Partner Spotlight - TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

Partner Spotlight - TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

Written by Susan Marquez

Photography by Abe Draper Photography

Jeff Taylor and Jack Christopher were not always in the moving business. Jeff was an engineer, while Jack worked in the insurance industry. They were longtime friends and neighbors and shared an entrepreneurial spirit to open a business in the service sector. A business that could be enhanced, but not phased out, by technology.

A friend of Jeff’s owned a TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchise in Huntsville, AL. “Jack and I started to research the metro Jackson area market in 1998. At the time, the Jackson market was on the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK corporate radar and was still available. We decided to take a leap, despite there not being much name recognition for the company in the area. I’m glad that we did because two days after we signed the agreement, we learned that two other people wanted the franchise here.”

Jeff Taylor

Jeff and Jack launched the business here in 1999. “We decided early on to establish, and keep, a good name and reputation. This is a service that will always be needed, and we made the commitment to do all we can to help our customers.”

The top four stressors in a person’s life are the death of a loved one, separation or divorce, the loss of a job and the process of moving. “Often, people are moving because of one of the other major stressors,” says Jeff. “We try not to add to that stress. We strive hard to make moving day go off without a hitch, every time.”

Jack Christopher

One way the company is able to pull off a stress-free move experience is in the hiring. “Everyone who works for our company is a full-time employee. We train our crews to be understanding and know that there is a backstory to every move. It’s not unusual for clients to call us and tell us how much they enjoyed their moving crew. Then they will refer us to their friends, and we love referrals.”

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is located in Ridgeland, and the company is licensed to do local, intrastate and interstate moves. “We can go anywhere,” says Jeff. “About 25-30% of our business involves interstate moves. We have driven as far as Seattle and Key West, although most interstate moves are within a 1,000- mile radius.” The company has 20 trucks available to make moves near and far.

Jeff is also joined at the company by his daughter, Shelby Taylor. “I worked at Old Waverly Golf Club while I was in college,” says Shelby, who studied marketing and public relations and worked in the hospitality industry for a time. When she decided to move back home, Jeff asked Shelby to join him at the company. “That was six years ago,” she says.

Shelby Taylor

“What I have learned is that TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is much more than a moving company. It is a business based on relationships. We work with real estate agents, apartment managers, storage facilities and living facilities. We meet with people and assure them that we will do all we can to take care of them.” Shelby says she enjoys speaking at sales meetings for REALTORS®. “We give $50 gift cards for referrals that the REALTORS® can enjoy or pass on to their clients. We like it when a move is something a client doesn’t have to think about. It’s so much more fun for them to just move in and enjoy their new home.”

Shelby reiterated that the movers who work for the company understand the stress people are experiencing when they move. “We try to make it fun. Our repeat customers will often ask for the same crews, many of whom have been with us for over a decade. The crews come back to the office after a move with smiles on their faces.”

People often wonder about the name of the company. “It was started in 1985 by a single mom in Lansing, MI,” Shelby says. “She and her two sons used an old pickup truck to help move a friend. Others found out, and she gained more customers. She drew the logo for the company, the original old truck, on a cocktail napkin.” The company’s core values are based on what Shelby calls “The Grandma Rule.” Treat everyone like you would treat your own grandmother.

Shelby is a Madison native. “I’m glad to be back here,” she says. Shelby enjoys coordinating events that the company does for area charities. “We do a ‘Movers for Moms’ event near Mother’s Day for mothers in need, followed by a fall event, ‘Movers for Meals,’ where nonperishable and canned items are collected and donated to area shelters. We also do a "Toys for Tots" drive during the holidays. We enjoy giving back to the community.

In addition to moving and packing services, Jeff says the company is getting into the junk removal business. “That service compliments our moving services, and it has become a real need as people downsize. All of the services that we provide involve the personal contents of our clients, so we really strive to make the overall customer experience as smooth and respectful as we can.”