AW Spotlight 

Movers Who Care

By Sabeen Faquir

Are you planning a move soon? Try Two Men and a Truck®, operated by Joel and Janelle Dowley. Originally working out of West Palm Beach, they recently opened up a location in Wellington! 2016 was their 12^th year in business in Palm Beach County.

Joel and Janelle called Michigan home but are glad they decided to move here. They genuinely like to live in South Florida and felt it was a good chance for a successful business. They felt that compared to some locations in Florida, the West Palm Beach area was more vibrant.

Before settling in South Florida, Joel and Janelle researched the demographics of many states. They looked into factors such as average age, median income, and education level to find the best market.

“Anyone who has been in the area long, talks about ‘The Season.’ The meaning here is understood to mean November to April but ironically, the busiest season for Two Men and Truck is the summer! Still, winter business is more steady than for movers up north” said Joel.

“The Northern franchises do 75% of their revenue from May to September,” Janelle added.

Although their office in Wellington was operational in the fall of 2016, Two Men and Truck of West Palm Beach has been serving the Wellington area since it opened in West Palm Beach in 2005. Wellington has consistently been one of the top 5 zip code markets in Palm Beach County.

In addition to moving services, Two Men and a Truck offers packing and storage. They sell supplies like boxes, specialty boxes and other moving supplies. They have everything from packing paper to bubble wrap to picture boxes and wardrobe boxes. You name the object – they have a box for it. They also do crating for heavier decorative items.

The majority of Joel and Janelle’s business comes from residential moves. These are generally within Palm Beach County but they perform long-distance moves, too. Two Men and a Truck can move you outside the county or outside the state! They’ve even been to the west coast.

“Each move is unique. In some ways it’s the same – picking up and moving, but every move requires special attention. What needs special care differs from person to person. Moving is a very personal activity,” said Joel.

To prepare before a move, Joel and Janelle advise starting early.

“A typical family will use a move to simplify their life. They will get rid of things they don’t use or need. So, good things to do are to sort through your belongings and donate. Starting early will make the move easier and save you money,” said Janelle.

Joel and Janelle pride themselves on their customer service.

“We’re the best,” said Janelle.

“A lot goes into great customer service,” added Joel.

According to Joel, great customer service is defined by the customer, not the proprietor. It is Joel and Janelle’s responsibility to know what the customer wants. They adhere to the national tagline for Two Men and a Truck, “Movers Who Care.”

While Two Men and a Truck is an international franchise and the largest franchised moving company in the United States, it’s not just a corporation – it is a locally operated business.

“We hire qualified employees and know who we send out,” Janelle told me. The customer experience begins with who answers the phone so, Joel and Janelle only want to hire people with a passion for customer service. It’s important to add that they only use their own employees and don’t use day labor. Worker’s comp is provided and everyone is trained.

An example of how Joel and Janelle invest in their employees is demonstrated in the fact that they partnered with an employee to buy a Treasure Coast location. So, there is great potential for growth in the company. Their current operations manager was once a mover and the president of the company worked as a mover in college. Joel also told me about how just recently they recognized a mover’s accomplishment in becoming an accountant. “It’s bitter-sweet, but what should happen,” said Joel.

Every move has a survey that asks if the movers were polite, friendly and hardworking. It even asks if they were good to each other! Joel and Janelle have consistently gotten good feedback on their movers. This is because they are hand-picked and well trained.

Two Men and a Truck is unique in that it offers dynamic pricing, like airlines. Depending on their availability, pricing fluctuates. On slow days, there are lower rates. As a note, the last Saturday of the month is always the busiest. And sometimes, Joel and Janelle partner with realtors to offer pricing, packages and incentives. “We aren’t the cheapest, but you get what you pay for. That’s why we like to be a good value,” said Janelle.

Palm Beach County has around 60-70 licensed movers, not counting movers from surrounding counties. But because there are no other moving offices in Wellington, Joel and Janelle are filling a special niche. They don’t feel new to Wellington.  “It’s a logical extension. We think we can serve the area better by opening an office.”

Two Men and Truck was founded by a single mother. In the first year, they made only $1000 but gave it away between 10 charities. Giving back to the community has been the philosophy of the corporation from the start. In particular, Joel and Janelle like to provide for children in the community. They have worked with Families First and Forgotten Soldiers among other organizations.

Two Men and a Truck nationally partners with women’s shelters. To prepare for Mother’s Day, Two Men and a Truck collects toiletries and gifts to ultimately reach single mothers, nationwide. They begin collecting around February and March.

So if you’re planning a move soon, choose Two Men and a Truck of Wellington. Moving may be stressful but make it easier on yourself by choosing the “Movers Who Care.”

Two Men and a Truck

12773 W. Forest Hill Blvd.

Wellington, FL 33414

(561)221-0885