resource November-December 2009

Norm's Notes

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:55:43 -0800

A Community of Clients

We began providing service to clients in 2003 and encountered an immediate problem. We were in eastern Canada; all 9 of our clients were in Washington State, on the other side of the continent.

So we suggested that we collaborate using a Support & Discussion Forum (now called the Communication Center). In retrospect, this was one of the best decisions we ever made.

Most companies choose a standard “support desk” model of service, with each problem or issue reviewed privately with each client. Instead, we fix problems in the collective open where everyone sees the problem, sees the fix (and notices how long we took). Everyone gets to see everything so we have a strong incentive to keep the software working well, and to expedite repairs.

At the same time, the forum creates a community where we can problem solve together. We can listen to your community concerns and agree on features and functions that work for you. And you can talk to each other about management and marketing.

Like any resource, the Communication Center only works if it’s used.

We know you’re busy, but if you get a chance, pop in and contribute to the collective wisdom of the iWasteNot material trading community.

Norm Ruttan

NEW FEATURE: Administrator-Managed Accounts

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:30:45 -0800

You may know of people who wish to use your exchange website but who do not have an email address or ready access to the internet. For these people, creating an account and listings becomes impossible. You may be interested in letting these folks 'dial it in' and then posting the actual listing on their behalf. We've created a new easy way to help administrators provide this service.

We recently added a NEW FEATURE called 'Administrator-Managed Accounts.' This feature gives admins the ability to add and manage member accounts using the admin's own email address. Administrator-Managed Accounts can still use the person's name, phone number and address and other details. The account is theirs, but is based on the admin's email address. The admin posts and deletes listings, and receives all email notifications on the member's behalf; the member never has to log in (although a mechanism has been built in should the need arise).

In the 'Members' control panel, a new 'Managed' tab was added. This lists all member accounts managed by the administrator.

In the member's profile, a new 'Managed' field was added. So if the member's account is admin-managed, it will say 'Yes' next to it.

See release for more info: http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/support/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=1970

New Text on Your Exchange

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:25:45 -0800

Privacy policy has been updated

The privacy policy has been updated on all exchanges. The 'Privacy' link is located at the bottom of your exchange

New 'About Us' & 'Tell a Friend' text added to some exchanges

We replaced old default text for 'About Us' and 'Tell a Friend' on many exchanges that did not have customized text in place.

The 'About Us' & 'Tell a Friend' text used to be quite similar on all types of exchanges and was not particularly appropriate for Industrial/Commercial, Food, Agriculture and Biomass exchanges because it referenced an 'online garage sale.'

We have updated them with text more suited for your type of exchange. Please have a look and let us know if you would prefer to customize your own text. If you would like to provide us with new text please post in the CC and we will upload it for you.

Why use the Communication Center (CC)?

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:25:45 -0800

The CC is set up specifically so that you don't need to know who you need to talk to, whether they're available or not or even exactly what you want done. All you have to do is post there and someone from our company (staff from every department scan it throughout the day) will ensure that your needs are attended to.

Other reasons to use the CC:

DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON ONE PERSON: Most of you have been in contact with either James or Jackie who are both in BC (which means they are three hours behind you east coast folks) so if you email either of them there may be a delay in the response. If you post on the CC you will most likely get a response earlier since we have other staff on the east coast.
LESS DELAYS: Emails can get lost or may not get to us right way, so if you have a time sensitive issue it may not be responded to in a timely manner. If you post on the CC it will never get lost and someone is sure to respond to you.
MORE EFFICIENT: The CC keeps things all in one place so it's easy to access; we don't have to search through tons of emails so we can respond, and we don't have to worry about accidentally deleting an email.
TIME SAVER: The post is in one place, so if another staff member needs to jump in they can easily without waiting for a forwarded email.

If you haven't used the CC in a while here are a few tutorials to help:

This intro tutorial includes a quick overview of how the CC works:

http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/cc_tutorials/intro_to_CC.pdf

If you are in the middle of a post and have to leave your desk for something important (treats in the boardroom, treats in the boardroom) you can save your post and come back to it when you return. Here's how:

http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/cc_tutorials/how_to_find_saved_posts.pdf

If you want to keep up-to-date on a specific topics or sections like new releases, you can subscribe to them. Find out how:

http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/cc_tutorials/subscribing_to_forums&topics.pdf

Access Denied: Communication Center Passwords

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:15:45 -0800

Can't remember your password or can't find your username and password? Find out how you can retrieve it:

http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/cc_tutorials/how_to_retrieve_psswrd.pdf

Don't like your current password? Change it, here's how:

http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/cc_tutorials/how_to_change_password_in_cc.pdf

We're here to guide you

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:10:45 -0800

Don't know how to do something? Check out guides and tutorials on the CC.

Our Communications Team has been busy creating new easy-to-follow graphical tutorials with screenshots and simple explanations on everything from retrieving a lost password to managing role types. There are even some you can share with your users in the News and Information section on your exchange. Find a complete list of here:

For residential, industrial/commercial, internal corporate, construction and demolition, and eWaste exchange admins:

Admin guides: http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/support/viewforum.php?f=99

Guides and info for your exchange users: http://www.iwastenotsystems.com/support/viewforum.php?f=75

For food agriculture and biomass exchange admins:

Admin guides: http://sharedharvest.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=113&sid=98f4edc233e3cccd4b782fc7ae710204CC

Guides and info for your exchange users: http://sharedharvest.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=12

In the Spotlight

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:10:45 -0800

George Dreckmann - Madison Stuff Exchange

Website: www.madisonstuffexchange.com

Statistics:
1409 Total Listings
10357 Members
22484 Exchanges

Background

George Dreckmann has worked for the city of Madison, Wisconsin since 1989, and established their curbside recycling program in 1991. Madison actually started collecting newspapers in 1968, making it the oldest curbside program in the country. When he was first hired, George had the unpleasant task of informing residents the city would no longer be offering curbside pick up of yard waste. However, he took an innovative approach: He drove around various neighborhoods in a borrowed pick-up truck looking for yard waste piled up on the curb, and went door to door sharing the news with residents. To soften the blow, he gave them information on alternative disposal methods, and then offered to take away their yard waste one last time. Talk about exceeding customer expectations!

What George Does

George's current official title is Recycling and Public Information Officer, although he feels that “all other duties assigned” more appropriately defines his role that involves many aspects of sustainability and communication. Having a background in politics and education, and a deep understanding of both, make him well-suited for the job.

George and iWasteNot Systems

An iWasteNot Systems client since 2004, George is the original administrator of The Madison Stuff Exchange. He had been aware of other exchange websites on the scene prior to 2004, but didn't have the budget for expensive software.

“When iWasteNot Systems came along, it [the SaaS business model] just made sense to our IT department,” George says. “It's so affordable, and anyone with a personal computer could manage the exchange.” The city of Madison splits the cost with the county, making it more affordable, and accessible to an even larger population. George regrets that they don't have more marketing dollars to attract more users, but with over 10,000 registered members, we'd say he's done a pretty great job at getting the word out!

Running His Exchange

George spends about 10 minutes a day reviewing listings, but says that if he chose not to look at those he'd probably only require 20-25 minutes a week to administer the site, dealing mostly with member inquiries. He receives positive feedback on the site from members and feels everyone really likes its user-friendly functionality. George chose to allow members to charge for their items to provide some incentive for residents to get rid of items responsibly. He did however set a limit of $99 on listings, keeping in focus the real mission of the city, which is to divert items from landfill, not provide e-commerce opportunities.

Trends

An interesting trend he's noticed is an increase in the number of televisions being listed (at least 1 or 2 a week) since the conversion to High Definition (HD). He sees a lot of computer and electronic components as well, and adds, “It's sometimes surprising what people will decide to list. We've had old cars exchanged for parts, and even a house has been exchanged!”

Problems and Recommendations

The only occasional problem George has encountered is having to deal with members who try to sell their items for more than $99, or those wanting to give away animals, which are prohibited. But overall, his experience as an administrator has been painless.

George recommends other admins make use of the unlimited directories available on the exchange, which he's currently developing too. He also suggests that if admins are not using the sponsor pane for paid sponsorship, to include organizations that deserve or need additional exposure. His advice: take advantage of every opportunity to cross-promote your local reuse & recycling programs.

George's Ever-Changing Favourite Quotes

If you receive an email from George, be sure to check out the ever-changing quote in his signature line. An avid baseball fan and player, George works out of an office adorned with autographed sports memorabilia, providing the source to his witty inspiration. His most recent quote signing off was: “I don't like golf. When I hit a ball I want someone else to chase it.” - Rogers Hornsby

New Exchanges

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:05:45 -0800

We welcome our newest exchange partners to the growing iWasteNot Systems community!

Southern Waste Information eXchange runs WasteXchange, Florida Biomass Trader, and AmmoeXchange.
Administrators: Gene Jones and Heather Bellamy Armstrong.

Website: http://www.wastexchange.org/exchange

Website: http://www.biomasstrader.org/florida/

Website: http://www.ammoexchange.org

Website: http://www.bentallreuses.com
Type of Exchange: Organization Group
Administrators: RCBC staff
Client: Bentall Centre

Website: http://www.townshipoflangleyreuses.com
Type of Exchange: Residential
Administrators: RCBC staff
Client: Township of Langley and RCBC

Website: http://www.bcgreencare.ca
Type of Exchange: Internal/Corporate
Administrator: Allen Bridge
Client: Vancouver Coastal Health Authority

Website: http://www.mefoodtrader.org
Type of Exchange: Food
Administrators: Sam Merrill and Barbi Ives
Client: New England Environmental Finance Center

Website: http://www.wastematch.org/exchange
Type of Exchange: Industrial/Commercial
Administrators: Adanna Roberts and Marisa Adler
Client: MEDP, City College of New York, Sponsored by the NYC Dept of Sanitation

Website: http://www.freexchangeri.org
Type of Exchange: Residential
Administrators: David Bordieri and Michelle Maher
Clients: Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation. State of Rhode Island

Quick Tips

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:00:45 -0800

1. With the holidays just around the corner, now is a good time to remind your members to visit your exchange for gift-giving inspiration! Send an email or post a news item.

2. Here are some fun sites for Christmas crafts and homemade gift ideas:

Recycling Craft projects: http://www.allfreecrafts.com/recycling-crafts/index.shtml

Earth friendly gifts: http://www.katescaringgifts.com/

Bits and Bytes

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:55:45 -0800

iWasteNot Systems is featured in Recycling Product News!
New national network helps promote reuse organizations: Check out the Reuse Alliance!
Dan Pink on the Surprising Science of Motivation: http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html
Ray Anderson on the business logic of sustainability: http://www.ted.com/talks/ray_anderson_on_the_business_logic_of_sustainability.html