Insightz

Ask Angela: What’s a waste broker?

Hey Angela, we’ve heard ZTERS is a waste broker and we’re not sure what that is or why we should use a broker instead of just calling around ourselves. What’s the deal?

Hey there, this one of the most common questions we’ve had over the years. Thanks for asking. Back in the day, waste brokers had a bad reputation because there were a lot of fly-by-night operations that would take people’s money and not stick around if there were problems with delivery or service.

In fact, that’s one of the reasons ZTERS was formed. We knew there was a better way to do business, and we knew there was room in the market to help construction companies, event planners, and commercial real estate owners manage their waste and temporary services in a more efficient way.

Let me break down some numbers for you. Let’s say you’re a project manager or contractor running multiple job sites. The same goes for property owners or facility managers running more than one facility. How much time are you going to waste doing all this: 

• Calling around to get the best rates.
• Hunting down reviews to find out if a hauler or provider is legit.
• Negotiating delivery and following up if they don’t arrive.
• Trying to manage multiple invoices from multiple vendors.
• Spending maybe hours trying to figure out who to call and complain when things go wrong? Not to mention trying to hold them accountable.

Even if you don’t do these things yourself, whoever you hire to manage this process is going to spend a good percentage of their time making calls and following up. Now multiply that across several sites in different states, and you could end up with a full-time job right there. Take that person’s salary and consider how much time is wasted handling these issues – it’s probably more than you realize.

Now imagine if you or your staff could spend that time working on your business instead of chasing down service providers.

Here’s where we’re different from old-school waste brokers of the past:

• For more than a decade, we’ve built nationwide relationships with the best vendors in the country.
• Our vetting process ensures we work with reliable waste and service providers that deliver.
• Our team members are trained and dedicated to providing great service, and we’re a family-owned company with in-house account managers.
• You get a dedicated account manager to help with all your locations and services.
• You can bundle multiple services with one phone call – whether you just need portable toilets or you need toilets, temporary fencing, storage containers, mobile offices, and roll-off dumpsters – we’ve got your back.
• We do all the follow-up and get resolution when there’s a problem.

Personally, I’ve been with ZTERS since almost the beginning (that was 2009). Many of our clients and vendors have been with us just as long, and we do our best to make sure everyone has a good experience. After all, we’re all in this together.

One thing I tell people is don’t let the term “waste broker” make you think of the old days. At ZTERS, we’ve redefined what customer service means in this industry. And we have the company growth and employee satisfaction to stand behind that.

When you need multiple services, or services across several locations, we’re here for you. Just give us a call.