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Weekly UpdatesLewis and Marisa Garrett, owners of Anchorage's 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, opened their business in April 2006, after buying the business in 2005 and taking the appropriate training in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Already the business has grown in size and expanded the coverage area. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? is a full-service junk-removal company. They do all the sorting, loading and cleanup of unwanted items mirrored on the same caliber as FedEx delivers packages. The franchise adheres to four Quality Focus Areas: On-time Service; Clean Shiny Trucks, Friendly Uniformed Drivers and Up-Front Rates.
The Garretts' business hasn't fallen off during the winter months as typically happens in other states, so this franchise may prove to be a model for businesses in winter climates elsewhere.
The recognizable blue wigs, trucks and uniforms of the worldwide franchise have been featured on the Today Show, Oprah, USA Today, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and the Associated Press.
The backbone of the business is a state-of-the-art intranet business software called JunkNet. JunkNet is 1-800-GOT-JUNK?'s information hub as well as job-booking and dispatch tool. Drivers retrieve their daily schedules directly from Web access phones. The whole business is managed online. Customers can even schedule their appointments online.
Establishing the business included buying two trucks to start out with, as well as office uniforms, equipment and insurance.
Their staff now includes four full-time workers and one part-time employee.
Employees are chosen for their ability to be forthright, honest and interact well with the public, said the Garretts.
Previously in health care as a radiation therapist, Lewis and his wife, Marisa, a special education bilingual administrator, decided they wanted a new direction and the opportunity to work in a business together.
SLOW, STEADY GROWTH
The Garrett's purchased three territories servicing Wasilla, Palmer, Chugiak, Eagle River, Anchorage, Girdwood, Seward, Kenai, Homer and Soldotna.
One of the first business goals was to cover the Anchorage area.
The first month was quiet. The Garrett's were busy putting up door hangers, making signs, and parking their trucks in visible locations. The business received one or two jobs a day.
The second month the business really took off, receiving four or five jobs a day. Within 90 days, the Garrett's required the use of both trucks, and will soon need a third. In fact the business has done so well, they brought on a General Manager Nathan Feldman, out of Raleigh, N.C. Feldman has a reputation of being one of the top GMs in the franchise. When Feldman came onboard the Garretts nicknamed him "Nathan 911," because they knew he had the ability to take their rapidly growing business into the next level of growth and expansion, they said.
COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS
Typically a 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise handles 70 percent to 75 percent residential customers with the remainder being commercial customers. In Anchorage, the business is 60 percent residential, with the rest of the business commercial.
1-800-GOT-JUNK? has commercial accounts with oil companies such as ConocoPhillips and Chevron, as well as contracts with the government and the Municipality. The business is a preferred vendor for the federal government and is currently working on a contract with local construction firms and realty companies. They also work with engineering companies, legal firms and other professionals. One of their largest jobs was a contract worth $6,000 from a local company that was relocating. Privately, they have had some large residential jobs worth up to $5,000.
1-800-GOT-JUNK? has set up services with Weidner Apartments, the largest property management company in Anchorage.
UPFRONT PRICING
1-800-GOT-JUNK? customers always know upfront how much they will be charged for junk removal. The company call center staff provides the customer with an estimate based on the volume of room the customer believes the junk will take up in the truck. When the truck teams arrive on-site and actually are able to visually evaluate the junk pile, the customer is given a more accurate assessment and at that time is able to accept or decline the service. This principal of Up-Front rates is one in which the customer is assured that they will not be caught by surprise due to hidden or unexpected costs.
For 1-800-GOT-JUNK? most jobs can be done in a two-hour time frame. Further, there is no hauling junk to the curb, and 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Truck Teams do a full clean up afterward.
Literally, all the customer does is point to the junk and it disappears!
A BUSINESS THAT RECYCLES
The business is considered very green. Sixty percent of the junk removed is either donated to charity or recycled. Recycling depots and donation centers include: the Point Woronzof wood recycling center; Alaska Metal Recycling; Dowling's Anchorage Recycling Center; Big Brothers/Big Sisters; Salvation Army; Bishop's Attic; and Total Reclaim.
KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY
For the Garret's, the business is unique and fun. "We get lots of compliments and are very encouraged by the response to the business, even though it's challenging work," said Marisa. The Garrett's son, Raffael, works for 1-800-GOT-JUNK? in Eugene, Ore. while he is in college and has worked for his parents when he has been visiting in Anchorage.
SUCCESS!
A Canadian company, 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, got its start in 1989 when Founder and CEO Brian Scudamore saw an old pickup hauling junk through a McDonald's parking lot and determined that he too could haul off unwanted items, but would raise it to the level of FedEx, which is exactly the model of business that 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has become and is well on the way to being a worldwide recognized brand. By 1996, the company had recorded $1 million in annual revenue and today 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has 271 franchises in 48 states, nine Canadian provinces, Australia, and the UK.
Over the years 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has won numerous awards, including ranking No. 97 on Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 list (No. 1 in its category) in 2007. For more information visit: www.1800gotjunk.com.
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