Being properly informed when you move is crucial. The more knowledge you have about the industry and how everything works, the better. Fortunately, for you, the internet is a wonderful place. The amount of moving resources you can find out there is staggering. Since the information is so available these days, nothing can really be kept a secret anymore. From the company history, reputation, insurance information to their licensing, every aspect of a particular organization can easily be revealed. This means no one can hide anything from you. Therefore, your risk of you going with the right company is highly likely. If you prepare correctly, that is. Let’s look into some of the tools you can use in this moving guide.
Yelp
In the sea of online review websites, Yelp really stands out. Due to its long history, the platform has great credibility amongst its users. One of the greatest moving tips you can get is checking your potential mover on Yelp. Although with its flaws, it still is a valuable resource when moving. The key aspect of every Yelp page is its reviews. Knowing what people who have used the service in the past say about a particular company is one of the best ways to find out how they do business. If the reviews are bad, you should probably stay away. If they are good, go ahead and send a quote request or shoot them a call.
Take this advice with a pinch of salt though. Some of the reviews can be fake. Unfortunately, there are companies that either pay for those reviews to be sparkling or hire people to write nasty ones about their competitors. Even though you don’t know who to trust online, it’s still something that should be on your moving to-do list. You do not want to introduce yourself to your new neighborhood with a horrible moving story. Here’s a couple of things to consider when judging a review:
- Profile behind the review – key amongst moving resources
- Is there enough detail in the post
- What does their review history look like
- Are there any files/images that go along with the story
You can find out a lot about a company if you read the stories of their previous clients.
Better Business Bureau
The BBB is really a staple in today’s business world. Wheater you are looking for an insurance company, car dealership or a mover, you can find out a great deal if you check them out on this platform. You can check out how long they have been in business as well as who the owner is. More importantly for moving, you can check how many claims have been filed against the company. Furthermore, how the said claim has been resolved if it even was at all. There is also a review section, although somewhat ignored as BBB is mainly considered as a fact checker. You won’t find a lot of moving advice there, but due to the above-mentioned reasons, the platform continues to be at the top of all moving resources.
One thing that separates the BBB from other resources is the fact that they have their Accredited Businesses program. If a company wants to get the seal of approval from the bureau, they need to go through an extensive background check. They look into all the important factors as well as how a company advertises. Also, in order for a company to put anything on BBB, a revisal process has to occur, which means that any information not confirmed by the platform will be removed.
US Department of transportation
This one pretty much goes without mention. It should be the first thing on your moving to-do list. If a company is not registered with the overseeing government body, do not use them. No matter how good the price is, how smooth the salespeople talk, just don’t. If you do, there really is no difference between them and literally anyone taking your stuff and moving them. This is key if you are looking to manage stress while moving.
The two things you need to check on the DOT Website are their DOT and MC number. Basically, their moving IDs. Ignore this at your own risk when you devise a moving checklist. With most reputable companies, you can find these two numbers in on their Website, or in any written document they send you. No matter how good a company looks, always run this number in the Department’s system. You can learn a lot about a potential mover that way as it is one of the best moving resources out there.
The governing body of an industry can tell you a lot. Use it as it is one of the best moving resources.
Referrals – the best of all moving resources
Makes sense, right? If someone used a good or bad moving company in the past, they probably can’t stop talking about it. Similar to online reviews, you can get a great insight into how a company does business. Perhaps you are not even considering a certain mover, and your friend would talk volumes about them. Furthermore, you might sign a contract with a horrible company and your next door neighbor had their stuff broken or misplaced by them. This is the best resource if you want to avoid a moving scam.
Ask around, you can really find a reputable company that way. One thing that separates referrals from online reviews is the fact that you know who you are talking to. You know the person behind the “review”, therefore, a referral has much more value. No moving guide online can give you this. The fact that you are getting moving advice from someone you know that did it in the past is priceless. In contrast, trusting a review online is something that can be a tricky thing. You don’t know who to trust in that case if the experiences are vastly different.
This is a more in-depth, borderline stalker way to check out a company. It does not fall in the usual moving tips you are going to get. Although it should not be the first thing on your moving checklist, it can help you as much as anything. What can you do with Linkedin you ask? Well, if you’re still on the fence about a company, you can see who works there.
Maybe you feel they are being dishonest and not trustworthy and just want to see the employees there. Perhaps a sales rep in the company just rubs you the wrong way. If they do, check their employment history and how long they have been with the organization to improve your trust-flow. As a result, you can make sure that your company really does stand behind all the things they say they do. Not one of the most commonly used moving resources, but still another thing that can help.
The employees are the core of every business. By finding who they are, you can make sure to go with a reliable mover.