Case Studies
The Situation
Negotiating a new agreement with the city of Banning
With its current contracting coming to an end, Waste Management sought to negotiate a new 20-year agreement with the City of Banning. Complicating the negotiations, Waste Management was seeking the Banning City Council to agree to a rate increase that would cover the costs of new state requirements that would raise operational costs for waste haulers.
Waste Management asked OPR to develop a communication strategy that would allow the company to secure its extended agreement and obtain the cost increase it was seeking.
how we helped
The Strategy
Developing communication assets highlighting city benefits
OPR developed key communication assets that helped shape the narrative and highlighted many of the positive benefits Waste Management would deliver through its service to the city.
strategies we used
Services
Providing messaging architecture, cultivating relations, and counseling executives for negotiations
- Developing a compelling messaging architecture that addressed City concerns, benefits to the community and the value that Waste Management provided the Banning area through its industry leading approach to waste collection and disposal
- Cultivating relationships with newly appointed city council members who were unfamiliar with the company of the City’s waste services
- Counseling Waste Management executives on effective ways to position their rate increase as part of the new franchise agreement – ensuring that the company would be able to provide needed services, and secure new equipment needed to meet all state mandates
Messaging Architecture
Cultivating Relationships
Counseling Executives
the payoff
The Results
Agreeing upon a 20-year franchise agreement
The Banning City Council unanimously approved the 20-year franchise agreement with Waste Management