Why do I need Calendars ? – There’s still no better way of communicating your collection arrangements than with a calendar. They used to be exclusively paper-based, for hand delivery or mailing to households but most Councils now hold copies on their website for self-service access, too.
The problem for Councils is how best to communicate collection information to all householders, bearing in mind that not everyone has access to the internet (or can use it) and not everyone has a mobile phone that could handle an app (or would want to use it if they did) – so traditional calendars are still the most universal communications tool available. Even if they have access to other channels, we’ve found that many people prefer a paper calendar that can be pinned up, clearly showing exactly what’s going to happen every day throughout the year.
Calendars are the optimum solution – so whether you send paper copies out or just load versions on your website, it’s worth doing them well. That’s where we can help.
Aren’t calendars expensive ? – if you opt for a web-based solution, no. Typical costs are around 5p per household, depending on Council size, and the complexity of the collection regime. Even if you decide to send out a printed version, then with careful design, printing and distribution they can be very cost effective. A full-colour A5 double-sided postcard (calendar on one side, the householders address and your message and branding on the other) can typically be designed, printed and bulk mailed by our partners Mail Marketing for around 50p each, or less – inclusive. That’s less than the cost of a 2nd class stamp.
But I don’t want to send out paper copies ! – OK. If you’re just doing an update then a web-based solution may be all that’s needed. You can send out update calendars only to householders that ask for them or set up a simple self-service print arrangement on your website if you don’t already have one.
But if you need to communicate a major service change (new collections, new days, new frequencies etc.) then we strongly recommend that you consider a paper-based mailshot as a core element of your communications campaign. If you plan to send a mailshot anyway, then the calendar can go “free”. So – however you do it, an investment in calendars can quickly pay for itself in terms of a smoother service transition, with fewer missed bins and reduced contamination during switch-over as householders quickly adapt to the new arrangements. All of which will save you money.
I need to send calendars out now, but I know collections will change later in the year. OK – that’s not a problem. As long as you know what the change is going to be, our system is capable of showing a shift to a new collection regime in mid-calendar. It can show this happening all at once (the “big bang” approach) or can be introduced in phases for different collections or groups of properties.
How many months can the calendars cover ? – it’s really up to you. Our system can produce calendars that span up to 3 years, although most clients choose something in the range of 12-24 months. The calendars are produced as standard in rectangular grids, in fixed layouts (e.g. 5 x 3, 4 x 4, 6 x 3) but we can produce “specials” if required.
Click to enlarge
What size do you recommend ? – An A4 calendar can comfortably show up to 24 months and still be legible for most people so that’s the largest we’d recommend. Reducing the span to 18 months (6 x 3) will free up some useful space on an A4 sheet for your branding, recycling reminders, contact details and other service messages. If you decide to use an A5 format, we think 5 x 3 months is about the largest practical size if you want to include space for your “message” – or 5 x 4 months if not.
These are just suggestions – our system is very flexible and we’ll work with you to provide what you need.
What’s your advice on versions for the visually impaired ? – We’ll work closely with your communications team to make sure that the finished copies are as legible as possible. This involves making sensible choices about the colours and shapes used to show for each collection, so that most people (even those who are colour blind) can tell the difference between them. The shapes can left plain, or overlaid with the date or a mnemonic code (like the 3-way example below) to indicate which bins are to be collected on any given day. The mix of unique shapes, colours and codes means that almost everyone should be able to distinguish the codes apart, and understand which bins or combination of bins to put out, and when. The calendars are designed to scale well so you can produce much larger versions for those that need them, if required.
How clear are the images ? – The calendars are generated by the system at a native size of about 40 cm wide, and in most cases are scaled down to fit your document so the images remain very clear and crisp. The example symbol shown here is for a 3-way Green, Recycling and Food collection all happening on the same day – with the code GRF superimposed on a unique 3 colour background. Click on the symbol to see a zoomed-in version.
The calendar graphics can be imported into other applications, and because they are vector-based (not JPEGs) they can be scaled up to A1 or even A0 size without going fuzzy or grainy. These sizes are clearly not meant for general distribution but can be useful for making big copies for publicity purposes – and they still look good. Try zooming in on the details in a PDF Example calendar, and you’ll see.
Things keep changing – what if I need a new calendar later ? – We will create new calendars for you at any time during the lifespan of the calendars as part of the service, for free. The only exception is if the calendars are needed because of a major service redesign and substantial changes are necessary, in which case we may have to make an additional charge.
I don’t want to pay for calendars every 12, 18 or 24 months ! – We offer substantial discounts for repeat business where there have been only minor changes to collections.
A 3-month production time seems very long ! – For first commissions it’s surprising how long it can take to assemble the data, even when it seems “clean” – and transforming your data into calendar graphics is a very good way to find any remaining data errors, as these tend to stand out visually on the calendars right away. And that investment up-front in good data will pay back handsomely, later on – and not just for calendars.
We’ve found that on average 3 months from start to finish is typical, although remember this is elapsed time fitted in around your other commitments – not 100% work time. Repeat commissions are usually much quicker.
We’ll take a look at your data before we start, and if we think it can be done quicker, we’ll tell you. Check out the example programme to see a complete breakdown of all the steps that may be required.
Can I buy the software ? – No. The system is still being developed and is provided as a service only (although you can buy the Lookup Tool). We may make a version of the software available to end users in future, but have no immediate plans to do so.
Can you supply apps for mobile devices ? – No. Our system is not designed for mobile devices but we can supply each calendar graphic as a series of single month blocks as well as the whole calendar if you want to use our data to develop simple mobile applications in-house.
Whatever you want to do, we will be pleased to work with you and your contractors to provide images that support your requirements.
Anything else ? – If you have any other questions, or would simply like to talk to someone please contact us.