Is the junk removal business like the moving business?

You Move Me truck, Toronto, ON

You Move Me truck, Toronto, ON (Detail)

Last week I was walking down St. Clair Avenue in Toronto and I saw this moving van. I had not seen one of the firm's trucks before. but had seen the green on WOW 1-Day painting trucks.

This firm was started by the people behind 1-800-GOT-JUNK? so they know a bit about franchising, and especially franchising commodity businesses.

The moving business has been divided into the big firms; Allied, AMJ Campbell, Atlas, Bekin, Mayflower and United, and the smaller one-truck operators.

By applying the discipline that the founders developed at 1-800-GOT-JUNK? they hope to transform the moving business the way that they transformed the garbage hauling business.

One common factor among all of the businesses is the use of a shared signature colour.

Green colour swatch, (Source: http://www.http://www.1800gotjunk.com/)

This rather distinctive green is shared by 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, WOW 1-Day Painting, and You Move Me.

Next time I have to move I'll give this firm a try. I just hope that all of my possessions don't end up being painted, or dumped in a landfill by mistake.