Cherokee County Commission Not Happy With Customer Service From Waste Management

During the planning meeting of the Cherokee County Commission on March 27th, Mike Mitchell with Waste Management visited the Commission to give an update on the Company’s local operation. Mitchell told the Commission the company now has a good number of drivers to pick up the trash. He said they even had backup drivers they could pull from Etowah County if needed.

The County Commission told Mitchell the four County Commission employees had inadvertently become customer service representatives for Waste Management, because customers who call Waste Management for service cannot get anyone or the issue resolved, so they call the county commission to complain. Commission Chairman Tim Burgess said when county citizens call in with a complaint the county employees feel an obligation to assist them even if it is outside the scope of their job duties.

The commission went on to tell Mitchell many customers have broken garbage cans. Some have tops missing and some have wheels broken or missing and many older customers have a difficult time putting the garbage cans out for service.

The commission also asked about a local number for customer service with Mitchell telling them there is a local number but it is routed to a call center in Tennessee. Waste Management does not have a local office or a customer service center where customers can get the service they need when there is a problem.

Mitchell told the Commission 2 people have been hired and will be on the job April 17th to distribute new garbage cans to customers who need them, but may not be able to handle customer service issues.

The Waste Management representative was made aware of the problems experienced by Cherokee County Waste Management customers and the Cherokee County Commission and employees.

Only time will tell if the company will take proper action to remedy the situation for Cherokee County Waste Management customers.