United Site Services: Procurement Progression

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With their digital evolution underway, the portable sanitation powerhouse is rethinking their approach to procurement and sourcing – and change management is just one key to its success

The last time we spoke with United Site Services, the country’s leading provider of portable sanitation equipment, we looked at how digitization can lead to success in niche service businesses. Since the June 2023 issue they’ve added 20 new national sites and have continued to experience steady growth. Clearly, they’re doing a lot of things right. These days they’ve set their sights on revamping their procurement and sourcing operation, and once again have actionable insights to share about strengthening their effectiveness in companies that are outside the high-tech sector.

With 150 branches in the continental U.S., USS manages nearly 400,000 assets that range from porta potties to super stylish portable restrooms and everything in between, including handwashing and shower trailers, temporary fence, temporary power and roll-off dumpsters. From worksites and disaster zones to festivals and posh galas, United Site Services focuses on providing comprehensive Site Services that help enable project success and make their customers’ on-site jobs easier.

In her role as the company’s VP of Strategic Sourcing and Procurement, Amanda Vieira has reworked the department in alignment with the organization-wide transformation efforts. Strengthening spend control and visibility across the organization. “With a substantial fleet under our purview, our primary focus revolved around comprehending the status of our trucks and anticipating when new acquisitions would be necessary," she said. "Currently, we have evaluated the efficacy of existing practices, identified areas of improvement, and crafted a revamped process to address these needs."

She’s also taking a hard look at the department’s tech stack, evaluating existing digital tools so they can be optimally used as the metamorphosis continues. “There are numerous significant opportunities now being explored regarding Procurement and Sourcing tools to further enable the business.”

Existing tools are being leveraged so they can gain visibility and control of their spending. “A comprehensive assessment of new tools is currently underway, and the team's direction will be determined by evaluating ROI and the efficiencies gained."

The decision to centralize procurement was straightforward. Numerous sites within the United Site Services network previously operated with decentralized purchasing practices, leading to disparate supplier engagements. Through data analysis, it became evident that this approach resulted in insufficient spending controls and fragmented contract management, leading to substantial contract value leakage. In response, Vieira swiftly implemented robust controls, spend guards, and stringent policies to enhance visibility and gain control over spend.

Process and change management have been vital. “Overcommunicating, making sure everyone's along for the journey, has been really important as we’re going through this entire process. We already have a tool that does what we need it to do and has a built-in workflow for approvals. Making things easy and communicating a lot has been the play here. Also of critical importance is having a shared understanding across the organization that procurement efficiencies can not only serve to benefit our bottom line, but must also align to better serving our customers.”

As new processes are put into place there’s much more than increasing visibility and gaining control of who approves spending at each site, and that is accountability. By training people at each site to embrace the fact that they are accountable for when things are delivered based on when they place orders, United Site Services’s procurement specialists can manage buying cycles and deadline-driven purchases much more effectively. As Vieira put it, “We're actively fostering accountability by increasing interaction between the sites and the procurement team, and the progress has been highly encouraging.”

Tactics, strategy, and a seat at the table

At present, Vieira has assembled a transactional procurement team to support their sites. With 150 sites across the U.S, they’ve created a substantial team of procurement specialists to support the buying needs of the sites with centralized oversight. “As we get more clarity around the final structure of the organization we'll get to a point where we'll be able to right-size the team and implement a strong P2P tool to enable success and drive results,” she noted. “That transactional team is being built and is responsible for keeping the sites up and running when it comes to getting their goods and services and providing guidance on best in class ordering processes.”

From a strategic standpoint, the team is currently determining who their major partners will be regarding non-capitalized ancillary items. A centralized sourcing team is now in place and a strong process has been rolled out across the entire organization. “It's imperative to recognize the value a vendor brings in continuing to deliver the high level of services our customers expect. Vendor relationships are instrumental to maintain our operational efficiency and deliver exceptional service to our sites, so it's crucial to prioritize the holistic cost of ownership in our vendor partnerships. We aim to foster relationships that optimize overall value and sustainability. ”

As for inventory, telematics installed in USS’s trucks and trailers keep tabs on where everything goes and where everything needs to be. A strong inventory program for ancillary items is imperative as we grow as an organization and control unnecessary spending.

“This industry may not boast glamor, but it doesn't have to be complicated," she affirmed. "Our constant pursuit revolves around expanding market share by better servicing our customers. We offer a comprehensive range of Site Services with a heavy focus on process management, and a customer-centric view through the organization. The entire organization is focused on ensuring exceptional customer experience.

Having direct involvement of the company’s leadership with the procurement organization is a rarity in many service businesses. The company’s willingness to increase its understanding of such an essential but often neglected function is a testimony to its leadership strengths and commitment to lasting change.

“We've seen a remarkable improvement in engagement ever since we started involving the leadership team in the development of standardized processes and tools. By ensuring procurement remains an integral part of these discussions and celebrating our collective successes, we're maintaining their active involvement and demonstrating where victories are being achieved,” she enthused. “This initiative has provided us with an excellent avenue to ensure continuous alignment across all stakeholders regarding our progress.”

Vieira employs a blend of intuition and emphasis on cultural alignment to recruit and retain individuals who are not only capable but also resonate with the intricacies and demands of the role. It's crucial to recognize that the essence of this work extends far beyond purchase order processing, necessitating a team equipped with both skill and cultural cohesion.

"I'm committed to selecting individuals who excel in negotiation, change management, and effective communication without resorting to coercion," she emphasized. "I seek team members who are top performers, capable of delivering tangible results. As a leader driven by measurable outcomes, my satisfaction lies in witnessing significant progress. Moreover, candidates need not possess comprehensive knowledge of the portable toilet and rental industry.

"In the process of modernizing our procurement and sourcing practices, change management plays a pivotal role. It's paramount to onboard a capable team adept at addressing concerns and alleviating apprehensions among our sites regarding upcoming changes and their associated responsibilities. Many of our branches perceive this transformation as a significant shift in their operations. Therefore, prioritizing progress over perfection in the initial phases is imperative. Introducing too many changes simultaneously can have adverse repercussions.”