Dive Brief:
- Texas Disposal Systems (TDS) recently announced the launch of a "customized waste collection reminder tool" called Waste Wizard for its residential customers across Texas, according to a press release.
- The tool can be accessed through the company's website or Facebook page. Its main feature is to provide residents with updated information on weekly collection schedules, service changes, upcoming events and seasonal campaigns.
- Residents can also use Waste Wizard to check their options for disposing or diverting certain materials. This includes a game called "Eco Sort," geared toward children, that serves as an educational tool for recycling rules.
Dive Insight:
Similar "Waste Wizard" tools from the company ReCollect are used by many waste companies and municipalities around the country. They all follow a similar template, with customizable options including the sorting game, a mobile app and various tabs about how to dispose of items not accepted in regular curbside programs. The company also collects analytics on what residents or customers are searching for to help direct educational efforts.
The concept behind this approach is that giving customers more real-time information online or through reminders on their phones can help reduce communication challenges. In some cases this may mean cutting down on call volumes to customer service centers, helping reduce contamination in recycling streams or keeping hazardous materials out of refuse containers. Some companies have also begun to use this as a tool for billing or service confirmation updates.
This approach of creating a standardized template for cities or companies to plug unique information into has become more popular in recent years as the industry looks for new ways to engage proper participation. Other examples of programs operating across multiple cities that try to demystify the process include Recycle by City, Recyclebank and Recycle Across America.
