I swear I could literally throttle somebody right now!
Been using the same carting company for the past decade. I don`t do a ton of business with them….but several containers a year. They had been offering me an account with them for some time, but I had declined. My former employer claimed that he had gotten hammered by them with overage charges only during the time that he held an account with them. Several times a year they`d tack on an overage to his bill.
Not having an account, I have never gotten a call or a bill for overage.
When I recently called to request a 20 yd container, I was informed of a new policy whereby I`d have to sign a release before they`d drop one off to me. I asked what it was about and was told its simply “our new policy”. When I called to have the container removed, I found out I`d need to sign another release.
I had a sneaking suspicion confirmed this morning when I recieved a phone call from the carting company informing me of an overage charge. There is no way in the world that this container weighed in over the maximum. I`ve been doing this for far too long. I ordered a 20 yarder because I felt there was just a bit too much debris to fit in a ten yarder. Once the container was filled, I could see that I was correct. The rear third of the container had very little in it. Most of the load could have been packed into a ten yarder, and it was nothing more than lumber and drywall.
I`ll pay the bill, but it will be the last check I write them.
Thanks for allowing me to rant, you may have saved a life.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
“DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE”
Replies
I'd make it a point to deliver the same rant to them as well. I use a very large national firm for commercial dumpster service and have had similar issues. I think it was interesting that on a recent interview I saw with their CEO he was bragging about how they had been able to increase their margins every single quarter since he came on board. Makes me wonder what the mechanism is...
Paul
Oh, they`ll get an earful for sure. The poor woman who I spoke to this morning got a taste. They`ll be receiving more than just a check in the mail.
I plan on saying my piece and never dealing with them again.J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
Wonder if you can insist on seeing a copy of the weight report...from a certified scale...with a serial number for the container.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
I had thought of that myself Ed......don`t know that I`d believe what they offered as proof though, nor that it (the dollars charged) is worth my time and agrevation.
I popped my lid this morning....I`ll write them a nasty little note and go on with my life. Probably exactly what they had expected me to do.
My biggest problem is I don`t remain mad enough, long enough. J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
My biggest problem is I don`t remain mad enough, long enough.
I'm sure you know this but mad doesn't usually work as well as reasoned and firm with the facts and expectations clearly stated. Of course, if you have decided to toast the bridge for good, and it sounds like you have, it can really warm the soul to put plenty of fuel on the fire.
I've got a supplier that may get a serious, no holds barred rant one of these days but I'm holding out for a check instead of the satisfaction of the screaming, ranting release I feel brewing.
My biggest mistake, on the rare occasions when I loose it, is that I usually let go on the low man on the totem pole who has the misfortune of delivering the final straw instead of the fat cat that rode my back to the breaking point. Kevin Halliburton
"Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." - Solomon
Kevin
My biggest mistake, on the rare occasions when I loose it, is that I usually let go on the low man on the totem pole who has the misfortune of delivering the final straw instead of the fat cat that rode my back to the breaking point.
I do exactly the same thing, I even go so far as to say "Look its not you personally, its just that you unfortunately answered the phone at the wrong time" then I go on a rant!
Doug
Thats one of the reasons I rarely follow up on these things....tearing into the shlub that answers the phone isn`t going to do me much good...may make ME feel better, but in reality its not getting me any results.
Were it a small time operation I`d be more likely to make an attempt.....this carting company is one of the largest in my area....I doubt any of the higher ups is even available for conference...I doubt even more they care at all whether I ever do business with them again.J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
Just for my own reference Jaybird I'm wondering if you wouldn't mind e-mailing me just who the carting company in question is since we do sometimes work down that way. I'll email you who we use around here just so you have it your book too. I'm under the impression your down in Pelham while were up up north from you in Katonah and generally work eastward out to Ridgefield, Wilton, and down to Westport CT. While we haven't been down to the south side of 287 in about a year now we've done a lot of work in Harrison and Scarsdale in the past.
View Image
ParadigmProjects.com | Paradigm-360.com | Mac4Construction.com
My biggest problem is I don`t remain mad enough, long enough.
http://www.viagra.com/
Once caught wind of a related problem. Construction manager was calling in and having his container emptied. He gets a charge tacked on. Figuring it was a fluke he paid and went on business as usual.
A few weeks later same thing but this time he remembered that the dumpster was loosely filled with insulation and should not have been anywhere near over weight. He checked with the company and they pulled the weighing ticket. It clearly showed that the container was over. It stopped there for a time.
Several weeks it happened the same way. He got on the line to a manager who observed what was dumped. Seems the load was heavy primarily because there was a lot of concrete in the load. My man knew he hadn't had any concrete and told the manger.
Several weeks later he received a check for all the overage charges. Seems the manager started following his driver and it yielded results. Seems the driver was picking up loads and driving them to a relatives job site where considerable amounts of additional trash, and no small amount of concrete, was added. The manager put an end to the drivers employment and his practices.
Seems the manager started following his driver
None of that around here. First problem is that there is only the one commercial waste company in the county. Actually, the landfill now serves 3 counties--so there's one company for all three counties. The 'lock' on the business is solid enough that BFI in Houston can't even get in.
They also have trouble keeping drivers too. Which has turned into chicken-egg-chicken; they'll hire just about anybody who can produce a CDL. But without the DoT endorsements (or when the DUIs come out in the background check), they have to let the drivers go (or do after they get cited by the constabulary).
So, there's a cottage industry of hombres with more than dilapidated vehicles hauling "personal" loads to the land fill. The construction debris is not really good for the landfill, but they pays the cash for the weight on the scale. Downside: doesn't cost any less, and the service isn't any better.
Oh well.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Yea good point. I had a guy who was hauling for me once, bobcat w/ 7 yard truck 200 bucks a load. Well when some of the neighbors seen the guy loading and hauling they came out and started asking "hey how much to haul this or that" of course my guy refused because he was on my dime but JB's guy might not be.
Darkworksite4:
El americano pasado hacia fuera ase la bandera
Sometimes it can be hard, particularly when it is in the morning and the neighborhood is essentially empty so there are no witnesses, for a driver to resist someone coming up and offering them cash to add a little something to the load. The driver sees tax free cash. The rouge load gets carried off on your nickel.
This can be very interesting when the, small additional load, contains a couple of drums of chemical or medical waste, run over a few times at the dump before being discovered the clean up, and fines, can be expensive. Especially when your paying for trash that is not yours but you may have difficulty proving otherwise. The driver will claim, usually not entirely without cause based on the average capabilities of those who end up in these jobs, ignorance.
A stereotype to be sure but not one that is discriminatory or without some supporting evidence.
They're in the wrong and they can better absorb their mistake than you can. I'd enclose a check for the proper amount, clearly state why it is that you are discounting the bill and send it to the president or owner's attention, marked private.
I'm in Jersey and a local container company around here billed me for an extra $51.00 twice in a row. I called both times about it and the secretary told me just to ignore it - that bill automatically goes to everyone! How convenient - I wonder how much 'free money' they get per year out of that.
Jay,
Tell us how much the charge was that you got so worked up over.
I'm not saying in any way that you shouldn't be po'd. It's happened to me. Usually $85.oo per ton over. And you gotta watch out for the companies that advertise lowball prices with no or lttle tonnage included.
I just figure high for the junk always. I'm not gonna get a nut over a c note.
Eric
Weren`t much.....$63.00....won`t make nor brake me.....my markup on the job will cover it. Its not the money that irked me. Its just that I had a feeling it was coming, and I`m certain the container wasn`t overweight.J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
This got me to thinking..........I got this neat digital camera as a gift recently.
I've been photographing everything I do lately, before, during, after. I'm havin' a blast.
I wonder what the owner of the container would say if you told him that you had photo's of all of the contents as they were being loaded.
Junk's become a big pia lately. I have found that some of the smaller co's are a little easier to deal with. Was actually dealing with a 'broker' at one point. Same guy, same # for years, but different names on the trucks all the time. Finally asked him what's the deal. He buy's lots of containers at a discount, can still sell them at market value, makes money being on the phone all day. Go figure.
Eric
I once had a driver pick up my container and he said to me "weighs about 2 ton." I said "you can tell how much it weighs?". He said "oh yeah, within a quarter ton". I got a bill for four ton.
That company called "Badabing"?
My life is my passion!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Screw'em JB you dont need that mess. I go to the BBB , and some state/ local agency and file a complaint about them. Then start talking and asking people if they had the same prob with them . If enough people complain thenn the agency will do something. I hate greedy jerk offs like that.
Darkworksite4:
El americano pasado hacia fuera ase la bandera