PAPER RECYCLING CONFERENCE: Software Companies Showcase Advantages to Paper Recyclers

At the Annual Paper Recycling Conference & Trade Show held earlier this week in Chicago, two software companies discussed the advantages of using software programs to help companies become more efficient.

During a workshop on June 21^st, two companies, 21^st Century Programming, based in Long Beach, Calif., and Comstar Computing, New York City, covered some of the steps companies need to do when deciding whether or not to purchase software for their recycling yards, as well as what questions to ask as they go forward.

George Kane, president and co-owner of 21^st Century Programming, stressed that one of the biggest issues is to make sure that the software company that a recycler may be dealing with is knowledgeable about the industry. For 21^st Century, Kane noted, the company’s roots extend deep into the recycling industry. He pointed out that he got his start in the scrap recycling industry with a family owned business, and has been active with companies in the scrap metal and scrap paper recycling field for years.

During the workshop, Kane touched on what he calls the “10 Most Common Mistakes” that a recycler will make when deciding on a software package: No. executive commitment to the new software; Being under prepared; poorly defining the business requirements; Don’t believe everything you are told, and don’t buy the future; failure to focus on the vendor; not test driving the software; a lack of due diligence; failing to ask about modifications and customizations; under budgeting; and not making the price of the product the most important issue.

Wayne Hochberg and Mark Hochberg, Comstar Computing, stressed that one of the key issues when deciding on whether or not to go with a particular software package is determining what you hope to accomplish with the software.

“One of the great clichés of business is that time is money. The reason it’s a cliché is because it’s true. Any time you divert an employee away from the key tasks of his job, you slow down the process. If production slows down, deliveries are late, or billings delayed, you can measure the loss in hard dollars. If we are not careful, this results in a secondary loss cycle of morale and loss of customer satisfaction.”

During the two presentations, both companies stressed that one of the most important issues for companies when looking at software is making sure that the vendor fully understands the recycling business. Purchasing a software program “off the shelf” can often lead to significant problems down the road. What a company seeks to do with the software may not be compatible with what the software supplier may have.

Additionally, it was noted that the recycling industry operates opposite of a retail environment. While many stores sell goods or services for a certain price, recyclers pay to acquire a product.