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Building the Shelter of Strong Relationships By Steve Baie, Southeast Area Manager When money, services and goods are being exchanged, you’re in a negotiation. Negotiations that don’t treat both parties fairly can build conflicts over time. If you always strive for win/win in your negotiations, you can build long-lasting relationships of trust and friendship that will shelter you through the tough times.

Every company has different types of customers. There are “Rookies” — the first-time buyers who are new in business. “Shoppers” are customers who drift from one vendor to the next, looking for lower prices, better service or some combination of the two. “One-Timers” are customers with a once-only event like an outdoor wedding, who probably won’t be back again. There are surely many other kinds that you can name.

Most people in portable sanitation started off in another line of work. They may have been plumbers, septic installers, rental suppliers, contractors, waste haulers ... you name it. But few started as sales professionals. Once you are in this business though, the fastest way to prosper is to develop your sales skills. I’ve been in sales for almost 20 years, and have read hundreds of books and articles about sales techniques.

I am very lucky to work in a business I’ve loved for twenty years. It has given me a unique window on the world, and it continues to fill me with moments of gratitude and pride. Some of the best times in my life have been spent driving around meeting customers in their businesses and homes. I’ve enjoyed listening and finding ways to improve things that would help you become more successful. Helping people is the part of the business that I find the most gratifying.

Simply thinking about your customers a new way can greatly increase your sales. Do you think of your customers as just a paycheck? Or, do you think of customers as family, partners or friends ... people you can help, and who in turn can help you? In my job, I get to see a lot of different small businesses in action. I see which are growing and which are struggling. One thing the top performers have in common is the way they treat their customers like family.

For many portable restroom companies, marketing is an afterthought. Sure, most have a Yellow Pages ad, but few invest in the power of marketing to grow their business by creating an annual plan with a realistic budget for marketing expenses. Marketing experts agree that a business should spend approximately ten percent of their revenues per year on marketing. It only makes sense that you need to let people know who you are, what you do, and how to reach you if your business is going to grow.

An angry customer can be one of your most important assets. Why? Because for every customer who calls with a complaint, there may be 10 others who are thinking the same thing, but would rather let it drop. The one customer who calls is your early warning signal that something might be wrong. You’ll never know who’s happy and who isn’t unless you put a system in place for dealing with complaints and learning as much as possible from everyone who calls.

Five Questions to Ask an Event Planner By Ray Luden, aka the Toilet Whisperer When it comes to supplying portable restrooms for a special event, it’s important to ask the right questions. Whether your event is a pig roast in the park or a backyard wedding, asking the right questions will help you provide the right kind of support. And the answers to these questions just might get you extra business. Here are the top five answers to get you started.

My years of experience have taught me a little bit about solid routing practices. You might even say I’m a Master Router. That’s why I like to make sure my customers understand the ins and outs of planning an efficient service route. Good planning can translate into better outcomes for you and your customers. And providing great customer service is the key to building lasting business relationships.

The Hindu, 8 June 2014 - Sulabh International Museum of Toilets highlights the 4,500-year history of sanitation through a varied collection of posters, photographs and life-sized replicas of toilets used in different parts of the world during different time periods. Portable toilets are also on display, and toilet humor gets a nod as well.