Moving to a new home is considered one of the most stressful events we experience during our lifetimes. Anyone who has moved understands why this is true. The endless logistics of packing and changing addresses, the upheaval of leaving a community, the disorienting experience of being somewhere new. All of these, and more, add up to a lot of stress for most people who are relocating.
Then, of course, there’s the financial pressure. Hiring movers can be very expensive, and so can the various costs of buying or renting a new place to live. But at least you don’t have to worry about your new abode stealing all your things or adding last-minute bogus fees. The same cannot be said for some movers.
According to reporting by Newsweek, customers filed a combined 17,780 complaints about moving companies in 2021-2022. In 2015, that same number was 3,030. This astronomic rise is due, in large part, to bad actors taking advantage of vulnerable customers. Now, more than ever, it’s important to be vigilant when choosing a mover. Let’s take a look at what’s happening in the industry and at how one innovative, honest moving company is getting it right.
How the Scams and Fees Work
There are two main ways in which predatory movers take advantage of customers. The first is a simple bait-and-switch — a company will provide a reasonable quote, only to switch it out with rising numbers. A 2020 report from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) cited a case in which a Missouri man found himself paying $20,000 to reclaim his family’s belongings. His original quote was a mere $5,000, and the movers only delivered his belongings “nearly a month later.”
As awful as this sounds, the second way is even more rotten. Newsweek’s reporting describes a veritable carousel of sham LLCs that essentially convince people to pay money for them to steal their belongings. Sometimes, these LLCs hold the items hostage until they’re paid a ransom. Other times, they resell them for a profit. When the LLCs rack up bad reviews by incensed customers, they rebrand, relicense, and buy better Google reviews online. Then they start over.
How to Stay Safe
All of this may sound terrifying, but there’s good news, too. There are plenty of ways for a savvy consumer to stay safe throughout the relocation process. And no, it doesn’t mean getting a U-Haul rental truck and doing it yourself. It does mean when you search for “movers near me,” you need to do your due diligence before hiring someone. Whether it’s a local mover or a long-distance mover, you want to check the company’s BBB Business Profile and review its license (check the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration). Too many movers are unlicensed, making it hard to hold them accountable when items show up broken, or don’t show up at all.
Also, look for red flags and get every agreement in writing. If a company refuses to do an onsite review, it may be a sign they’re going to make sham claims to boost the price at a later date. Check the address of the company. Is it a P.O. box, and they’re just pretending to be local movers? You can use Google street view to make sure it’s not a vacant lot, as well. Make sure you’re reading verified reviews, ask the moving company to provide proof of insurance, and try to find out how long the movers have been in operation. All of this information should be readily available online. If it’s hard to find, that’s not a good sign.
Moving the Pink Zebra Moving Way
One moving company in Wilmington, NC, is a case-study on how to run a customer-first enterprise. Pink Zebra Moving of Wilmington is a family-owned company, disrupting the moving industry in exciting ways. They are revolutionizing moving by taking the stress out of the whole process.
Pink Zebra Moving of Wilmington’s Pay Enhancement Plan is just one example of this approach. After the move, customers rank their overall satisfaction. That ranking alone determines the wages of the employees. This may sound risky, but the Pink Zebra Moving of Wilmington team is confident in the quality of their services. Plus, they believe in a customer-mover relationship grounded in trust and goodwill.
As for customer service, Pink Zebra Moving of Wilmington believes in proactivity. They assign a coordinator to each client to ensure full success and ease. They also promise a few ‘surprises’ to add little moments of delight to any move. “I cannot say enough good things about Pink Zebra Moving!” says Megan, a recent client, “This company has moving down to an art […] they took good care of our things and of us!”
With a huge swell in relocation, there are bound to be bad apples taking advantage of a growing industry. It doesn’t have to be that way, though! Pink Zebra Moving of Wilmington proves that moving can be done better. They’re leading a revolution in the moving industry.
Sponsored Content by
