Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1177164
W EEKLY EDITION OCTOBER 16, 2019 Ca ll in g o n Co mp e tit o rs' Cu sto me rs: A Ho t Ide a t h at Le a ve s S o me Co l d By Karleen Kos, PSAI Executive Director …continued from page 1 Few things make portable sanitation operators' blood boil more than competitor behavior that seems underhanded. Some reported actions are so blatantly deceitful it seems hard to fathom anyone could justify it as ethical or good for the industry. For example: • Going to established job sites and making untrue statements about the existing portable sanitation provider. Operators have reported instances in which customers have been told their current portable restroom company has been sold or that the owner has die d, among other unflattering allegations regarding the existing provider. • Competitors claiming the job site is in "my territory" and the current provider should not be there. • Competitors claiming to be the preferred provider for the city when that is not tr ue. • Competitors entering a job site, putting their own decals over the decals of the real owner, and then implying that they have been the provider all along. When things like this happen, they are clearly a violation of the Code of Excellence which state s, We engage only in fair business practices with our competitors. • We observe all laws and adhere to the spirit of fair competition in all our business dealings. • In the marketplace, we focus on our company's features and benefits rather than detractin g from our competitors. All PSAI Member companies agree to follow the Code of Excellence when they join or renew their membership. So if competitive actions like this are occurring and a Member company is involved, it is worthwhile to review the process f or filing a Code of Excellence complaint here . But what if the competitor's actions are not quite as blatant? What if they are simply calling or visiting customers on established job sites, or they ar e reaching out to long - standing event planners to try to win their business? Is that ever acceptable? P AGE 15 CONTINUED ON PAGE 1 6