WINTER BRINGS TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
January and February are busy months for pumpers in southern states, but for us polar bears, work slows a little. That’s the perfect time to devote one or two hours a morning once a week to in-house training. It’s been a productive concept for my business and well received by the employees. I cut and paste PowerPoint presentations into some neat-looking programs. You can, too, by downloading the National Association of Wastewater Transporters Treatment Symposium PowerPoint presentations at www.nawt.org.
Another great place to find material on various topics is the U.S. Environ-mental Protection Agency Office of Water Technical Information page at http://cfpub.epa.gov/owm/septic/septic.cfm?page_id=271. Just one EPA Fact Sheet provides enough information for a two-hour discussion. Don’t begin planning for a training session two days before it’s scheduled. Allow ample time to think of a whole bunch of subjects. I begin developing my list, with employee suggestions, in early November.
For example, one topic I cover every year is the equipment on the trucks. The guys know how to make it work, but often don’t understand the difference between vacuum and pressure and what the gauges tell them. Just explaining how the pump functions and what the valves do takes 30 minutes. Those with more experience chime in, the newer guys ask questions, and everybody learns something.
Another favorite topic is customer relations. When it comes to company policy, it’s vital that all employees use the same script, especially when it involves preventive maintenance cleaning. It isn’t good when customers hear one driver advise a pump-out every year and another driver telling them to wait two to four years.
Customer relations includes what drivers do when they arrive. I tell my guys, “Before you do anything, maybe even before pulling in the driveway, knock on the door. Let homeowners know you’re there.” You want to avoid the conversation I had with a customer a few years ago. It went like this:
Customer: You said a man would clean my tank this morning. It’s late afternoon and he still hasn’t come.
Ferrero: My employee was there at 10:30 this morning.
Customer: I didn’t see him, and I’ve been home all day.
Oops.
If a customer believes he or she will be charged for a service call that never happened, it’s the result of pure carelessness on the employer’s part. Yes, we did a great job pumping the septic tank, but the service was crummy. The customer didn’t even know we were there.
Most of my topics are specific to different types of septic systems. Each is suitable for a 60-minute presentation. After establishing the framework, questions and answers fill in the rest of the hour. Do give some thought to what the topic will be and how to present it. Don’t start with the most complicated systems you service. Work your way up to them in a logical manner and make sure to build on what was presented last week.
Each part of our nation is unique. Use it. Employers can talk about the different types of septic tanks and where to find the lids. They’re not always in the middle or on the ends. Maybe your area has cesspools or seepage pits. Encourage audience participation. I may have two or three examples, but my more experienced employees chime in with six more of their own. Sharing their knowledge makes them feel valuable, and the new guys enjoy learning from them. A few horror stories and funny anecdotes are good morale builders and informative. In-house training is well worth the effort and pays substantial dividends by improving the level of customer service.
SERVICE IS WHAT WE SELL
I am convinced that what we sell is service. Everybody talks that way, but I’m not so sure everybody believes it. As I drive around the country, my perception is that the busiest, most successful companies have two common denominators: they are the highest priced and offer the most services. On the other hand, those who want to do nothing except pump tanks believe that they have to pump cheaper than anyone else.
My competitors respect me if for no other reason than I’ve never stolen a job from them. I’m always the most expensive. I have never knocked on people’s doors and undercut my competition. Quality service, high caliber employees, and keeping my focus aimed forward determine my bottom line.
Do we slow down during recessions? Yes, but thank God we’re not selling yachts or luxury cars. Our industry revolves around a job that must be done. Sure, customers will stretch their pump-outs, but work is always available. For example, Pennsylvania approved a $1.2 billion bond referendum to upgrade its water and wastewater infrastructure. Upgrades at treatment plants involve installing new components in large capacity tanks, which must be emptied and cleaned first. That’s a big opportunity for pumpers. Opportunities are out there if you look for them.
Your employees don’t like giving up the overtime pay going from 60 to 50 hours a week, but cutting hours enables companies to stay in business and retain their highly trained employees. If you think you’ll be shorthanded by spring, hire help now. For example, a new driver started for me on Jan. 2, but I won’t need him until March 15. The two months he’s around is the cost of his training. By the time work kicks into high gear, he’ll be a valuable employee. Always focus ahead.
TREATMENT SYMPOSIUM DATE CHANGED
NAWT changed the dates for its 4th Annual Waste Treatment Symposium from Sept. 16-17 to Oct. 9-10. This has been done to coordinate with WEFTEC, the Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference, which is also in Orlando, Fla., but on Oct. 11-14. We wanted our attendees to stay and enjoy the exhibit hall, which is open Sunday afternoon and all day Monday. Last year’s show drew 1,111 vendors, many with information on waste treatment. You’ll need both days to see everything.
The first day of our symposium covers septage, septage treatment, and business planning. Saturday morning, we focus on grease, then attendees are bused to a septage and grease trap processing facility by noon. Check here next month for more details. For right now, save the dates. You won’t want to miss this one.
