Probably one of the most asked questions that we get here at Relocation.com is how can you, the consumer, really tell the good movers from the not so good ones. We think it is important to understand that the moving industry and movers, despite a sometimes rocky reputation, is made up primarily of honest and professional people who really want each moving experience for their customers to be as stress-free and positive as it can be. With that said, your first litmus test with any potential moving company that you are thinking about working with is their professionalism and whether or not you can establish a basis of trust with them. This is important on many levels, including the likelihood that things with your move could change from your initial conversations and you need to find a company and individuals that you feel you can speak to and ask questions to without getting a bunch of baloney back in return.
Once your moving company has passed the first test and established a sense of trust with you, you can move on to other key questions that you should ask before you make your choice. Here are the questions that we would ask for our own move:
How many years of experience does the moving company have? How many years have the foreman, packing crew and driver been doing their jobs? There is no substitute for experience and you do not want to be the on the job training for a full crew of new people.
Can you provide recent references or testimonials from satisfied customers for whom the company provided a similar service? All moving companies seek out customer references and companies than quickly and eagerly provide not only letters but even former customers that you can speak with can help provide ample evidence of the moving company's capabilities and professionalism.
What is your on-time delivery and service record? We would be concerned about any company that does not have this information (which indicates that they do not measure it carefully) or is afraid to share it with potential customers.
Can you provide guaranteed moving dates and what is your delivery window? The date in which you need to leave your property is likely a fixed date and it is absolutely imperative that your moving company can guarantee that on moving day their crew and trucks will be there to remove your items from your home. If you cannot get a guaranteed pick-up date, you should be concerned. If you doing an interstate move, you will be provided with a delivery window as your shipment will likely be loaded with other shipments going to the same destination or region of the country. If you are moving less than 500 miles, you should be able to get a 1-2 delivery window. For a move over 500 miles, you should at least get a 2-4 day delivery window. Any wider window than 4 days creates the possibility that you could be stuck for a long time waiting for your items to arrive.
What type of equipment and materials will be used for your move? It is important to ensure that the company that you are choosing for your move has all the equipment (trucks, shuttles, special packing materials, etc.) to handle your moving job. If you have a lot of packing to do you should inquire about the type of packing supplies and moving boxes that will be used (new vs. used) and density to make sure that no corners are being cut on these supplies increasing the risk of damage during transit.
Can you explain your moving estimate and why it is higher or lower than your competitors? We always recommend that everyone gets a minimum of 3-4 different quotes from different moving companies. This is important as it not only lets you meet qualified potential moving companies but also gives you a lot of comfort that you are paying fairly for the moving services being provided. Moving quotes can vary greatly and you need to get the estimates to an apple to apple comparison to ensure you are looking at them the same way. Whenever a moving company provides a quote that is far lower than your other estimates, a red, blinking light should go off in your head saying 'why is this mover so much less than everyone else?' A very low quote likely indicates that there could be other or hidden charges down the road. We are certainly not advocating paying more than you need to but we find that quality, professional moving companies tend to price their services within a reasonable range of each other. When you see something too high or too low, it is time to start asking more questions. Moving is like most other services and in the end you almost always get what you paid for.
The questions above are the type of questions that professional movers expect to hear and are more than happy to answer for you. Their responses to these questions will show you a lot about their professionalism and willingness to satisfy you before the first box is even packed.
