| Portable Sanitation At Its Best |
Even though the name of the business is Brendel’s Septic Tank Service, owner Jay Brendel is the first to tell anyone
that his company is actually in the service business. "If you provide your customers with great service they are
willing to pay a little more," said Brendel. "It’s about the service, the rest follows."
Brendel’s definition of service goes beyond providing clean, fully functional portable restrooms to his customers.
Brendel provides his customers, established and new, with units on call. The admitted workaholic says he’s never
away from his business. "My pager is always on," Brendel explained. "Even when I’m out of the area, you can
always call me with a request or problem and I’ll do my best to handle it."
Doing his best to handle it includes providing restrooms with little or no advance notice. Brendel spoke of getting
units to people who call at 7 p.m. on Friday night. "They plan private parties and forget to order a unit," he laughed.
"I know how it is. Everyone forgets once in awhile. And sanitary units are one of those things people who are
having a smaller private party often overlook when planning. People start showing up and there’s a long line
forming at the bathroom and they realize they should’ve rented a unit."
that his company is actually in the service business. "If you provide your customers with great service they are
willing to pay a little more," said Brendel. "It’s about the service, the rest follows."
Brendel’s definition of service goes beyond providing clean, fully functional portable restrooms to his customers.
Brendel provides his customers, established and new, with units on call. The admitted workaholic says he’s never
away from his business. "My pager is always on," Brendel explained. "Even when I’m out of the area, you can
always call me with a request or problem and I’ll do my best to handle it."
Doing his best to handle it includes providing restrooms with little or no advance notice. Brendel spoke of getting
units to people who call at 7 p.m. on Friday night. "They plan private parties and forget to order a unit," he laughed.
"I know how it is. Everyone forgets once in awhile. And sanitary units are one of those things people who are
having a smaller private party often overlook when planning. People start showing up and there’s a long line
forming at the bathroom and they realize they should’ve rented a unit."
It was customer service that got Jay and his wife Anita into
the business. Jay’s father owned and operated a septic
evacuation and service company in the Brendel’s home
town of White Lake, Michigan. He joined his father’s
business. Located about 44 miles from Detroit, the area was
growing fast so his dad and Jay began a septic tank service
and evacuation company in 1972. That was a banner year
for another reason, Jay and Anita were also married in 1972.
the business. Jay’s father owned and operated a septic
evacuation and service company in the Brendel’s home
town of White Lake, Michigan. He joined his father’s
business. Located about 44 miles from Detroit, the area was
growing fast so his dad and Jay began a septic tank service
and evacuation company in 1972. That was a banner year
for another reason, Jay and Anita were also married in 1972.
The Sanitation Journal is a monthly trade publication that caters to the portable restroom industry. Each month
thousands of portable restroom operators utilize information from the Journal to aid in business decisions.
Subscribe today and make sure you never miss an issue.
thousands of portable restroom operators utilize information from the Journal to aid in business decisions.
Subscribe today and make sure you never miss an issue.
| Brendel's offer a fleet of red portable restrooms |
| Brendel's Septic Tank Service- 'Seeing Red' may be a good thing |
Driving from site to site to install and service septic systems the Brendels became aware that many of the
construction sites were not being fully serviced by existing portable restroom companies in the area. "We saw the
need for clean portable toilets," said Jay.
At an auction in 1999, Jay, then a full-time firefighter, purchased three units and was in the sanitary unit business.
He came into contact with Bob and Janice Pearson of PolyPortables and was so impressed by their ‘the customer
comes first at all costs’ attitude that he purchased three more units. Parking them in his front lawn, he left White
Lake to attend a liquid waste convention in Nashville to learn more about the business. "I got a call from dad while I
was at Nashville," Jay laughed. " ‘I’ve already rented all those portables’ he said. I figured I’d better buy something
else since we’d already delivered six portables and it looked like there were more people wanting service." He
purchased a slide-in unit and 25 more units.
With his fire fighting background, Jay favors the color red and always wondered why he couldn’t get units that
color. When he began in the business he asked around about the color change and, PolyPortables came up with red
units. Today there are 2,000 red units around White Lake delivered from 12 red trucks by employees in red
uniforms who make sure customers receive friendly, prompt and efficient service.
One important operational concept Jay feels has helped his business grow is to set up a maintenance schedule and
stick to it. "If we tell a customer we’ll be at the site on Tuesday morning, we’re there on Tuesday morning within
ten minutes of the time agreed upon," Brendel explained. Brendel said he doesn’t know why, but people tend to park
their vehicles around units, so if a site foreman knows when the red truck is coming, he can keep the area free of
vehicles."That speeds things up for us and helps the customer," said Brendel.
As great as things have gone for the Brendels there are some problems that other areas may not be faced with.
"Hunting season," sighed Brendel. "We loose several units every hunting season. "Apparently hunters drive up to
units and take them for use while in the nearby forests and then, of course, few are returned. "We get calls from
people who see our red units out in the woods and we go 100 miles to pick them up," added Brendel.
Halloween is also a problem. The company post loses of several units due to fire during the spooking night. Brendel
said that tricksters are no longer content to move units around and sit them in inconvenient places like intersections.
They set them on fire.
Construction sites can be hazardous for units. "It seems that construction workers often don’t watch where they’
re going," Brendel’s voice showed the first tint of exasperation. "They’ll drive right through one (unit) with a
bulldozer. We get many units destroyed or damaged at construction sites."
The Brendels also face problems all sanitary businesses face. Dumping rates are going up constantly. "When we
started the yearly dump rate was $75 per truck now it’s $350 for a truck in a treatment plant or $480 per truck on
the ground," Brendel said. That’s just the tip of the expense inflation. Add growing fuel costs and more regulations,
and things can get pretty tough.
How does Brendel handle these problems?
Continued first-rate customer service. "Customers understand service and if they receive top quality service, they
are willing to pay for it," he explained.
Brendel who has been involved in local and regional sanitation service organizations for years, says he wishes more
owners and operators would become involved in these organizations. According to him there are between 400-500
sanitation service businesses in the sate but only about 150 owners are active in any business-related organization.
"These organizations provide the business owner with valuable assets," he said. Brendel says that through these
organizations, owners and operators become educated to laws and regulations and can help bring positive changes
for the business. "We have lobbyists who deal with legislators to inform them how proposed regulations will effect
us," Brendel said.
These organizations also work to provide a structure for businesses to be able to meet standards. And just as
important as following, learning and influencing laws and regulations, these organizations allow for business owners
to network. The informal exchange of information is one thing Brendel feels has helped him become a better
businessman.
"You often hear members tell others that the DEQ has been out at their place checking on certain things and to
make sure they are in line," said Brendel. Brendel explained that through these organizations, the industry can better
meet its own needs plus provide better service in an environmentally sound fashion. "What it ends up is that we
want to do the right thing for everyone," said Brendel of his business.
Brendel is in favor of education for the public and for businesses and their employees. This coming year, in
Michigan, all haulers must complete 10 hours of special classes that teach them requirements concerning
regulations and what the DEQ wants. These classes also give businessmen and their employees a chance to ask the
DEQ questions. "Being educated can only help everyone," said Brendel.
No matter where Brendel’s discussion heads, it always comes back to customer service. Brendel spoke of driving
over 100 miles to purchase more units because a customer called late and there were no more units to be rented.
"So what if they called us late on Friday evening needing units for Saturday," Brendel said. "That’s what we do,
provide the customer with what the customer needs."
"We aim to please," said Brendel, in what could be his business’ motto. Brendel’s Septic Tank Service continues to
hit that target and with Jay handling the day-to-day needs of the business and Anita taking care of accounts, the
service will continue to expand in both areas by providing the people of the While Lake area with prompt, clean,
courteous customer service.
construction sites were not being fully serviced by existing portable restroom companies in the area. "We saw the
need for clean portable toilets," said Jay.
At an auction in 1999, Jay, then a full-time firefighter, purchased three units and was in the sanitary unit business.
He came into contact with Bob and Janice Pearson of PolyPortables and was so impressed by their ‘the customer
comes first at all costs’ attitude that he purchased three more units. Parking them in his front lawn, he left White
Lake to attend a liquid waste convention in Nashville to learn more about the business. "I got a call from dad while I
was at Nashville," Jay laughed. " ‘I’ve already rented all those portables’ he said. I figured I’d better buy something
else since we’d already delivered six portables and it looked like there were more people wanting service." He
purchased a slide-in unit and 25 more units.
With his fire fighting background, Jay favors the color red and always wondered why he couldn’t get units that
color. When he began in the business he asked around about the color change and, PolyPortables came up with red
units. Today there are 2,000 red units around White Lake delivered from 12 red trucks by employees in red
uniforms who make sure customers receive friendly, prompt and efficient service.
One important operational concept Jay feels has helped his business grow is to set up a maintenance schedule and
stick to it. "If we tell a customer we’ll be at the site on Tuesday morning, we’re there on Tuesday morning within
ten minutes of the time agreed upon," Brendel explained. Brendel said he doesn’t know why, but people tend to park
their vehicles around units, so if a site foreman knows when the red truck is coming, he can keep the area free of
vehicles."That speeds things up for us and helps the customer," said Brendel.
As great as things have gone for the Brendels there are some problems that other areas may not be faced with.
"Hunting season," sighed Brendel. "We loose several units every hunting season. "Apparently hunters drive up to
units and take them for use while in the nearby forests and then, of course, few are returned. "We get calls from
people who see our red units out in the woods and we go 100 miles to pick them up," added Brendel.
Halloween is also a problem. The company post loses of several units due to fire during the spooking night. Brendel
said that tricksters are no longer content to move units around and sit them in inconvenient places like intersections.
They set them on fire.
Construction sites can be hazardous for units. "It seems that construction workers often don’t watch where they’
re going," Brendel’s voice showed the first tint of exasperation. "They’ll drive right through one (unit) with a
bulldozer. We get many units destroyed or damaged at construction sites."
The Brendels also face problems all sanitary businesses face. Dumping rates are going up constantly. "When we
started the yearly dump rate was $75 per truck now it’s $350 for a truck in a treatment plant or $480 per truck on
the ground," Brendel said. That’s just the tip of the expense inflation. Add growing fuel costs and more regulations,
and things can get pretty tough.
How does Brendel handle these problems?
Continued first-rate customer service. "Customers understand service and if they receive top quality service, they
are willing to pay for it," he explained.
Brendel who has been involved in local and regional sanitation service organizations for years, says he wishes more
owners and operators would become involved in these organizations. According to him there are between 400-500
sanitation service businesses in the sate but only about 150 owners are active in any business-related organization.
"These organizations provide the business owner with valuable assets," he said. Brendel says that through these
organizations, owners and operators become educated to laws and regulations and can help bring positive changes
for the business. "We have lobbyists who deal with legislators to inform them how proposed regulations will effect
us," Brendel said.
These organizations also work to provide a structure for businesses to be able to meet standards. And just as
important as following, learning and influencing laws and regulations, these organizations allow for business owners
to network. The informal exchange of information is one thing Brendel feels has helped him become a better
businessman.
"You often hear members tell others that the DEQ has been out at their place checking on certain things and to
make sure they are in line," said Brendel. Brendel explained that through these organizations, the industry can better
meet its own needs plus provide better service in an environmentally sound fashion. "What it ends up is that we
want to do the right thing for everyone," said Brendel of his business.
Brendel is in favor of education for the public and for businesses and their employees. This coming year, in
Michigan, all haulers must complete 10 hours of special classes that teach them requirements concerning
regulations and what the DEQ wants. These classes also give businessmen and their employees a chance to ask the
DEQ questions. "Being educated can only help everyone," said Brendel.
No matter where Brendel’s discussion heads, it always comes back to customer service. Brendel spoke of driving
over 100 miles to purchase more units because a customer called late and there were no more units to be rented.
"So what if they called us late on Friday evening needing units for Saturday," Brendel said. "That’s what we do,
provide the customer with what the customer needs."
"We aim to please," said Brendel, in what could be his business’ motto. Brendel’s Septic Tank Service continues to
hit that target and with Jay handling the day-to-day needs of the business and Anita taking care of accounts, the
service will continue to expand in both areas by providing the people of the While Lake area with prompt, clean,
courteous customer service.
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Serving the American Liquid Waste Industry Since 2002