The start of a new year can signify many things. It can be a fresh start or a time to set new goals and intentions. It can also bring about many changes. If one of those changes is transitioning to a new waste and recycling provider, there’s a tried-and-true roadmap you can follow that will not only set your business on the right path to streamlining your waste and recycling services, but may just help you set some new goals (or resolutions) along the way.

Waste Harmonics and Keter’s transition roadmap consists of six key milestones and during each phase of the onboarding process, trusted team members will be in place to ensure the transition goes smoothly and that your goals are prioritized within your new suite of waste and recycling services. Here’s a closer look at the main “stops” along the way.

Stop 1: Contract Award

Cost effectiveness and consolidation tend to be the main drivers behind making the switch to a new provider and it’s our goal to match your services to what success should look like. During the intake process, we take great care to understand your business model and service footprint, including current waste and recycling volumes, alongside key performance metrics to scale your services appropriately. Our solutions team will dig through the data to define any outliers so there’s true visibility to what your services look like today to then understand where efficiencies can be made. We’ll also spend some time with the finance department, making sure our invoicing matches your ideal format for a smooth billing transition. Readily available support personnel, including a dedicated relationship manager, will be on hand to answer questions or address any concerns. Your trusted team will know the ins and outs of what’s possible to not only simplify your contract, but also add value wherever possible as your program gets put in place.

Stop 2: Service Agreement

Once the contract is signed and a go-live date is set, your team will enact a detailed communications protocol to ensure there’s no disruption in services. This includes implementing an open dialogue with all haulers and other key vendors in your service network to ensure all service agreements are executed in a timely and uninterrupted fashion. Don’t be afraid to lean on your team—these industry pros will be adept with the finer details of your contract and have the expertise to work directly with haulers to ensure all expectations are met, freeing your time up to focus your attention on your core business.

Stop 3: Site Surveys

If you’ve ever heard the phrase “seeing is believing,” just know, that’s our mantra. In addition to employing a robust communications protocol with you and your extended vendor network, our team will also conduct site surveys to ensure the proper services and service levels are implemented—at no charge to you. We’ll also run through various risk management scenarios, staging containers to prepare for any anticipated adjustments and to understand how your sites are operating for any further refinement along the way (e.g., adjusting your pickup schedule, adding or removing containers, etc.).

Stop 4: Kick-Off Call

As we keep pace toward the go-live date, we’ll conduct an initial kick-off call, introducing you to your core support team. We’ll then set a cadence for regularly scheduled check-in meetings, whether they be once a week, bi-weekly or at your convenience to consistently outline expectations, commitments and progress toward deliverables as the program is implemented. During a typical transition process, teams will meet roughly one month prior to the go-live date and then weekly for about another 30-60 days, allowing for continued transparency into the process each step of the way. This schedule builds in time to activate communication and invoicing protocols with haulers and other essential vendors.

Stop 5: Reporting

Transparency at every level of the transition process is crucial to the success of the program. That’s why one of the final pieces of the puzzle is laying the foundation for capturing key data and analytics to measure your program’s performance over time. All customers will gain access to our real-time reporting platform and while quarterly business reviews will be scheduled to dive deep into the data, your team will also continuously monitor to identify any adjustments that may improve costs and efficiencies outside of your standard quarterly reviews.

Stop 6: Go Live!

Once your program is live and fully implemented, rest assured that the road doesn’t end there. While the transition process typically takes around 90 days, the roadmap is continuous, meaning our team will constantly evaluate site levels, pricing, source new vendors, update reporting mechanisms and look for more creative ways to capture the metrics that align with your goals.

Believe your business may be ready to make the switch to a new waste and recycling partner? Connect with our team to learn more and see how we can help you navigate the road ahead.