DumpsterBossPro Blog — Running a Dumpster Business

Turning Homeowners and Contractors Into Referrals for Your Dumpster Business

The best customers a roll-off company gets usually come from another customer. A neighbor saw your can in a driveway and asked who they used. A remodeler told a roofer you swap fast. A property manager mentioned you to another manager. Those customers arrive already trusting you, and they cost nothing to find.

This guide follows Getting More Reviews for Your Dumpster Rental Business. Here is how to turn happy customers into a steady flow of referrals.

Where Referrals Come From

In a dumpster business, referrals tend to come from three places. Homeowners tell neighbors, family and friends, especially when a project is visible from the road and the can looked tidy. Contractors tell other contractors and the homeowners they work for. And businesses that work alongside you — realtors, property managers, cleanout companies — recommend you to their clients.

Each group refers for different reasons. Homeowners refer because it was easy and the driver was nice. Contractors refer because you were reliable and did not hold up their crews. Business partners refer because recommending you makes them look good.

It is worth building relationships with that third group on purpose. A realtor preparing a house for sale, a property manager turning over units, an estate cleanout company, a moving company that keeps meeting people who need to get rid of things — all of them run into customers who need a can. Introduce yourself, leave a card, and make sure they know you answer requests quickly. One good partner can send more work in a year than a month of advertising.

Your Cans Are Advertising

A clean, freshly painted can with your company name and phone number sitting in a driveway is seen by every neighbor who drives past. A rusty, dented can with a faded name is also seen, and it says something different. Keeping your cans in good shape is part of your marketing.

The driver matters too. Neighbors watch the delivery. A driver who sets the can carefully, protects the driveway and leaves the area clean is advertising for you on every job.

Think about how the neighbor can reach you. Your company name and phone number should be large and readable on every can, and your website should be easy to find by name. A neighbor who has to work hard to find you will often just search for the nearest dumpster company instead.

Ask, But Ask Well

Most happy customers would refer you if asked, but few think of it on their own. Ask at the right time: when the job is finished and the customer is pleased. Keep it simple. Something like, "If you know anyone with a project coming up, we would appreciate you passing our name along."

For contractors, be more direct. A remodeler knows other trades who need cans. Ask if there is anyone he would introduce you to, and follow up when he does. When the introduction leads to work, tell him so. Contractors like knowing their word carried weight, and it makes the next introduction more likely.

Make It Easy to Refer

A referral should take a customer seconds. The DumpsterBossPro customer app includes a referral option, so customers who already use the app to watch the driver, pay invoices or request service can send your company to someone else from the same place.

Give them something to share. A short message they can forward, a link to your web request form, or simply your name and number in an easy format. The easier it is, the more often it happens.

Thank the People Who Send Work

When someone sends you a customer, thank them. A text, a call, a handwritten note or a small thank-you on their next rental all work. People who feel appreciated tend to refer again; people who never hear back often stop.

Decide what, if anything, you offer as a referral thank-you and keep it consistent. A small credit on the next rental is common. Whatever you choose, make it simple and deliver it reliably.

Track Where Customers Come From

Ask every new customer how they heard about you, and note it. Over a season, you will see which customers send the most work, which contractors bring in other trades, and which neighborhoods produce the most referrals.

That tells you where to put your effort. If one remodeler sends five customers a year, he deserves extra attention. The next guide covers turning your website into a booking desk with web request forms. For an overview of the customer app, see the dumpster rental business software page.