Is there such thing as a good junk removal company?

Most people will find it funny, that collecting garbage and quality of service can occupy the same sentence. Probably the same people, will find it odd that I take pride in what I do. I am proud of what I do, because of the way I do it. Running my business has allowed me to see the world in a very different light.

So, how can I compare quality to junk removal? I can do so, simply because, no matter what you do, you can master it. My business is not just about me picking up your old rubbish. It is about so much more, that most people will not see, but some of my clients are aware of.

Lets take for example, when I am on the phone with my clients. I have to be able to be polite and attentive. There is so much not being said on the phone. Sometimes, I can feel that my client is booking an appointment for times, that he or she is not very comfortable with. At this point, I try to find out, what their fears are about. Are they not sure about the timing? Most of the time, I would suggest that we keep the appointment open, until the client has more solid information on the timing. I have to be able to listen to people.

I have to admit, that this skill has helped me avoid some clients too. Good example is the issue with bed bugs. I am not willing to get bedbugs on my truck and in the process, contaminate the next client I visit. There are plenty of junk removal companies operating in Vancouver, who are willing to take this risk, but have made the decision, not to work this way. So, very few potential clients are honest on the phone, when I ask if the mattress they are getting rid of, has bed bugs. There is something in their voice, that gives them away, that perhaps they are not telling me the whole story.

Being punctual is another skill I am proud of. I am not sure, how I picked up that skill, but for some reason, with few exceptions, I manage to get there within 5-10 min of the promised time. After working in this industry for so many years, it is easy to see the traffic patterns. Many companies, have a 2 hour window, which is not a bad idea, because it is hard to estimate how long the previous job will be. Even my company has entertained the idea of implementing that type scheduling system. The first junk removal pickup is easy to follow, but keeping up the schedule for the next few, is hard to do.

There is another aspect of the junk removal business, that I never really considered exceptional, but I keep hearing horror stories from my clients. It was always assumed by me, that the normal behavior when at a client house, would be not to swear, spit and chain smoke. I guess, I was wrong. That is also a rare quality among the people who are in the rubbish removal industry in Vancouver.

So, why is this really happening. My theory is that, since it is considered a dirty job, most people who enter it, just give in, into the stereotype. They don’t think, there is such thing as doing a good job, when hauling garbage. Clients pay good money for that service. Why can’t they expect a good service? I hope this will change eventually.