website was revised about a year ago, and he says it’s a continual work in progress.

“In today’s world, people want to know you have a website,” he adds. “Everyone should have one that shows their products and explains what they do. But you also have to deliver on what you say on the website.”

To keep the website interesting, McNamara posts a weekly blog that talks about a wide array of issues, from strategic placement of units on construction sites to how many restrooms a customer might need for a wedding or party.

“We aim for information people can use,” he says. “At the same time, we’re also always looking for creative ideas to have some fun with it, too.

We ask our drivers for ideas, and they’ve come up with topics like how to protect units on site, putting stone pads in front of units when it’s muddy, placement of hand sinks and so on. It’s all aimed at benefitting the end-user.”

IMAGE IS MARKETING, TOO

NSC also emphasizes less subtle forms of marketing, like new, clean and well-maintained trucks; uniformed, clean-cut drivers who are courteous and professional; and use of new technology, such as global positioning systems, which helps improve customer service.

“We purchase anything that makes us more competitive in the marketplace,” he says. “We try to stay ahead of the curve on that because it saves you money in the long run.”

The NCS fleet includes a 2006 Ford LCF with a 350-gallon waste/150-gallon steel tank, made by Best Enterprises Inc.; a 2007 International 4300 with a 1,500-waste/500-gallon freshwater aluminum Progress (Progress Tank LLC) tank; a 2008 Hino 268 with a 1,500-gallon waste/500-gallon freshwater aluminum Progress tank; a 2008 International 4300 with a 750-gallon waste/350-gallon freshwater flat steel tank from Crescent Tank Mfg.; two 2010 Hino 268s with Progress aluminum tanks (one 1,150-gallon waste/350-gallon freshwater and the other with a 1,500-gallon waste/500-gallon freshwater); and a 2007 Ford LCF flatbed truck for deliveries. All of the trucks use Masport Inc. pumps.

NSC also owns 1,100 standard portable restrooms, mostly Integra units from PolyPortables Inc.; 60 handicapped-accessible units (30 made by Satellite Industries Inc. and 30 made by PolyPortables); and two restroom trailers, a 15-footer made by JAG Mobile Solutions Inc. and a 24-footer manufactured by Comforts of Home Services Inc.

The upscale JAG trailer has four 18-inch, flat-screen televisions. Customers who run charity events or weddings often burn their own DVDs with photo slide shows and play them continuously on the TVs.

“We’ve gotten lots of positive feedback about the TVs. I’m not sure it makes us more money, but you know people talk about it,’’ McNamara says. “New equipment is a great marketing tool. We wash and clean trucks every day. We want to create the perception that we’re the best company out there … when people see our trucks, they remember us.”

GPS technology helps improve customer service. NCS uses a system made by Navtrak Inc. that provides detailed information, from how fast technicians drive to the duration of a service call to the exact time the vacuum power on trucks is turned on and off. If a customer questions whether a technician made a service call, NCS can e-mail them a GPS report that proves they did.

If there’s any question at all in a customer’s mind, though, McNamara follows the premise that the customer is always right, which means a technician will go back and re-service the units in question again. Most times, however, the report does the trick, and customers realize later on that, for example, a landscaping crew came on-site unbeknownst to them, which explains why units were full or dirty so soon after being serviced.

Can I rent a portable restroom for just one day?
Absolutely. Our special event restroom trailers and individual units can be rented by the day or for weekend rentals. We also rent units monthly.

Will the portable restroom be clean for my event?
Yes they will. NSC Restrooms take pride in the condition of our portable restrooms.

Where will you place my portable toilet?
We will place them per your instruction, however, we may have to relocate them for servicing and will make suggestions to you to ensure your guests/employees and our service people can safely access the restroom.

How far in advance do I need to reserve a portable toilet?
During peak times, we can possibly sell out, so as much lead time as you can give us. But as a minimum, we would like to have 48 hours notice and we can have your restroom delivered. For large special events or large construction projects, a week or more lead time is appreciated and advisable.

Where does the waste go after it has been pumped?
The waste water is taken to local waste water facilities and disposed of according to the regulations required by the facilities.

Am I required to have porta potties on my job site?
Most town and city ordinances spell out the requirements for portable restrooms on a job site. Town Inspectors will often require that the portable toilet is either ordered or has arrived on the site before approving the inspection.

What is the frequency of service on my portable toilet?
We service our portable restrooms once a week in order to keep them safe, clean, sanitized and stocked with supplies. If needed, we can supply service more often.

Does a portable restroom on my construction job site really cut down on expenses and time?
By supplying a portable restroom on your job site you cut down on the amount of time your employees are searching for and traveling to an alternate facility.

The following chart has been supplied by PSAI (portable sanitation association international). The annual cost of 10 minutes of wasted toilet time per employee, per day:

Long term construction projects offer many challenges to the foreman, and winter construction sites offer even greater challenges. Not the least of those challenges is portable restrooms for the workers on the site.  If you are starting a long-term construction project this winter, and plan to have a trailer on-site you will need a sanitation solution.

You can achieve this without running water lines and digging for a temporary septic tank. A Fresh Water Flushing Mobile Office System can be installed in just a few hours and they cut down on the traditional high costs of running lines and digging holes. The water supply is provided, along with the RV toilet and the waste tank. The system is easily installed and maintained weekly.

You can eliminate the expense of digging and running a temporary water service to the job trailer and there is no need for the temporary water line and large concrete waste tank. 

With mobile office trailer equipment, you can alleviate the stress of wasted materials, manpower, and the associated costs that go along with them. 

Not to mention the decrease of down time for your employees by having a restroom facility on-site. Decrease your loss time, costs and stress and increase your comfort and convenience with mobile office trailer restroom units.