As we move further into 2024, consumers are witnessing record setting pricing highs across every industry. The reality in this day and age is the price of a product or service is ultimately becoming the deciding factor when customers make their choice on a purchase. In this case, we will explore the moving industry. Whether it be a residential, commercial or long distance moves many are being tempted and hiring amateur movers advertising very low prices in an attempt to save money.
Let’s explore a variety of differences between a professional mover and an amateur, and you will see that those go well beyond the price, and that you should be careful, because you will not always save money in the end.
How Do They Advertise Their Business?
Often the first thing to look for is a website. Often amateurs will not have a website or if they do it’s one-page and zero detailed information about them, service offerings and examples of past success stories. A professional company will have a full-featured website and will also be present on various social networks, like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, X, Tiktoc etc. with updated content posted regularly.
This presence on platforms is an important difference between a professional mover and an amateur, because an amateur is there mostly to earn a quick buck and not regularly invest in updating their content to represent their business.
Do They Own Their Own Trucks?
Trucks are also another major point of difference between a professional mover and an amateur. Amateurs will use generic rental trucks, not their own, so they will not fully know the vehicle they are using.
A professional mover will use mostly its own trucks, painted with the brand colors and featuring contact methods. You will probably have seen them on the road before. A moving profession can, occasionally, use generic trucks to fill in for specific tasks and add up to its regular fleet, but those vehicles will be the exception.
Are They Using The Proper Equipment?
Another major difference between a professional mover and an amateur is the equipment used for the transportation of your belongings, in order to ensure their protection and the protection of your property.
For protecting the belongings, we talk about the use of the proper packaging, like mattress bags, wardrobe boxes, moving straps for furniture, dollies, as well as the use of clean protection blankets.
A professional mover will also protect your property by protecting floors and walls when needed to avoid damage when moving around heavy or bulky items. An amateur will not worry about that.
What Types Of Moving Services Do They Offer?
An amateur will not offer you a detailed quote, it will mostly be an approximation with a nice round number. Often, that will be done by phone or e-mail, without visiting your location to really assess the work to be done. Then, once the moving day has arrived, you will face additional unforeseen costs, making the total amount much less interesting than it initially seemed.
An amateur only offers quick moves, no other services like the transfer of particular objects (piano, pool table, etc.), storage or a turnkey solution including the packing. This diversity of expertise of services, and thus of skills, is an important difference between a professional mover and an amateur.
Are Their Employees Experienced?
Employees of a professional moving company will mostly be full-time employees, well trained and used to take advantage of all the professional moving equipment or accessories. This proper use reduces the risks of damage for your belongings and furniture, because they are well handled and better secured in the truck for the transportation. Finally, the truck will be driven by a professional driver, who is fully qualified for large trucks, unlike amateurs.
Another aspect of the skills difference between a professional mover and an amateur is that a professional mover will take a few minutes to disassemble a large furniture piece (bed, bookcase, pool table) to better pack it and protect it. Of course, said furniture piece will be reassembled after the move.
Are They Properly Insured?
A professional moving company will have an insurance to cover all damages or loss that might occur. But, since its employees are professionals, that reduces greatly the risk of problems. If an amateur breaks a furniture item or drops a box with fragile items, all you will get is a “Oops!, I’m sorry.” That’s a major difference between a professional mover and an amateur.
These are just a few examples highlighting the differences between moving professionals and amateurs. Before being tempted by a service advertised way under-market price. Professional moving services can also be offered at a reasonable price while giving you the piece of mind your belongings are being handled properly during your move. When all said and done, price for the quality of the service provided should be the deciding factor in your selection simply not just the price.
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