Who this is for: Council waste and city services managers replacing or extending the systems behind kerbside collection.
Which should you choose?
- Choose a packaged platform if your processes already match how the product works, you want an established product with a long feature list, and configuration is enough. Packaged platforms cover RFID bin identification, GPS proof of service and in-cab apps out of the box.
- Choose an in-house build if you have a standing engineering team that will own the system for years, including on-call support for field crews.
- Choose RS9 if your collection model, contract reporting or resident experience does not fit a packaged product, and you want one team to design, build and run the system across field devices, AI, cloud and any hardware it needs.
- Switching probably is not worth it if your current platform already settles disputes with evidence, produces the reports your contract needs, and crews are happy with it. In that case, fix the gaps through integration rather than replacing the system.
The decisions that matter
| Decision | Packaged waste platforme.g. AMCS Wastedge, Step Global Asgard | In-house buildYour own team or a contracted build | RS9AI and engineering lab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fit to your collection model | Configurable within the product; workflow follows the product design | Built to fit, if the team has the waste domain knowledge | Designed around your model; the lab has built and runs a live council waste platform |
| Proof of service[source][source] | RFID and GPS service verification; Asgard pairs RFID lifts with timestamped video | Whatever you build and maintain | Built to suit: field device evidence, GPS and integration with on-truck hardware where it exists |
| Hardware on the truck[source] | Vendor hardware available (e.g. AMCS vehicle data hub, on-board weighing) | Usually bought separately and integrated | Integrates existing hardware; can design custom electronics where nothing off the shelf fits |
| Integration with council systems[source] | Asgard documents an open architecture feeding asset management and CRM platforms | Fully in your control | Built against your systems as part of the work |
| Resident-facing app | Check with each vendor | Separate build | Designed with the field and staff systems as one platform |
| AI in operations | Check current releases with each vendor | Depends on team skills | Core lab capability: speech, voice agents and AI-driven workflows with people in control |
| Data hosting | Confirm region with each vendor | Your choice | Australian-hosted on AWS Sydney |
| Who runs it day to day | Vendor support under the subscription | Your team, including after-hours | RS9 builds and runs it in production |
| Maturity | Established products with large customer bases | Starts from zero | A younger, smaller team; one live metro-scale council platform |
Same job: a resident reports a missed bin
Demo scenario with illustrative steps, not client data.
Packaged waste platform
- Resident calls or uses the council channel
- Staff look up the service record in the platform
- RFID, GPS or video evidence shows whether the bin was lifted
- A go-back is scheduled inside the platform
In-house build
- Depends entirely on what was built
- Evidence quality depends on the devices and integrations you fund
- Reporting is built and maintained by your team
RS9
- Resident reports in the app; the report is tied to the property and service day
- The staff portal shows the crew record from the driver device for that stop
- Staff resolve or schedule a go-back; the crew sees it on their device
- The case feeds contract reporting automatically
Pricing the same scenario
- None of the three publishes a price list for councils, so we have not invented one.
- To compare fairly, give every option the same scenario: the same number of trucks, services, residents, users and contract term. Ask each for setup, licences or fees, hardware, support and exit costs over the full term.
- Count your own staff time for an in-house build, including after-hours support.
What switching involves
- Data to move: property and service records, bin assets, history of service events and open cases.
- To rebuild: contract reports, routes and run sheets, and resident notifications.
- To reconnect: council CRM, asset and finance systems, and any on-truck hardware.
- Test before cutting over: a full collection cycle on a pilot area, running in parallel with the current system.
How this page was checked
Prepared by RS9. Facts checked 16 October 2026. Competitor statements are taken from each vendor’s public product pages, linked below. We have not tested competitor products hands-on.
Brief us on your situation and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right fit.