[HardDaysKnight]

We had a carting company drop off a 20 yard container.
We told them it would be a mixed load (concrete, wood, brush etc.). He quoted a price of $550 for 3.5 tons and $95 for each
ton in overage. We pay the $550 c.o.d and the client knows
there is an open-ended payment due carting if there's overeage.
We finish the job in 6 days and they pick up the container on
friday, the final day. The client is thrilled with the work and
books us for a patio and steps in the back and a full landscape
re-design in the front. Sounds like everything went just great,
right? WRONG! This morning the carting company goes back
to the clients home and drops the container in front of
thier driveway so they can't get the cars out. Knocks on the
door and tells the client they are leaving the box there if
they don't come up with payment. The client says " How dare
you approach me like that. I am aware I may owe more.
How much more? He says $500 and he pays them. Then the
driver is very appologetic and leaves. We get no phone call
from the carting company asking us for $500 in overage. We would have paid it, got a receipt, and get reimbursed from
our customer. Instead, this is how they conducted themselves
and made us look terrible. Can you believe this %#@$##$?

[Stonehenge]

Wow - that is hard to believe. I hope you got on the phone to that company and told them to not only refund the client their money, but all of yours as well, and to feel lucky you don't sue.

I would have blown my top on that one, without a doubt.

For reference, a few years ago a supplier delivered some pavers to a site and inadvertently blocked the mail box. Not the drive, just the mailbox. The site was a two hour ride away, one way. I called, and the same day they had another boom truck down there to shuffle the pavers over 10 feet.

I only bring it up to show comparison between something good and something ridiculously bad. I hope you don't end up losing the added work because of it.

[greg9504]

Explain that to the customer, apologize on behalf of the cartage company, and offer either a discount on the current work or on the patio job, or throw in something additional if you have already priced the patio, like free lights or something (extra shrubs). That would show me you were sincere, and not take too much out of your profit.

Oh and don't use that cartage company again.

Hopefully the client will see that you are just as upset as they are not not hold it against you.

Sucks.

[NCSULandscaper]

Originally posted by greg9504
Explain that to the customer, apologize on behalf of the cartage company, and offer either a discount on the current work or on the patio job, or throw in something additional if you have already priced the patio, like free lights or something (extra shrubs). That would show me you were sincere, and not take too much out of your profit.

I wouldnt appologize on behalf of their company, let that company call them and appologize themself. And there is no way i would ever give away something free because of what some other company did, it was their fault as to what they did, not mine or anyone else.....they are the ones that should give stuff away. In fact, i would be very tempted to put a stop payment on the check.

[GLAN]

Raise a stink and get the minimum waived for the next dumpster...or at least half the minimum waived........Or you will discontinue doing business with them.

[HardDaysKnight]

I have to call back in the morning. The owner was not in.
I will blow my top.You can be sure of that. I did apologize
profusely to the customer because we hired the company and are very much responsible for their behavior. However the client said
he holds no indictment on us and said we were extremely
professional and cant wait to see us in the early spring.
So that's good news. They were really super customers, the wife
a schoolteacher btw , and I'm just relieved we didn't lose
a customer and all the referrals that come with one. Johnny

[HardDaysKnight]

Originally posted by GLAN
Raise a stink and get the minimum waived for the next dumpster...or at least half the minimum waived........Or you will discontinue doing business with them.

I wouldn't ever use them again. Not with tactics like that.

[GLAN]

Let them know it.

In fact........after you call them..........follow that up with a letter


And tell everyone you know about how you and your customers were treated by them......can add that to the letter

[Stonehenge]

Originally posted by HardDaysKnight
I wouldn't ever use them again. Not with tactics like that.

Though I would absolutely never use them again, don't let them know that. Dangle the carrot while you're reaming them, that if they don't do right by you you'll never yadda-yadda. But do that just to get the most out of these imbeciles - you might get more out of them that way.

[PSUscaper]

dump that company, apologize to the client....and don't lose sleep over it.

By the way....is it just me or does that dump fee seem WAAAAY high for a 20 yard container....

If I'm not mistaking, being they charged you an extra 500 dollars, that means you had what....9 tons in it???


I would strongly suggest you start sorting your garbage......it may be a pain, but it will save you a lot in the end. I think I did a similiar thing about 5 years ago and ordered a dumpster for RR ties....we threw some concrete in there and got hit something like a 1000 bucks over for weight......never again. Why pay $100 a ton to get rid of concrete when you could proabably get rid of it for $10 a ton. That's what happens when you get a bulk weight container though.

Get a concrete dumpster....get a brush dumpster....get a garbage dumpster. sort it, or start a community pile at the yard that gets taking away when it gets so big.

[HardDaysKnight]

Originally posted by pennscapes
dump that company, apologize to the client....and don't lose sleep over it.

By the way....is it just me or does that dump fee seem WAAAAY high for a 20 yard container....

If I'm not mistaking, being they charged you an extra 500 dollars, that means you had what....9 tons in it???


I would strongly suggest you start sorting your garbage......it may be a pain, but it will save you a lot in the end. I think I did a similiar thing about 5 years ago and ordered a dumpster for RR ties....we threw some concrete in there and got hit something like a 1000 bucks over for weight......never again. Why pay $100 a ton to get rid of concrete when you could proabably get rid of it for $10 a ton. That's what happens when you get a bulk weight container though.


Get a concrete dumpster....get a brush dumpster....get a garbage dumpster. sort it, or start a community pile at the yard that gets taking away when it gets so big.

They said 10.5 ton and I have had it with carting on long island.
We have so many issues here in regards to dumping fees and
re-cycling. Glan can attest to it. It's crazy but thanks penn, I
will try seperate if possible or some other means. Yes it's seems
very high. The second time we used them and the last.

[Bill Schwab]

Having come from the disposal industry during the days when you paid by the container size and not the ton, and now running roll off trucks under the new rule of pay by weight, it is a tough call for anyone in need of service. The way the company handled this in my opinion is unacceptable, actually sounds like something one of Mindless Managements guys would do, but the way you should handle it is to call that hauler and ask for a supervisor. Explain the situation rationally, and ask him what his company can possibly do for you to help that situation. Being that they too are in the service business, I would be very surprized if they did not call your cleints and ask a little forgiveness.


Ooops, I forgot...You are from Long island, is your hauler owned by wise guys? That would explain the heavy handedness. In New York the trash collectors litterally buy areas of service. With no competition, they can do whatever they want. It does not make it right, but it is what it is.....

[HardDaysKnight]

Bill Schwab wrote:

Ooops, I forgot...You are from Long island, is your hauler owned by wise guys? That would explain the heavy handedness. In New York the trash collectors litterally buy areas of service. With no competition, they can do whatever they want. It does not make it right, but it is what it is.....

Bingo!! And it was the owner who went to the customers
home.

[GLAN]

LOL.........We're famous or infamous for our "Wise Guys".....


And here I thought it was the Brooklyn accent

[r schipul]

The power is always in the consumers hands. Poor customer service = no repeat business with the container company. I'd also call everyone I knew and told them to never use the company. Even though you apologized to your client and they seem satisfied, I always spend the $100 bucks and send them out to dinner to a nice restaurant. I do it with a good referral and I do it with situations similiar to the one you mentioned