Having your septic tank pumped is a miserable experience. You know you need to do it, but then you don’t want to do it because you don’t know who to trust. A quick google search for septic tank companies yields a lot of results, but choosing a septic tank company is like choosing a car mechanic, there is no way to be sure they are shooting straight with you.

The last time I had a septic tank company come out to my house I was quoted a price around $150. Then, once they were here, the cost kept going up. My tank was larger than they quoted for. There was more to pump (nice mental image, huh) than they had quoted for. Oh, and my baffle valve (I’m still not sure that’s a real thing) needs to be replaced immediately. About $4,000 later and with only a few hours of work we were all set and I was on a payment plan.

So, this time, when I needed my septic tank pumped I started the process skeptically. Who could I trust? How do I find them? Of course, I went online and read reviews and looked at prices. Most septic tank companies were offering pumping services starting at $150, but I’m no fool and didn’t believe that price this time.

One company stood out and had a ton of great reviews. I checked out their website, which validated that I wasn’t afraid to call them, and so I did. They didn’t answer, so I left a voicemail, but I got a call back 15 minutes later.

The call was short. The sales pitch was short, but it was perfect. The call went something like this:

Me: I need to get my septic tank pumped.
Pumpco: What part of town are you in?
Me: Lilburn
Pumpco: We serve Lilburn, no problem.
Me: How much will it cost?
Pumpco: $300, no tricks, no gimmicks, that’s the flat rate. And, if you need repairs, we’ll shoot straight with you but won’t pressure you.
Me: Sold, when can you come out!

I called on a Monday; they said they could come out Tuesday. I was only available in the morning, so they said they could make that work and would be there at 8am. Of course, I assumed that 8am really meant 10am like most services that come to your house, but the Pumpco truck was at my house at 7:50am! They were early!

They did what they came to do, told me everything looked great, charged me $300 as promised and were done by 8:30am. The entire experience from finding their reviews online, to checking out their website, to talking with their owner, to having them show up early, to finishing the job quickly and with a great attitude was impressive. So impressive that I’m now blogging about it! So impressive that I had a call with my team just to tell them about the experience and how I want to make sure our clients have the same type of experience. So impressive that I am driven to impress my clients in this same way.

People love a straight shooter and great customer service. I hope I can model that in my business, nonprofit and life.