Educating Customers About Portable Sanitation at Events

Photo courtesy Joan Castañer, Alkirent Servi SL

Your clients, whether they are professional event planners or homeowners roped into hosting, may not know the first thing about portable sanitation — except that they need restrooms for guests. And they could be wary of PROs or salespeople pitching a sale instead of educating them. You can earn their trust (and lifetime loyalty) by sharing information and paying attention to their body language. Use these tips to transform your portable restroom brand from a porta-potty rental business into a neighborhood portable sanitation expert.

Know Your Customer and What They Need from You  

Time is precious, and only some clients want an exact breakdown of how you will calculate food and fluid consumption during the event. Others may need last-minute assistance but want information to prepare them next time. Either way, you can gauge their verbal and non-verbal language to deliver what they require.

For instance, someone who barely had time to meet you face-to-face and preferred to handle everything via text message would appreciate you messaging abbreviated versions (think meme-style) of the factors for determining the number of sinks, toilets, and showers.

In contrast, if your potential client shows up with a clipboard and pencil, bring out your educational pamphlets. In both cases, offer to send over information about local regulations and itemize a bid so they can understand how you calculated it.

At a minimum, list the factors that go into establishing the base number of units:

• Event duration
• Audience profile
• Anticipated audience food and fluid consumption
• Expected restroom use during performance intervals and breaks
• Requirements for event-related temporary campsites
• Facility provisions for children or older adults who may take longer
• Weather conditions and temperature
• Accessibility
• Consideration for showering if overnight camping is provided

Develop Educational Materials

Start with the basics and expand over time. The great thing about creating informational guides is that you can put them into different formats to reach all kinds of audiences. On your website, you can showcase some content publicly but lock more industry-specific or proprietary information behind a paywall (available via a QR code or password). Create infographics for social channels and email newsletters or meme-like photos to send through text.

If you have the budget, develop some guides or even folders for event planners. A little swag while educating customers never hurts. Sales teams that meet over video can build client education into presentations or offer on-demand webinars. Consider tips for placing portable restroom units and adding signage throughout the event.

Use Informational Sessions to Explain What PROs Do

Few laypersons know what happens behind the scenes. Since your client wants to know how to prepare for an event, it’s a great time to inform them of the health and sanitation side. Keep it matter-of-fact and use the same approach as with other topics, whether with a brochure or web page.

Designate responsibility for routine cleaning by doing the following:

• Create maintenance and cleaning schedules
• Clean and sanitize toilets and restock supplies during the event
• Ensure an adequate amount of toilet paper, soap, paper towels, hand sanitizer, and antiseptic hand wipes
• Check, remove, and replace sanitary napkin and diaper disposal containers
• Provide adequate cleaning supplies and protective equipment for staff
• Keep equipment and trained staff available for emergency repair and blockage clearance
• Communicate with onsite first aid and medical staff regarding any issues, such as gastrointestinal illnesses

Educating Customers: Be the Friendly Expert

While we always hope that any time spent with a potential client results in a sale, one thing is certain — if you approach education the right way, the person in front of you will remember it. And when someone asks, they will repeat your name and brand. Being helpful generates word-of-mouth business and reflects well on your portable restroom business. A special thanks goes out to Paul Naida of PolyJohn Canada for providing the insights for this article.

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