What if you need a roll-off dumpster? Do you want to use a local company?
Do you call around to the local companies that offer them and those services? Or, do you go online to a national company that accepts orders for such dumpsters? If you go online, are you hurting local businesses? Is it wrong to do that?
Well, I've done it both ways. Here's what I have found, and what I did today.
The first time I needed a roll-off dumpster to do a clean-out at my home, I called four different local companies. They all quoted me different prices, but none of them had the size of dumpster I wanted for the day I wanted it delivered. It was difficult to get an actual price quote from the local companies, too. There were over a dozen companies in my area, but I gave up after four calls. I had spent a couple of hours on the phone, trying to arrange something.
So, I called a national roll-off dumpster company. In five minutes, I had a price quote for exactly the dumpster I wanted, on the date I wanted it, so I booked it and paid in advance, using a credit card. I had a confirmation email immediately, with instructions for delivery day, a list of prohibited items, and rules for filling the dumpster. All in the email.
So, who showed up at my driveway? One of the companies I had called first. Apparently, they DID have the dumpster in the size I needed on the date I needed it, despite them not being able to promise that when I called them. The truck driver did a great job of placing it on my driveway, leaving plenty of room for the door on the dumpster to open, as well.
See, here's the thing: All roll-off dumpster companies are local businesses. That national company just serves to coordinate with local companies to find and schedule those services. I got a fixed price, which no doubt includes a profit for the national company, and did not have to search for and find a company that could promise what I needed on the day I needed it.
Now, I did not get to pick the company that actually provided the roll-off dumpster services. I tried to do that, and failed. But, a local business got the job and got paid for the job.
I did the same thing about 18 months ago. A different company delivered a roll-off dumpster that time. A different driver carefully placed it in my driveway. When I notified the national company the day before it got picked up, it was picked up right on schedule.
This morning, I ordered another 20 cubic yard dumpster, since we're getting ready to move. I called the same national company, which had the records from my other two orders. Arranging for the dumpster took less than five minutes. Which local company will deliver it? I have no idea. I don't really care.
Does anyone think those local companies care? They don't. They like that arrangement with the national company taking orders for them. Do customers care? They do not. They just want a dumpster in their driveway and for it to be hauled away when it's full.
I won't name the national company. It will show up if you search for roll-off dumpsters in your area. I suggest that you schedule your service through them. It will save you plenty of time and you'll still be patronizing a local company, with local employees and a local business owner.
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I believe the local companies link up with a national trade group, and they get referrals from other similar companies that aren't local.
We consider somebody "local" because we call them in our own area code, and they have what looks to be a local address, am I right? It's an obvious question, but the answer is not obvious. Here's my story: I needed a locksmith several years ago and it was an emergency. I was locked out of my house (long story) and it was close to midnight. So I called someone who was listed in a local Pittsburgh phonebook, local phone number. He said "Somebody will be there in less than an hour."
About 45 minutes later someone showed up at my house to open up my door, but it wasn't the guy I called. It turns out the guy I called was in California, and he referred the job to this guy who was 10 miles from me! The local guy did the job and I paid him, but he owed some kind of percentage to the guy who gave him the referral. That's when he asked me, why did I call the guy in California? I said "I didn't. I called a local Pittsburgh number, and I thought he was in the city."
Maybe nobody uses the Yellow Pages book anymore, but nowadays the internet is the Yellow Pages. Our calls are going everywhere, and we don't even know it. We think we're calling a local company but it may not be the case.
