There are plenty of moving companies for long-distance moves, but not all of these companies provide top-quality services. So how do you pick the best one? Obviously we hope you select Move 4 Less, but before you select any company, read over this quick list of tips.
1. Choose A Licensed, Bonded & Insured Interstate Mover
Actually, you would want to choose a licensed, bonded and insured mover for any move, whether you are moving across the country or across the street. However, for some moving companies, long-distance services are not available simply because they are not licensed for interstate moves.
2. Easy-To-Access Customer Service
When you contact a moving company, it should be fairly easy to get someone on the phone. If it takes 10 minutes to speak with a live person, this isn’t a good sign. Consider the scenario. You are supposed to rendezvous with your movers at a specific time in your new home in a far-off city, but your plane is delayed by a few hours and you need to contact the movers. The last thing you want to do is play a lot of phone tag with moving companies. Long-distance moves are complicated enough, so it’s best to select a company that offers you the best possible customer service.
Additionally, if the person answering the phone simply says hello or identifies themselves with a different moving company name, this is a huge red flag. Some movers, especially those with very sketchy reviews, will use alternate names for their business or use several DBAs. A company representative should answer the phone using the name of the company that matches their trucks and advertising, which leads us to the next point . .
3 .Look At The Trucks
You can tell a lot about a moving company simply by looking at their trucks. For instance, if they have a fleet of trucks labeled with their company logo, this is sign that they’ve been in business for a while and have a certain level of professionalism. A company with just one or two unmarked trucks raises a red flag. Additionally, if the trucks look like they’ve seen better days, this also can be a red flag.
A person who is serious about entering the moving industry might start out with just one or two trucks, but they probably would at least label the trucks and ensure that these trucks look clean and in good working order. If a moving company doesn’t take care of its truck, this says a lot about their level of professionalism. Our trucks are the lifeblood of our company, and we keep them well-maintained. They also list our license numbers, phone numbers and other important information.
4. Don’t Pay In Cash
Moving companies for long-distance moves typically don’t expect you to pay in cash, but if they ask for cash, this is a bad sign. This is a particularly bad sign if they ask for cash up front. You never want to provide the final payment until after the truck has been unloaded at your new home.
For long-distance moves, and many local moves, you will be asked to pay a deposit, but usually you can pay using a credit card. Be sure that you keep all of the paperwork you receive from the moving company and read over your contract carefully before signing on the dotted line.
A Quick Note About Insurance . . .
We do offer Released Value insurance at no charge, but this provides you with a very minimal level of protection. With a long-distance move we highly recommend that you opt for our Full-Value Protection option which will ensure that if an item is damaged or lost we will either repair it, replace it with a similar item or provide you with a cash settlement for the cost of repair or current market replacement value.
You also can purchase separate liability insurance if you wish, but whether you choose our full-value insurance or someone else’s; we highly recommend that you do purchase moving insurance. Obviously, our team of expert movers will do their best to ensure that none of your items are damaged, but accidents do happen, it’s just the nature of moving. It’s always best to obtain insurance, so that you won’t have to worry if something valuable is damaged.
Our Moving Services
At Move 4 Less, we can provide you any type of long-distance move you might need. We can move you to Reno, Los Angeles, New York or anywhere else you need to be. We even offer same-day and next-day moving services for West Coast moves, so if you are relocating to Southern California, give us a call.
Additionally, we offer packing and unpacking services as well as complete set-up services at your new home. We can mount TVs, hang pictures, assemble & disassemble furnishings, set up appliances and whatever else you might need.
Cost is certainly another factor you will consider when searching for moving companies for long-distance move, and we believe that Move 4 Less offers an exceptional value. Through the years, we’ve provided affordable moving services to thousands of satisfied clients. We’ve completed more than 15,000 apartment moves and more than 35,000 homeowner moves, many of which were long-distance. Give us a call at any time, or fill out our Get A Free Quote form at the top of this page.
