TWO MEN AND A TRUCK teams follow THE GRANDMA RULE® to provide extra care for seniors

-Written by Erik Sargent

Since the very beginnings of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, a special emphasis has been placed on helping our senior customers and providing special care when moving.

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Founder Mary Ellen Sheets had incredible support from her own mother, who we call Grandma Eb. Grandma Eb allowed Sheets and her two sons, Jon and Brig, to use her backyard for parking trucks. This small offering went on to be instrumental in building the brand, and we can trace our success back all the way to this time.

With that in mind, it was what inspired one of our company core values – THE GRANDMA RULE. Quite simply, this means to treat each and every customer the way we would like our own grandmother to be treated. It’s something that is preached and practiced with each and every one of our moving teams all around the world, and it’s something customers have come to know over the years.

“THE GRANDMA RULE, to me, exemplifies everything we want and expect out of our employees and ourselves,” said Brian Stern, a TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® multi-unit franchisee with locations in Boston, New Jersey, and Maine. “The idea is to treat each and every one of our customers as if they were our grandmother. If we do that, every customer will be treated with respect, patience, and empathy during difficult moving situations.”

It’s less of a core value and more of a way of life, and it really inspires our movers and drivers – as well as every position in the company – to be courteous and careful when handling a move or representing TWO MEN AND A TRUCK in public.

“I believe THE GRANDMA RULE® is such an important core value because it truly represents the culture of this company,” said Lauren Trost, the marketing and sales manager for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® “Chicago 5” locations. “TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® employees not only practice this core value while at work – it is deeply ingrained in their everyday life. Before I started working at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, the Lansing franchise actually moved my grandma. I witnessed a wonderful display of compassion and strength. For several weeks after her move, my grandma could not stop talking about how impressed she was with the two young men who moved her.”

While THE GRANDMA RULE does apply to how we treat every customer we come into contact with, we’ve put a special emphasis on providing care for our seniors during the moving process. Nearly 52% of all moves completed are for people over the age of 50, and in our experience over the years, we know some of the hardest moves are with our older customers.

Whether it’s time for downsizing to a smaller home as you enter retirement, or making a big move from a family home to a retirement community, these moves can often feature a heavy dose of emotion as you leave a place you’ve called “home” for many years. Our moving teams understand this, and work hard to relieve as much stress as possible during the moving process.

“Often times, a senior move involves downsizing from a long-term home, and it can be a complicated and emotional experience,” said Alexa Lanier, a multi-unit marketing director for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton locations. “Our customer service representatives and in-home consultants work with the customers to account for the destination of all items, which can involve multiple stops, dump runs, or storage. Our movers then take the time to make sure every item gets to where it needs to go.”

This training is imperative for our moving teams to undergo because it shows our customers that we are a company they can trust during this emotional time. But more than anything, it’s just about showing care and compassion during a move.

“A lot of times, a senior citizen just wants someone to come and talk with them at their home about what is happening and what we are able to do,” Stern said. “We make it a goal to try and accommodate this any time it is requested, because we know how important it is.”

If you or someone that you know is looking to complete an upcoming senior move, be sure to contact your local TWO MEN AND A TRUCK franchise and see why we are known as the “Movers Who Care®”!

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the first and largest franchised moving company in the United States. Let us help move you forward! For more helpful tips and information on moving services subscribe to our blog and like us on Facebook.