When it comes to hiring professional help, you should always do your homework. We are not saying that all professional movers NJ are scam artists, but there are some. It’s just a matter of plain logic – the bigger the apple tree, the more chances there are for a couple of rotten ones. This is why it is important to examine all factors before opting for a specific moving expert. In fact, what you need to do is a moving company background check. And this is definitely something we might be able to guide you through.
Preparation for a moving company background check
Rooting out a problem before it has a chance to grow is far better than dealing with it later on. If you truly want to avoid shady businesses, you have to understand how to identify them. So, allow us to offer you some useful advice in terms of moving company background research.
Comprise a list of reliable moving companies
First step on your journey is doing the research and making a list. When we say a list, we refer to finding all long distance moving companies New Jersey. Once you have that list, go through the services offered and make a top selection. This might take time, so be sure to start several weeks before the actual moving day. If you are lacking on how to find companies, here are some helpful sources:
Get first-hand recommendations from family and friends
This is a sure way to shorten the fraud screening process. The family member used the company and can offer reliable insight and feedback. This goes to show the legitimacy of the mover, and thus reduces the chance of a scam to a minimum. In case, you have no one who recently used a moving and storage services, time to move on.
Get information from acquaintances
With the size and diversity of New Jersey, you must know someone who relocated recently. You might not be aware of it, but there must be someone. And you can ask them for advice on finding a reliable moving crew. This type of recommendation would be reliable enough to accept and check out, but thread carefully.
Online chat rooms and forums
Information is the currency of the modern world. It all comes down to who has the most information and how they use it. So, in case you have no direct sources of information, turn towards the web. However, beware the websites you visit, as not all of them are as legit as they might appear.
Now comes the actual moving company background check
Once you make a list of your top moving companies, time to research further and narrow the choice. So, if you wish to remove the chance for fraud, simply do a background check for each moving company on your list. The more companies you have on your list, the better. You will have a higher chance of identifying the professional moving experts NJ for your needs.
Now, in order to conduct a moving company background check, you will need the markers we mentioned. So, here are some red flags when it comes to movers:
- License abnormalities – moving companies without the right licenses are not even worth your time. So, if you don’t see the right license – sayonara!
- Slandering reviews – customer satisfaction is the image of a company. If the reviews from previous clients are bad, then so is the mover and the services they offer. And if there are no reviews to be found, ask yourself whether or not you are willing to trust that company.
- Low-cost companies – what makes a company successful is offering high-quality services for the same or slightly higher prices than the competition. The promise of great service for half the price is definitely cause for a moving company background check.
- High deposit asked well in advance – asking for a deposit is normal business, but there are limits. Asking for a deposit larger than 40%, for example, indicates a certain mistrust and risk.
- Shady contracts – it’s important that you go through any documentation that requires signature. This way you are sure to spot fraudulent behavior and avoid it without issues.
Getting familiar with the top 3 choices left
Once you’ve gone and cut off most of the companies from your list, the real work begins. Concentration is key in this phase. Since you will be contacting the companies directly, you need to pay attention to every detail. Make a list of general moving questions that you would like answered and begin. Then take notice of the manner in which the moving representatives respond to those questions. And here are some red flags to help with a moving company background check more easily during conversation:
- For starters, professionalism and soft-skills are important since they install confidence in customers looking to hire.
- Next flag would be asking for the entire payment up-front. This always poses a risk. If you are dealing with shady movers, they pack up, leave and you never see them. Even if they are not frauds but simply a bad company, you will have already paid in full for potential horrible service. Conclusion – partial payment is good, full payment up-front bad.
- Finally, when you decide to hire commercial movers NJ, never forget to have everything documented and signed.
To conclude
Final words of moving wisdom – always have plan A and plan B. And by plan, we refer to your choice of the moving company. Avoid being surprised by unwelcome situations or cancellations by having a backup choice for a company. Just go through all the steps we mentioned and you will be all set. Also, take extra measures when searching for long-distance relocation companies. The longer the road, the higher the cost and risk.
