A notifications primer for Independence Day and Canada Day

Two big holidays are on the horizon: Independence Day and Canada Day, which means there will probably be changes to your curbside collection schedule. That’s why we’ve prepared a little tutorial to remind you how to use Recycle Coach’s notification system. That way, your residents know exactly when to get their garbage or recycling to the curb.

Step 1: Log in to the admin panel

First thing’s first: log in to the admin panel. Once you’re in, you’ll want to navigate to the Communication tab and select Messages (News).

Then click:  

Step 2: Build your notification

You’ll be directed to the following window:

Here, you’ll define your Project, i.e. municipality, and the Districts your notification will apply to. For Message Type, you can go ahead and select Program Changes. That way, residents who’ve subscribed to program changes notifications will receive your message. Next, you can target your message—to multi-family or single-family residents and specific zones.

Step 3: Write your notification

When you scroll down, you’ll see the Title and Message fields.

Below, we’ve included message templates for Independence Day and Canada Day. Feel free to use them. If you’re writing your own, try to keep them Tweet length—so about 240 characters.

Independence Day

• Independence Day collection changes
  Residents are reminded that curbside collection for all zones will advance by one day due to the July Fourth holiday. Refer to your My-Waste/Recycle Coach schedule for more information about your collection zone. Have a happy Independence Day!

• Independence Day waste & recycling notice
  With Independence Day fast approaching, we’re reminding residents that there won’t be curbside collection on July 4th. Collection for all zones will move ahead by one day. For specific information about your zone, please consult your My-Waste/Recycle Coach schedule. Have a happy Fourth of July!

• Independence Day waste & recycling notice
  Please note that curbside collection for all zones do not change this week due to Independence Day. For specific information about your zone, please consult your My-Waste/Recycle Coach schedule. Have a happy Fourth of July!

Canada Day

• Collection day changes – Canada Day
  Happy Canada Day! Just a reminder that curbside collection for all zones will advance by one day due to the statutory holiday. Refer to your My-Waste/Recycle Coach schedule for more information about your collection zone. Have a great long weekend!

• Canada Day collection changes
  Residents are reminded that curbside collection for all zones will advance by one day due to the Canada Day long weekend. Refer to your My-Waste/Recycle Coach schedule for more information about your collection zone. Happy 151st Canada!

• Canada Day waste & recycling notice
  Please note that curbside collection for all zones do not change this week due to the Canada Day long weekend. For specific information about your zone, please consult your My-Waste/Recycle Coach schedule. Happy 151st Canada!

Step 4: Schedule and send

After you’ve completed writing your notification, it’s ready to go out to your residents.

You can schedule your notification in advance by checking the indicated box. If you don’t, it’ll go live immediately. Also, if you’d like, you can have the notice deleted after a specific date and time so that it disappears from your news page. Next, specify how you’d like your notification to appear—by email, text message, Twitter, etc. Finally, click Approve & Publish. If you scheduled your notice, it’ll be queued up for the date and time you selected. Otherwise, your residents will get it right away.

Preparing your residents for holiday collection changes doesn’t just make them happier, it potentially reduces the number of calls you’ll have to field—which means a happier holiday for everyone.

About Recycle Coach:

Recycle Coach is an online platform that makes recycling easy—for our cities and the people they serve. We empower municipalities with tools that connect residents to local waste and recycling information when they need it.