Does anybody out there have bags full of trash lining their halls at work?

Welcome to my world. And it’s my own fault that we have garbage bags in our office.

It started when I realized I could make a decision to find a better waste removal company. The one we had was not consistent in actually removing our trash weekly like they were supposed to. I might as well mention names: ALLIED WASTE pretty much picked up every other week even though we were paying for a weekly pickup. I had to go check the dumpster every week to make sure that the trash had been removed. Half the time it hadn’t so I would have to call them and complain. I got so sick of doing this. They wouldn’t keep track of the missed pickups or they’d have no record of previous occurrences. Our salesman wouldn’t return my messages. Their driver would make up excuses. And they totally bent the gate on the corral for the trash.

I couldn’t wait for our contract with them to expire and I could say “Forget you, Allied Waste! We don’t have to put up with your horrible service anymore!” In the meantime I found another company, Waste Management, who would pick up for even cheaper. Yea me! Right?

We sent a letter to cancel our service with Allied, and even though it was received and signed for by certified mail, I KNEW with them I had to follow up. I’ll spare you the details, but it took 10 phone calls on my part (you bet I was keeping track!) before I FINALLY got them to confirm cancellation of our account and actually put up their dumpster from our property. Needless to say, it was quite a hassle, and I couldn’t wait for Waste Management to come along and redeem the situation.

Meanwhile, Waste Management couldn’t deliver their dumpster while we still had the one from Allied. Once the old one was finally picked up, I arranged for delivery of the new one. It took a couple days to fit it on the schedule. And then I got a phone call stating that the driver couldn’t deliver because the gate won’t open all the way and there isn’t a pavement bottom where the dumpster would go.

What?

I went outside and even had my co-worker confirm to make sure I wasn’t crazy. The gate DID open all the way, and we DO have a cement bottom in the corral.

More phones calls and messages back and forth with Waste Management. I call Customer Service/Sales. They email the dispatcher. He phones the driver. They make up excuses. It’s ridiculous. Meanwhile, we have no dumpster, and our trash is piling up.

Waste Management stopped returning my calls. Lovely, huh?

I’ve found a third company who is going to come out and investigate our location to make sure they can deliver (no point in signing a contract if they come up with crappy excuses like the last company as to why they can’t deliver). We spoke last week, and the soonest she would be available is today.

I hope this one actually follows through and accepts the offer. I don’t even care that it’ll cost more than the last company. I just want our dumpster back so I don’t have to dodge bags of trash as I walk down our hallway. Really – is that too much to ask?

I can’t believe this is my life.