Mainline Information Systems and Soft-Pak Clean Up with California Waste Recovery Systems

The employees at California Waste Recovery Systems are passionate about their business. Since 1927, this family-owned business has been providing first-rate trash collection and recycling services to homes and businesses throughout Southern California. California Waste, a full-service refuse company that purchased one of the first recycling systems in the country, runs one of the largest comprehensive composting programs in the state. California Waste is so committed to customer service that they offer a no strings attached guarantee, allowing customers to cancel service at anytime.

The Challenge
As an innovator and pioneer in its industry, California Waste proves true the old saying ... one man's trash is another man's treasure.

The heart of this medium-size business is their customer service department. Not only does this department establish new accounts, schedule pickups and handle customer inquiries, but they also work to save their customers money on their trash pick-up services. For example, by alerting customers when their trash quantity has decreased and suggesting smaller containers for their use, California Waste works hand-in-hand with their customers to reduce costs and increase customer loyalty.

Providing excellent customer service and aggressively pursuing recycling opportunities have put California Waste at the top of the heap in the waste removal industry. To maintain this lead, they needed to upgrade their current customer service software.

"Due to the growth in our business, it was no longer cost effective to use our current software," said Cindy Kline, Chief Financial Officer for California Waste. "An expense analysis confirmed that it would be more cost effective to purchase the hardware and software necessary to run an upgraded application."

The Solution Strategy
California Waste wanted to use software that addressed their industry needs, as well as their specific customer service requirements. They selected Soft-Pak, an all-inclusive software solution for companies focusing on waste disposal, medical waste management and recycling services. Soft-Pak provides customer service and online distribution capabilities, as well as container tracking and accounts receivable functions. In addition, Soft-Pak solutions are easy to install and priced for a quick return on investment.

"Once we selected the software solution, we needed a solid platform that would run the application to optimal performance levels. At the recommendation of Soft-Pak, we selected Mainline as our hardware solution provider," said Kline. "Mainline took an integrated approached, leveraging and working with our existing environment for greater efficiency and investment protection." 

The team at Mainline worked hand-in-hand with the Soft-Pak team and recommended the IBM System i 520 Express Server. "With the System i 520 Express, we were able to offer California Waste the IBM POWER5 technology at a competitive price for the mid-market," said Jeff Swartz, Mainline Account Executive. "The IBM Express Servers are easily scalable, allowing customers to upgrade as their business grows."

IBM Express offerings are designed to meet the specific requirements of mid-sized businesses. They meet the customer's current needs, but with the capacity to accommodate rapid growth. The IBM Express portfolio gives mid-sized businesses the tools they need to be more competitive in their marketplace, while working within their IT budgets.

"Mainline made our transition to the new IBM server seamless. They assisted with order specifications, equipment installation, software installation and training of our on-site technical support," added Kline.

Business Benefits and Solution Results
With their new solution in place, California Waste was able to see operational and financial results immediately. "The new system helped to lower our monthly operating costs and gave us increased control over software upgrades and data backups," said Kline.

California Waste has also experienced more reliability with their new in-house solution. They are no longer Internet dependent, as had been the case with their previous solution.  

"Upgrading their customer service solution with Soft-Pak and utilizing the System i 520 Express Server allows them to stretch their IT budget without compromising their productivity," said Swartz. "The IBM Express offering provides mid-size businesses the proven technology of IBM without requiring hefty upfront investments in resources. This was the perfect fit for California Waste."

For more information about this solution, contact your Mainline account representative or call Mainline directly at 866.490.MAIN (6246).