{"id":19218,"date":"2016-11-18T16:30:58","date_gmt":"2016-11-18T21:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/theres-an-app-for-trash-too\/"},"modified":"2016-11-18T16:30:58","modified_gmt":"2016-11-18T21:30:58","slug":"theres-an-app-for-trash-too","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/theres-an-app-for-trash-too\/","title":{"rendered":"There\u2019s an App for Trash, Too"},"content":{"rendered":"

Valet Waste (\u201cValet\u201d)-headquartered in Tampa, Florida and founded in 1995-is the nation\u2019s preeminent provider of value-added amenity services to the multi-family residential industry. Today, Valet Waste has a proven and efficient nationwide system, which services over 800,000 units nationwide. Valet\u2019s core service is \u201cconcierge style\u201d door-to-door trash pickup and recycling at large apartment complexes. \u201cService Valets\u201d service trash and recycling from residents\u2019 doorsteps and deliver contents to the community compactor or dumpster (see Exhibit 1). The Company also offers complementary maintenance services to the multi-family housing industry, including nightly maintenance, apartment cleaning, apartment turns and porter services through its Maintenance Plus offering, which launched in 2014.<\/p>\n

Exhibit 1: Doorstep 1-2-3<\/u><\/p>\n

\"trash-steps\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This service, door-to-door trash pickup and recycling, is now one of the more requested apartment amenities by tenants, and one of the only amenity offerings utilized by 100% of residents (unlike a community gym or pool) [1]. Valet Waste benefits from highly attractive industry dynamics, with a significant proportion of the population choosing to rent because of luxury amenity offerings such as those Valet Waste offers. A study of U.S. Census Bureau data discovered much greater growth in renting versus buying among the nation\u2019s wealthier population [2].<\/p>\n

Valet Waste has a strong value proposition that resonates with residents and property managers alike. With Valet Waste\u2019s five nights per week doorstep valet trash collection service, residents no longer need to take long walks, day or night, out to the dumpster or community compactor. Taking out the trash no longer requires trips up and down stairwells with trash bags slumped over shoulders. Residents simply place their bagged and tied waste into a Valet Waste provided container and leave it outside on their doorstep between 6:00pm and 8:00pm, Sunday through Thursday for pick-up [3]. Valet Waste\u2019s goal is to enhance residents\u2019 apartment living experience by providing unparalleled customer service, making apartment living clean and convenient.<\/p>\n

In order to maintain its competitive advantage and deliver on its customer promise of providing its communities with unparalleled service and resident satisfaction, Valet Waste worked diligently to refine its operating model and improve performance by utilizing technology. The Company released the initial version of iValet in June 2013. iValet is Valet Waste\u2019s real-time, proactive virtual workforce management app, critical to managing the service quality and efficiency of the Company\u2019s distributed labor force. The app provides property managers the peace of mind that all on-site property activities are monitored in real-time at every door, every night (See Exhibit 2). iValet allows Service Valets to go above and beyond their ordinary course of business, photographing and reporting safety violations and other hazards discovered onsite such as malfunctioning or broken light fixtures. One of Valet Waste\u2019s customers, Greystar Real Estate, praised the iValet technology:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis program has allowed us to increase overall revenue, decrease trash removal expenses, and provide a more efficient and convenient way for our valued residents to take advantage of our green initiatives.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Exhibit 2: iValet Dashboard<\/u><\/p>\n

\"ivalet-dashboard\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The iValet software not only benefits property managers but also the Valet Waste \u201cDistrict Managers\u201d (\u201cDMs\u201d), who individually manage multiple properties. DMs schedule Service Valets via iValet\u2019s Manager Portal, where schedules are pushed directly to the Service Valets\u2019 mobile devices. During the collection process, the DMs have access to real-time data to proactively manage their properties, made available via the app\u2019s geofencing technology (see Exhibit 3). iValet geofencing ensures all properties are serviced on schedule as well as alerts DMs of a no-call \/ no-show and facilitates securing a backup. This data access allows Valet Waste to increase the span of control of each DM (~15 properties), which in turn lowers overall costs for Valet Waste. Thanks to iValet, DMs can monitor and live-track [5]:<\/p>\n