A Residential Junk Removal Job, Soup to Nuts
Today, we are posting a blog with a unique twist. Rather than talking about junk removal or answering questions such as, “where to schedule donation pickups in Denver” or “can you dispose of televisions,” we’re going to tell you about a job we completed and what made it successful for all parties involved.
This job, like many others we perform, arose through a word of mouth connection that was created due to working with another local business (check out Elevate Advertising for website, advertising, and marketing help). The lead had heard about us through a family member, and decided to give us a call from the number located on our website (303-815-0467, or you can request an appointment online).
Similar to many potential customers, this lead had never worked with a donation and junk removal company before. Before scheduling any job, our team feels responsible to educate customers about the importance of donating, recycling, and providing second chances for the items we pickup. As the prospective customer’s family had left the nest and started creating their own families, items were left behind and stored away.
After listening to the potential customers’ asks, it was evident from the call that this was going to be a multiple load effort containing a mix of furniture suitable for donation and other well-loved and worn pieces that the team would look to dispose of properly.
To ensure that The Junk Trunk could provide the customer with the best possible care and service, an employee scheduled an in-person no obligation estimate. The Junk Trunk approaches each estimate with sensitivity for the customer’s unique situation. While we may not have a background in therapy, we do understand customer service. The Junk Trunk takes pride in the items we pickup, and understands the emotional attachment that comes along with parting ceremonies. We do everything in our power to make sure we can find new homes for our customers’ old memories.
Once the employee arrived on site, he politely introduced himself to the customers. He began by asking to perform a walk through to gain a better understanding of the items in need of removal. The Junk Trunk is full service and can haul away items located anywhere inside or around your property. During the walk through, the employee took notes and marked down items that would be removed at the desired move-out date. After seeing the quality and quantity of items, an estimate was provided to help the customer gain a better understanding of the expected price range and number of trucks required.
Taking time to understand the customer and the unique items being removed is one of the things that sets us apart from other removal companies. By sending an employee in person to provide a quote, the customer was able to gain a better understanding of how The Junk Trunk’s services work, as well as obtain a more accurate estimate than what could be provided over the phone.
More significantly, though, it helped us gain a more personal connection to our customers and their needs to help build a trustworthy and legitimate relationship. In this case, the warmth of that relationship was immediately evident, and the customer even invited our estimator to stay for coffee! Finally, it gave us great insight into the specifics of the job, which allowed us to send the right team to the property (7 individuals, rather than our typical 2–3), equipped with the proper amount of truck space and tools to complete the job efficiently.
On the day of the appointment, our team gave the customer a courtesy call when they were en route to the location to provide a more accurate arrival time within our two-hour appointment windows. Following a knock on the door and a polite introduction with a handshake from one of our crew captains, we were off to the races. The team started the process by walking through the property again with the customer to confirm the information our estimator had gathered ahead of time: which items were being removed, where they were located on the property, and which were fit for donation, rehoming, or disposal. Once the walkthrough was complete, the team met together to devise a plan of attack.
The warm hospitality continued beyond coffee at the estimate, with the customer going so far above and beyond what we ask of our clients and making our job pleasant and easy. She was kind enough to make a snack of pigs in a blanket and provide water to our crew, both of which were thoroughly appreciated by our haulers and kept them fueled to finish the heavy lifting on a warm spring day.
What really set the team up for success, in this instance and so many others, was the superb attitude and enthusiasm of all parties involved. We’re not just professional, but we’re friendly, too! Crew Captains lead vocally and by example, encouraging and deploying their teams on tasks to suit each individual’s strengths: Jerry, ever the tool master, set to work disassembling items, while Benny tossed some serious muscle around in removing a very heavy piano from the main floor.
There were some chokepoints and challenges, namely with heavy items located in the basement at the bottom of a narrow staircase, but by staging items in the basement and constantly communicating needs and next steps, the crew was able to maintain a steady stream of household items up the staircase and out the house one at a time. As crew members tired and needed to catch their breath, they would switch over to staging items in the driveway or expertly loading and packing the truck, while letting somebody fresher attack the stair climb. Once one truck was efficiently packed and full, it was moved out to the curb and the next truck took its place seamlessly, with no interruptions in flow.
In all, what could have been a seriously challenging job, not to mention frustrating and tiring due to the heavy and bulky items, instead went over without a hitch thanks to superior communication, strong work ethic, enthusiastic disposition, and finally because of friendliness and personal touch that sets us apart from the big franchise companies. At the end of the day, we’re people who love providing professional and enthusiastic service while building up and investing in other great people. It’s no wonder we find friends everywhere we go!
We encourage you to learn more about how we provide second chances for the people we hire and the items we pick up.
