Hiring a Professional: Suggestions

Who are those people in my house? You have decided to pay someone else to move your stuff. The problem is: who are they, what will they charge, how competent will they be, and do I want to let them in my house? All good, honest questions and common fears. You are paying someone to provide a service, always a blind leap of faith, and to add to the stress...it involves your most personal possessions! Lets look at "who" to choose. If your move is a corporate one, paid by your company, you may be given the choice of two or three pre-selected professional interstate moving companies your company has on contract. Ask your relocation department staff (or HR people) which one has the best track record, is always on schedule and has the least excuses, complaints, and claims. (Your company may even use an in house "performance report card" for its moves. Ask to review that data.) Network with the people you know have moved, and collect their suggestions...their experience is fresh and to the point. They have gone through what you are about to. If your move is a personal one (called C.O.D. in the industry..."cash on delivery") talk to your real estate agent, other real estate agents, the Better Business Bureau, and the moving companies themselves. Your move can be one of two basic types, and that will determine which type of mover you use. If you are moving "locally", usually less than 50 miles from house to house, the charge for the move is an hourly one. Each town or region usually has many of these small "Mom and Pop" local movers. The Yellow Pages are full of this type. Usually they have no national affiliation, and advertise as "family owned and run" since____(fill in a year). Their market niche is cross-town "on and off" moves, and they can be quite good at these. Your realtor is most apt to suggest this type of company, and if he/ she wants positive feedback from you afterwards, a decent company will be mentioned. The second move type involves longer distance relocation, over 50 miles and even cross-country. While the "Mom and Pop" movers may do some, these moves are best left to Interstate movers. These moves are cost centered around total weight moved, distance transported, and number of cartons packed (by the movers). Your realtor may also suggest one of these companies, and the Yellow Pages are also full of this type. Listed as "interstate" or long distance movers, these companies usually have national affiliations and are part of a cross-country service network.

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