Choosing a moving company can be a hassle. There are dozens of moving companies in Orlando or maybe a Clermont Mover alone…how can you possibly decide which one will provide you with the best quality service for the best value? Besides taking a couple of months to read everything you can about every company, there are a couple of steps you can take to prevent a moving company nightmare. This infographic on how to choose a moving company will provide you with the basic information you need before you start packing the first boxes. We’ll include a bit more detail below.
Do Your Homework
When starting your search, it’s best to read plenty of reviews first. It’s like asking trusted friends and family for their advice when you don’t have any friends or family with moving company recommendations. There are plenty of moving company review sites out there, but our favorites are MovingCompanyReviews.com, MyMovingReviews.com, Yelp, Angie’s List, and Google Reviews. (Click on the links to see what Cento customers have to say about us!)
Once you’ve narrowed your selection down to 5-7 moving companies, double-check that they are all licensed, insured, and have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Get Quotes
Once you’ve done a “background check,” get written quotes from at least 3 different moving companies and ask plenty of questions:
What is included in this estimate?
Make sure you get an itemized quote or one that specifically lists the services to be provided. Make sure communication is clear.
Do you have experience moving out of the state? Where have you moved to?
Moving to a different state or country comes with its own set of potential obstacles. If a long distance move is in your future, it’s a good idea to go with a moving company that’s familiar with the process. (For what it’s worth, Cento Family movers have experience moving to every state except Alaska.)
Are you equipped to handle a move up several flights of stairs? on an elevator?
An experienced moving company will know how to navigate stairs and elevators with heavy items in tow.
What measures will you take to ensure my items are not damaged?
Moving companies should have safety procedures set in place that protect both the items being moved and the movers themselves. Common procedures include wrapping upholstered items in plastic wrap, padding furniture with blankets, and packing items in bubble wrap and unprinted newsprint before placing in a new box.
Are you insured?
Any company can say they are insured on their website; ask them to provide proof. Then, ask about different levels of coverage and get clear information on the claims process in case something of yours is damaged.
Will I be charged overtime if the job takes longer than expected?
Each moving company has its own policies and procedures regarding what the customer is charged for (and how much). Make sure you cover every contingency during your initial consultation.
Write a Good Review
After you’ve chosen a moving company and moved into your new place, take some time to visit one of your favorite moving company review sites and write a good review of the company. Note that “good” doesn’t mean “positive,” just “well-written.” Some tips for writing a good review are:
1. Be Studious – Make sure you have done your homework and have a good background of information (from your own experience as well as other reviews) before you write your review.
2. Be Respectful – Don’t resort to name-calling/profanity or type in all caps. Be collected enough that others reading the review will take you seriously.
3. Be Thorough – Go beyond a simple “Great company! Would hire again!” Take the time to explain what made the company so great (or not so great, as the case may be).
4. Be Fair – Don’t blame the moving company for things that aren’t their fault. For example, if a bad storm hit the day you scheduled your move, don’t get angry that the company had to reschedule. Instead, discuss how the company handled the delay and what (if anything) they did to make things easier on you.
5. Be Forgiving – If worse comes to worst, resist the urge to get into an online war with the company on a review site. If the company responds positively to your concerns and makes an effort to make things right, great. If they company ignores your concerns (or, worse yet, fights back), let their response be a reflection on them. Obviously, if the moving company was grossly negligent and refuses to provide the necessary compensation, you should obtain legal consultation and include the details of the matter in your online review.
Picking a great moving company can make or break your move, so it’s important to take all the right steps when making your selection. If you’re in the market for a moving company, give Cento Family Moving & Storage a call (or fill out our quote form for a free estimate). Or, you can start by reading some recent reviews. We love a happy customer!
Thanks for the tips. You did such a good job of organizing this information. Like you said, I’m going to make sure I get a lot of quotes. I also think I’ll make sure the estimate clearly states which services are included, like you suggested. Wish me luck!
Very informational tips. Thanks for sharing this information.
This article helped me a lot as these tips are very important and one should keep these helpful tips in mind for a scam free move.
Being fair can be a really tough tip to follow in the heat of the moment. When you see that something of yours is broken, your immediate reaction would be to blame the company who moved it. Keeping in mind storms and other things that could go wrong is a good way to calm down and understand that extenuating circumstances do happen. Thanks for this great list of tips and info!
My wife and I are moving for the first time and we both are pretty nervous about it. We aren’t sure what we are doing and need help finding services to give us a hand with it. This article has some great points that I think will be able to help us find what we are looking for.
These are some great tips, and I appreciate your advice to get estimates from at least three moving companies. My husband and I are going to be relocating with our family to a new area for a job opportunity, and we want to make that process as smooth as possible. We’ll be hiring a moving company, so we’ll definitely make sure to get several estimates so we know we’re getting the best deal for us. Thanks for the great post!
My husband and I are looking at moving in a couple months, and we want to make sure we hire the right company to help us. It is essential that we find someone that is experienced and reliable to help us in this process. As you said, it’s a good idea to get quotes from at least 3 different places and ask lots of questions to ensure that you are getting quality service at a fair price. Thanks for sharing!
These movers can take care of all details; major moving companies have excellent insurance coverage, so you don’t have to worry about losing your furniture or other stuff because of a road accident. I just like the caring information you provide to your articles. Thanks for such post and keep it up.
You said that we should get quotes from at least 3 different companies. When my wife and I were moving I didn’t know how much it would cost for us to move. I’ll need to ask someone that I know for assistance when I am trying to find a professional moving company that is near me.
Awesome article! I especially like that you talked about leaving a review. I’ve been working with some movers and keep stressing how important it is to make sure their employees are friendly and remind their clients to leave a good review. Thank you!
This is some really good information about choosing a good moving company. I hate moving because it always takes so long to move everything in and out of a home. So hiring a moving company would be something I would want to do. It does seem like a good idea to make sure that the company you hire is insured as well.
My wife and I think it would be so much less stressful during our move if we let a professional moving company handle a lot of our big furniture. It’s good to know that you suggest we get at least 3 quotes before deciding on a company to handle our move. Is this so that we can be ensured to get a competitive price for moving services?
Great Blog! And we very happy while reading your article. the articles is really very nice and very Informative for us.
It really helped when you mentioned how you should get estimates from at least 3 companies when looking for someone to help you move. I can see that taking the time to do this and to compare several moving companies can help you get your items safely to your new destination. Personally, I would want to take the time to read online reviews from the best companies I can find so I choose the one that can help me have a stress-free move.
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