Pulse of the PROs: How Do You Deal with Negative Perceptions of the Industry or Your Company?

Let’s face it, PROs and their employees hear many puns and snide remarks from friends, family and even strangers. Sure, your career may not be as revered as an astronaut. Yet, you and your staff provide essential services. Without portable toilets, outdoor events, from concerts to weddings, wouldn’t occur. Neither would the construction projects that are essential to communities.

In this week’s Pulse of the PROs, we want to know how you deal with negativity. Please email us at info@johntalk.com or contact JohnTalk on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. You can also leave a reply at the bottom of this page.

Dealing with Common Portable Restroom Misconceptions

Whether you’re a seasoned PRO or startup business owner, you’ve likely heard a snide comment or two. In addition, there’s a good chance potential customers have repeated debunked theories to you or their social group. How do you respond when a client says a porta-potty is ugly and unsuitable for upscale events? Or complaints that people can’t wash their hands or that restroom units smell? Spreading the truth about portable toilets is challenging, and we want to know how you do it.

Obviously, you know these statements are incorrect. You may rent special event trailers or units and handwashing stations. Regular servicing keeps your restrooms fresh, and you’re always searching for cost-effective methods to eliminate smells when temperatures are high. In addition, you’re aware of the true reasons for smelly, unclean units. It’s typically poor servicing from a company or insufficient restrooms to handle the toilet traffic.

When Real Life Mimics Negative Perceptions

Perhaps you’ve attended a function with too few restrooms for the number of people. Or maybe you’ve seen a competitor oversell their services and cut corners on cleaning. One rotten egg can result in negative perceptions for all portable restroom companies.

How do you respond when a potential client brings up a competitor, or you encounter an underserviced unit? And do you believe people treat porta-potties poorly due to their perception of them? It’s tough to deal with a negative online reputation when the problem isn’t caused by something you did or didn’t do. Do you respond to reviews or try to refute the information?

Ways PROs Can Change the Talking Points

First impressions of a portable restroom are hard to change, especially when it was a bad experience. Sometimes, it’s better to accept (and point out) that the portable sanitation industry, just like every other industry, has excellent businesses and ones that do a poor job.

Do you display customer testimonials on your website and sales materials? Have you shared the results of customer surveys with potential clients? Does your branding debunk common misconceptions by showing pictures from events and highlighting your clean and, dare we say, sharp-looking units?

Curb Bad Perceptions and Rise Above Negativity

Running a portable restroom business well isn’t easy, and it’s incredibly frustrating when someone repeats a misconception or a competitor gives the whole industry a bad name. Fortunately, you can stand out in a good way. Gather customer feedback and share the results on your website and social media. Push back when clients comment. Not with words, but with facts — show images of your finest units, customer testimonials, and your team hard at work.

Share with us how you deal with negativity. You can email us at info@johntalk.com or message JohnTalk on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. You can also leave a reply at the bottom of this page.

Looking to Take Your Portable Restroom Business to the NEXT LEVEL? Download our FREE Guide: “Your Guide to Operating A Portable Restroom Business.”

Thinking About GETTING INTO the Portable Restroom Industry? Download our FREE Guide: “Your Guide to Starting A Portable Restroom Business.”