Streamlining Operations with Docket for Profitability

Intro

Brandon: My name is Brandon. I have actually was in the landscaping industry for a while, and there was a company that was hiring Chucket Containers, and it was a family-owned business. I took over operations in November, and it was really just an old school family business. They ran everything on Excel spreadsheets, processed all the credit cards manually. There was a lot of work like that. With my background in landscaping and owning my own business prior, I wanted to automate things and make things streamlined. So one of the very first things that I did was start seeking out software that was specific for this industry.

Implementing Software

Brandon: January 1, I wanted to start to implement software. So, I interviewed a couple different companies and I used the interfaces a little bit because I knew there was going to be a learning curve with whatever software I use. I didn’t really want to have to try one for a month and then go back and start over again. So, it only took me a month to actually make a decision. That’s because everything else I was just trying to see what else was out there. The user-friendliness and the interface and everything with Docket is really what sold me. After implementing it in January and going through all the tutorials, it was probably three months before I was running like 75%.

It did take a while, but that’s because I had other tasks. I’m basically a one-man band when it comes to the operations, the management, if I have to drive or fill in, because we’re such a small company. But it really helped streamline everything. The drivers like it as well. They don’t have to write tickets anymore. Just trying to simplify all the processes, and that’s what Docka did. It took a little bit of time, but that’s with any software. I just kind of dove right into it and went through the tutorials and just hands-on with the software to integrate it to our existing, just to change over everything.

Time Savings

Brandon: It’s not like it took three months of full integration working every day. It was just a couple days a week, a few hours a day implementing the software, but well worth it. Just the amount of time that I save now. Literally, it’s at least two hours a day just by scheduling. And that doesn’t even take into consideration the routing side of it and the efficiency. From an administrative standpoint, well worth it. Saves that time you invest up front. If you look at that, two hours a day savings, 10 hours a week, that’s 40 hours a month. That’s huge.

Maximizing Profitability

Brandon: The biggest thing is the connection in the process. Making it very easy for people to order a dumpster online, right? I don’t have to take their information. I don’t have to process their credit cards anymore. We can just send them the link. They fill everything out. So, it’s kind of hands-off. It’s a challenge if you take down a wrong credit card number, right? And now you’re chasing these people down for a five instead of a nine because you misheard it on the phone. Just eliminating all of those little things that were the hiccups from an administrative standpoint. That was my biggest challenge. I knew I wanted to get rid of all those headaches, and Docket just really helped and simplified it all.

What I’ll be able to do with our business is it’s been nice to monitor sales, really see where the numbers are coming in at. Just like the separate charges that you can make for the overages and billing, really trying to make every unit that is being sold profitable to maximize profit. Whether it’s a two-day overage charge that you may have missed, those add up, and it makes it so automated that with the click of a button, you’re creating another source of income that you may have missed before because of administrative headaches and tracking. Really just being able to track everything.

Once, when this, I see maximizing profitability number one with this business, and then I even see being able to possibly help other businesses just like mine. From a coaching aspect and being able to integrate something like Docket into their business to help with efficiency. Whether it’s franchising ours or helping other businesses grow, Docket provides that. It’s a platform that you can really, it’s just very robust. You can grow with it, but it’s still user friendly.

Networking

Our company specifically has a niche because we only have one size container really. We have containers on wheels, and we’re really the only one in Cleveland. Not the only one, but in that market that is known for that. We get a lot of recognition because of that. What I’m hoping to do is really network and make connections with people that have different, whether they’re different size dumpsters or their company is missing something that we can add, or we can add something that we’re missing. Just mutually beneficial relationships, and really trying to grow with referrals and making that network stronger.

It’s not really about taking. There’s plenty of business to go around. It’s just as long as you’re profitable, and I think that’s what really Docket helps with, showing that what you’re doing is working, what you’re doing is not working. It really has a metric for that. So, the networking will help everything, and Docket will help facilitate that too.

Advice to Haulers

Anybody that is looking at Docket, it is an investment, right? What you spend monthly will show you how much you’re saving and how much more money you can make. All software is going to cost money. Any process that you do is going to take time. I really like the customer service has been great with Docket. It’s helped free up time. It’s going to be basically the platform that I build the business on and grow with.

I’ve interviewed others. I’ve used other interfaces, and I just really like Docket. It does everything that I needed to do and more. I’ve probably only touched on maybe 50% of the capacity of what Docket offers. So, I look forward to branching out and seeing what else it has going on.

How long did it take to implement Docket?

It took about three months to implement Docket. However, Brandon worked only a few hours a day, a couple of days a week, while managing other tasks simultaneously.

What are the time savings achieved by using Docket?

Using Docket saves approximately two hours daily in scheduling, equating to 10 hours weekly and 40 hours monthly, significantly freeing up administrative time.

How does Docket improve the ordering process?

Docket simplifies the ordering process by allowing customers to order dumpsters online, eliminating manual credit card processing and reducing administrative errors.

What is the niche of Brandon’s company?

Brandon’s company specializes in containers on wheels, a unique offering in Cleveland, which helps in gaining recognition and building a strong network.

What benefits does Docket offer for profitability?

Docket aids in maximizing profitability by automating administrative tasks, tracking sales, and identifying additional income sources through overage charges.