East India Company

Shortlisted for the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, Innovation in Business award, the East India Company is a fine foods store with a luxury interior, and products to match. Manager Peter Heggie and his staff are always on hand to give you a great experience. Peter tells us why working with Changeworks Recycling has had a positive impact on his business. Our involvement at the planning stages was beneficial We met with Peter to check out the layout of his store, assess how much waste he thought they’d generate, and work out what kind of materials that waste would consist of. "I had a good idea of how much product we were likely to sell, against how much we’d need to store. We sat down and worked out how much waste we were likely to generate over a seven day period, and used that to determine how many collections we’d need and when they should be.” The importance of a great working relationship The staff have a great relationship with our recycling service operatives and Will Wylie, their Client Relationship Manager. "Will is always happy to sit down for a chat, and I feel like I have a good relationship with him. We have longer service reviews, I appreciate him taking the time and initiating that conversation: it’s not a service I enjoy from other contractors.” The benefits of using Changeworks Recycling make business sense The East India Company opened its George Street store in 2016, and while they were still in the planning stages, they were introduced to Changeworks Recycling through their membership of the Essential Edinburgh Business Improvement District, where we’re the preferred waste management supplier.Like most modern stores, the majority of floorspace at the East India Company is given over to the benefit of the customers, so space for storage and staff facilities is at a premium. Because we were involved right from the beginning, we were able to design a waste management system that maximises the space they have available, and avoids Health and Safety hazards that are associated with having too much waste stored in a confined space. “Because we have three pickups each week, there are no tripping hazards to contend with. Even at our busiest periods, if the waste is starting to build up we know that someone will be along to clear it up very soon. We had a Head Office Audit the other week, and we got full marks for the tidiness of our stock room. Thank you Changeworks Recycling!” Our unique, modular collection system, as well as separating each material at the point of disposal, also helps East India Company to make the most of the limited space they have available. Because of how the store is laid out, our staff have to go through the front of the store to collect the waste during trading hours, and Peter couldn’t envisage how that was going to work. As it turned out he didn’t have to worry. “I did find it a challenge to envisage how the collection would work, but in the end it actually turned out to be stress free. The collections are quick and the collection staff are no bother at all. They don’t get in the way, and if the store is busy they stand inconspicuously to the side and wait for someone to take them through the back. They’re really friendly, and we’ve got to know them really well". The East India Company particularly likes the reporting aspect of our service. Each month we send a carbon report to our customers that details how much waste they’ve recycled, and how much waste they’ve sent to landfill. It then tells them how much carbon they’ve saved as a result. “The carbon reports are very interesting. I like to measure business performance and this is part of it. I post them in the staff room as a bit of a project to think about our environmental impact and how we can reduce it. As a business we’re keen to help the environment, we’ve negotiated with our suppliers to provide our sample products in bulk to cut down on any non-recyclable materials that come into the store.” “Because they collect our waste at around the same time each day, it makes it easier for me to manage my staffing and have enough people in for that shift. That consistency’s really important to the smooth running of our store. I also appreciate how quickly they get back to me when I have a request. The other week we needed some extra bags, and to arrange a pick-up of pallets from our latest delivery. I emailed Changeworks Recycling and they got back to me within 15 minutes, meaning I could tick those items off my list and arrange for enough staff to be around for the extra collection. Changeworks Recycling doing what they say they will makes my life easier and means I can focus on serving my customers and making a success of my store. All of these seemingly small benefits add up to create a big impact on my business. I’ve had a great experience from working with Changeworks Recycling, and I always recommend them to other businesses. Having worked in other East India Company stores, I can see how much benefit they’d get from having a Changeworks Recycling in their area!””

For more information on East India Company talk to Changeworks Recycling