Written by: Jade Johnson - Founder of Fiery Freelance - www.fieryfreelance.com
Moving is compared to being as stressful as a divorce for a multitude of reasons. You are balancing a thousand different things all while your normal life is still going. If you want to avoid the migraines then stick around to learn the 5 actions you must take to hire the best moving service for you.
We all know that moving can be truly awful, but we don’t always consider the outcomes of having an awful moving experience.
In October of 2018, Daniel Pena certainly did not. He was scammed by a fraudulent moving company that charged him $6,000 upfront for his families move from Alaska. Ability Moving, which is not licensed and has an F grade by the Better Business Bureau, collected payment and the family’s belongings, but never delivered them to their new home!
This was devastating to Daniel and his wife as they had a one-year-old toddler who now needed a new crib, new stroller, and new clothes. Not to mention all of the other things they lost. Pena has yet to get any of the money back and has no hope that he ever will
“I don't think they will. They won't even answer a phone call."
- Daniel Pena
Unfortunately, Pena is just one of many who have suffered at the expense of a fraudulent moving service. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) states that a growing number of complaints have been filed against interstate movers-and many of those complaints spring from the fraudulent practices of dishonest movers known as rogue movers.
Moving is already stressful enough as it is. By hiring the wrong moving company you’re countering your efforts to make your move less stressful. Not choosing the best moving service for you is more than extra stress, it is putting you at high risk of damage or loss to your finances and belongings. Continue reading to ensure that you will be in good hands during your next move!
Hire a local mover
Choosing a local business means 3 things for you:
1. Option to check out equipment
Let’s say you have extremely valuable furniture that you can’t risk getting dinged up in the move. You want to ensure there is enough space in the moving truck to where your belongings will stay safe and unscratched. Hiring locally means it would be simple to go check out the company’s equipment so you can feel confident about your decision.
2. Quick & easy walk-through process/ in-house quote
Quotes are extremely important when making a decision on the right moving company for you. You want the most accurate quote, so having the option to have a company come out and do an in-person evaluation is the best thing for you as a mover. This will remove any additional surprises coming from a company not knowing what the situation looks like.
3. Eliminates the risk of fraudulent mover operating off the internet only
If you hire a moving company based in your area, you'll avoid being hustled into doing business with a rogue mover operating solely over the internet. I think you know you don’t want that.
Identify moving services and compare them to your needs
In the same way that you wouldn’t hire a dermatologist to conduct x-rays on your chest, you also wouldn’t choose a residential moving service if you are moving office locations. There are numerous moving services to account for different moving needs, so you want to pick a moving company that specializes and is known for what you are specifically looking for.
This will assure you that your belongings are in experienced hands.
Research with intent
When hiring a moving company, you want them to be reputable and qualified above anything else. If you focus on these two qualities it will protect you from unnecessary added stress such as broken belongings or worse…missing belongings.
A great way to get a feel for a company’s reputation would be to read reviews and lots of them! You should be able to pick up a general consensus and can then make your final decisions.
Along with reviews, you will want to go a step deeper with your research. You can find out whether the company has a report with the Better Business Bureau. The bureau has reviews of more than 20,000 moving companies and provides a letter grade of the company based on complaints, reviews, and government actions. The more research you can do to give yourself the utmost confidence, the better.
Know your budget & acquire estimates
Moving is a big deal. During this time, it can be stressful financially for a few reasons. People often have smaller paychecks since they take time off work to pack, and simultaneously save money to pay for their first and last at a new place. On top of this comes the price of a service that will give you sanity. If you know that you need a moving service, then allow yourself that extra help. Just make sure you know your budget.
You want to find the perfect balance between quality and price.
Once you have a comfortable budget, you can begin collecting estimates from all moving companies who offer the services you require. It is best to collect as many estimates as you can to get a feel of the pricing. Be wary of lowball amounts, which could signify poor-quality work, but also be vigilant to not be overpriced.
Trust your judgment
It is more than likely that in your search for moving companies, you will find a few good ones. However, it is not about finding the best moving service out there, it is about finding the best moving service for you. Explore their website and see if you can detect the values and personality of the company, do they align with your own? Speak to an employee of the company, do they represent it well and make you feel comfortable? These are just a few questions you can ask yourself when accessing a moving company.
Once you have an overall opinion, trust your gut feeling. Daniel Pena certainly wishes that he did.
Takeaway
Every day there are people who have a bad experience with a moving company because more and more scammers are entering the market. But luckily, there are numerous resources to aid the mover in choosing the best moving service for them. The internet will be your best friend, so get on it and start analyzing websites, services, and reviews. Understand what you need from them, your budget, and your gut feeling and you will be just fine. By applying these 5 actions you will expedite your moving process and speedily arrive at the part where you are happily decorating your new space!
Leave a comment and tell us about your horrible or amazing moving experience!
Better yet, if you are in Lee or Collier County and will be going through a move, call us today to hear how we are the best moving service for you :)
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