How a Portable Toilet Company Solved Their Recurring Route Nightmare
“I gotta do that per driver per day. So how many clicks are those? 300, 500?”
— Operations Manager, Portable Toilet Services Company
The Real Story Behind the Demo
Sunday Evening Planning Session
A portable toilet services company joined our demo. This isn’t glamorous work, but it’s essential – construction sites, events, parks all need these services.
Their reality? Every Monday looks exactly like last Monday. Same routes. Same customers. Same services.
Their system? Copy. Paste. Click. Repeat. 500 times.
“It’s very manual the way we do things from Google Calendar. We copy paste stuff.”
They’d been doing this for years. Not because they wanted to, but because nobody built software for their specific nightmare.
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Questions That Surfaced During the Demo
How do I manage portable toilet routes without 500 clicks every week?
Portable toilet companies with recurring weekly routes need software that truly understands “recurring” – not just scheduling but automatic route duplication, service type management (delivery/pickup/service), and integration with existing Google Calendar workflows. FieldCamp eliminates the 500-click weekly copy-paste marathon with true recurring jobs, anytime scheduling for route optimization, and one-click week duplication, starting at $35/user before September price increase to $59.
What makes portable toilet routing different from other field service?
Portable toilet service is 100% recurring – same customers, same locations, same service every Monday forever. Some customers need service 3x weekly (shown as XXX in current system), routes must be identical week-to-week, and service types (delivery, pickup, service) require different workflows and tracking.
Why did the billing system’s routing software fail?
The integrated routing in their billing software required too much programming, wasn’t visual or user-friendly, and didn’t understand portable toilet workflows. They kept three disconnected systems (billing, Google Calendar, HelloTracks) because no single system worked properly.
What’s the real problem with HelloTracks at $10/driver?
Despite being cheap, HelloTracks requires saving routes as codes for each driver each day, totaling 300-500 clicks weekly to duplicate routes. No customer support exists, and they refuse customization requests despite years of asking for basic week duplication features.
How does the current three-system workflow actually work?
Google Calendar holds customer data as “safety backup,” billing system manages invoices, HelloTracks handles routing. Daily workflow: copy from Google Calendar, paste to HelloTracks, change titles based on service type (delivery/pickup/service), save sequence codes per driver per day – 500 clicks weekly.
Can FieldCamp really integrate with Google Calendar?
Yes, two-way sync means appointments created in either system appear in both. Schedule from FieldCamp and see it in Google Calendar, maintaining your existing workflow safety net while eliminating manual copying.
What’s “anytime” scheduling and why does it matter?
Instead of assigning specific times that create inefficient routes, mark jobs as “anytime” on Monday. The system optimizes the entire day’s route, assigns times automatically, and ensures efficient circular routes returning to base.
How does recurring actually work in FieldCamp?
Set up once: “Every Monday for one year, service this customer.” System creates 52 instances automatically. No weekly copying, no saving codes, no manual recreation. True set-and-forget recurring.
What about customers needing service 3x weekly?
Create three recurring jobs for the same customer (Monday/Wednesday/Friday). Each appears automatically on the calendar, can be optimized separately or together, and tracks independently for billing.
How do you handle the three service types (delivery/pickup/service)?
Jobs are titled clearly with service type first, line items specify the work, and workflows can trigger different actions based on type. No more manual title changes in multiple systems.
Can drivers see only their own routes on mobile?
Yes, drivers see only their assigned routes on the mobile app, not other drivers’ work. Admins see everyone on desktop and mobile, maintaining oversight without overwhelming field workers.
What’s the test strategy with the Miami driver?
Start with one isolated driver in Miami who doesn’t interact with other routes. Test the system without affecting main operations, prove it works, then expand to full team – smart risk management.
How does live tracking compare to truck GPS systems?
Mobile app GPS tracking shows real-time location, stops, duration at each stop, and route progress. Integrates directly with job management unlike separate truck trackers that don’t connect to routing.
What about route optimization with priorities?
Set high priority for must-do-first stops, system optimizes remaining stops around them. Or select “optimize everything” for maximum efficiency. Handles both fixed and flexible routing needs.
How fast is the setup and migration?
With customer Excel data and route information, FieldCamp sets up a customized account within 24 hours. “By tomorrow at this time, you should hear from me” with a working system configured for portable toilets.
What’s included in the billing features?
Create invoices directly from completed routes, send via email from the system, track payments (cash or card), integrate with existing billing software if needed. Everything connects to reduce data entry.
How does the AI chat help portable toilet operations?
Ask “Which invoices are unpaid?” or “What services generate most revenue?” in plain English. The AI searches across all data, creates charts, and provides insights without running reports.
What workflows make sense for portable toilets?
“When marked in transit, text customer ETA.” “When service complete, send confirmation.” “When invoice created, email with payment link.” Automate the repetitive communication that eats time.
What’s the personalized setup commitment?
FieldCamp will configure the system specifically for portable toilet workflows using your data before you start testing. Not generic software you must adapt to, but software adapted to you.
How does payment work for testing?
Start with 2-3 users for testing rather than paying for all 10 upfront. Test for 1-2 weeks, then expand if satisfied. Monthly payment, no long-term contracts during testing phase.
What support exists compared to HelloTracks?
Unlike HelloTracks’ non-existent support, FieldCamp offers real human help, responds within hours to fix issues, and actively seeks feedback for continuous improvement. “Tell us this is shit” if something doesn’t work.
Can you really create jobs from your phone?
Yes, full mobile functionality – create jobs while having coffee with family, send invoices from the field, view routes, track payments. Complete business management from phone.
What’s the ROI on eliminating 500 weekly clicks?
At 500 clicks taking 3 minutes per click minimum, that’s 25 hours weekly. At $25/hour, that’s $625/week or $2,500/month in labor. FieldCamp costs $35-350/month depending on team size.
How does it handle the complex Miami routes?
One-click route optimization considers all stops, creates efficient sequence, assigns times, accounts for traffic. What takes hours manually happens in seconds, with better results.
What’s the real partnership approach?
“If you think this is software you’re buying then forget about it, we’re not the right people.” FieldCamp wants partners who provide feedback, report issues immediately, and help shape the product for the industry.
Why portable toilets specifically?
This seemingly unglamorous industry has unique needs ignored by generic software. Weekly recurring routes, multiple service types, and the 500-click problem require specialized solutions.
What’s the competitive advantage over manual systems?
Beyond time savings: never miss services, optimize fuel costs, track driver performance, professional customer communication, accurate billing, and scalability without adding office staff.
Ready to eliminate your 500-click weekly marathon?
Transform your portable toilet routing from manual nightmare to automated efficiency.