From Waste to Efficiency: How HOPE SpA is transforming waste management

HOPE SpA is a Chilean company dedicated to the design and implementation of integrated waste management plans.  They offer a comprehensive suite of services, ranging from the installation of top-of-the-line recycling stations and waste yards, to the careful collection of a diverse array of materials, all the way through to employee training and field operations.

By providing innovative reporting and traceability solutions, HOPE SpA ensures that all waste is expertly disposed of in authorized agents and valorizing companies, cementing their reputation as leaders in the field of sustainable waste management.

They tailor their services to meet the specific needs of each client, considering factors such as waste generation volumes, types of materials, storage capacity, and organizational culture. Through this approach, the company aims to empower employees, modify their behaviors, and support organizations in achieving their sustainability goals.

Prior to the pandemic, HOPE SpA's collection of recyclable waste was focused on approximately 100 to 120 monthly clients, mostly consisting of office-type companies and small generators.

However, after taking charge of the implementation, administration, and operation of the Recycling and Environmental Education Center of La Reina, the number of monthly pickups saw a considerable increase, reaching up to 1,500, with a large majority of new individual clients.

With this growth, HOPE SpA encountered difficulties with their previous Transportation Management System (TMS). As a result, they opted to continue with the manual and cumbersome method of route planning using Excel. Unfortunately, this method brought them serious problems of service tracking, operation visibility, human errors, and a lack of clarity regarding the location of waste collection trucks, ultimately requiring them to directly contact the driver for status updates.

Additionally, Drivin's traceability feature allows them to monitor the truck's arrival and total service time while obtaining pick-up evidence such as signatures and comments directly within the app.

“Having real-time information about pick-ups has also been very helpful, for example, which pick-ups were effectively made versus those that were not; as well as that, being able to access the time these pick-ups are executed, as well as signatures, photos, rate adjustments, and comments, has been a great help,” adds Hernan.

Being able to retrieve customer comments and service information has also been important, as it’s possible to have photographic evidence of the collected material. That way, in cases where there's more material than previously declared that needs to be charged for, there’s photographic support of the situation.

"The platform works great, it helps with the planning issue we had, so when someone new is added, everything is much more simple. In addition, the app maintains the order of the route, making it easier to move clients, providing greater versatility, and giving drivers more direct and hands-on control," says Roberto Saldías, Route Planning Manager, and Ronald Rojas, HOPE's Operations Manager."

All of the above, coupled with the fact that it’s now possible to standardize information such as RUT and names, has made it easier to filter data and generate reports, providing significant support for the administration, billing, and collection team.

The operations team has also been impacted by being able to schedule routes in less time, as well as having more information about customers and companies, and being able to generate reports with the amount of material collected, photos, and signatures. In addition, the drivers have positively received the use of the app, allowing for an easier view of the route, data, and customer addresses.

HOPE's future looks bright 

For the next few years, HOPE sees exponential growth as waste managers under Law 20.920 on extended responsibility, which aims to "reduce waste generation and promote its reuse, recycling, and other types of valorization, through the establishment of extended producer responsibility and other waste management instruments, in order to protect people's health and the environment."

Additionally, HOPE plans to design and implement integrated waste management plans for medium and large generators, enable local and municipal waste reception and storage facilities (I.R.A.R.), have establishment codes, and classify materials for dispatch to recovery companies.

Furthermore, the company plans to increase its fleet of trucks, recycling operators, and outsource collection services to involve new entrepreneurs in this industry, sharing their experience gained over 10 years as a company.

Finally, Hernán talks about the opportunities for improvement that they see with Drivin, which include being able to easily retrieve information on a weekly and monthly basis, having greater simplicity when filling out Excel forms, and being able to associate events with customer names rather than address codes.

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