It’s a topic you often see addressed on landscape and lawn forums: “What do I do if my customer hasn’t picked up their pet waste before I come to mow their yard?”
Some suggest doing the job like normal and giving the equipment a thorough cleaning afterward, while others add a nominal charge to pick it up as part of the service. However, another option on the table is to truly turn pet waste removal into another source of revenue.
This is how Scoop Soldiers was founded in 2010. This franchise operation services both residential and commercial properties with service packages running from three visits per week to one-time cleanups for special events.
Technicians are assigned to accounts to build a relationship with the customer and their pet(s). Clients are notified ahead of time when the technician is on the way.
At the time of service, a uniformed technician will enter the backyard with a large dustpan and narrow rake. They rake the waste into the dustpan, make sure the gate is closed and send a picture of the closed gate to the client before moving on to the next site. The waste is double bagged and hauled off to a dumpster or landfill.
As for why clients would choose to use this service, they are able to reclaim time conveniently for less than $20 per week.
“For the person providing this service, it provides year-round steady cash flow,” says E.J. McCoy, CEO of White Picket Team Management, the parent company of Scoop Soldiers. “It’s a very simple industry to execute and people really enjoy getting the service. They love us!”
McCoy says Scoop Soldiers is a stand-alone business and is capable of being fully self-sufficient but can be added on by entrepreneurs in the lawn and landscape industry.
Based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, Scoop Soldiers currently serves seven states and 13 markets including Phoenix, Arizona; Las Vegas, Nevada; Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma; Austin, San Antonio and Houston, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Tampa and Orlando, Florida. There are a number of territory opportunities and growth markets for Scoop Soldier franchises.
Ideal franchise owner candidates are dog lovers with a can-do attitude who have $200K net worth and $50 liquid capital. The initial investment cost varies from $43,800 to $104,050.
“If you are going to do it, take it seriously,” McCoy says. “Do not view it as just an add-on service or a ‘minor’ service. In our experience, the people mowing grass are not interested in scooping waste and will not take it seriously. Pet waste removal is not just about scooping poop. It’s about being a pet lover. It’s as much a part of the billion-dollar pet industry as it is part of any other industry. You want pet lovers doing this work. This goes back to finding the right team!”
