trash collection

Cranky customer 3.0

As I said last week, the driver who picks up our trash dropped our bin 20 feet from the sidewalk after getting our trash.  So, I called and left another message on the voicemail of his supervisor.  However, since I have not yet received a response to the new message, I decided a more direct approach was in order.

So, this morning I was waiting when the driver pulled up on the street south of our house.  As he walked up the sidewalk to get the bin, I limped down the stairs of our front porch and we had a chat.

I explained that I’m disabled, and the woman (he called her a young lady) he talked to is my wife, and that she was home sick the day he talked to her a couple of weeks ago.  Not only does she work, but sometimes has to go out of town; so, I have to be able to put the bin where I can get it.

He was very polite, and agreed to get it from where I have been putting it, and just as importantly to return it to there.  I told him that eventually my doctor wants to do a hip replacement, and that after he does I’ll start putting the dumpster over where he suggested.

Over all, I think it went very well.

Advertisement

Another Cranky Customer update . . .

It would seem that our discussion with WCA isn’t concluded yet.  Last night I took our trash dumpster out and put it where I usually do.  This morning my wife actually watched the driver take the dumpster down the sidewalk, empty it into his truck, and then park it in the LEAST ACCESSIBLE PLACE IN OUR YARD.  It isn’t even close to the sidewalk this time.

Yes, I have called the Joplin office again.  I had to leave another message.

Cranky Customer update…

Well, I had to wait until late afternoon Thursday to get the call back from the WCA “supervisor” – but it turned out to be worth the wait.  The entire conversation lasted only 2 minutes.

First he asked my name, to be sure he called the right number.  Then he asked what the problem was, and I quickly described what was going on.  I concluded by saying, “I’m disabled, and he’s wanting me to more than double the distance I have to take that dumpster.”  At that point, he cut me off.

His reply?  “I’ll have a talk with the driver on that route, and inform him that your dumpster is fine exactly where you’ve been putting it.”  No more problem.  I guess we don’t need a new trash service after all.

Not customer service oriented . . .

This rant is brought to you by WCA, the national chain of waste collection (trash hauling) “professionals”.

Last week, when my wife was taking some time off to manage stress from work, she answered the door when a WCA driver knocked.  We’ve been getting our trash picked up by WCA for a couple of years, but not by any choice of ours.  They bought out the company we chose, who had always given us good service.

The driver wanted us to change where we were putting our trash for pick up.  I was sleeping, and my wife was unprepared for the confrontation, so she just guessed that it would be alright.

It isn’t.

I try to take care of the trash as much as I can, because my wife already does enough, and the city doesn’t want us putting the trash to the curb until the night before pickup.  Also, the city insists that we return the dumpster to behind the house by noon of the day of pickup.  So, I have been using the driveway to move the dumpster because it is easier on my leg.  The ground between the garage and the side-street is uneven and has no walkway, sidewalk, or driveway.  Being disabled, that is a major consideration.

So, last night, I put the dumpster out where I have since we bought the house.  This morning when the driver came by, he moved it down the public sidewalk to the corner, more than doubling the distance I have to drag it back.  When I tried to call the company, the local number they acquired when they took over our old service had been disconnected.  Now we have to call their office in JOPLIN, MO, just to address a customer service issue, and they don’t publish an 1-800 number.

I called anyhow, and the receptionist asked me how they could help.  I described the problem, and she transferred me to a “supervisor”.  I got his voicemail.  There is no telling when he’s going to hear the message, let alone respond.

I think it’s time to get a new service.