Decision on which moving company to hire is never an easy one. At least not if you’re moving for the first time and you don’t already have your movers with whom you successfully did business in the past. You can’t entrust your goods to any company that pops up in your search. The company that relocates you needs to be reputable and legitimate. So, surely you have found yourself wanting to know who the reliable moving companies are, so you could pick among them. To save you some future stress, Verified Movers is here to tell you about the qualities of reliable moving companies, so make sure to read on.
The main traits all reliable moving companies have
Nowadays, there are tens of thousands of moving companies all over the United States. Some operate across the whole nation, while some are local. No matter which ones you need, you’ll have a plethora of options, and picking just the right one is never easy. Making sure that the company is reliable is important to avoid fraudulent movers since, unfortunately, there are many of them operating in the industry. So, to help you recognize reputable teams, here are the qualities that reliable moving companies have, and we’ll discuss them in more detail throughout this article.
- Licenses and insurance
- Transparency
- Free moving quotes and no hidden charges
- Rich offer of high-quality services
- Good customer support
- Experience
Reliable moving companies are licensed and insured
Probably the most important out of all qualities of reliable moving companies is legitimacy which can be identified through licenses and insurance. Simply put, all reliable moving companies have the necessary licenses. As you probably know, the moving industry is heavily regulated, and for a good reason. It’s to protect customers from being scammed by fraudulent individuals. Of course, there are some other reasons as well, but customer protection is the main one. So, if the company that caught your eye isn’t licensed, don’t even bother getting in touch with them. That would be an incredibly risky endeavor, so stick with licensed companies.
Now, if you want to check if the company has those required permits, here’s what you need to do. Interstate moving companies need to abide by the USDOT and FMCSA rules, and the best thing to do is to search for the company on the website of FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration). But, this only works for interstate (cross country) moving companies. When it comes to local and long distance moving companies, you can research them at the website of the institution that regulates moving companies in the state you live in.
Transparency
This means that from the moment you contact them, they will be straightforward with you. Trustworthy long distance moving companies will tell you everything – your (and theirs) contract obligations, the full price of their service, and possible damage and insurance. Of course, they may accidentally skip something. We’re human, and we make a mistake, that’s the reality. If they forget to tell you something, do not hesitate to ask. It’s a lot of info, and it’s hard to keep track of it all.
Providing free moving quotes and having no hidden charges
With such competition, almost all companies are offering free moving quotes or non-binding estimates. These estimates serve a great purpose in helping you prepare your moving budget and anticipate the expenses. They are rarely pinpoint accurate, but they are also usually very well within the given price range. So, this is obviously one of the qualities of reliable moving companies, and if the company doesn’t offer you a free estimate, it’s simply a red flag and that would mean it’s time to proceed with your search.
Now the other thing that no reputable and reliable company will put their customers through are hidden charges. Sure, they may be expensive at times, but they’ll tell you the price upfront. If their service costs an arm and a leg, they’ll just say so and whether you will accept, is up to you. They won’t try to lure you into a false sense of security that comes out of making a supposedly good deal. A fraudulent company will offer you seasonal discounts, lower prices, customized service – essentially, anything to get hold of your wallet’s contents. Reliable moving companies will just say „Service X costs Y money – is that OK with you?“ and leave it at that. Also, they won’t try to pressure you into signing anything as quickly as possible.
High-quality services with various options at customers’ disposal
Reliable moving companies often offer several high-quality additional moving services to their customers. If a company doesn’t have too many services on offer, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re bad. They may just be a small company. So, out of all qualities of reliable moving companies we’ve discussed and will discuss in this article, this may be the one that’s, let’s say, the most flexible one. Nevertheless, if a company has many great services on offer, accompanied by other qualities, you’re probably safe to hire them. Of course, you can judge a service done by a moving company after you’ve paid for and received said service. Quality of services is a relative subject to some extent, but in most cases, it’s based on efficiency, punctuality, and getting what you pay for.
It’s definitely a good thing that we have reviews to learn more about this. When you read reviews about companies, make sure you read them in detail. For example, you can encounter cases when the client left a single star and complained about inefficient service. However, the truth of the matter may be that the company refused to do extra service for free as demanded by the customer. If there’s one person among 20 that’s displeased with the service, that company is a reliable one. However, if there are only 2 pleased people out of 20, well, better watch out.
Good customer service is also one of the qualities of reliable moving companies
Industry veterans and true professionals are aware of how stressful the moving process can be. That’s why they are happy to assist you whenever you have some questions, dilemmas, and doubts. They will have customer service available for you practically any time during the week if not literally 24/7. Not only will this option be available to you, but it will be quality customer support with knowledgeable and patient individuals on the other side. Customer satisfaction always comes first, and top-notch customer support is one of the best ways to achieve this. Rest assured that reliable moving companies are aware of that and that they will make it happen.
Experience
Finally, the last thing we wanted to include among the qualities of reliable moving is experience. Still, this is not a necessary condition, because sometimes, new companies that are honest and have good intentions are worth giving a shot. But, even if it may sound harsh to them, one of the sure ways to know if the company is reliable is through experience or track record. Experienced movers and veterans in the field, who possess other qualities we’ve talked about are surely reliable and worth hiring.
You can learn a lot about reliable moving companies by reading reviews and through their online presence
Everyone has an internet presence these days. You can learn a lot about a person by looking at what he does online. The same, essentially, applies to companies. In today’s world, it’s inexcusable not to have a proper website containing all the important information about the company and its business. Now, when it comes to finding such details from other people’s experiences, reviews are the answer. They are so important when making a decision, and they could really help you understand what the company is like and which one to hire. Make sure to read them and rely on them as one of your main sources when making this decision.
However, we must say that not all reviews are genuine. The good news is that you can easily spot fake reviews. They are often filled with useless compliments without the details that any honest comment would have. Additionally, they are often posted from fake profiles that are easy to recognize due to having generic names or not having a profile picture.
If the company doesn’t have an online presence, it’s best to avoid them altogether
Obviously, companies that don’t have an Internet presence should be avoided. The way the whole world functions nowadays is via online channels of communication. All reputable businesses have an online presence and the same should be with any moving company that’s truly trustworthy. Not having a proper Internet presence means you can’t find out many important details about them, and as such, feel free to avoid them altogether.
Once you find a company that has the aforementioned qualities, you can safely hire them
Slowly but steadily, we reached the end of our article. Before we end, we wanted to mention the key points once more. First of all, we truly advise you to check if the movers are licensed on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website. Then, analyze the other qualities of reliable moving companies we’ve talked about, such as transparency and customer support. But, try not to be too much prejudiced. If the company’s employee misses to tell you something regarding your contract, or the prices, do not automatically assume they’re trying to scam you. Reliable moving companies can also make mistakes from time to time. If the employee is ready to rectify it, they’re worth doing business with. We wish you good luck with your search and we hope you a reputable company that fits your needs the most!