How VaVia Leverages Technology To Create an Industry-Leading Brand

When Phillip Nappi launched the small-haul waste disposal business VaVia, he wanted to offer something unlike anything else in the industry: a business that uses technology to provide high-quality waste removal services. 

VaVia is Italian for “it goes away,” and that’s what the business does, with some unique additional touches. VaVia allows customers to order and arrange for the pick-up and delivery of small-haul dumpsters online or over the phone that sends reminders out to customers the morning of delivery to let them know the dumpster is on its way.

Nappi wants VaVia to become a household name in the $63 billion waste-management industry. Franchisees of the brand are already located in major cities like Birmingham, Huntsville and Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Savannah, Georgia and Hilton Head, South Carolina, with hopes to grow in the Florida cities of Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando, St. Pete and West Palm Beach/Boca Raton; the Texas cities of Houston, Dallas, Austin and El Paso; Denver, Colorado; Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona and more.

Nappi founded VaVia as a way to fill a need for smaller trucks and containers in the roll-off business, especially for contractors who needed to be able to navigate tight spaces. With the added technological component of the business, VaVia offers a more polished version of waste disposal. 

“So many contractors have been burned by dumpster companies, so VaVia’s services really resonate with contractors because they’ve dealt with companies that weren’t customer-centric like us,” Overton Thompson said. “We offer our clients reliability and accountability.”

How VaVia is Turning Waste Hauling Into a White Glove Service

Nappi knew that he could offer something that had lower operating costs, proprietary technology, low staffing and an ideal business model when he launched VaVia in 2018.

Thompson and Nappi wanted to be able to provide support to franchisees and found a franchise sales organization that aligned with VaVia’s expansion goals.

“We have Robert Maynard coming into our organization as a partner to help encourage growth,” added Nappi. “We’re planning to sign at least another 10 units by the end of 2022.”

VaVia prides itself on offering same day and next day service. It also offers dumpsters that blend in with the surroundings and don’t stand out. 

“We consider ourselves to be a higher end dumpster company in a way,” he added. 

Overton says contractors enjoy working with VaVia because of the company’s technology that benefits them. 

“Contractors have dealt with companies that weren’t customer-central like us,” he said. “By working with VaVia, contractors have the benefit of updates sent via text to prepare sites for arrival, ultimately helping to cut down on inefficiencies for both us and the customer.”

VaVia Uses Technology and Support to Attract Franchisees

Nappi, Thompson and the VaVia team are hoping to reach 100 franchises by 2026. The team at VaVia has upped its marketing to its target audience in an effort to attract potential franchise candidates.

“We are marketing to end consumers ordering the dumpsters,” explained Thompson. “We have a dedicated marketing partner and use Google Ads and listings and have a lot of success with that. A partnership with tech-savviness is rare in the industry and can give potential franchisees the opportunity to capture top spots and build up a solid presence in their individual market.”

There isn’t an extensive background in technology needed in order to succeed in franchising with VaVia. 

“You just need to be able to understand numbers generally and be comfortable with technology,” said Nappi. “Our franchisees who are already up and running have been so successful without having any experience in the industry. We offer that support to get them started.”

The total cost to invest in VaVia ranges from $117,150 to $365,050 per territory. To learn more about franchising with VaVia, visit: https://www.govavia.com/franchise-with-us/.