Why This Hauler Switched to Docket Dumpster Software

Jackson: The software we had been using, it was fine to get us going, but we started to reach a point where it wasn’t able to keep up with us. We have dumpsters probably an hour and a half radius from our yard, and different zip codes, different types of clientele, and pricing. So, it started to create a real hassle on our end to book stuff for the builders and get everything priced.

The system, the technology, is supposed to automate a lot of that stuff, and we just weren’t finding that automation prior to switching to Docket. Another thing is adjusting the route. So, using DRS, you could set up the route for the driver, but if you had to change something, you had to call him. With Docket, we can, from the dispatch page, myself or my brother adjust the route and it’ll automatically pop up on that driver’s route in the truck in real time.

Some people want alerts every time we send an invoice and a truck’s on the way, and some of our customers go through 12 dumpsters a week and they don’t want the notification. So, Docket allows us to do that. Right before we made the switch, we had to actually, for one particular customer, turn everyone’s notifications off that was set as a contractor because we couldn’t do that. So, that’s been a game changer.

When we go to put either a recurring customer or a new customer, having pricing specific to their needs was a lot more difficult to do and required a manual entry of that price every time. When they’re going through several dumpsters a week, and then we’re having, you know, we have two trucks running full-time, sometimes a third, it’s, you start to create more work on the back end, and that’s cutting into time to do invoicing and sales and all the other aspects of the business. That was something that Docket allowed us to do with the pricing matrix and customizing that for each client.

There were issues on the billing side and the invoicing where the customers, they were having trouble kind of understanding just the format. Also, we were getting a lot of missed online orders because our customers were telling us that prior to switching to Docket, our online ordering process was confusing. Our rental system is very simple. It’s either a 10-day consumer rental or a 30-day contractor rental, and so when they would go to book online, they would just get overwhelmed and abandon the shopping cart. Maybe one out of ten of those people would even call us and try and book it through the phone, so we were losing business there, and we knew it.

The straw that broke the camel’s back for the software was the dispatch system for the drivers. They were not able to understand the DRS system, and it seemed like every time they finally started to figure it out, they would update it and they would be back to square one. It was a major update, and it was never very intuitive. Even I, as a 27-year-old, couldn’t figure out the dispatch system. What ended up happening was we would enter in dumpsters on a swap out; all the landfill info, the stuff we need for billing was being put on a new dumpster instead of the one being picked up. I thought I would show them how it’s done, and I ended up making the same mistakes. So, we thought there’s got to be a better software because if seasoned truck drivers can’t figure out our software, it’s not them, it’s probably the software.

When it comes time to switch, Docket is very much on your side, and they go out of their way to take that burden on with you, so it really doesn’t actually feel like a burden. There was a huge weight lifted off our shoulders when Antoine was our particular guy helping us switch. He got our login info for Docket, we sent him some spreadsheets we’d already had with customer information, we pulled it from our QuickBooks account, and I woke up the next morning, opened up Docket, and it was all in there. I fine-tuned some contact information where there is a builder who has multiple emails, but they were all in there, and I just had to assign them as a billing contact or a site contact. We really just started doing that as they called to book their next swap out, and it made it super easy. We really didn’t have to put in much extra.

FAQ

How does Docket improve route adjustments for drivers?

Docket allows for real-time route adjustments directly from the dispatch page. This means that changes can be made by dispatchers and will instantly appear on the driver’s route in their truck, eliminating the need for phone calls to communicate updates.

What issue did the previous software have with customer notifications?

The previous software couldn’t customize notifications for different clients, forcing a manual process to turn them on or off. Docket allows specific preferences for alerts, accommodating customers who want notifications and those who do not.

How does Docket handle pricing for recurring customers?

Docket simplifies pricing by using a customizable pricing matrix, eliminating the need for manual entry each time. This is especially beneficial for clients who require multiple dumpsters weekly, streamlining billing and reducing backend workload.

Why was the online ordering process an issue before Docket?

The online ordering process was confusing, causing customers to abandon their carts. With a simple rental system of either 10-day or 30-day options, the confusion led to missed orders and lost business, which Docket has helped to rectify.

What was the main problem with the previous dispatch system?

The previous dispatch system, DRS, was not intuitive and complicated for drivers, even after updates. It led to errors such as incorrect entry of landfill information on new dumpsters, highlighting the need for a more user-friendly solution like Docket.