I recently ran a Google search for portable restroom companies in my area to see which of the local contractors would pop up first on the list. To my surprise, the first company I recognized – a professional family outfit I am acquainted with – came up fifth from the top in the search results.

What popped up ahead of the local company I know? Three companies with generic names and similar website content, all promising to be the best local provider of restrooms in my hometown.

So I called one of them and reached an account manager. I asked for the company’s local address. I was told there isn’t a local address; that this company is based in a large city 1,300 miles away from me, and that it operates a couple of websites with generic names to serve customers nationally.

I was told that the national provider at the top of my local Google search secures orders for portable restrooms and then subcontracts the work to portable restroom operators in my hometown.

Can you shed light on this Internet development? Are the readers of Pumper –predominately small, local, family run business owners – affiliated with companies using the Web and national call centers to land contracts for portable sanitation? Is this a suitable way to add revenue for your business? Or do these companies offer to pay you less than you standard fee to take on this subcontracted work? Is this development good or bad for the industry?

Do you have comments on this blog? Respond below or send me an email at editor@pumper.com.