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🚽 A septic company owner spends 90 minutes every morning planning routes with spreadsheets and handwritten notes. One customer reschedules. The entire day collapses.
This is a $14B industry still running on paper.
While everyone builds another project management tool, 8,000 septic companies are desperate for software that actually gets their business.
Today, you're learning how to build it.
Today’s Idea
PumpForce is vertical SaaS for septic pumping companies. Think ServiceTitan built specifically for septic with smart routing, compliance tracking, and automated customer reminders.
The platform handles scheduling, dispatch, mobile payments, and route optimization that accounts for truck capacity and disposal sites. Technicians get a mobile app. Office staff get real-time dashboards. Customers get automated service reminders every 3-5 years, turning one-time jobs into recurring revenue.
Available Domain: PumpForce.io (I built this. If you want it, reply to this email)
Ideal Customer
Small to mid-sized septic pumping companies with 3-15 trucks generating $500K to $5M annually who are buried in paperwork and losing money on inefficient routing
Growing septic service businesses that just hired their third employee and realized spreadsheets can't scale, desperately needing customer tracking and automated scheduling before chaos takes over
Second-generation septic business owners taking over family companies who want to modernize operations their parents ran with paper invoices and wall calendars
Septic companies expanding into commercial contracts (restaurants, RV parks, construction sites) who need better compliance documentation and more sophisticated scheduling than residential-only work requires
Septic businesses in regulated markets (like California or Massachusetts) facing strict environmental compliance requirements and needing digital documentation for state inspections
Why It Will Succeed
Massive underserved market. 8,000+ septic companies in the US generate $14B annually. 80% still use paper schedules or spreadsheets. ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro serve dozens of industries. You can own one vertical.
Sticky revenue once implemented. After loading 5 years of customer history and optimized routes, switching software means starting over. Vertical SaaS retention typically exceeds 95% annually.
Easy to prove ROI. Route optimization saves 15-25% on fuel and adds 2-3 jobs per truck daily. At $400 per job, that's $800-1,200 extra revenue per truck daily. Your $200/month software pays for itself in hours.
Natural expansion opportunities. The same platform works for grease trap cleaning, porta-potty rentals, and drain cleaning with minor tweaks. Each service line increases customer lifetime value.
Automated reminders create recurring revenue. Residential tanks need pumping every 3-5 years. Commercial properties every 6-12 months. Your software turns every job into future appointments automatically.
Industry consolidation accelerates adoption. Private equity is rolling up regional septic companies. Acquired companies need standardized software. Become the industry standard and you're essential infrastructure in every deal.
Compliance requirements increasing. New EPA regulations around wastewater disposal mean septic companies need better documentation. Your software becomes compliance insurance, not optional.
Getting Started and Building an MVP
No-Code / Low-Code MVP (Perfect for Non-Developers)
This version gets you a working prototype fast, ideal for validating the concept before committing to a custom build.
Core Features
Customer database: Store contact info, property address, tank size, last service date, service frequency, special access notes, and complete service history
Scheduling and dispatch: Drag-and-drop calendar that auto-suggests optimal times based on truck availability and location proximity
Route optimization: Auto-plan daily routes that minimize drive time, account for truck capacity, and include disposal facility stops
Mobile technician app: View job details, navigate to properties, update status, record measurements, capture photos, collect signatures, and process payments
Automated communications: Send appointment reminders 48 hours before service, satisfaction surveys after completion, and recurring service reminders based on tank type
Invoicing and payments: Generate invoices after service, accept cards and ACH, track balances, send payment reminders
Reporting dashboard: Display daily revenue, jobs per truck, average job value, and upcoming service opportunities
No-Code/Low-Code Tech Stack
Backend & Database: Airtable (https://airtable.com) - Powerful database with built-in forms, automation, and API. Store customers, properties, appointments, and service history. $20/month per user. Easy to set up without coding.
Frontend Web App: Softr (https://softr.io) - Connects directly to Airtable to build your office dashboard and scheduling interface. Drag-and-drop builder. $49/month for professional features. No coding required.
Mobile App: Glide (https://glideapps.com) - Creates native mobile apps from your Airtable data. Technicians get job lists, can upload photos, collect signatures. $49/month for private apps with offline mode.
Route Optimization: Routific (https://routific.com) - Purpose-built route optimization API. Import addresses, get optimized routes. $49/month for up to 200 stops daily. Integrates via Zapier.
Payments: Stripe via Softr (https://stripe.com) - Softr has built-in Stripe integration. Accept payments through your web portal. 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction.
Automation: Zapier or Make (https://zapier.com) or (https://make.com) - Connect everything together. Trigger SMS reminders, create invoices, update records. Zapier $29.99/month, Make $10.59/month.
SMS/Email: Twilio via Zapier (https://twilio.com) - Send automated reminders and notifications. $0.0079 per SMS. Connect through Zapier without coding.
File Storage: Airtable Attachments - Store photos and documents directly in Airtable. Included in subscription, no separate storage costs.
Reality Check: No-code gets you 80% there for initial validation. You can launch an MVP in 2-4 weeks instead of 3-6 months. Once you hit 50+ customers and need advanced features like real-time GPS tracking or complex route algorithms, you'll need custom code. But no-code proves the concept and generates revenue while you build v2.
Step-by-Step Process:
1. Set up Airtable database
Create Airtable base with tables: Customers, Properties, Appointments, Trucks, Technicians, Invoices
Design fields for each table (customer contact info, property details, service history)
Set up linked records between tables (link properties to customers, appointments to properties)
Add views for different workflows (upcoming appointments, overdue invoices, recurring service due)
2. Build office dashboard with Softr
Connect Softr to your Airtable base
Create customer management pages with search and filters
Build scheduling calendar view showing all appointments
Add forms for creating new customers, properties, and appointments
Set up user permissions so staff only see relevant data
3. Create mobile app with Glide
Connect Glide to the same Airtable base
Build technician job list showing today's appointments
Add detail screens with customer info, property notes, navigation button
Enable photo uploads for before/after shots
Add signature component and job completion button
Turn on offline mode for areas with poor service
4. Set up route optimization
Sign up for Routific account
Create Zapier workflow: When appointments scheduled → Send addresses to Routific → Get optimized route → Update Airtable
Add route sequence field to Appointments table
Display optimized order in technician mobile app
5. Configure automated communications
Set up Twilio account and get phone number
Create Zapier workflows for appointment reminders (trigger 48 hours before appointment)
Add workflow for satisfaction surveys (trigger when appointment marked complete)
Build recurring service reminder (trigger based on last service date + recommended interval)
6. Integrate payments and invoicing
Connect Stripe to Softr for customer portal payments
Create invoice template in Airtable with calculated fields
Set up Zapier to send invoice emails when appointments completed
Add payment tracking fields to track outstanding balances
7. Build reporting dashboard
Create Airtable interface for business metrics
Add charts for daily revenue, jobs per truck, average ticket value
Set up filtered views for upcoming service opportunities
Build simple reports that export to CSV for accounting
Monetization Strategies
Tiered SaaS: Starter $149/month (1-3 trucks), Pro $299/month (4-8 trucks), Enterprise $499/month (9+ trucks). Starter gets customer management, scheduling, mobile app, basic routing. Pro adds advanced route optimization, automated reminders, payments. Enterprise adds multi-location, custom integrations, API access. Charge $49/month per extra truck beyond tier limits.
Payment processing markup: 0.5% on all transactions. Average septic job is $400. Mid-sized company processes $150K monthly. Your 0.5% adds $750/month passive income per customer on top of subscription.
Premium add-ons: Marketing automation $79/month, compliance package $99/month, multi-location $199/month. Marketing automation targets customers due for service. Compliance generates state reports and disposal records. Multi-location manages franchise operations.
Onboarding fees: $499-$1,999 one-time based on company size. Includes data migration, setup, staff training. Reduces churn and accelerates time-to-value. Charge $149/hour for ongoing training beyond included hours.
White-label partnerships: $10K-$25K annually plus 15% revenue share. License to septic equipment distributors and trade associations. They rebrand and sell to members. Each partnership adds 50-200 customers without your sales effort.
Industry data reports: $2,500-$10,000 per report or annual dashboard subscription. Sell aggregated market intelligence to equipment manufacturers and investors. Only works once you have 100+ customers for proper anonymization.
Marketing Strategies
SEO content: Write guides like "How to Schedule 30% More Jobs Without Adding Trucks" targeting searches for "septic scheduling software." $500-$1,500/month for content writer.
Direct outreach: Use Google Maps to build lists of septic companies by region. Cold email offering free route analysis. Target 3-10 truck companies. Convert 2-3% to demos.
Equipment distributor partnerships: Partner with companies selling septic trucks and pumps. Offer PumpForce as a value-add with equipment purchases. One partnership delivers 20-50 leads monthly.
Video testimonials: Film 3-5 minute customer stories showing before/after scheduling chaos. Post on YouTube and use in sales. Real owners convert better than sales pitches.
Free route optimizer tool: Let companies enter daily stops and get optimized routes instantly. Capture emails when they save routes. Demonstrates value immediately.
Facebook and Google Ads: Target small business owners in septic services. Budget $1,500-$3,000 monthly. Expect $300-$800 cost per customer.
Referral program: Give one month free per referral. Customers who refer 5+ get permanent tier upgrades. Referral customers have 40% higher retention.
Expanding and Improving
AI-powered predictive scheduling that learns optimal service intervals per property based on historical data, usage patterns, and tank specifications to automatically suggest when customers need their next appointment
Integration with QuickBooks, Xero, and accounting platforms for seamless financial management, eliminating double-entry and providing real-time P&L visibility
Expand into adjacent service verticals like grease trap cleaning, porta-potty rentals, and drain cleaning using the same operational platform with industry-specific customizations
White-label mobile apps allowing larger septic companies to brand the technician experience with their own logo and colors, increasing enterprise deal sizes
Customer portal where property owners can view service history, schedule appointments, and manage payment methods, reducing inbound calls to septic companies
Equipment maintenance tracking that monitors truck service schedules, vacuum pump hours, and required inspections to prevent breakdowns and expensive emergency repairs
Multi-location dashboard for regional operators and franchise systems managing 50+ trucks across multiple states with territory-level performance analytics
Marketplace connecting septic companies with overflow capacity to businesses needing emergency service, creating a network effect as more companies join the platform
You've just seen the blueprint for a business that solves real problems for people who desperately need help. While others chase consumer apps, you can build essential infrastructure for an entire industry. The septic companies are out there right now, frustrated with their current systems, ready to pay for something better.
The only question is whether you'll build it before someone else does.
I built the landing page at pumpforce.io. If you are interested in acquiring this, reply to this email. All you need to do is plug your email provider into the contact form and you can start validating the idea today.
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