Moving can be hectic. The most common mistake when receiving an estimate for your move is leaning towards the lowest price which was quoted to you.

Keep in mind, there are many different ways that moving companies can try to earn your business by taking advantage of an uninformed customer.

1. DURING THE FIRST CONVERSATION, ALWAYS ASK FOR:

• The full legal company name (including any ‘DBA’ names).
• Length of time in business, references or moving experiences.
• Full company’s address and telephone number.
• The company’s DOT license number and any other State or Federal license numbers.

2. BEFORE CHOOSING A MOVER:

• We suggest first checking with the Better Business Bureau for the proper credentials. Note, it is normal for a company which performs hundreds of moves per year to have some small quantity of complaints. Just be sure that all complaints or issues were resolved in a timely manner and to the customer’s satisfaction.
• Run the full and complete company name, the company’s address, and the word “reviews” through a search engine. Keep in mind, not all reviews listed, are written by previous customers whom already had an experience with the mover. Some websites allows anyone to post online reviews, good or bad without being a real customer.
• Ask the company for referrals, actually previous clients you can text or call, Videos reviews and other sources of reliable feedback
• Movers with generic names (which are difficult to locate or may be Moving Brokers)
• Movers who are not easily found/searchable on search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing…)
• The company’s DOT/ MC ICC license has been revoked or suspended.
  Check FMCSA for more information.
• Movers whose reviews show a pattern of misleading customers, giving low-ball estimates, doing excessive damage to furniture or home, etc.

3. THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM IF:

• The mover insists on the customer booking right away – Taking away the chance to properly research the company.
• The mover requires a large deposit – Again, most movers do require some type of deposit, but more than 25% from the estimate, may be a moving broker, not the actual mover.
• The representative answers the phone “Movers…” instead of giving his or her name along with the full and complete company name – Some moving companies don’t give you their real company’s name, to avoid the customer finding out about their questionable business practices.
• The company does not have a professionally created website – This may indicate that the mover is a fly-by-night company.

In conclusion, there are no secrets in the moving industry, NO MOVING COMPANY will perform a move where they will lose money or make no a profit, so use your basic common sense: gas prices, tolls, move distance.
A reputable company will never be afraid of disclosing any type of information about their way of conducting business.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to earn your business in the right way.  Here at Flat Fee Moving our motto is “Movers with Integrity“, therefore we have no hidden fees while we provide out customers with a smooth moving experience.