Selecting the Right Moving Company
Moving day has long since been both a blessing and a curse for most people, and a handful of excellent reasons. Many of those reasons can be boiled down to one particular problem: selecting the right moving company. Movers as a whole have a low reputation, probably due to the actions of only a few bad apples. This means that selecting the right moving company might be much more comfortable than it might seem at first blush.
The first thing to do is to abandon the phone book, at least for now. While it might be tempting to find an easy-to-call list of movers that one can call for quotes, the problem is that companies in the Yellow Pages might be a little too expensive based on their size and advertising budget. Instead, consider using a search engine to find local moving companies that are more progressive and likely to be grounded more in customer service than corporate traditions. Type in the city’s name, state, and add the word ‘movers’ to the search list and see what results are displayed.
Create a shortlist of these companies, then refine the search to include the city, state, company name, and the word ‘feedback.’ This should allow for one to see customer feedback, and that might be a useful guide as to determine whether or not a company will be likely to arrive late, damaged furniture, or perhaps actually be entirely professional. Be wary of taking any comments posted on forums or blogs at face value; between customers being more likely to complain than offer praise and the penetration of affiliate marketing, nothing in print is necessarily trustworthy unless it comes from a reliable source.
Luckily, it is not that difficult to find definitive sources of reliable information on any company. The Better Business Association offices spread around the country gather and post complaints and resolution statistics for one and all to see online. Keep in mind that BBB results will almost always be malicious, but they can undoubtedly prove eye-opening, especially if the claims happen to back up those found on other sites. One should always be wary that looking for damaging information is not necessarily an honest way to evaluate any company. That also applies when searching for the best moving company on the Internet.
If one’s searches have allowed them to narrow the list of candidates down to a good handful, then it is time to ask for sample contracts/agreements. Good moving companies will have excellent contracts. Spotting an exceptional deal requires reading the fine print thoroughly and having a sharp eye for handling damages. In short, who determines damages, how and when will damages be paid, and who will arbitrate disputes. While these might seem like unsavory subjects to cover in any moving agreement, the lack of detail in these areas is a decidedly bad thing regardless of what any sales representative has to say on the subject.
