5 traits to look for in reliable movers 

Planning a move to a new home is never a dull process. It is always going to be a challenging and complex task. In fact, planning a move to a new home is often one of the most stressful events in an average person’s life. There are quite a few potential reasons for this depending on the person experiencing it. One of the most common and expected ones is the sheer amount of work that has to be done in order to organize an effective move. From hiring quality Canada movers, to planning the moving schedule, to having to find a new job, school, daycare… This is why hiring a moving company is one of the most important things to do when planning a move. However, you should not simply hire the first moving company you come across. Here are 5 traits to look for in reliable movers.

They need to be a legal company

This should go without saying, but you would be surprised with how many people try to save money by putting their trust in shady movers instead of hiring one of the many quality and, most importantly, licensed moving companies. By “shady” we mean those companies that do not have proper licenses and permits. While this does not always have to mean that the moving company is not reliable, it often does mean exactly that. Too often do people end up with a final receipt containing hidden fees and charges. Too often do people’s things get lost or damaged. While this latter does happen even to the best of movers, they can, usually at least, provide you with proper insurance. It is however possible to get insurance despite no having legal movers, but why do that?

The insurance you can get that way may cost even more than if it were the other way around. Furthermore, wouldn’t you rather have all of your belongings handled safely and properly, instead of having to deal with all the crazy paperwork that filing an insurance claim entails? That is why it is far better for you to find a proper, licensed moving company and hire them. The easiest and safest way to check this is with FMCSA. FMCSA or Federal Motor Carrier Association is the federal government agency that s responsible for regulating many things, one of which is exactly the question at hand. So, once you find a potential moving company, the first thing you need to do is to check with FMCSA.

Respectable reputation is easily one of the traits to look for in reliable movers

The next thing that you should look out for is the opinion of the Internet. It may sound funny, but this is the truth. Google the company and start reading through the comments of their past customers. The fact that we live in an age where you can, in a matter of seconds, find out most of the information that you need can seem scary at times, but there is no reason not to use it for your benefit. Even checking out the Google reviews can reveal a lot of useful information about the company. Some moving companies have a section on their website where customers can leave their comments.

Pro tip – Look under the surface of the comments

What do we mean by this? Well, you should pay attention to the dates of the reviews. The reason for this is that the quality of service could have been much higher a few years ago (or vice-versa), but it recent years it has gone down. Since Google reviews give you the average rating, in some cases, the company in question could have gotten numerous fours and fives and even with a lot of two and threes in the last year, for example, they could still have a high rating.

How respectful of you are they?

This is one of the most important traits to look for in reliable movers – Respect. Respect for you and your time as a customer. If you call them and they are rude or uninterested, then that is definitely to be considered the first red flag. The first impressions are there for a reason. While they are definitely not one hundred percent reliable proof, they are more often than not, exactly that. So, if you decide to hire one of the long distance movers Canada offers, take this into consideration. Also, pay attention to their punctuality. This is another important clue that goes hand to hand with the previous one. If they show no respect to you, they are not worth your time.

They need to be professional and proactive

There are many things that you need to pay attention too and some of them are not always obvious. However, one simple, neat trick is an important reveal of a moving company’s reliability. The way they handle the moving estimate will show you almost all that you need to know about them. If they tell you to do the estimate on your own and they have no input whatsoever, that is a big red flag because you may end up with a lot of hidden expenses, after all, is said and done. However, if they send their representative to do this task, then they are definitely professionals.

Variety of services

Moving industry has gone a long way in the past couple of decades. They are now way more than just a group of guys that put your things in their truck and drive to the destination. They are much more elaborate with their services – long and short distance moves, packing services, commercial relocation, storage, etc. That is why a good moving company will have many services to offer to you. So, pay attention to this and, with all the other traits also taken into account, you will find a good moving company.