The Scion Group Saves Hundreds of Maintenance Hours Each Month Through Valet Trash Partnership

Overview

As the nation’s leading owner/operator of off-campus student housing communities, The Scion Group has to run a tight ship—including when it comes to trash. Each of Scion’s 141 communities in 35 states, houses anywhere from 100 to over 1,800 residents, and each generates trash that can build up around the community if not promptly managed. That makes valet trash services from Ally Waste a vital part of Scion’s operational strategy.

Ally Waste provides valet trash pickup for many of Scion’s student housing communities nationwide. Ally’s commitment to reliable service, clear communication, and personalized support have made it a true partner in this owner/operator’s success.

But it wasn’t always so easy for Scion to stay on top of trash removal.

Before Ally Waste: missed pickups, incomplete service, and poor communication

Student housing can be challenging to keep tidy. Before partnering with Ally Waste to provide valet trash removal services for its communities, Scion sometimes struggled with other providers.

“Our biggest problem was missed pickups, and sometimes incomplete service [and] poor communication from previous companies we had worked with,” reported Margaret Hanson, Director of Contracts and Compliance for the Scion Group.

The other companies’ valets didn’t always arrive on schedule, and valets didn’t consistently complete reports or communicate with on-site staff. “It was hard for us to actually track what they were doing because they weren’t reporting that to us,” said Hanson.

Moreover, Scion’s maintenance staff had to pick up the slack whenever the other companies’ valets left an incomplete job.

It was time to find a better provider.

The search for a true partnership

In its search for a new waste removal provider, The Scion Group considered six valet trash companies. Ally Waste stood out thanks to its responsiveness, positive reputation, and willingness to customize its services to fit Scion’s diverse portfolio of communities.

“One of the main reasons we chose Ally Waste was their willingness to work with us to ensure that, even under one master agreement, they treated each community based on its unique needs,” said Hanson.

Ally Waste’s flexibility and support made Scion feel like it had a trustworthy team committed to the success of both businesses.

“I was looking for a team that not only responded quickly but also felt like a true partner,” said Hanson. “I spoke with executives at [other] competitors, and while they were friendly, they didn’t show the same level of investment or compassion for what they do and for improving both sides of the relationship. The Ally Waste team really stands out in that regard.”

After partnering with Ally Waste: reliable valet trash service, clear communication, and improved maintenance efficiency

Since partnering with Ally Waste, Scion has enjoyed significant improvement in its valet trash pickups. “We’ve seen a huge increase in improved service reliability,” reported Hanson.

Ally Waste valets consistently arrive on time and complete their service quickly and thoroughly. Plus, Scion stakeholders can access reliable nightly reports showing the work done, including before-and-after photos and notes about any potential issues.

Collaboration between The Scion Group and Ally Waste goes beyond digital reports. Ally’s district managers provide a single point of contact for Scion’s communities. They “respond quickly and jump on issues right away, which has made life easier for our office staff and residents,” said Hanson

Ally Waste’s services have also saved at least 3 to 4 hours per day for Scion’s maintenance teams. “It really has cut down on our maintenance team having to spend part of their day to deal with the trash,” said Hanson. “[The maintenance staff] are not having to come in and clear the trash off of the porches or remove the overflow left behind from previous companies.”

Maintenance time savings alone represent hundreds of hours saved each month for Scion communities and a significant efficiency boost for the company. “It’s allowed our team to focus on other tasks and not have to put their time into the effort of keeping the property clean,” said Hanson.

Ally Waste: top-tier service meets personalized support

Ally Waste employs over 900 W2 employees nationwide who provide consistent, courteous, and professional valet trash removal services to multifamily communities nationwide. Ally’s commitment to exceptional support and efficiency for its partners makes it an indispensable asset to owners/operators like The Scion Group.

As Margaret Hanson said, “The takeaway is that it’s been a pleasure to working with the [Ally Waste] team. Everyone we have interacted with, from the valets on up to the CEO, have been great in caring about our company, taking an interest in Scion, and seeing how they can help make us better and serve our residents in the best way possible. That means a lot to us.”