10 Common Mistakes When Hiring a Moving Company how to avoid them when hiring movers

1. Deciding to go with a mover that has the lowest price- Often time’s price goes hand in hand with quality. The price may be low now but not for long once the movers tack on additional fees. One tactic used by unscrupulous moving companies is to set a low price and incentives while increasing your cost at the end. 9 out of 10 times if you’re charged by weight you’ll fill the truck go to the weight and have to pay additional weight charges. FYI, weight is the number one cause of incurring added fees since you never know the actual weight until all your belongings are already on the truck.

2. Needing to provide your information by phone is ok however accuracy is the key. While getting prices by email is a good starting point, most quotes should be ‘Binding Estimates’. Unscrupulous movers use ‘Non-Binding estimates’ to show a low price quote which they can change at any time DURING your move. Binding quotes help set an accurate price. Also, a binding estimate should not be charged by weight.

3. In order to make good decisions, make sure to compare Apples to Apples. Not all companies are the same. They set their prices and charge differently. Unscrupulous movers tend to only focus on price rather explain the service you are getting.

4. Researching the moving company- in order to ensure your items are in good hand and that the mover is reliable and trustworthy it is important to conduct a background check on them and ensure that they are licensed and insured. To do so, you can simply visit their offices, do Google search on customer reviews. Google+, Yelp, City search, Merchant circle, Facebook are some of the better places to check.

5. Not planning ahead- not giving yourself the time to secure your date and compare will cost greatly in long run if your mover of choice is not be available on the dates you need.

6. Not asking about additional costs you may be charged – most companies do have charges that are related to additional services such as moving up or down stairs, not having a close parking space for the truck and moving supplies for items not properly packed.

10 COMMON MISTAKES WHEN HIRING A MOVING COMPANY

7. Know who your really working with – there are many booking agents that are acting on behalf of moving companies and give out estimates just to book customers for them. They act ‘as the middle man’. The company who does the moving job is actually a different company that is hiding behind their sales operation. They may even subcontract other companies to do the job for them.

8. Not checking with the Better Business Bureau on the company’s complaint record. It is very rare to find a moving company with no complaints but having good ratings and reviews as well as reading any complaints will help you find the better companies. These companies pay to be evaluated by others and are not afraid to show their way of handling customer issues. You want to make sure your mover of choice will be able to handle your complaint in a prompt and appropriate manner.

9. Not informing the mover with any informal situation before the move- to ensure that you receive an accurate estimate it is important to tell your mover about any issues such as parking, road access, delivery time restrictions, elevators or stairs.

10. Not asking the right questions- If you are getting several estimates, make sure to ask the movers about all charges and address any potential hidden fees. Challenge the mover with questions to test their knowledge and experience.