In a world where junk removal is often considered an unpleasant undertaking, one brand is determined to transform the process into a positive and customer-friendly experience. 1-800-JUNKPRO, an emerging, family-owned franchise, offers both junk removal and dumpster rentals, in addition to signature friendly customer service, making it a standout in the $50 billion junk removal industry. 1-800-JUNKPRO currently has five locations in Illinois, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri and Oklahoma, with a sixth location set to open in Austin in 2020. The brand is looking for new franchisees to grow in major metropolitan areas throughout the United States, particularly in the Texas markets of Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, and would like to add at least six more locations in 2020.
1-800-JUNKPRO got its start in Wichita in 1999, when CEO and President Mike Davis and his wife, Misty, the company’s CFO (or Chief Fun Officer, as she prefers), started a junk removal company called Better Hauling Company as a way to earn extra income. They started the business with just one pick-up truck and a trailer, and by 2007, Mike had quit his corporate job and devoted himself to the business full time. In 2007, the Davises took the next step with their business and hired a local manufacturer to customize a truck to elevate the brand’s ability to service customers. Three years later, the Davises rebranded the company to 1-800-JUNKPRO, and awarded the first franchise in 2016 in Kansas City. Today, 1-800-JUNKPRO removes more than 350,000 pounds of junk per week with its five locations, and plans to expand across the country.
1-800-JUNKPRO stands out from the competition in several major ways. For one, 1-800-JUNKPRO franchisees benefit from a simple business model with two different investment options: the Small Market Franchise, which has a territory population of less than 500,000 with the initial investment ranging from $73,850 to $206,099 and the Standard Market Franchise, which has a territory population of 500,000 or more with an initial investment ranging from $117,950 to $217,200. One single person can run a Small Market Franchise, while larger territories only require four to 10 people to start. The brand also offers both junk removal and dumpster rental, which means customers can work with the same trusted brand should they need both services, and franchisees benefit from having more than one revenue stream. What’s more, 1-800-JUNKPRO offers an environmentally friendly business opportunity, as the business partners with companies and organizations who help recycle and donate a large percentage of items that customers no longer want or need. If an item cannot be donated or recycled, it is disposed of responsibly.
“The need for junk removal services will never go away,” Mike Davis said. “People are always going to throw things away and get rid of old things. When the economy is good, people remodel their homes—which leads to debris they need to get rid of, and people purchase new things—which leads to the need to discard the old. In bad times, we help people downsize and we get hired by banks due to foreclosure cleanouts. When the recession hit, and hurt many other business types, it fueled our business from another angle, because customers had foreclosures and needed help cleaning out their homes. A lot of brands market themselves as recession-proof. 1-800-JUNKPRO is as close to recession-proof as you can get.”
Once a franchisee signs on with 1-800-JUNKPRO, they benefit from a robust corporate support system that sets them up for success before they open and on an ongoing basis. Before the franchisee’s grand opening, the corporate team invites the franchisee back to headquarters for additional training and support. Plus, 1-800-JUNKPRO has a proprietary technology platform, JunkConnect, that helps streamline the business operations by allowing franchisees to dispatch jobs and do inventory management, and customers to book appointments. JunkConnect also ensures there is no double-booking of dumpsters or trucks, making life even more seamless for franchisees.
Above all, what sets 1-800-JUNKPRO apart from the competition is its focus on providing warm and friendly customer service in an industry that doesn’t typically see such behavior. This is where 1-800-JUNKPRO franchisees have a chance to stand out in their markets.
”Our industry is full of grumpy people,” Davis said. “When you call around for service, you usually get a grumpy person on the other end of the line. Here at 1-800-JUNKPRO, we are very focused on customer service. That’s won us more business than anything. Our team knows from day one that we are not in the trash hauling business, we are in the customer service business, and providing ‘the-best-customer-service-on-the-planet’ is our Mission.”
1-800-JUNKPRO seeks to partner with franchisees with prior management experience who are growth-focused and want to be an active owner. Franchisees should also pass what Davis calls “The Cornhole Test.” “If a prospective franchisee can open up a bit and be easy to talk to, the way you would while playing a game of Cornhole with a friend, then that’s a strong indicator they’ll be a good culture fit for 1-800-JUNKPRO,” Davis said. “That’s really important to us. A fun personality, a solid business background and a willingness to follow our proven system are really what we’re looking for.”