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DOG OWNERS: Love your dog -- hate poop?
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THE INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF DOG WASTE REMOVAL SERVICES

Scoopers & Friends Discussion Board Archives

Messages archived from the Scoopers & Friends Discussion Board, going back to May of 1998. The discussion board board is an online forum about the business of pet-waste removal. Browse the messages, CLICK HERE TO SEARCH by keyword, or click here to participate in current discussions.

Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 02-Jun-98 18:18:52

Rubbermaid Lobby Pans? ... Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone!

Matt, when you say you use a Rubbermaid Lobby Pan as the scooper (you mean as the place where you dump the poop into, right?)

I'm sorry if I sound like a complete ditz, but what I use in my own back yard (I've got 3 dogs) is a shovel (to pick up the poop) and a plastic bag (actually, my grocery bags) that I dump the poop into as a go along. Is this okay to use? I timed myself yesterday, and it took me 8 minutes (and boy, that N/S and E/W method really works!)

I have a suggestion for the smelly bags in the trunk of the car...Couldn't a cooler, to put the filled plastic bags into, keep the smell at a minimum?

By the way, the toy, plastic shovel that I bought didn't really work out as I thought it would. The soft-poop was a problem. Back to the drawing board! (I think that going to a hardware store and looking for a small, steel-head shovel, if it's lightweight, is what I'll try next.)

Limpeza@aol.com

Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 03-Jun-98 02:47:05

Re: Rubbermaid Lobby Pans? ... In the majority of yards, there's no dumping involved with my technique. I line the lobby pan (it's the long-handled dust pan they use at restaurants and other commercial places) with a plastic bag, then I use the shovel to "sweep" the poop directly into the bag in the pan. I carry the pan in one hand and the shovel in the other.
When I see a pile, I put the lobby pan beside the waste and then push the poop into it.
This method requires very little bending, and lessens the number of times the poop has to be handled. I can't draw pictures of it here, but there are photos in my book, showing me using this technique.
With most yards where there is only one dog, an entire week's worth of poop will fit into the pan without having to dump it at all. Then when I get back to truck, I just pull the filled bag out of the pan, tie it shut, and put it into another plastic bag.
Of course, if there are several dogs, or a job is bigger than average, I may need to use more than one bag. And winter weather, long grass, loose stools, etc. may require slightly different scooping methods (frozen poop, for instance).
The time factor alone is enough reason not to use a scoop-and-dump technique, for me... but when I think how my back would be aching that way... ouch!

Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 03-Jun-98 08:38:24

Re: Rubbermaid Lobby Pans? ... I Don't know if you are in business or not but the fact is when you are picking up thousands upon thousands of doggie logs weekly a shovel is not practical. The object is to get in and get out of a yard knowing that the yard is immaculate.

Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 03-Jun-98 20:57:54

Re: Rubbermaid Lobby Pans? ... Anyone interested in the type of tools that
I use and found to do the job.
If your can receive attachments in your E-Mail
just drop me an e-mail....I will send pictures.

Dr. Doo Litter

Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 11-Jun-98 10:34:39

Re: Re: Rubbermaid Lobby Pans? ... Please attach pictures of the types of tools you use in your service. Thank you.

Message Date/Time:
Monday, 08-Jun-98 23:25:27

Enquiring minds want to know ... To all: check out the June 9 edition of the National Enquirer. There is an article on the newest member that has been in the biz for 8 years now.

Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 23-Jun-98 23:11:00

Here is the ENQUIRER write up! ... Yes, and here is the article for those that don't want to visit the N.E. site:
____________________________________

From broke & homeless to $100,000 a year in the pooper-scooper biz



Diane Rossi really stepped in it! She's earning a fortune sniffing out and picking up dog poop!
The dynamic mom was broke, homeless and living in her car with her 2-year-old daughter in the early 1980s. Today, she's raking in more than $100,000 a year.

"People might turn their nose up at what I do, but I view it as a way to make money and realize my dreams," the enterprising 40-year-old Rossi told The ENQUIRER.
Here's the scoop:

With the aid of two part-time helpers and her boyfriend, Rossi runs "Have Doggie, We'll Doo," and she's cleaning up in a business she laughingly advertises as "pick-up that's as easy as delivery" and "we pick up where your dog left off."
Boasting that she's "No. 1 in the 'number two'  business," she has 250 individual clients as well as contracts with schools, parks and recreational areas in Chicago. She has two minivans, adorned with her snazzy slogans and expects to double her business by year's end.
She's cleaning up because it's something no one else wants to step into, says the remarkable 5- foot-6 dark-haired mother of two.
Life today for Rossi is a far cry from what it used to be.
At age 7, her parents gave her up to be a ward of the state. "To this day, I don't understand why they did that," she confides.
Diane explains she never went to high school and she bounced from foster home to foster home. "In one year alone, I was in 36 different homes."
At 21, she married but it lasted two years and she found herself broke. More than once she was forced to live in her car on Chicago's dangerous streets.
"It was horrible. I had no money, nothing," she said. "There were times I wanted to die.  Finally I came to the conclusion that I couldn't keep blaming others for my misfortunes. It was up to me to take responsibility for my life."
Diane found work with a company that sold beauty products -- making $300 a week. "It wasn't much, but it was a big step up."
Then in 1990 she had a brainstorm -- and started her professional pooper-scooping business.
"This family next door was arguing about who was going to clean up the dog doo in their yard, and I thought: 'I'll do it -- if they pay me.' "
And that's just what she did. Then she distributed leaflets saying she'd clean up after other dogs and her phone started ringing off the hook. She began making house calls armed with a shovel and a bag.
At first, it was slim pickings. She made just $1,500 in her first year. Then her business began . . . uh, picking up, doubling every year, and now she's cleaning up-- big time.
"I have 250 customers. I charge $9 a week for one dog. I also have schools that hire us, parks, play centers.

"I have two people working for me part-time, but I'm about to take on two full-time employees. I expect to double my business by year's end. I'll be making $200,000!"

PHILIP SMITH

Message Date/Time:
Monday, 15-Jun-98 19:49:48

No Bites ... Well, this past weekend I dropped 93 flyers (I know I need to drop a lot more...I'm going to drop around 300 more) in an exclusive sub-division about 10 minutes from my home.

I'm quite depressed since I did not get even one phone call (granted I did not put an ad in the local paper either, which I'll be doing tomorrow), but I thought I'd get at least ONE phone call, even with 93 flyers.

Are my expectations too high or is this the norm for the measly amount of flyers that I put out?

Limpeza@aol.com

Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 16-Jun-98 01:03:47

Re: No Bites ... Your expectations may be a little high. 93 flyers isn't really enough to get a good sample of what your eventual average return could be. My best return from flyers was about 7 new customers per 1000 flyers distributed. I found I could pass out about 100 flyers per hour.
That rate of response may seem very low, but I don't think it's really unusual. That's why flyer-passing is best suited for people who have a lot more time available than money.
Also, if you've not used other kinds of marketing, most notably classified ads and news stories in the local media, this could be the very first time these people have ever heard of the whole concept of dog waste removal service. The ads in the paper, and especially the publicity, help to build a base of awareness and credibility. For people who have never heard of the service, when the first sign they see of it is a flyer in their door, they are going to have a pretty high resistance. They might even think it's a joke.
Even the eventual return you do get from passing a couple thousand flyers won't all come in the first few days.
Also, did the flyers have a coupon or special offer or other limited-time incentive? It helps a lot to give the prospect a reason to call within a specific time frame. Otherwise, even if they intend to call about it, "in a day or so...", they misplace the flyer or otherwise just never get around to it.
I know it's tempting to become depressed when you don't get a great response right away, but the key to success is persistence. Door-to-door flyers are going to take a lot of patience and "stick-to-it-ivness" (as my mom might call it).
The overall marketing effect will be an accumulation of several methods: classified ads, news releases, flyers, signs on your vehicle, cards at vets, groomers and on bulletin boards.
And of course, be sure keep everybody you know reminded of your new service, and give everybody a couple of cards to give to others.

Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 16-Jun-98 04:00:02

Disinfectant ... What has everyone found to be the most "effective" disinfectant for use in our line of work?

Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 16-Jun-98 13:51:08

Re: Disinfectant ... Pro-Zema Plus germicidal detergent and deodorant available at care-a-lot 1-800-343-7680

Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 18-Jun-98 15:59:26

Re: Re: Disinfectant ... any zeolite crystal product is extremely effective and is all natural,non-toxic deoderizer
and pet & environment safe. One recommended is "non-scents"

Message Date/Time:
Monday, 22-Jun-98 01:38:56

Re: Disinfectant ... I was very happy with the Parvocide from Pacific Northwest Beauty Supply. Yes, it's not the kind of name you expect to buy this sort of chemical from, I know. :)
They have an 800 number at 800-944-0008.

Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 07-Jul-98 20:44:45

Re: Disinfectant ... I use "Nature's Orange." You can get it from hardware stores. The cost is pretty cheap. It cleans, deodorizes and kills any smell. It's also non-abrasive.

Message Date/Time:
Friday, 19-Jun-98 17:13:08

5 questions for the experts. ... I have 5 questions for all you experienced scoopers out there...
1. What do you say to people when they call looking for information? Do you have a 20 second "elevator speech?" Anyone willing to share theirs?
2. What do you do about poop smear on the grass?
3. How do you get past client's $ considerations?
4. How do you establish a price on a one-time cleaning? Do a bid? Give a rough estimate on the phone after asking some questions?
5. How do you convert free cleaning coupons into paying customers? Do you offer something like "One free cleaning with sign-up" or something like that? How do you make sure that you're not doing a free cleaning on six-month's worth of poop? I guess the question really is, how do you word your coupons?

Thanks for your help, folks!

Linda
DooAway

Message Date/Time:
Monday, 22-Jun-98 01:31:45

Re: 5 questions for the experts. ... I look forward to some of the other answers. :)
1) I used something like this:
"What we do is pretty straightforward; we clean up after dogs. Most people have us come once a week, some more than that, and a few have us come less often. We come to the yard,
go all over the back yard or wherever the dog goes, scoop up all the poop and take it away with us. We send a bill in he mail once a month, at the end of the month after the work is done.
Weekly service for one dog is $6.50, additional dogs are $3.50 each, and we guarantee satisfactoin with out work."
I like to get in a couple of phrases sometime during the conversation, things like "You have better things to do..." and "We'll take care of that for you."
If you consider the little speech to be a sales pitch, then you could call it a "close" when I eventually get around to asking "How many dogs do you have?"

2) Smears and similar "technical problems" are something that you learn by experience. It's all in the tools you use and the way you handle them. In the specific case of smears, I put the
scoop right up against the pile and "squeegee" it into the bag.

3) I have rarely encountered a price objection. I simply tell the prospect what the price is.

4) I usually ask how long it's been since the area was cleaned up. With one or two dogs, I have a good idea of what to expect for one month, two months, six months, etc. worth of accumulation. If it's an uncertain situation, I arrange a day when I will be in the area and I look at the yard and give the prospect a price.
I eventually came to a minimum price of $35 for a one-time job. For a first time job, a typical first-visit price would be $25 to $30. Some people around the country charge a good deal more for first time and one-time jobs.

5) I'd rarely give a straight free cleaning. I would do that for special promotions, or donations to a charitable group. Usually my promotional offer for a coupon would be "One free cleaning with your first full month of service." That way you at least get a month.

Message Date/Time:
Monday, 22-Jun-98 13:10:15

Re: Re: 5 questions for the experts. ... Matthew,
Do I understand your answer to question 4 to be that you charge a first-time clean-up fee for new clients and then go on to charge your standard weekly fee thereafter?

Message Date/Time:
Monday, 22-Jun-98 16:27:00

Re: Re: Re: 5 questions for the experts. ... Yes. If it's been more than a month, and especially if it's been more than two months, since the area was cleaned, I would charge extra for the first cleanup. After that, it's just the regular price for each visit. I have operated both ways at different times: with no extra charge for the first time, and with the extra charge. I didn't have many people balk at the extra charge; in fact, when I didn't charge for it, some people would volunteer to pay extra. On the other hand, without a first-time charge, some people would sign up for service at $6.50 per week, and after a horrible first time cleanup that might take 40 minutes to an hour, they would cancel service -in effect getting a one-time job for $6.50. I found the extra charge to be a prudent business decision. And, as I say, very few prospects were deterred by that.

Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 23-Jun-98 01:43:37

Re: 5 questions for the experts. ... i have found in business and other business you offer a psecial they come in for that and than that's it.. our business is a i want, i need, i gotta have if you notice you usually will get that customer who calls might not be that day might be 3 months down the line, its has to appeal to the 5 senses first to them to make it happe, season you have to make ajustment for one time or first time clean-up. when it starts getting cooler we get $50 to $100, when grass season starts you lower your first time.

Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 11-Aug-98 01:49:39

Re: 5 questions for the experts. ... Yep have a one time speech on hand!
Mine- We come to you r house and completly eliminate any and all voids! Haul away is included, and premium dog treats are our compliments.In the event there is a loose stool we wash the lawn off with presurize cylinders of water, to make sure the lawn is completly void of any and all pet waste! We can do a better job than you can! A lot of dogs burn out the lawn, and we have a natural organic formula to help heal your yard! This is a premium service, and we come towards the weekend!your yard is ready for all your special events!

Here's a sample! Your price should be standard, ..., time is money!1 dog 35 bucks,2dogs 42.50 There's huge misconception out there about big dogs vs. little breeds! you can find abig poop faster then you have to search for the little ones, A big dogs poop is wavin you in the face, saying here i am,Hit and run. smaller breeds are all terain!You spend more TIME lookin for it, so it's not weight it's time that pays the bills!charge acordingly!!!!