The Truth About The FREE Model And How It Really Works
This conversation took place on Linkedin between two professionals in the electronic recycling business.
I’m one of them and the other we will call Mr. Reynolds. I am not revealing his real name because I didn’t ask permission to use his questions, but it’s not uncommon.
His first challenge is to get that room cleared out, the right way.
Knowing every computer is likely full of patient’s names, phone numbers, addresses and probably social security numbers; his first chore would not be the proverbial ‘walk in the park’.
Another disclaimer, right up front, is that I am not using the entire questions and answers. We had a very lengthy conversation. I also paraphrased some answers to make it easier reading for the lay-person.
Back-side values typically having significant impact on those strategies.
Back-side values typically having significant impact on those strategies.While your approach ‘seems’ to defy such fluctuations?
Mr. Reynolds: I like your business model and website. I like the no-bull / no nonsense approaches to e-waste collection, transport & processing. Your ‘free’ ‘any size’ pick-up / transportation of e-waste intrigues me. I have experience with free e-waste pick-ups for businesses and also with variations on such themes too.
2. Does Florida have a Landfill Ban and/or a Producer Law in place already or perhaps pending legislation? Is there any push-back from the commercial haulers about your picking-up e-waste from residences curb-side?
How is it sustainable to send a truck to pick-up the Grandparents old keyboard and mouse at their residence over such a geography as the those counties your site lists? Was targeting only a back-side revenue stream prompted by local competitive forces?
Wow! A lot of questions. Let me try to unpack these one at a time.
Q: How is it sustainable to send a truck to pick-up the Grandparents old keyboard and mouse at their residence over such a geography as the those counties your site lists?
A: This question is a common one. In other words, how can we make money?
I see that as feather in our cap. My partner runs the operations, including logistics. We route our trucks to pick up business and pick up residents between stops. It actually blows my mind sometimes, how we do it.
One other thing the website does not mention is our callback timing. My partner has a voice message that says, “I will call you back in 5 minutes.”. I suggested that he says “an hour”, but he insists of 5 minutes and he really does answer his calls in 5 minutes. I am sure, eventually, we will grow too large to keep that kind of customer service up, but it has been a catalyst to our growth so far.
Another point, we know from experience that people will put in a request for one or two items to test us out. They find it hard to believe we do not charge for our services; no strings attached. We get a huge amount of repeat business.
