How to Tell a Good Moving Company From a Bad Moving Company
40 million people move each year using various ways. For some people, moving on their own is the way to go, but it’s best to hire a moving company to help get the job done for most.
But, when it comes to hiring a company, how can you tell a good moving company from a bad moving company? We’ve researched for you and will point out some things that will set good movers apart from the bad ones.
It Begins At Hello
Before you hire a moving company, it’s likely you placed a call to them first to inquire about availability. A good moving company will take the time to answer all the questions you have and make you feel comfortable about working with them.
If you feel as if you’re being rushed off the phone or like you’re bothering the company by calling, that’s a major red flag.
Companies that want your business will have employees working to understand the meaning of customer service, and how they interact with customers can affect business.
Arriving on Time
When moving day arrives, we understand you’ve got a schedule you want to follow to ensure you get to your new place promptly. Getting from point a to point b relies heavily on the moving company being on time.
Most companies will schedule a date before your move to come out and coordinate with you. If the company doesn’t show up on time for your coordination meeting, the chances of showing up on time the day of the move are doubtful.
When it comes to business, being on time is being professional, and if the moving company can’t do that, it’s another sign they aren’t the right company for you to hire.
It’s All In The Details
If you’re like us, we know you’ve gone over each detail of your move time and time again. Any moving company you hire to assist with the move will ensure they have every detail of your move noted.
Notes they might keep include:
- The number of rooms in your home
- Special requests you’ve made
- Hard to move pieces of furniture
If you’ve to repeat yourself once, that’s understandable, but if you’ve got to keep reminding the moving company about things that need to be handled with care or requests you’ve made, it’s a warning sign.
The last thing you want is to make it to your new home and find your belongings broken because they were tossed around.
Review the Reviews
The best way to get an in-depth idea of how the best moving company’s do business is to check the reviews. Reviews will tell you about several things the business does right and wrong.
If a business is reputable and does great work, it’s going to show in the reviews. Another reason to check out past client testimonials is to note things you’ll want to avoid.
For example, if the company attaches a hidden cost to the overall price of your move, that’s something you’re going to want to know. If you know people who have used a specific moving company, you can always ask them what company they recommend.
It also gives you time to ask deeper questions about what it was like working with the company and the pros and cons of hiring them.
Insurance is Key
Before you allow the movers to load all your belongings and begin moving them, you need to ensure they’ve got insurance. The reason companies get insurance is to make sure that they’re covered in the case of an accident or clients attempt to sue them.
If you’re going to hire a company to aid in your move, you need to ensure they’ve got insurance. If they don’t have insurance and something happens to your belongings, you’re going to be responsible for replacing or repairing them.
This can be frustrating, especially when the movers themselves caused the damage to your items.
Get an Estimate
Different moving companies are going to provide different estimates to you. We recommend you collect several estimates from companies and move forward with hiring the one that will meet your needs.
However, one red flag to look out for is if the estimate you’re provided is too good to be true, you’re being scammed. What usually happens is they’ll give you an estimate, and before everything is over, you’ll end up paying three times what you expected.
Before entering a contractual agreement, the company must come out to perform an inspection. It’s also useful if you get a copy of the signed contract.
By doing this, the movers can’t change what’s already been agreed upon.
No References
If you’re still uneasy about hiring people to move your things, you can always ask for references. A company with nothing to hide will have no problem producing a list of references you can use to back up their word.
References are professionals who can vouch for the company’s work, and without them, you have no way to know what you’re getting into. If you find the company is hesitant to give you their references, take your things and run quickly in the other direction.
Payment Before or After
A reputable company will wait until after they’ve moved and unloaded your things to ensure you’re satisfied with the services they’ve provided. If the company you’ve hired requires you to pay them upfront, they likely are a bad moving company.
Why would you pay for services before you’ve received them? Another reason you don’t want to pay before the move has taken place because what are you going to do if they take the money and disappear with your things?
How would you get them back? To be on the safe side, always wait until after you’ve made it to your next place before you provide any form of payment to the moving company.
Communication From Beginning to End
A reputable moving company will over-communicate with people that hire them. The reason they over-communicate is to ensure all your needs are covered and you’re receiving the service you’re paying for.
An example of good communication is calling ahead of time to let you know the movers are running late but will be there within the next few minutes. While being late isn’t great, it’s better that they took the initiative to contact you versus leaving you in the dark about what was happening.
Companies should also be willing to answer questions no matter when you have them. If a company doesn’t let you know of schedule changes or is challenging to reach the movers the day of, it’s a major red flag.
Ready to Move?
Now that you know how to pick a moving company, there are some things you need to do before the movers knock on your door. To ensure you don’t lose any of your items in the move, we recommend you take an inventory of your items while you’re packing.
Having a list of the items you’re taking with you will make it easier to identify if some things have been taken. It also makes it easier for you to make a notation beside the item if any damage occurs.
As moving day gets closer, the last thing you want to do is wait until the last minute to start packing. Packing can be overwhelming, but nothing is worse than waiting until the last minute and having to rush through the packing process.
Give yourself ample time and pack little by little ahead of time. While you’re packing, you’re going to need a place to put your things, meaning you need to purchase packing supplies.
The last tip we want to prepare before the move is to have a budget in mind. If you know what you’re willing to spend, it will help as you move forward with hiring a company.
How to Find a Good Moving Company?
You can do several things to find a good moving company, like checking the online reviews left by past clientele. You should also give the company a call and ask questions that you need answers to.
Still in search of the right moving company? There’s no need to look any further; stop what you’re doing and get a free estimate from Luke’s Moving Services.
Trust us, by the end of the move, we’re going to be your favorite movers. Let us help you have a safe move to your new home.
