Bags of trash

[under pressure]

So there are afew customers that come to the wash and purchase the top automatic wash, and when the wash is done they drive by my dumpster and throw away a bag or two of their household trash. I know who it is and where they live (watch it all on the cameras and get lic numbers) so should I confront them and potentialy loose a customer or two? It has never been a real big deal but picces me off. I even have signs stating cameras in use. What would you do? also there is another wash about 1 mile away.

 

[johnny]

if i know where they live i take it back and put it at there front door or in there driveway

 

[MEP001]

That's a tough call - the big problem is that these people feel entitled to use your trash facilities since they're paying customers. I made a mistake that I won't make again by telling a guy he could throw his trash in the dumpster since he was going to wash. I thought all he had were a few boxes, which he agreed to break down flat, but he had enough under them to fill the dumpster 1/4 way full, and he only spent $2 washing.

It comes down to whether you want to lose these customers over a couple bags of trash per wash, because you probably will lose them if you say or do anything. I keep the dumpster locked, and these people have no problem filling a can or two with household trash, something I won't allow. I've explained to such people that if I let everyone do it, we'd have to empty trash 20 times a day, pay $1,000 a month in dumpster fees and have garbage everywhere when the cans are full of bags. The ones that say they understand usually don't come back.

 

[Danny]

I agree with Mep. I would suggest locking the dumpster to start with. They might fill your cans instead though. It really comes down to what you are willing to tolerate and if the customer is costing you an excessive amount.

 

[Randy]

You?ve got to be kidding me it?s not a tough call. TAKE it back and dump it in there front yard or in the driveway. Open the bags first so all there garbage spills out. We?ve done it more than once and they get the point real fast. Why don?t you suggest they take it back to the supermarket they buy there groceries at, most grocery stores have a garbage can out front, why not take it back there. It?s because they don?t have any gonads, so they bring it the local dump transfer site, AKA Carwash. We could care less if we pi$$ them off and we lose a customer for running them off for dumping there garbage. It?s a no brainer. Take it back to the house and dump it or call the police and have them cited for theft of services.

 

[Jim Caudill]

I keep my dumpster locked (had to make my own cable-locking system) and have reported those that put stuff outside my dumpster. The most egregious (like that word?) example was someone that dumped several hundred used furnace filters in boxes next to my dumpster. Naturally, I did all the leg work identifying and showing the video, but the deputies cited the guy for "criminal trespass" and "littering". When they interviewed him he admitted wrongdoing. Probably cost him $150 or so (court cost alone is something like $85). Had he bought a wash or used the vac's, they couldn't have charged him with "criminal trespass".

 

[soapy]

I had a guy that would dump his whole week of trash in one of my dumpsters every Sunday night. I opened his trash and took out a few items like a bank statement and credit card statement. I enclosed them in a letter that asked him not to dump his trash in my dumpster since it left me no where to put my trash and I had paid for the dumpster. I think once he saw his personal information he took it seriously and I have not had a problem since.

 

[Sequoia]

Trash

I set a few "trash standards" at my wash and it's been helpful for me. My standards are:

1. Less than two hefty bags of trash, and I do nothing except keep a log of who did it.
2. 3 or more hefty bags of trash, and they either donate to my charity or face the Sheriff.
3. If a customer visits the property and spends money, I don't hassle them.... period.

My trash problems are 98% from people who I never see washing. I rarely have a paying customer who does something trash-related that is objectionable.

You may choose to adopt standards that are different from me. What I found helpful is to *set* the standard, as after that I didn't grind about it-- I just followed the agreed path.

 

[Jim L.]

I use to be a nice guy. I would return their bags of garbage and either talk to the offender or would leave a note stating that my car wash was not the city dump.

Today I employ the “Randy Method”. I just drive up in front of the house a fling the bags into their yard. Like Randy said, they get the message real quick.

I’ve checked my video many times and most of the trash dumpers never spend a dime. Who gives a damm whether they ever come back or not? I say good riddance.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

No brainer for me - do not tolerate it. I agree with Randy, it is an illegal gonadless dump -- I tell them to go put it in the trash can in the bank lobby, they are a customer there too. (only got to actually use that line once though, I rarely catch them in the act.)

I dont fling it on their lawn - I call the cops and have them call the person -- have the cops tell the dumper they win a citation if they dont come back and pick it up within 2 hours. Second offense wins a citation immediately.

I simply do not want those customers, I dont give a cr@p how often they wash. Maybe I'm walking away from money, and I know everybody's money is the same. But at least I feel like I'm not walking away from my principles. If I wouldnt tolerate that kind of behavior from my boys, why should I tolerate it from anybody else, regardless of whether they're a paying customer?

 

[MEP001]

Paul, I would agree with that tactic if I thought it was something that would improve the business. An example would be bed-washing - I don't allow it, we've lost a lot of customers over it, but the return has been a cleaner wash and regular positive comments from customers. I feel like it's "picking your battles" to not say anything to a regular customer if they sometimes throw out a bag of household trash when they purchase the top-level wash. Unless they're filling several cans they're not doing anything that other customers will notice.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

Paul, I would agree with that tactic if I thought it was something that would improve the business.

I agree with your disagreement (that sounds odd!) -- it very well might detract from business. Maybe I'm turning into a crotchety old fart, but I dont care any more. As I said, if I wouldnt let my boys do it, I wont let my customers do it to me.

Now, I'm not talking about 10 bags of McDs junk out of the back seat - I'm talking about the guy who cleans out his coal furnace once a month and dumps the ashes in my trash cans. The guy who shows up with tied-off hefty bags. Bags of trash from a family picnics, all tied up in the plastic table cloth. 15 (yes that is Fifteen) cases of unopened soda bottles.

By the way, it's rural out here - outside of the borough trash pickup is not "free", ie its not included in the taxes - its privatized, you have to have a contract with one of the trash collection companies. Some people choose to not pay, they burn what they can and dump the rest at local businesses. So it is a known problem, and people like me who say "no" are not really frowned upon, I've actually been complimented for standing up to some of these people.

Ultimately though, I would do it anyway. It is illegal dumping, and I choose not to be taken advantage of.
But I do agree with your perspective - it just ticks me off enough that "I choose this battle."

 

[BayWatch]

Is it not also illegal to dump the trash back onto the offender's property. I know it would be hard for them to prove and not likely they would admit they dumped it in the first place, anyone seen that episode of COPS when the prostitute calls the cops because the crack dealer stole her $20-CLASSIC!! I agree with picking and choosing your customers for the benefit of you and the other 99.9% of your customers but also in picking your battles. The guy puts a few bags in the dumpster and spends $10 is better than the guy who fills up a trash can at the vac and spends $1 for the vac. He!!, if the customer closed the lid on the dumpster I'd give him a free wash for be thoughtful. But I would at least have a sign on the dumpster or on a pole next to the dumpster stating the dumpster is for car wash use only and any illegal dumping will be reported to the police along with plate # and offender description. When I was younger my mother always said two wrongs dont make a right, but now she says she has better and cheaper insurance than us younger punks. JMO