Challenged by an economic downturn and concerned about a lack of industry professional standards, a group of veteran portable restroom operators in metropolitan Atlanta has banded together to share equipment, ideas and resources.

“Jeff Wigley (owner of Pit Stop Portables Sanitation Services Inc.) and I thought it was a good time to see if other companies out there would be interested in forming a group that could come up with ideas to help each other out — explore possible synergies and efficiencies,” explains Jeremy Hawkins, owner of Blu-John.com Portable Sanitation in Cumming, Ga.

Other operators enthusiastically agreed, and the Metro Atlanta Work Group, or MAWG, was born. To be a member, a company must have at least five years of operating experience in Georgia and be an active member of the Portable Sanitation Association International, which advises the group to be sure matters are conducted in a professional, above-board manner, says Hawkins.

The group has met about a half dozen times since forming in 2007. It is only a work group, not a formal association or organization. The only forbidden subject at meetings is pricing, Hawkins emphasizes.

“Our goal is not to exclude people, but rather include the professionals who are going to be here in the long run,” notes member Claudette Orzech, owner of Happy Can in Atlanta.

Adds Hawkins, “We want to raise the operating bar so that every Tom, Dick and Harry can’t jump into this business overnight.”

So far, members agree the collaboration is a resounding success. Whether it’s sharing equipment, covering parts of each others’ routes when it makes sense geographically, bouncing ideas off each other or just simply commiserating, the group’s efforts are helping each member weather the economical storm.

“There’s no reason why other companies around the country can’t do this, too,” Hawkins notes. “In fact, we plan to stay together even after the economy rebounds to help strengthen our industry in our marketplace.”

Here’s what other members had to say about the group’s benefits.

“I agreed wholeheartedly when I was asked to join,” recalls Mark Slade, who says the meetings offer a valuable opportunity for members to talk about changes in the industry. “We all run into each other from time to time and talk, so with the downturn, it started to make more sense … to trade ideas — war stories, if you will — and see if we can’t create efficiencies on our own profit-and-loss statements.”

Experienced operators know how to “batten down the hatches” during an economic downturn and reduce costs by cutting company fat that’s built up over the years. Inexperienced operators, however, tend to cut prices as a knee-jerk reaction, which then induces a ripple effect that harms everyone, he notes.

“I was excited about joining,” says Jeff Grogan. “It gave me comfort knowing I wasn’t the only one having a hard time.”

The information exchanged at meetings led Grogan to change from fuel cards good for only one brand of gasoline to generic cards that can be used at many different gas stations. That way his drivers can shop for the best fuel prices on a daily basis.

“Even a few cents a day adds up when you’re fueling several trucks,” Grogan notes.

Because of the meetings, Grogan now buys products in larger quantities to get volume price breaks.

“I’m real excited to be a part of the group,” says Chuck Shropshire. “I think it would have come about even without an economic downturn — it’s been on the verge of happening for a couple years.”

As for benefits, Shropshire says the group has created some synergies on servicing routes, as well as borrowing equipment he otherwise would have been forced to buy at a time when money is tight.

“Right now, I’m servicing units for other members and they’re servicing units for me, so it’s a win-win situation all the way around,” he comments.

One of the best benefits of the meetings was a unified push to get route drivers PSAI-certified, Shropshire adds.

“The certification process was very successful at my company,” he notes. “It defined our processes, our cleaning procedures and our overall standards … and gave my drivers much more pride in what they do than they had before. Prior to this certification process, they didn’t realize that they could be recognized for meeting a professional standard in this industry.”

“It’s a wonder we didn’t think of this earlier,” says Claudette Orzech about the group’s formation.

One of the group’s main goals is to elevate the status of the industry in Georgia, she points out.

“Specifically, we’re working with lobbyists to pass legislation regarding operating procedures — things like drivers and certification, waste disposal, safety and insurance requirements,” Orzech says. “We want to ensure smaller companies that come into the area know what the minimum standards are, and we want contractors to know that we’re certified and are handling liquid waste properly.”

Orzech also agrees that the PSAI certification class was a huge success, and she plans to use the certifications as a marketing angle to differentiate her company from those without certified drivers.

“We had 65 drivers turn out for the certification,” she notes. “Without this group, there wouldn’t have been that many in the class.”

“Just getting to know each other has been fun,” observes Terri Wigley. “It’s hard to put a value on that … it’s good to know you’re not alone.”

Terri Wigley said that because of the meetings, Pit Stop is doing more volume buying to take advantage of price breaks.

“I think there’s even a possibility in the future of ordering supplies as a group,” she points out.

Jeff Wigley said one of the main reasons to form the group was to dispel the notion that portable restroom service is a commodity.

“If it was a commodity, and all service was the same, then customers could just pick the cheapest company and keep going,” he explains. “But we all feel there’s value in what we do. There should be a difference when you use a PSAI-certified company. It’s all about professionalism.”

“We all knew a group like this was needed,” says Lewis Carter. “We just didn’t know who would step forward, or whether there’d be good chemistry among the people involved. But I’m very pleased.”

Carter is convinced the group’s value will grow dramatically in the future.

“This isn’t just about getting through some economic trouble,” he observes. “This group will be much more beneficial in two years than it is now. I think we’ll be invited to air our views on legislation and regulations affecting our industry, which probably wouldn’t happen without this group. Even this early, there’s a little bit of clout here.”

Carter echoed other members’ concerns about industry newcomers diluting professional standards.

“If a job with a contractor lasts a year, we want to be able to assure the contractor that we’ll still be around doing business by then, as opposed to someone who just drops a hose in a tank and thinks that’s all there is to it,” he emphasizes.