Kansas City's Ted's Trash Modernizes Sales with CommanderAI - Triples Average Deal Value

Third-generation Missouri hauler uses precision targeting to secure high-value commercial accounts

MARINA DEL RAY, Calif., May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CommanderAI, the sales engine behind the waste management industry, today announced that Ted's Trash Service, a third-generation, family-operated waste management company serving the Kansas City metro area, has selected CommanderAI to modernize and scale its sales initiatives. By integrating CommanderAI's Go-To-Market platform, Ted's Trash has successfully built a high-performance sales department from the ground up, achieving a 96% email open rate and a 3x increase in average deal value.

Modernizing a 65-Year Family Legacy

Founded by Ted Ferrell in the 1960 to service burn barrels, Ted's Trash has grown into a 33,000-customer powerhouse providing commercial, residential, and roll-off services. While the company's reputation was built on family values and word-of-mouth, the third generation recognized a need to modernize the company's growth strategy.

After 65 years without a formal sales team, Ted's Trash selected CommanderAI to automate outreach and lead generation. Ted's Trash rapidly deployed CommanderAI's prospecting and CRM solutions, moving from search to deployment and revenue generation in just a few weeks.

Maximizing the Bottom Line

By adopting CommanderAI, Ted's Trash pivoted from an approach rooted in reputation and referrals to a data-driven strategy specifically targeting high-value commercial properties that align with the company's operational capacity. Ted's Trash can now target customers with higher trash volumes or those with lighter trash loads, resulting in better profit margins. The platform's heatmap and contact tools enable Ted's Trash to identify potential customers already on their routes, significantly increasing the profitability of every mile driven.

Ted's Trash now sends more targeted outreach in one hour than a manual salesperson could achieve in a full day of field visits. The company closes deals with prospects identified through CommanderAI in one to two weeks, and has achieved a 30% increase in deals closed based on other waste management companies of a similar size.

"CommanderAI has completely changed the game for us," said Dusty Ferrell, General Manager of Ted's Trash. "Before, we had to go through five different people to find a decision-maker. Now, CommanderAI does that heavy lifting for us. We have the right contacts at the right time, allowing us to close deals in as little as one week. It has opened up a line of communication we simply didn't have before."

"Ted's Trash represents the backbone of the waste industry - they are smart, family-run, and deeply connected to their community," said David Berg, CEO of CommanderAI. "Our mission is to give companies like Ted's Trash the edge they need to compete. Seeing an increase in their deal value by targeting high-density routes proves that when you combine decades of experience with modern AI, the results are immediate and massive."

About CommanderAI
CommanderAI is disrupting legacy industries like waste management with purpose-built AI-powered sales solutions. The company's Go-To-Market platform for waste haulers helps businesses find, engage, and close more opportunities. Haulers use CommanderAI to increase revenue, accelerate sales cycles, and quickly capture market share. Learn more at commanderai.com.

About Ted's Trash Service, Inc.
Ted's Trash Service is a third-generation, family-operated waste management company serving the Kansas City metro area. Since 1960, Ted's has provided residential, commercial, and roll-off services with a commitment to personal customer service and community reliability. Ted's Trash remains dedicated to the "family-first" approach that started it all. Learn more at https://www.tedstrash.com.

SOURCE CommanderAI