How do I ask for oil?

[drboost]

I'm going to start getting a collection network and I need to know how/what to ask. I'll tell them what I'm planning on doing and even provide them with web links and my phone number so they can have a looksee if they are so inclined as well as get in touch with me if the need arises.
But what kind of questions should I ask about the grease.

[KansasDiesel]

drboost,

I tried to find it, but this was brought up in this fourm already, and someone had a letter he was handing out, and had good sucess. Couldn't find the post.

I have had good success at greocry stores that have a fryer in the deli.
But I usually have to get over shyness and ask, explain what I want it for and get a blank look back. Some say yes some say no, some say come back later. I am hesitant to approch them when they are busy, and wait till a non busyt time, before the rush or after.

[veggiesuburban]

I have had good luck at smaller places. There is a small pizza place close by. I was in there having dinner with my family, and the owner told someone to go put something in the fryer......That was my opening, he had only been open 6 months and was stock piling it in the back in 35lb totes. It always helps when you stop there for a meal, and just ask the server during your stay, he or she will get the owner/manager and it goes pretty easy. I did learn the hard way not to ask in front of other customers, and don't talk too loud.

[Twanoh Tom]

I wrote a "Letter of Request to Remove Waste Vegetable/Fryer Oil" last spring when I was encountering some personal difficulty in this area. I have the file in MS Word format or Adobe PDF and would be happy to share it with anyone who would like to give it a try. Being on the meek side, I found that asking for waste oil was tougher than job hunting. Business owners/managers are usually very busy and it's tough to catch them when they have time deviate from their routines.
This is what worked for me: I find an establishment that looks like a good candidate for WVO. I go in and sit down for a meal. After being served, I ask to see the owner or manager. When he/she arrives, I complement the good food and service and then hand them the letter in an envelope and ask that they look it over when time permits. Print on the outside of the envelope something like: "Request for free removal of waste fryer oil" so they don't freak out and think they are being served legal papers ;-).
If you think about it, these managers can not be expected to make an on-the-spot decision to discontinue their regular pick-up service and trust this "stranger" to reliably start picking up their oil. Their first thoughts are: "liability issues" and changing from a system that is in place and working. The letter allows them to read about you and what your intentions are at their leasure. They can ponder the idea and call you when a decision is made.
For a copy of the letter drop me an email at: beernink(AT)hctc.com (replace the (AT) with @). Good luck.

[njgreenhouse]

I put the attached greasecube drawing on a one page flyer with the following text. then I hand it out at all the local places. I would have put the one page flyer as an attachment but the file was too big, so just cut and paste them together in word. :)

FREE Fryer Grease Removal

I want your used fryer oil, and will come take it from your location for FREE. My car was converted to run on it instead of diesel fuel.

1.Just pour the used fryer oil back into the original jug it came in and close the cap tightly.

2. It does not matter what was cooked in the oil but NO SOAP, NO WATER, and NO GARBAGE please.

3. Call me to schedule pickup location and time (Sat. or Sun. is best).
Contact info:

For more information about this see the following websites:

[cgoodwin]

Tom,

Email me the letter and I will post it in the resources area.

Chris

[Twanoh Tom]

Chris:
Done deal. MS Word & PDF
Tom

[njgreenhouse]

actually, i just got a brilliant idea :)
maybe some graphic designer, or otherwise creative person, produce a really professional handout that the whole wvo community can print out and use.
I have used the one here with pretty good results - but it could really use an upgrade with our target market in mind. for example, versions in spanish and chinese would really be helpful. Also, better pictures with diagrams may facilitate having the participating restaurant provide semi-filtered wvo.

maybe someone who is in art school would love to work on this project?

Dan

[njgreenhouse]

in fact, this could be an excellent marketing tool for a company like frybrid (or greasecar, or greasel, or dana, etc.).

maybe one of these companies should hire an ad agency to produce a handout with their logo all over it...

I used to be in the business, but not anymore. A small agency might drool over the possibility of doing something extremely creative with this. In fact, maybe you (chris) should hold a contest where you present the idea to schools that teach graphic design and such and solicit students to submit their ideas and then you choose one to produce...

I would love to see the results of that.

[81SD]

This seems to be a whole lot of effort to go through just for a little grease. Remember that the restaurant is a business and exists to earn the owner a living. Smaller restaurants have to pay to have the grease hauled away. Larger ones get paid (a pittance) for their grease output. You are looking to burn grease instead of diesel - which you would have to pay for. Figure out what this grease is worth to you and try the magic words - "I'll pay you". You can become a "good customer" and get decent treatment in time - but offering to pay them for their grease will work wonders. My initial offer is $0.20/gallon - for 50 gallons at a time. $10 gets me a full barrel. Everyone smiles! I probably could have offered less, but then I'd have to dig for change...

Something to think about when you are attempting to make this grease collection so formal... By putting all of this on paper you are exposing the restaurant to liability. If you happen to have a "spill" during the transportation of your fuel and the result is a vehicular accident (with or without bodily injury), any bets that the local scum-sucking legal population won't hesitate to put the restaurant on the list of targets to sue? It isn't something the "HAZMAT" team will have to clean up, but I'm sure there could be some issues that the restaurant won't want to be part of. That type of paper trail might be more exposure than they want. A "disappearing-green" paper trail might be more enticing.

[njgreenhouse]

be proud of your grease collection habit, dont hide in the closet about it. having a guilty conscience is bad for your health.

trying to collect grease "under the radar" is an ineffective way of shielding yourself and the people you deal with from liability. drive carefully (and sober), maintain the brakes on your car, dont haul more than your vehicle is rated for, carry good auto-insurance, hold your head up high, etc...

[drboost]

Could you please send this letter my way? twpospATtwmi.rr.com (replace AT with @ of course).
Thanks.

[cgoodwin]

I have posted Tom's letter in the refference section at http://www.frybrid.com/forum/showthread.php?p=738#post738

Chris

[drboost]

Thanks Chris.