1-800-GOT-JUNK? Blue wigs turn junk into gold; local franchise is a model business for winter climates.Lewis 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 British Columbia, province (2001 pop. 3,907,738), 366,255 sq mi (948,600 sq km), including 6,976 sq mi (18,068 sq km) of water surface, W Canada. Geography . 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 USA Today National U.S. daily general-interest newspaper, the first of its kind. Launched in 1982 by Allen Neuharth, head of the Gannett newspaper chain, it reached a circulation of one million within a year and surpassed two million in the 1990s. , New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times, Wall Street Journal, and the Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. . 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 forth·right adj. 1. Direct and without evasion; straightforward: a forthright appraisal; forthright criticism. 2. Archaic Proceeding straight ahead. adv. 1. , honest and interact well with the public, said the Garretts. Previously in health care as a radiation therapist The radiation therapist is a professional who manages the details of the radiation process. The therapist works closely with the radiation oncologist. After the radiation oncologist has consulted with the patient and a decision has been reached that the application of radiation , 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 Anchorage (ăng`kərĭj), city (1990 pop. 226,338), Anchorage census div., S central Alaska, a port at the head of Cook Inlet; inc. 1920. , 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 hangers used for hanging x-ray films to dry. There is a clip type, with a clip at each corner, and a channel type in which the film sits in channels in the sides of the frame. , 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 Refers to a chip or other hardware component that is directly attached to the printed circuit board (motherboard). Contrast with offboard. See inboard. 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 MUNICIPALITY. The body of officers, taken collectively, belonging to a city, who are appointed to manage its affairs and defend its interests. . 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 af·ter·ward also af·ter·wards adv. At a later time; subsequently. Adv. 1. afterward - happening at a time subsequent to a reference time; "he apologized subsequently"; "he's going to the store but he'll be back here . 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 Salvation Army, Protestant denomination and international nonsectarian Christian organization for evangelical and philanthropic work. Organization and Beliefs The Salvation Army has established branches in 100 countries throughout the world. ; Bishop's Attic; and Total Reclaim. KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY Keep It In The Family may refer to:
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 (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Brian Scudamore Brian Scudamore (born March 16,1970) is the Founder and CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. In 1989 Scudamore started a single truck junk hauling business named The Rubbish Boys Disposal Services as a way to pay for university tuition [1]. 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 Noun 1. Canadian province - Canada is divided into 12 provinces for administrative purposes province, state - the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation; "his state is in the deep south" , 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. |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion