Fresh and Clean ... it's what you DESERVE
Friday, August 01, 2008
Joshua Campbell might admit that business is in the toilet these days ... but that’s not a bad thing. Campbell is the second generation owner and operator of Fresh and Clean, the region’s largest distributor and service business for portable restrooms.
“Fresh and clean restrooms ... it’s what you deserve” is the catchphrase for Fresh and Clean’s wide-ranging services. The company, based near Bellview, Mo., leases and services hundreds of portable toilets at any given time. The coverage area ranges from Jefferson County south through St. Francois, Madison and into Butler County, and west to east from Washington, Reynolds and Iron counties to Ste. Genevieve, Perry and Bollinger.
GROWING UP IN THE BUSINESS
The first time Joshua Campbell helped set up and service a portable toilet was at the age of six. His mom and dad began the business and like so many other small upstart operations, all available hands in the family were needed to help keep the operation afloat until it could take hold and grow.
And grow it did. Over the period of a couple decades the family portable toilet business expanded and continued to take in more and more territory and share of the market. Campbell attributes the company’s growth to a few different factors ... strict adherence to cleanliness standards, prompt and courteous customer service, and always improving its products.
After a couple decades of helping in the family business, the time came a few years ago when the first generation decided to sell the business. Joshua was the obvious choice, and he went to the bank and signed on the line. “Those were some big numbers for a young man,” Campbell admits. While the actual purchase price he paid is irrelevant for this story, to put it in perspective a new septic pumping truck now costs about $70,000 or more.
Fresh and Clean has a small fleet of well-maintained trucks. Keeping equipment in good working order, and looking good, is a mainstay of the company’s method of operations. Drivers are expected to be courteous and professional in their duties. Some of the top volume customers are church camps and construction sites. Spending a few hours tagging along on a typical route gives evidence that those relying on Fresh and Clean’s services are quick to offer a smile or wave when the driver arrives.
Fresh and Clean has about 450 portable toilets in inventory. At any given time they might have 200 to 400 out on locations. The units are well designed, well built and easy to maintain. The amount of design put into the units which results in shear simplicity in the servicing and upkeep is beyond belief.
THE NAME SAYS IT ALL
What a Fresh and Clean portable restroom is “not” is just another outhouse. Units are serviced on a schedule based on the estimated use — based on the number of potential users at a given location. For events such as the Desloge Labor Day Picnic or Fort Davidson Reenactment, the latter held in Pilot Knob, Mo., units are serviced daily with the number of individual toilets determined by the estimated attendance at the event. On the other end of the spectrum, individual units can be rented for setup at private parties or other outdoor functions. Often those units are delivered the day before the event and picked up the day after. Again the suggested number of units is determined by the anticipated crowd.
And there’s another specialized service offered by Fresh and Clean. A “bridal” package is available with a pair of two portable toilets — one blue and the other white — with an optional picket fence set up around the perimeter. The package is meant to blend in as well as possible for outdoor wedding events.
Still another specialized item Fresh and Clean also offers is an ADA-approved, handicap-accesible portable toilet large enough for wheelchair use.
Regardless of the location, one theme is carried throughout the services offered — all units will be maintained both “fresh” and “clean”, a motto Campbell has printed right on his business card.
A typical “service” of a unit goes like this. The driver arrives and pulls up alongside the unit or units. He puts on a mesh vest identifying him as a worker of Fresh and Clean. He also puts on rubber gloves, safety glasses and a hard hat.
The portable units have a lock on the door which identifies whether the unit is in service or not, so there’s no chance of startling someone making use of the facilities at the time. The worker trips the vacuum on the truck-mounted tank and enters the unit with a large vacuum hose. He quickly siphons the holding tank on the unit. Some of the more advanced units Fresh and Clean owns and services have flushing toilets. Either way, the process of emptying the holding tanks is primarily the same.
Then the worker fills a five-gallon bucket with water and an industrial strength, strongly scented cleaning solution. The solution and a bristle brush is used to scrub down the walls, seat area, optional handwashing station (if equipped) and floor of the unit. Several gallons of the solution and water are used to refill the base of the holding tank.
Next the worker wipes down the inside of the portable unit with a drying rag. New scent wafers are installed and toilet paper rolls are replaced. The company goes through pallets of toilet paper each month.
An entire service of a unit takes about 10 minutes. It’s the drive time to get to the units which consumes much of the work day. Most are in either remote locations or new building sites. A few — it might come as a surprise to some folks — have to be flown in to be serviced. Some large construction sites require portable toilets to be placed in places where service trucks cannot reach ... such as on remote hilltops, or tall buildings under construction. In those instances the portable toilets are airlifted in place and removed for routine maintenance by way of either helicopter or crane. Fresh and Clean carries specialized units reinforced with rods and braces to attach cables to for “air” transport.
“It is our mission is to exceed any expectations you may have from a prior portable restroom experience, and to set the new standard for others to strive for. We will accomplish our mission through dedicated customer service, a superior quality control system to insure each customer receives the best service possible each time, through professional memberships such as the Better Business Bureau, Portable Sanitation Association International ...” the company’s web site states.
It’s a job Fresh and Clean gives a refreshing effort day after day. $$
“Fresh and clean restrooms ... it’s what you deserve” is the catchphrase for Fresh and Clean’s wide-ranging services. The company, based near Bellview, Mo., leases and services hundreds of portable toilets at any given time. The coverage area ranges from Jefferson County south through St. Francois, Madison and into Butler County, and west to east from Washington, Reynolds and Iron counties to Ste. Genevieve, Perry and Bollinger.
GROWING UP IN THE BUSINESS
The first time Joshua Campbell helped set up and service a portable toilet was at the age of six. His mom and dad began the business and like so many other small upstart operations, all available hands in the family were needed to help keep the operation afloat until it could take hold and grow.
And grow it did. Over the period of a couple decades the family portable toilet business expanded and continued to take in more and more territory and share of the market. Campbell attributes the company’s growth to a few different factors ... strict adherence to cleanliness standards, prompt and courteous customer service, and always improving its products.
After a couple decades of helping in the family business, the time came a few years ago when the first generation decided to sell the business. Joshua was the obvious choice, and he went to the bank and signed on the line. “Those were some big numbers for a young man,” Campbell admits. While the actual purchase price he paid is irrelevant for this story, to put it in perspective a new septic pumping truck now costs about $70,000 or more.
Fresh and Clean has a small fleet of well-maintained trucks. Keeping equipment in good working order, and looking good, is a mainstay of the company’s method of operations. Drivers are expected to be courteous and professional in their duties. Some of the top volume customers are church camps and construction sites. Spending a few hours tagging along on a typical route gives evidence that those relying on Fresh and Clean’s services are quick to offer a smile or wave when the driver arrives.
Fresh and Clean has about 450 portable toilets in inventory. At any given time they might have 200 to 400 out on locations. The units are well designed, well built and easy to maintain. The amount of design put into the units which results in shear simplicity in the servicing and upkeep is beyond belief.
THE NAME SAYS IT ALL
What a Fresh and Clean portable restroom is “not” is just another outhouse. Units are serviced on a schedule based on the estimated use — based on the number of potential users at a given location. For events such as the Desloge Labor Day Picnic or Fort Davidson Reenactment, the latter held in Pilot Knob, Mo., units are serviced daily with the number of individual toilets determined by the estimated attendance at the event. On the other end of the spectrum, individual units can be rented for setup at private parties or other outdoor functions. Often those units are delivered the day before the event and picked up the day after. Again the suggested number of units is determined by the anticipated crowd.
And there’s another specialized service offered by Fresh and Clean. A “bridal” package is available with a pair of two portable toilets — one blue and the other white — with an optional picket fence set up around the perimeter. The package is meant to blend in as well as possible for outdoor wedding events.
Still another specialized item Fresh and Clean also offers is an ADA-approved, handicap-accesible portable toilet large enough for wheelchair use.
Regardless of the location, one theme is carried throughout the services offered — all units will be maintained both “fresh” and “clean”, a motto Campbell has printed right on his business card.
A typical “service” of a unit goes like this. The driver arrives and pulls up alongside the unit or units. He puts on a mesh vest identifying him as a worker of Fresh and Clean. He also puts on rubber gloves, safety glasses and a hard hat.
The portable units have a lock on the door which identifies whether the unit is in service or not, so there’s no chance of startling someone making use of the facilities at the time. The worker trips the vacuum on the truck-mounted tank and enters the unit with a large vacuum hose. He quickly siphons the holding tank on the unit. Some of the more advanced units Fresh and Clean owns and services have flushing toilets. Either way, the process of emptying the holding tanks is primarily the same.
Then the worker fills a five-gallon bucket with water and an industrial strength, strongly scented cleaning solution. The solution and a bristle brush is used to scrub down the walls, seat area, optional handwashing station (if equipped) and floor of the unit. Several gallons of the solution and water are used to refill the base of the holding tank.
Next the worker wipes down the inside of the portable unit with a drying rag. New scent wafers are installed and toilet paper rolls are replaced. The company goes through pallets of toilet paper each month.
An entire service of a unit takes about 10 minutes. It’s the drive time to get to the units which consumes much of the work day. Most are in either remote locations or new building sites. A few — it might come as a surprise to some folks — have to be flown in to be serviced. Some large construction sites require portable toilets to be placed in places where service trucks cannot reach ... such as on remote hilltops, or tall buildings under construction. In those instances the portable toilets are airlifted in place and removed for routine maintenance by way of either helicopter or crane. Fresh and Clean carries specialized units reinforced with rods and braces to attach cables to for “air” transport.
“It is our mission is to exceed any expectations you may have from a prior portable restroom experience, and to set the new standard for others to strive for. We will accomplish our mission through dedicated customer service, a superior quality control system to insure each customer receives the best service possible each time, through professional memberships such as the Better Business Bureau, Portable Sanitation Association International ...” the company’s web site states.
It’s a job Fresh and Clean gives a refreshing effort day after day. $$
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