WASTE COMPANY STRIKES OIL IN THE WEST OF IRELAND!

In 2010, Gene Browne and his Innovation Team made an unusual business move. They announced to their staff that they were entering a completely different industry. They started planning for launching a home heating oil service to their existing waste and recycling customers in Galway City. The plan worked brilliantly. The idea came after their existing customers answered a survey question survey which asked ‘What other services would you like The City Bin Co to provide?’ Customers gave a lot of great suggestions. The suggestion that stood out above the rest was a Home Heating Oil Delivery Service”. With a little more research and investigation The City Bin Co. team realised that they already had the backend infrastructure to provide a home heating oil service to their existing customer base. Home heating oil could be delivered with the same philosophy of excellent customer service that underpinned the waste collection service. The marketing strategy that The City Bin Co. used was nontraditional. They sent a personalised postcard to each and every one of their existing customers and they in turn responded with enthusiasm about the new venture.

When The City Bin Co. launched the new service in October 2010 their customers were so impressed with the offering that the sales anticipated for the first six months was exceeded in the first month. The City Bin Co. could make this pioneering move because they see themselves as being in the service industry and not in the waste industry.

The differentiating factor about The City Bin Co’s home heating oil division is that the customer can order on line, choose the day and doesn't have to be home when the delivery happens. As part of the service, the customer automatically receives an SMS when their oil has been delivered. The Company also bundle the oil with existing waste services and have special discounts for their existing waste and recycling customers.