How Unreliable Service Affects Your Bottom Line
Introduction
With today’s challenging environment of labor shortages, supply chain disruptions and increased pressure to meet tight deadlines on budget, the role of supplier partners has changed. Service quality matters, now more than ever – especially when it comes to waste removal.
To better understand how unreliable dumpster service can negatively impact a construction business, we polled 300 construction professionals who either manage projects or coordinate site essentials like dumpsters, fences and port-a-potties. Here’s what we found.
Delayed Dumpster Service Holds Up Projects and Hurts Companies Financially
Research suggests poor waste removal service can become increasingly expensive in the long run and have devasting implications for timely project completion.
Top 3 Dumpster-Related Issues That Halt Production
65% of respondents reported that these three factors cause delays on their jobsites:
#1 Factor
The hauler doesn’t drop off or pick up the dumpster on time.
#2 Factor
The hauler brings a damaged container.
#3 Factor
The hauler drops off the wrong dumpster size.
When Dumpsters Are Delayed, the Costs Add Up Quickly
88% of those surveyed reported they experience these top three financial implications most due to dumpster delays:
1. Labor Costs
of those surveyed said that their top financial implication is when employees are paid to be on-site, but can’t work due to delayed service.
2. Reduced Earnings & Profits
of those surveyed reported that their top financial implication is when project delays hurt their bottom line.
3. Delayed Payments
of those surveyed reported their biggest financial implication is delayed payments from the project owners.
The Bottom Line for Labor Costs
Lost productivity costs can quickly add up and become substantial. Another key consideration is the project timeline. 76% of respondents reported that an average project timeframe is between 1-12 months.
Key Takeaway: The impact that dumpster delays will have on lost labor costs for any given project will vary, but will depend on three key factors:
Average # of Hours Lost per Month Due to Delays
Average Hourly $ of
Affected Labor
Average Project Timeline
The Bigger Picture Implication: Dumpster Delays Can Cause Project Delays
Dumpster delays not only result in lost productivity and several negative financial consequences, but can have more serious implications such as project delays. How do project delays negatively impact a construction company? Here’s what we learned.
Top 3 Biggest Consequences of Project Delays – Representing 86% of Responses
found that a single project delay means they have to push back other projects and rearrange rentals, schedules and more.
found that they face financial repercussions, such as contract penalties and labor overtime costs.
found that they have to work overtime to finish the project on time after a delay.
The Verdict: The Costs of Unreliable Dumpster Service Add Up Over Time
Pricing out the cost of a dumpster rental can seem easy at first. And seeking out the lowest-priced bin(s) may make sense at first; however, saving $20 upfront might not outweigh the long-term implications of unreliable service.
As the results of this survey have shown, dumpster service issues can be extremely expensive.
Dumpster Delays Can Lead to:
Wasted Time and High Labor Costs
Delayed Payments From Project Owners
Contract Penalties and Labor Overtime Costs
Reduced Earnings/Profits
Overall Project
Delays
In other words, the costs of delayed service can significantly outweigh any additional upfront cost for a dumpster rental.
Dumpster Delays Can’t Be Stopped, but They Can Be Minimized
Dumpster delays are an unfortunate reality for every hauler who drops off, picks up and swaps out dumpsters. There are too many outside factors that impact service including:
Traffic
Inclement Weather
Long Waiting Times
Vehicle Problems
Delivery Blockage
Dumpster Cleaning
COVID Shortages
Labor Shortages
For these reasons, many waste removal companies offer service windows for delivery and pickup (between 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., for example) instead of set delivery times. They don’t want to promise what they can’t deliver.
While dumpster delays are sometimes unavoidable, a reliable partner can help minimize these situations.
A Reliable Partner Can Make All the Difference
The good news is that you can partner with a waste provider who works to mitigate and try to prevent dumpster delays, all while delivering dependable service.
Reliability matters. Internal survey data* collected from May – December 2021 from 950+ construction professionals suggests that “reliability” is the most important factor when choosing a waste removal partner, trumping price.
In summary, these delays can be minimized by working with the right dumpster company, like Dumpsters.com.
*Source: Dumpsters.com Internal Survey and Data Analysis, 2021
How We Help Reduce Dumpster Delays
Our goal is to keep your projects moving from coast to coast. We offer no-cost contractor services to businesses of all sizes to keep your construction jobs on track and your costs in check.
The Winning Combo: Dedicated Account Management + Largest National Hauler Network
One Dedicated Account Manager
Dependable Dumpster Rentals Nationwide
Streamlined Solutions to Keep Your Projects On Budget and On Schedule
No matter how many dumpsters you order, you’ll have access to one point of contact and the largest national dumpster inventory. We’ll:
✓ Preschedule service and deliver the dumpster before your start date.
✓ Only work with trusted partners.
✓ Communicate all updates to you via text, email or phone.
✓ Maintain regular communication with our hauling partners.
✓ Find another hauler if necessary.
What Our Customers Have to Say
In a survey of our top construction customers:
Rated Dumpsters.com as “always reliable” or “consistently reliable.”
Said we help keep their projects running on time and help them maintain clean jobsites.
Said they were satisfied with our services.
“I’ve been a commercial subcontractor, GC and superintendent 30+ years and never had a dumpster supplier local, regional or national attend to my jobs needs as well as your organization. I would love to have you on every jobsite for the rest of my career. I will report your unbelievable service to all our estimators and project managers.”
- Commercial Contractor, Midwest U.S.
Start Working With Our Reliable Service Today
Fill out the form to speak with a member of our team about your dumpster needs and get assigned a free account manager for your business.
Or if you want to talk to someone immediately, give us a call at 855-757-6118.
About the Survey
Dumpsters.com partnered with Pollfish to gather data about dumpster delays.
We used 300 responses from a random, nationwide survey of currently-employed construction professionals who either are responsible for construction projects and manage day-to-day project operations, or coordinate and manage project essentials like dumpsters, porta-potties, etc.
We found this data to be true with a +/-3% margin of error and 95% confidence.
If you think these findings are interesting, please feel free to share it with your network, or cite it in your own content.
If you have any questions about the survey or want to know more, you can get in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or at media@dumpsters.com.