Hiring a moving company can feel overwhelming. With no shortage of options on the market, it’s difficult to know how to choose the right one for you. Moving brings its own stress, so any burden made easier will bring you peace of mind. By hiring the right moving company, you can feel confident your move will go as smoothly as possible.
Ask Friends And Family
If you don’t know where to start when selecting a moving company, talk to people you trust. By asking friends and family if they have any recommendations, you will get a firsthand testimony of their experience. They will open up about who you should consider, and more importantly, who you should avoid. Community social media sites are also a great resource for information. If your neighborhood has a social media webpage, you can ask your neighbors about their experiences, as well. This will cast a wider net so you can start building a list of moving companies to choose from.
Check Online Reviews
Once you have come up with a pretty thorough list of companies, you’ll want to further see what people have to say about them. With online reviews, customers are more likely to post a negative review than a positive one. After doing a quick Google search of each company, scan their reviews. Do they have a lot of negative reviews? If there are a lot of positive reviews, that is a great sign. This shows that they left such a good impression that customers wanted to share it.
Check Their Reputation With The Better Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a significant source for understanding a company’s reputation. It exists to provide free information to consumers on business standards and maintain a trustworthy marketplace. Basically, if a company is suspected of fraud, you can find out through the BBB. But, if the company is accredited by the BBB, you can feel confident they uphold high business standards and practices. For moving services in Phoenix, AZ, you can find a highly reputable moving company accredited by the BBB, as well as an Angie’s List Super Service Award recipient. Anytime you are looking to hire a moving company, you should always check their reputation with the BBB. If they aren’t listed, are under investigation, or aren’t accredited, find another company.
Get At Least Three Estimates
After you have received your recommendations, checked online reviews, and checked with the Better Business Bureau, you should have a short list of companies to choose from. Now is the time to get at least three estimates. For convenience, many reputable moving companies offer free preliminary quotes online by filling out a simple form. Just remember not to fall into the trap of hiring the lowest bidder. If any company is quoting far less than any of the others, there is probably a reason. Make sure they can answer all of your questions with specific details. A reputable company will also own all of their equipment, rather than renting vans and tools.
Do An In-Person Walk Through
Even if you fill out the online form thoroughly, the best way to get a proper estimate is for the moving company to perform an in-home walk through. This way they can get eyes on the items you want them to move, you can discuss all of your needs, and talk about your moving plan. Based on the walk through, they will give you a more accurate estimate that will closely reflect the costs after they render services. By now you should have shortlisted 3-5 companies, so getting the quotes won’t take too long.
Make Sure They Can Handle Your Move
When talking to the moving company, find out what services they offer and compare them to your needs. Do you need them to pack anything for you? Will you need short-term or long-term storage? Is this a local or long distance move? All these details matter. If the moving company doesn’t offer a service you need, it’s important to find that out before committing to working with them.
As you go through the selection process, look out for red flags. If a company asks for a cash deposit up front or seems overly pushy on payment before they have performed any services, they may not be a legitimate company. Also, if they lack overall professionalism, ask yourself how they will handle your valuables.
