For portable restroom operators, the number of units that can be serviced in a day depends on many factors, including location and the number, setup and capacity of pumper trucks. Although there are some limitations you can’t overcome, there are ways to optimize your approach.

After all, it may only take six to eight minutes per unit to clean and service, but there are plenty of other obstacles consuming time along the way. There are steps you can take to improve operations to serve more customers.

Factors affecting daily service goals

The easiest and quickest way to service customers is when units are all lined up neatly along your route. Of course, it’d also help if you could get rid of traffic and avoid chit-chatting with customers. However, the reality is that several things impact daily services, including:

• Number of units needing weekly service
• Customer locations
• Number of pumper trucks and equipment
• Location of your business, rural vs. urban sites
• Units with heavy use
• Number of customers requiring weekly services
• Staff size and weekly working hours
• Unexpected unit tip-overs, graffiti or splatter cake incidents

Ways to optimize time spent servicing units

There are many benefits to servicing more units per day or week, including the big one: increased revenue. By far, the best way to service more units is to focus on routing and avoid known traffic backups. Route optimization software helps PROs design the most efficient routes for their drivers.

Additionally, consider using GPS units in your vehicles that show traffic incidents, allowing drivers to find a better path quickly. Outside of routing, there are other steps PROs take to increase productivity and build efficiencies into existing workflows.

Other recommendations for maximizing the number of units serviced include:

• Perform pre-trip checks to ensure the vehicle is fully equipped and workers have all the necessary and potential supplies and tools to do the job.
• Keep a robust toolkit with supplies required for quick repairs or to handle unexpected problems while on the road or at a customer site.
• Take a look at your numbers. How long does it take per customer and per employee? Can you learn something from this information?
• Adopt tools and workflows that simplify the process of checking out supplies, verifying service, and reporting problems.
• Review policies regarding issues caused by customers, such as blocked units, and enforce fees to reduce problems.
• Develop staff policies to ensure workers get the job done the first time correctly and avoid callbacks for services.

Safety considerations when adopting new goals

Although it’s important to maximize your routes and schedules, being short-staffed poses unique limitations. PROs may work more shifts themselves or find employees willing to work extra hours for the right price.

But long hours increase your risks on the road and when using the equipment. Moreover, focusing solely on hitting a set number may encourage team members to cut corners or do less than their best job. As a result, your customers may complain or lose confidence in your worker or company.

Make a realistic goal that works for your business

The number of units you can realistically service in a day is unique to your portable restroom company. However, identifying key ways to improve productivity and prioritizing routing helps PROs increase efficiencies.

Looking to take your business to the next level? Click here to download PolyJohn’s “Your Guide to Operating a Portable Restroom Business” for free.