How to Choose a Mover
1. Move only with a legitimate licensed mover.
It is in your best interest to use a licensed mover. In the event that something goes wrong, you will be able to contact the authorities. If you are moving within a state, make sure the mover that you are considering is licensed by that state’s Department of Transportation, Public Utilities Commission, or Bureau of Consumer Affairs.
2. Consider the advantage of using a local boutique moving company over an agent of a large van line.
BestGuy Moving is proud of the personal warm service that we provide our clients. We have the advantage of being an elite small – Medium size company located within your immediate area, and can provide quick, flexible and economical service. Agents affiliated with one of the larger van lines such as Mayflower, United, North American, Allied, or Atlas are usually well-established and professional moving companies, but they will never be able to provide the personal tailored service that a local company can.
3. Make sure to compare apples to apples. When requesting quotes from multiple moving companies, make sure to provide all estimators with the same information.
Also, remember that every small detail can impact the pricing of your move, so try to provide your moving consultant with as much information about your upcoming move as possible. Provide your moving consultant with a comprehensive list of items you want to move, items you would like to pack yourself, additional delivery or pickup addresses (if applicable,) access at the delivery address and other relevant information.
4. Have a representative of the moving company visit your home/office before providing an estimate.
Many companies will try to sell their services over the phone without taking the important step of coming to see your shipment. A phone estimate can be accurate only for very small shipments (under 15 – 20 items. All other shipments MUST have an on-site estimate. At BestGuy Moving we recognize the importance of an accurate estimate for your budget planning. The owner of BestGuy Moving, who has vast experience in the moving industry, conducts most on site estimates.
5. Don’t hesitate to ask questions.
This is what your moving consultant is there for. Make sure you understand every charge that is included in your estimate.
6. Don’t automatically assume that the lowest offer is the best one.
All clients are shopping for the best price possible for their move. Make sure that there are no hidden charges that will accumulate to a total that is much larger than the estimated amount. It is recommended to demand an estimate from the mover that is guaranteed, either not to exceed the amount quoted or a flat price. BestGuy Moving local estimates are always binding.
7. Make sure that your estimate is a guaranteed price.
Most local moves are charged by the hour, even a dissent mover might make a mistake and estimate it too low, not mentioning some movers that will estimate your move low to win the job and then charge you double the estimate. Make sure that your mover gives you a guarantee that the actual charge will not exceed a certain amount over the estimated amount.
8. Ask your mover if they carry the necessary insurance coverage.
Ask about worker compensation, personal injury and general liability policies. If you have doubts, ask to see “proof of insurance” in the form of an “Insurance Certificate” issued by their insurance carrier.
9. Check online reviews.
Be suspicious, it is not easy to get a client post a review for your company. A company that is in business for 2 years and has more than 100 positive reviews most probably paid good money for these reviews. A company that has ONLY good reviews is either a fake company or uses fake reviews. When performing hundreds or thousands moves a year there must be few clients that are not a 100% 5 stars happy. At BestGuy Moving we are proud to have a significant number of very happy clients that were kind enough to share their good experience with us on line.
10. Call references.
Many moving companies place a long list of references on their websites and literature; these lists usually don’t have contact info. Ask your mover for e-mail addresses or phone numbers of real clients they recently moved. Do not hesitate to call and check about the customer service, the movers, the estimate vs. the actual move, etc.
11. Check how long the company is in business.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that a veteran company is better than a new one but a company that last in business more than 4-5 years is probably doing something right.
