Moving to your new apartment is one of the most amazing and emotional moments of your life, but it can equally be one of the most confusing moments for you too. If there is anything that is worse than having a lot of properties to move, it knows the right person to choose for the job. Moving is a process that requires you to have everything planned beforehand, to this end, you need to choose only the best for the job so that you do not regret it eventually.
We understand how hard a task it can be and we have gotten a few tips that can help you get your mind coordinated before you hire a moving company. Do not get overwhelmed by nature if you are about to move, rather be in control and make the right decision, here are some of the things you need to do before hiring a state-to-state movers.
It is already tough for you to move to a new place and try to adjust to a new lifestyle and environment, don’t make it any harder for yourself by trying to employ cheap services for your moving needs. Pay attention to these important notes so that you do not end up regretting and paying a whole lot more over lawsuits and trying to resolve cases. Here are tips for having the best use value for your money when trying to move.
1. Be sure you want to hire movers
You should first understand yourself and nature the properties and volume of what you want to move. You should not just hire a moving company because you feel that is what you need. Sometimes you might not need to hire a moving company in any circumstance; all you might need are just trucks and some hands to help you move your items around. Do not just plunge into finding a moving company; different situations require different services.
If you have a lot of items and properties you want to move, you might use the help of a moving company, and if you also have large and bulky items that you are sure you cannot move on your own, you might also be needing a moving company to help you out. If you also have a thing to move across the country, then your best choice would probably be cross-country movers.
If you feel you have very special items that need to be carefully handled, then you should hire movers so that you do not fall at risk damaging your items without having insurance on them. Pay attention to what you have around and determine what you really need the moving company for.
2. Check their record and experience
The reason this is very important is that you need to know what you are paying for. Most times it is safer to hire companies that have the experience and have been existing for a long time over startups, because of their long streak of customer satisfaction and the commitment they have put into their work and have gotten to be famous.
Sometimes, other great companies might not have as much experience as they are meant to, but they sure know how to deliver a very good service. So you know what to look out for when you want to hire a moving company, the goal is to satisfy you the customer, if they are unable to guarantee that they can satisfy you, then it is not worth giving them the trial.
Remember that cheap is not always the way. If you need to pay a little extra to have that peace of mind and guarantee of safety, then you should hire only the best.
Part of checking the records of any company you are about to select for your moving need is checking them out on their social media platforms and other review websites to see what past customers think about them. Do not hesitate to take into consideration the reviews you see. Don’t give it a second thought if you see bad reviews, this is a red flag, and if you let it wave past you, you might end up regretting your choice.
The best thing to do is to gather as much information about the company you want to choose to make sure they are credible and worth the try. A good review website you should check out is Yelp, they offer one of the most genuine reviews, and it is also very hard to manipulate the review system because of their algorithm used to detect inconsistency in a review placed.
3. Licensing and insurance
These two things are very important; a moving company might have just the license without insurance. Although it is very good to be licensed, it is not enough to have just that; you need to find out if your moving company is also insured. You would appreciate insurance when you are trying to hire interstate moving companies or cross-country moving companies, and your properties have to be transported over a long distance.
If you hire just an ordinary company with no insurance, you stand at the risk of losing your properties and items if an unforeseen contingency occurs, the choice is yours to make between cheap and credible.
Hiring a licensed and insured moving company would keep you at a more relaxed position especially knowing that you will get back your damaged or lost items. Remember that you must be satisfied with the service provided and as such, you need to really scrutinize those you choose.
If you have a list of about ten companies you wish to employ their service, then use the criteria of insurance to screen them out. You will see that in the end, you have good value for your money and you will be happy.
4. Choose an onsite estimation system over a phone call estimation
You are familiar with many companies who offer you a way to get quotes on their website for the moving service they will provide, it sounds good, and there are some companies that really stick to the estimates they give, but it is always better you choose onsite estimation because things are done better and clearer.
Imagine this, when you place a call and get a quote from what you have described, and it turns out you left out some details, you will be charged more than what you have agreed. Another case is, if you are poor at describing things and do an over-the-phone estimation, the moving company will only provide you with the labor you have described to them which might not be accurate and in line with the needs you have.
An onsite estimation, on the other hand, is more excellent and accurate, and it reduces the occurrence of hidden charges. When a representative comes to your home and assesses the situation of things, the properties you have and everything you want to move, it gives them a better grasp on what they need to do and the best suitable service they can provide for you.
So always make sure that you choose the onsite estimation over the phone estimation, it will save you time and the stress of having to explain things afterward.
5. Ask questions, then ask questions and more questions
You have the right to know about the moving company you choose as much as you want to. A good moving company will never be tired of answering all your questions. If you have selected a few moving companies and would like to work with them, asking questions will help you determine which of them to work with.
You can equally get a glimpse of their customer service experience from asking those questions, and if they respond in an awkward manner, it might just be a pointer to how they will treat you if you come to them with an issue.
If you are lost with regards to the type of questions you can or should ask, you can simply ask them about how much of experience they have, and whether or not they have accreditation, you can ask if they are licensed or if they are insured. Al these questions and replies you get should shape and mold your choices. Don’t forget that you are the one who will release the money and you should get excellent service in return so don’t be afraid of asking questions.
6. Do not depend on one moving company
From the beginning of this article, you will notice that we spoke about getting a list of companies that offer the best services. To have a better chance of selecting the right company from the list you have made. Another importance of having multiple moving companies on your list is that you get more quotes. You should get competitive prices from all of the companies you have, and then you can go with the one you love the most. You can also choose the ones that suit your budget.
Just because you are entirely new to the moving process doesn’t mean you grab the first offer you get, you should be able to run samples and check out other companies. You have a wider range of options for your relocation needs. You should also know that the companies have varying rates, varying services, and customer satisfaction, in making your choice make sure you put those things into consideration.
7. Red flags, burn them
Red flags are those signs that are too good to be true or those signs that your moving company gives off that are not so regular. Many of the moving companies offer very good services but they are also cheats, and you should be able to discern this, so you do not fall prey to them. Some of these signs are subtle, and you have to notice them, follow your instincts and refuse anything that seems unusual. Some of the most common red flags to watch out for are:
- Really low estimates: this is a very common bait that these rogue movers use in luring their unsuspecting customers. When you get to contact them, they give you a price that is lesser than the average price you would get for moving, and you hire them. The story changes after they have gotten a hold of your properties, then they increase the prices beyond the average, and then you are left with no choice than to pay. If you see this just ignore it and place a mark on that company to avoid sorry stories.
- Poor reviews: if you find out a company has really a poor review, you should try as much as possible not to deal with such a company. Some of the so-called professionals pay people to have their review made, if you check out reviews about a moving company, make sure you check more than one review site and check for the consistency, if you notice anything inconsistent on all the review sites you check, you should try not to deal.
- Rejection of onsite estimation: this is another red flag that many people always fall for. Some companies will never agree to have an onsite inspection and estimation just so that they can charge you more. They will tell you that they want to give the estimate over the phone or through email and the result of such will be inaccurate. If you persist in having it done onsite and they still refuse, just know that they are not your option, move on and look for another company.
In conclusion
We want you to be happy and make only the right choices, that is why we have gathered this information for you to use as a guide for your actions so that you do not fall prey to all those companies seeking to rip you off of your hard-earned money. We hope you find this information very useful and use it before hiring the next moving company. Never forget that you are the center when trying to move and all moving companies must see to it that you.
