1-800-GOT-JUNK?
Coordinates: 49°15′58.50″N 123°05′03.66″W / 49.2662500°N 123.0843500°W
 | |
Formerly called |
The Rubbish Guys Disposal Service (1989–1998) |
|---|---|
| Private Company | |
| Industry | Junk Removal |
| Founded | In 1989 in Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Headquarters | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
Number of locations | 159 |
Key people | Brian Scudamore, Founder and CEO |
| Products | Junk Removal Services |
| Website | www.1800gotjunk.com |
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is a franchised residential and commercial junk removal company operating in the United States, Canada, and Australia.[1] The company's business model consists of taking an old activity, junk or trash haulage, and giving it a 'clean' image through branding and marketing. According to founder and CEO Brian Scudamore, "It was just a different spin on an industry, which was historically a very fragmented, dirty industry."[2]
History
The company started in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1989. It was incorporated as The Rubbish Boys Disposal Service, then in 1998 with its current name.[3] The first permanent franchise opened in 1997 in Victoria, Canada[4] and a second in Toronto in 1998. In 2000, a franchise opened outside Canada in Portland, Oregon.[5] By 2007 the company had 270 locations.
Chief Operating Officer was Cameron Herold from 2000-2007, followed by Launni Skinner and in 2011, Erik Church.[6]
Operations
The company keeps 61.3% of collected items out of the landfill by recycling and donating.[7][8] 1-800-GOT-JUNK? performs bi-annual audits of their environmental practices.[9] Franchisees have access to a report to track their landfill diversion. Franchise partners donate goods and services to community and charity organizations.[10]
1-800-GOT-JUNK? evaluates its level of customer service using the Net Promoter Score system.[11] The company claimed a score of 80 in 2012.[12] Customer calls are routed through a central call center based at the company headquarters in Vancouver and a second location in Toronto. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? released a consumer-based mobile booking site in 2012 and a mobile app in 2013 for franchisees and their employees to manage operations.[13][14]
The company adopted a ‘work hard, play hard’ culture and family-like atmosphere early in order to combat labor shortages.[15]
Scudamore says this about his hiring practices: "Do we like them? Is it someone I’d like to go out for beers with? Is it someone I’d enjoy inviting into my home? You have to like the person and want to work with them because there is a lot of sweat, energy, passion and sacrifices that go into a successful brand."[16]
The headquarters (aka ‘The Junktion’) regularly offers informative tours of the office to share best practices with interested parties.[17] Transparency is a major tenet of the company culture. There are no private offices at the Junktion and company metrics and performance are shared regularly with staff at monthly meetings and daily, companywide Huddles.[18]
The company parks their trucks when not in use in prominent locations as billboards to advertise their business.[19]
In the media
Entrepreneur Magazine named the company 425th of 500 franchises in 2013.[20] Achievers, a company that offers social recognition and employee engagement solutions to its clients, rated the subject of this article Canada's "most engaged workplace" in 2013 and recognised it in 2012.[21]
In 2011, Scudamore was featured on Undercover Boss Canada[22] and staff members won money for charity on the first season of Global Television’s Canada Sings.[23]
References
- ↑ Blaskovich, Sarah. "Success stories - Brian Scudamore". Success. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ Scudamore, Brian. "How I did it: Brian Scudamore". Business Vancouver. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ↑ "How I did it: Brian Scudamore". Business in Vancouver. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ "1-800-GOT-JUNK Franchise Review - 1-800-GOT-JUNK Franchises For Sale". Businessmart.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
- ↑ Villano, Matt (May 1, 2006). "A Cache of Cash Cleaning Up Other People's Trash". New York Times. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ↑ "The Frequent Flyer: Erik Church". Go Far. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ Johnson, Jim. "Junk removal company posts 60% landfill diversion rate". Waste & Recycling News. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ "Junk Salvaging Gets Environmental Audit". Greenandsave.com. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ "Our honored small businesses - Where are they now?". Winning Workplaces. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ "Yard Sale for the Cure". CP24. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ D'Antonio, Mila. "1-800-GOT-JUNK? drives its customer experience forward". 1to1 Media. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ "1-800-GOT-JUNK? case study". Apptivo. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ Levy Sarfin, Rachel. "1-800-GOT-JUNK? rolls out mobile app for franchise partners". IT in Canada. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ "1-800-GOT-JUNK now has an app". Computer Dealer News. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ "Purpose Beyond Profit: Brian Scudamore’s Big Hairy Audacious Goal". Institute B. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ Beer, Jeff. "Q&A: Brian Scudamore, founder/CEO, 1-800-7Got-Junk". Canadian Business. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- ↑ "Business Expert Q&A". Make It Business Magazine. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ Clark, Cynthia. "Creating Lasting Employee Engagement". 1to1 Media. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ "1-800-GOT-JUNK Goes International". ABC Nightline. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ "2013 Franchise 500 Rankings". Entrepreneur Magazine. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ "The 50 most engaged workplaces in Canada". The Globe and Mail (Toronto). 28 September 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ "Undercover Analysis | Episode #4: Got-Junk Boss Brian Scudamore". Financial Post. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ↑ Gee, Dana. "Notes are junk in name only?". Canada.com. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
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