The Relocation Interrogation - A DELIGHTFUL Questionnaire

Relocations are a methodical process that takes a lot of planning every detail involved in the move. Whether it be across the city, state lines or even continents, a lot of scheming goes into the end product to ensure that there is nothing left out prior to even a single action being taken. The relocation industry has seen enormous growth with the globalization of various industries and fields of work. Packers and Movers may be aplenty in this day and age, but relocation specialists are hard to come by.

Choosing the right moving company often ends up being the difference between a smooth, trouble-free move and a difficult, painful moving experience where problems just seem to arise every single step of the way. Needless to say, the professional relocation partner you pick will prove pivotal for the success of your move. Therefore, preparing a few essential questions to ask movers will enable you to select the best one for your unique set of moving circumstances. Yes, no two relocations are ever alike.

Read on to see the 13 questions you can ask movers to make an informed decision that’ll work best for you.

1. How long has the moving company been in business?
   One of the very first questions to ask moving companies is just how many years they have been in the moving industry. As a rule of thumb, hiring a moving company that’s been around for many years is a sign that they must be doing something right.
   
   Granted, experience does not always translate to excellence, but longevity will be a strong indication that the company has gained relevant experience through the years and that will definitely be beneficial to you.
   
   Be extra cautious if you choose to hire movers that are relatively new in the business as they have not had enough time to prove their worth.
   
2. Is the moving company properly licensed?
   Another question you must ask your moving company is whether they are properly licensed to do business in the country. Interestingly enough, irrespective of their answer, you still need to verify their legitimacy yourself. All professional international moving companies are likely to either be licensed by the International Association of Movers (IAM) or the American Movers and Storage Association (AMSA).
   
   Do NOT hire the services of a moving company if they cannot prove that they are properly licensed.
   
3. Is the moving company a ProMover?
   The questions you ask moving companies all have one purpose in common – to evaluate the movers so that in the end, you can pick the mover that best fulfills your requirements, meets your expectations, and fits your budget.
   
   One of the recommended questions to ask potential movers is whether they are ProMovers. The American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) has established a ProMover Certification Program that guarantees that their members have passed a rigorous background check and agreed to uphold AMSA’s Code of Ethics.
   
   It’s about reputation, reliability, and trust – hiring a ProMover basically means that your items will be in good hands since the moving company has passed an industry certification program on best practices successfully.
   
   
4. Just how experienced is the Moving Crew?
   One of the things to look for when hiring a moving company is the extent of their experience. The thing you need to know before you agree on a specific mover is whether their employees work permanently for the company (properly trained and background-verified moving experts) or whether they are just temporary workers with little or no experience in the moving industry.
   
   During the peak of the moving season, some moving companies hire temporary inexperienced workers due to the high demand for movers. As a result, the risk of property damage or personal injuries on Moving Day will be too high even though you’ve hired the services of a Professional Mover.
   
   Don’t forget to ask the moving company whether the crew that will be packing and moving your things will comprise of experienced professional movers – you definitely don’t want amateurs to be handling your prized possessions.
   
5. Does the mover have the necessary moving equipment?
   You want to hire movers who will be well-equipped to overcome each and every moving challenge that you encounter together. When paying professionals to help you out with your move, you want to be certain that they have the proper moving equipment to handle your specific type of move. This is especially important when you have special items and you'd like the mover to be able to protect them and move them safely to your destination.
   
   Assuming that your movers have basic moving equipment such as a truck of the right size, furniture dollies, appliance dollies, moving blankets, furniture sliders, and all the necessary packing supplies, you may need the pros to have special hosting equipment or more heavy-duty dollies for transporting extra-large and extra-heavy things such as a hot tub, a heavy safe or a pool table.
   
   Don't underestimate the complexity and danger of moving bulky furniture pieces or household appliances either. You need to know that your mover has enough trained staff and the right moving equipment to complete the job as scheduled.
   
   
6. Does the moving company offer on-site, in-person estimates?
   Now, this is a really important question to ask your mover; will they come to your location for a visual inspection of the things you're moving with you to the new address? And although it's phrased as a question, you shouldn't accept NO as an answer. Some moving companies may offer you cost estimates over the phone or by e-mail without actually taking a look at the possessions that they need to move. In the majority of the cases, such moving quotes end up being rather inaccurate in the end.
   
   Ask - no, demand - your movers to visit your location for a visual survey. Request a binding estimate in writing that will describe clearly the services offered by the company and will reflect much more accurately the total cost of the move. As a rule, you should stay away from non-binding estimates even though they are issued by movers for free.
   
7. What extra services will the mover offer you?
   
   One of the essential questions to ask movers when getting estimates is what additional services they will offer you so that they can complete the move as scheduled. Note that some of those extra moving services may be required for the successful completion of the relocation (furniture assembly, for example), while other accessorial services you yourself can request from your mover (packing or unpacking, for instance).
   
   Good full-service moving companies should be able to offer you the extra services of packing, unpacking, disassembly, and reassembly of furniture, hoisting, wooden crafting, temporary storage, and more.
   
   Do ask your moving company in advance what additional moving services you should expect to be charged for. The charges for all services should be included in the binding moving estimate you have received after the on-site survey by the professionals.
   
8. What hidden costs can you expect from the mover?
   
   You may have loads of questions for your mover but one you should not forget to ask is about the hidden costs that almost always turn up in the end when it's time for you to pay the moving bill. That's why it's imperative that you speak with your moving company about all possible hidden fees and charges, again in advance.
   
   Your mover may choose to charge you extra for handling extra-bulky items such as a piano, a pool table, hot tub, a metal safe or even a very large piece of furniture. Your mover may charge you an elevator fee - a one-time fee of around $75 if the building elevator is out of order or is missing in action. Also, if your professional movers cannot park their truck close to the entrance of your location, you'll probably be charged a long carry fee to having the pros carry your stuff all the way to the moving vehicle.
   
   Other hidden costs include a move cancellation fee, a storage fee, an express delivery charge, an extra stops charge, a travel fee and so on. Make sure you have a clear idea of the rough figure of the additional charge(s) that will occur on the final invoice before even agreeing to the initial binding estimate.
9. What type of insurance does the mover offer?
   
   Understanding your insurance options is an important aspect of your residential move so it should be one of the mandatory questions to ask when hiring a moving company. In the majority of the cases, you will receive a free basic coverage called Basic Limited Liability Protection as soon as you sign the Bill of Lading. You shouldn't get too excited though because that basic coverage is de facto non-existent - would you be satisfied to get around $20 as compensation if your movers broke your big plasma TV? Of course not.
   
   Instead, ask your moving company about you purchasing real moving insurance that will cover you adequately in case of damage or loss of one of your belongings. Such protection is called Full Value Protection and entitles the mover to reimburse the replacement value of whatever's been damaged or lost.
   
10. Does the moving company request a deposit?
    
    Most top-rated moving companies will request that you pay a deposit when you book their services. Moving company deposits are needed so that the mover can be sure that the customer won't back out in the last minute, thus disrupting their busy schedule and affecting other customers as well.
    
    Therefore, the purpose of a deposit when hiring a mover is to compensate the company for any incurred losses should the customer cancel the booked move for some reason. Every moving company has their own policy when it comes to booking deposits. So, don't hesitate to ask your mover to give you more information about what you should expect to pay and the amounts they request.
    
    Generally speaking, a booking deposit should not be more than around 20-25% of the total estimated cost of the move. Don't ever pay the full price up-front or give a moving company a large deposit - you should only pay them in full when all your things have been delivered safely to the destination, with no broken, damaged or missing items whatsoever.
    
11. What will the moving company do to protect your belongings?
    
    You have to know how the movers will guarantee the safety of your things. You may have many questions to ask when hiring movers - mostly about making sure that you've made the right choice when it comes to the right moving company. In fact, that's a crucial decision that you shouldn't just leave things to pure luck but do thorough research on potential movers before choosing one.
    
    Another super-important question to ask your relocation partner is what measures they will take to protect your valuables during the move. Ask them to be more specific in their answer, don't just accept generic and rather meaningless replies in the lines of "Don't worry, we know what to do."
    
    You're paying those guys to do a good job so demand more details about how exactly they will keep your things safe and what they will do to prevent property damage of any kind. If you're not satisfied by what you hear, then you can as well look for other professional movers in your area - ones that seem more trustworthy.
    
    
12. How does the moving company handle disputes or complaints?
    
    Ask your moving company how they handle complaints or disputes in case there happen to be any problems with your move. Top-rated moving companies have Dispute Settlement Programs that should help you work out an agreement with the pros to resolve possible disputes during or after the move.
    
    Federal regulations require that professional moving companies have arbitration programs for resolving disputes when it comes to property loss and damage, as well as disputes about overcharging. So, don't hesitate to ask your mover what specific steps they'll take in case of a dispute between you. If you like what you hear, then that's probably the right moving company for you - after all, relocations are rather unpredictable and anything can happen while your items are in transit between your current location and the destination.
    
    
13. Are they Delight International Movers?
    
    Now, we obviously cannot speak for every single other relocation companies out there, but we can speak for ourselves.
    
    We have been in business for over 3 decades, delivering unparalleled success in relocations during the time.
    
    We are a member of both the International Association of Movers (IAM) and the American Movers and Storage Association (AMSA). We are FIDI certified overall, but also for Abu Dhabi, and FIDI-FAIMPLUS certified.
    
    Most of our employees have been with us for a long time, with some even here since the very beginning. Granted, we do need to hire fresh faces every now and then but we strive to ensure that we have at least one or two experienced heads on every single move to ensure the proper transition.
    
    Our fleets of trucks and carriers speak for themselves. The kind of relocations that we've handled over the years have also enhanced our knowledge on the nitty-gritties of every move, and we have equipped ourselves well according to the needs of our customers.
    
    We try to ensure that you don't even need to ask us to conduct a visual inspection of your property prior to the move. We try and offer to do so ourselves on almost every single move.
    
    We offer a whole range of services that you can see for yourselves on our website. Some of the unique services that we do offer include, but are not restricted to, cleaning, pest control, curtain fixing, and carpet installation just to name a few. We also cater to requests like contract-based housemaid requirements, transportation rentals, and advertisement services.
    
    Of course, there may be unforeseen surcharges on any move, but we try our best to ensure that at final charge does not stray too far from the initial estimate (yes, in some cases, the final charge was lower than the initial estimate).
    
    All of our policies are available to see on our website, and we would be glad to assist you in any other queries you may have regarding the insurances and assurances.
    
    We try to fit in all of ur fee breakdowns with the initial estimate.
    
    Our assurance is for all to see with the results we've delivered over the course of the last 3 decades.
    
    We try to make sure that our customers do not have any disputes or complaints, to begin with, but should they do we try and provided detailed analysis and multiple solutions for the customer to pick their own solution.
    
    
    All in all, we are not trying to say that we are the best, but we are certainly one of the best choices you can make when it comes to your relocation needs. Try the delight of a relocation experience with Delight, and you may never go back!