SO MANY REMOVALISTS – WHO TO CHOOSE?
Moving is stressful! That’s an understatement but it does not have to be, Provided you deal with a local experienced company. That understands the stress and helps to manage it, end to end.
Around 30% of clients will be repeat customers who have experienced the remover’s service. Approximately another 30 % is referral business, from satisfied customers. The removalist has to find and fight for the rest. The market is littered with one-man-band removals companies. Who undercut price and this results not only in confusion for the client but often an unsuccessful move.
The pricing approach in removals has changed somewhat. As the market has become more tech-savvy, the need for the traditional fixed quote has diminished somewhat.
What becomes very important at the point of the enquiry, is the removalist’s ability to ask the appropriate questions, in order to assess the volume of the belongings to be moved as well as the access to the respective property.
By asking the right questions, local removalist can assess not only what size truck is going to be necessary but also how many moving boxes will be necessary and how many men will be necessary for the job. The correct number of boxes not only controls the stress of running out for the customer (if they have chosen to pack themselves) but also helps to assess the correct truck size.
Although an inventory takes time for the client to complete, it addresses things that are likely to be forgotten about such as the number of pot plants (which require a deck load and take up lots of space) or a large number of books. The customer possibly has more than one large flat-screen TV or some rather large personal gym equipment.
Then, of course, there is a need to assess internal access. What about that narrow staircase? What about the large piece of furniture or double door fridge that needs to be lowered over a balcony?
In summary, it’s is important to exercise a little patience with all the questions you may or should be asked because for you time is money with an hourly rate. Remember that labour is paid hourly and so even if you think the assessor is calculating your move on a cubic metre basis, he or she is very much assessing the required time, upon which not only the truck size but the estimated price or even the fixed price will be arrived at.
Make sure you don’t just read the testimonials but contact them and ask how a move went. Make your own assessment as to how professional the removalist is, not only from what you have or may have heard but also from their web site. You will get a great feel for the way you will be treated. Where we live there are around 80 removalists, half of which don’t even have a web site and yet they have managed to get linked to free business listings or search engines, creating the impression they must be well known and experienced. Take heed, do your homework because the little one-man show where the owner drives a truck may well result in removal for you where you pay for two loads instead of one or the move finishes at midnight!
