Demand for moving services in the United States took a big hit during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. However, these days, the market for moving services in the country generates more than $22 billion in revenue each year. It takes almost 110,000 people in the country to keep up with the demand for moving companies.
Of course, businesses get even more out of moving companies than residential customers. When a homeowner moves, finding a moving company can provide a lot of extra convenience. However, it is essential that you find a great office moving company to help you move the many sensitive and valuable items you keep in your office.
If you have never selected an office moving company before, how are you supposed to know how to find the right one for your office move?
There are some simple principles you can apply to help you move through your selection process with maximum efficiency. So what do you need to pay attention to when you are picking an office moving company?
Read on to learn all about the most vital considerations to keep in mind for your upcoming office move!
Look For Moving Services With Solid Reviews
One of the easiest ways to figure out which office moving company to hire is by looking at online ratings and reviews.
After all, this information distills down the opinions of past customers of moving companies. You are going to be a past customer yourself at some point, so why not get a glimpse into how you might feel about each moving company you are considering?
One thing to keep in mind is that you should not place too much emphasis on overall ratings alone. Overall ratings are not an exact science, and even great companies sometimes receive several negative ratings.
On the other hand, if you find some moving companies that seem to have almost nothing but negative ratings, the odds are that they are not the right choice for your upcoming office move. If you have a long list of moving companies you are considering, this can help you shorten that list and save time.
Consider removing any moving companies from your list that have an overall rating below a threshold level that you set. Then, you can spend most of your time investigating moving companies with higher ratings.
In particular, it may be helpful for you to read through several of the reviews for your moving company candidates.
It is important to remember that moving companies sometimes offer other services as well. If you rely on overall ratings rather than written reviews, this can give you a misleading impression of companies.
For example, one company might have amazing ratings, but most of those ratings might be from customers who hired a company for packing services rather than for moving services. The written reviews will provide you with the context you need to better understand which moving company might be right for your needs.
Find a Moving Company With the Right Experience
When you are not an expert in a field, it is often helpful to assess companies based on experience. In general, if an office moving company has a lot of experience, they will be more likely to do great work for your business. Of course, there are also exceptions.
However, it is not enough to check which moving company has been around the longest. After all, not all kinds of experience are equally useful.
Many office moving companies also help residential customers. You might find a moving company with 50 years of experience. But what if 45 years of that experience were dedicated to moving homes? All of that experience may not be relevant to your office move.
In general, you should look for a moving company that has as much experience as possible handling office moves like your own. It can also be helpful to look for more similarities to your own needs.
For example, think about how large your office is. If a company has a lot of experience working with offices of a similar size, they might be the perfect choice for you.
Consider asking each moving company candidate you consider about their experience. Ask about what kinds of moving jobs they have handled more than any other.
As you do this, consider waiting until later to tell them exactly what you are looking for. That can decrease the chance that a company just tries to tell you what you want to hear.
Choose Professional Movers That Come Recommended
Think about your extended business network. There is a good chance that you will know people who have been involved in their own office moves.
As a result, they have probably gone through the same selection process you are going through now. That means that they can provide you with a wealth of information about choosing an office moving company.
Consider reaching out and asking for advice. Someone in your network might be able to recommend an ideal moving company for your situation.
At the same time, they may also be able to help you save some time. They might also know about moving companies it would be better for you to avoid. If they have had a bad experience with a company, you will not have to waste time investigating it.
When you ask your acquaintances for advice, make sure to give them a clear picture of your moving situation. That can help them understand if a company they have in mind is right for your unique needs.
You can also ask your moving company candidates for references. Reach out to them and ask them about their office moving experience.
Quality moving companies often have a long list of happy customers. On the other hand, you might find some companies that have trouble providing you with references.
Of course, this is not necessarily a deal breaker. However, it could be a sign that this company has not satisfied its past customers as much as some other candidates.
Look For Responsiveness for Your Office Move
When you first reach out to a moving company, make sure to take notes on your experience. How fast did they respond to your contact? Were they friendly on the phone and easy to work with?
When you get later into the selection process, it can be easy to forget these kinds of details. However, you want more than a company with experience and skill. Your moving experience will be better if you can also find a responsive company that is easy to work with.
In fact, you might consider reaching out in a few different ways to your top candidates. Then, you can see how fast they respond to an email, a phone call, and a social media message.
Look For Licensing When You’re Moving Offices
Some scammers pretend to offer office moving services. However, if you give money to them, you will likely never hear from them again. At the same time, there is a simple way you can avoid moving company scams.
Make sure that any company you work with has proper licensing before you send them any money. Of course, in the vast majority of cases, the company you consider will have the correct licensing. However, it is still worth taking a minute to check for sure.
Find Movers That Offer Quality Insurance
One of the biggest reasons to hire moving companies is to enjoy better protection for your property. Office moving companies can handle heavy items in tight spaces without damaging them. Trying to move expensive devices and furniture on your own is a much riskier endeavor.
However, even office moving companies sometimes make mistakes. But does that mean that you are risking your property? With the right insurance, the answer is no.
Quality office moving companies have insurance that will cover the cost of any damage they cause to your property by accident.
However, there are some companies that try to rely only on skill and attention to keep your property safe. If a company foregoes buying quality insurance, it will not be the safest option for your upcoming office move.
On top of that, it is a bad sign when an office moving company does not invest in insurance. That may also be an indicator that they are cutting corners in other ways. Make sure to hire an office moving company with insurance that will guarantee the best protection for your office items.
Choose Office Movers With Clear Fees
These days, it is more common than ever for companies to add hidden fees for their services. You might think you are getting a good deal if you only look at the cost of a moving company’s main services. However, when it comes time to pay the bill, you may discover that there is a long list of extra fees that you were not aware of.
Excessive hidden fees can leave a bad taste in your mouth even after a successful move. However, you can avoid this problem in advance with this technique.
Discovering Hidden Fees
When you are considering hiring an office moving company, ask them all about their fees. In fact, it is best if you can get an estimate for your office move.
However, make sure to get an itemized estimate. You don’t just want the total cost, you want to know which fees contribute to that cost.
Once you have that, ask if there are any other fees that you do not know about. At this point, some companies will reveal that there are other fees.
Hopefully, these fees will be minor. However, if they are not, that may be a sign that this company is trying to charge a little extra without telling customers about it.
When you find out about extra fees, don’t stop there. Instead, calmly ask if there are any further fees. In fact, you can repeat this basic question as many times as necessary.
Continue asking until the company assures you that there are no other fees or costs of any kind that might add to your total costs.
Then, make sure to keep all of these fees in mind when you compare costs for your office movers. Depending on how large these extra fees are, you might find out that you can get a better deal with another company.
Look For Moving Companies With Time
At the end of the day, there is no such thing as the perfect company for all office moves at all times. Instead, there was only the right company for your situation and your timeline.
You might find a company that seems to provide everything you are looking for. However, what if they happen to be extremely busy at the time of your move? In some cases, that busyness can make it more difficult for the company to provide you with its best service.
In other cases, a company may not be able to provide you with moving services on a timeline that works for you. Make sure to hire a moving company that has available space in its schedule at the time when you need to move your office.
On the other hand, this may not be as important if you have some flexibility in your schedule. If you find the right company, it might be worth changing your timeline to fit with its availability.
Choose the Best Office Moving Company for You
When you are choosing an office moving company, it can feel intimidating at first. At the same time, it is vital that you do your due diligence to make sure that you find a company that will provide you with excellent service. In the long run, finding the best office moving company for your move is an investment that will more than pay for itself.
To learn more about how you can find the right office moving company for you, reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!