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Growing a Successful ReusePass Program

TIMELINE: Ongoing

Action items: After reading this page, here are the action items that need to be completed:

  • Review the comprehensive guide of items that ensure you maintain a healthy ReusePass program

  • Review the key data points for determining the health of your program

  • Review the different levers you can use to increase your program’s performance


TIER CONSIDERATIONS

  • *Pro Tier clients receive additional services such as dedicated CSM meetings, more in-depth reporting, monthly impact marketing materials, and access to exclusive engagement tools, helping clients align their needs with the level of support provided.

  • *Essential Tier clients receive support during onboarding and launch, end-of-semester reports, and access to the Topanga team for troubleshooting or expansion questions. Enjoy a streamlined hands-off ReusePass experience, with Topanga’s ReusePass Academy as a self-serve platform for all your program needs.


 

A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE Below is an in-depth list of seven essential steps to ensure your program stays well-maintained and effective:

  1. ReusePass Academy

    • Unlock the full potential of your ReusePass program by exploring ReusePass Academy resources for ongoing success:

      ✔️ Step-by-step guidance for Dashboard navigation

      ✔️ Detailed product training and walkthroughs

      ✔️ Tools and key insights needed for program maintenance

  2. Program and Launch Reports

    • Receive reports on program performance, including metrics on participation rates, container returns, and user feedback. Insights can guide initiatives to optimize user experience and drive engagement. (Pro Tier: Monthly Basis / Essential Tier: End of Semesters)

  3. Manual Charge Workflow & Refund Reports (if applicable)

    • Managing failed rentals with charge capabilities is conveniently located in your program Dashboard. The Manual Charge Workflow will ensure your team can handle late fees with ease and accuracy.

  4. Scheduled Meetings

    • For Pro Tier clients, we recommend establishing regular check-in meetings and clear communication with your CSM. These sessions will allow for a continuous review of program performance, tailored advice, and proactive support for expansion and user engagement.

  5. Student Engagement Ideas & Loyalty Programs

    • Access our comprehensive library of engagement ideas designed to keep your program exciting and encourage student participation. These strategies can help boost visibility, attract new users, and strengthen retention over time. (Pro Tier Clients connect with your dedicated CSM)

  6. Case Studies for Program Expansion

    • Explore our case studies to see how similar programs have expanded, increased sustainability impact, and achieved a higher ROI. Use these stories to envision new possibilities for your program and discover strategies that could significantly boost engagement and expand your impact. VIEW CASE STUDIES HERE.

  7. Comprehensive Student Ambassador Program

    • Recruit students on campus to join Topanga’s AMBASSADOR PROGRAM. ReusePass ambassadors get the opportunity to develop their marketing, project management and leadership skills while leading and supporting ReusePass initiatives on campus.


 

UNDERSTANDING REUSEPASS REPORTS


ReusePass Launch and Program reports provide a comprehensive look at your program’s performance related to metrics like impact reporting, asset utilization, and consumer engagement. Designed to complement your Topanga Dashboard, these reports deliver richer insights tailored to program launch and key growth phases, making them the tools you need to drive optimal results.


REUSEPASS LAUNCH REPORT

  • The goal of this report is to give you insights on what aspects of the program are performing well and where we can improve.

  • This report is especially helpful for brand new programs that are launching, for programs launching new locations, assets, or for programs that are changing their programs operations or parameters (i.e. going from optional reusables to mandatory reusables).




REUSEPASS PROGRAM REPORT

  • Dive deeper into the data of your ReusePass program. We like to think of this report as the dashboard’s sidekick!

  • Glean insights on how to improve the program. This report will cover impact, participant engagement, operations, and inventory.

  • Program reports can be found in your shared google drive folder called “ReusePass Reporting”.

  • This report is available depending on your tier. Talk to your CSM if this is something you're interested in.


 

MEASURING THE HEALTH OF YOUR PROGRAM

When reviewing your dashboard, launch reports and program reports, there are a few key data points that will indicate how your program is performing.

  • Return Rate

    • You should strive to maintain a 90%+ return rate. The average return rate across ReusePass campuses is 97%.

  • Cycle Rate

    • You should strive to maintain a cycle rate below 7 days. The average cycle rate across ReusePass campuses is 5 days.

  • Average uses/asset

    • The higher your uses/asset are, the greater your ROI/asset will be. The average uses/asset across ReusePass campuses is 15+ uses.

    • The higher your return rate is, the more uses/asset you should expect to see before that asset is lost or retired.

  • Total Rentals

    • This number should feel in line with where you would expect it to be based on your dining locations’ to-go volume.

  • Percentage of failed rentals

    • You should strive to maintain 5% or less failed rentals.

    • Having a high percentage of failed rentals indicates that students may not be returning containers in a timely manner and/or operators may not be scanning containers in fast enough.

  • Percentage of canceled rentals

    • You should strive to maintain a 5% or less canceled rentals.

    • Having a high percentage of canceled rentals indicates a large volume of students have texted the customer support line disputing their late rentals. It’s possible containers are missing their scan-in the dish room (review your missed scan-in rate), or operators are not getting containers scanned in fast enough.

  • Missed Scan-in Rate

    • The missed scan-in rate is the percentage of assets over the last 30 days that weren't scanned in before being scanned out again - i.e. the container was returned, but the loop wasn't properly closed. A 0-8% range is ideal.

  • Total signups

    • Your number of total signups should feel in line with the percentage of your campus population who dine on campus and/or are meal plan holders.


 

INCREASE YOUR REUSEPASS PROGRAM'S PERFORMANCE

There are various levers you can use to increase your ReusePass program’s performance!

  • Expand the program to other locations on campus

    • Making ReusePass a standard across campus is the best way to see an increase in student adoption, operator adoption and program performance. Making ReusePass the default way to get food to-go on campus increases signups, rental volume, environmental impact, asset utilization and ROI.

  • Add a late fee

    • Late fees help hold students accountable for not returning their containers within the rental timeframes, which ultimately can affect your asset utilization, cycle rates and return rates. If ROI is a top priority for your program, adding a late fee can be crucial in seeing a high return early on.

  • Add a single use surcharge (optional programs)

    • Adding a single use surcharge helps encourage students to dine-out with reusables vs choosing an option that creates more waste. Higher ReusePass volume results in greater asset utilization and ROI for your program.

  • Add RFID readers in your dish rooms

    • RFID allows for faster and more reliable container scan-ins. This helps reduce your percentage of failed and canceled rentals and increases positive student sentiment towards the program.

  • Make ReusePass mandatory for to-go orders

    • Schools that have mandatory programs generally see the most rental volume, asset utilization and operator compliance. Making the program mandatory in participating dining halls reinforces ReusePass as a standard part of campus operations for students and operators.

  • Increase marketing and engagement efforts

    • Regularly sharing impact stats across campus and having regularly scheduled tabling/engagement events keeps students and operators excited about using the program.

  • Add more return bins on campus

    • Return convenience is key for students feeling like ReusePass is easy to participate in. Adding more return bins across campus makes returning containers within the rental windows more feasible for students.

  • Increase the frequency in which return bins are being emptied

    • Consistently emptying return bins throughout the day ensures containers are getting washed and scanned in quickly. This helps ensure your late and cancelled rental percentage stays low, and reinforces student confidence in participating in the program.

  • Create an ambassador program

    • Students learn best from their peers! Having students promote the program to each other and ideate on fun ways to market ReusePass on campus helps increase positive sentiment and adoption of the program.

  • Create an employee rewards program

    • Rewarding operators for the hard work they do to support the program is a great way to ensure front of house and back of house ReusePass operations stay strong and consistent. Things like merch, meal vouchers, parties and giveaways are just a few things we see campuses do.


ASSET UTILIZATION

The return on your investment in a reusable container program is primarily driven by the number of uses you get out of each reusable container. Roughly getting between four and five uses means your program is successful. Every use after that means more money in your pocket and more carbon savings for the planet.

In the chart below, you can see how higher return rates result in higher uses per asset. You can also see at which point container loss is expected - container loss is a normal part of any program! The goal is to get as many uses as possible out of a container before it isn’t returned or has to be retired.


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