Washington DC Movers – Tips On Choosing Wisely
When deciding on which DC movers to use for your next move can be a very stressful experience, and if you are not very cautious when choosing a DC mover it can end up turning into a nightmare. So the question then is, how do you find a DC area moving company that you feel comfortable in with moving all of your valuables and still feel safe in the decision you have made? Here is some helpful advice that will get you headed in the right direction in finding a reputable DC moving company.
Dependable DC Movers and What You Need To Know
When deciding on which DC movers to use, you should always set up appointments with at least two well known Washington DC area moving companies. Be sure to ask around as to who is the most fair priced. It generally is not recommended to go with a big corporate or franchise type moving company due to the lack of personal touch, care and fair pricing structures. These types of companies usually charge more because they have to cover the cost of radio ads, TV ads or other very expensive paid marketing efforts. You want to find out up front if the DC moving company of your choice is going to be doing the move themselves with their own professional movers, or if they will be using sub contractors, day laborers or some other type of temporary workers. If any of the companies you are considering will not be moving you themselves, then you really should just move on to another company.
Be Sure They Are Permanent Employees
Another wise idea when searching for dependable movers is that you should go visit their office and make sure that the company is actually who they say they are. Take a look at their trucks and storage facility. Always make sure that their trucks are permanently marked with the company’s business name. Many questionable DC movers will show up on the day of your move with a temporary sign attached to the door of some rental truck. The rule of thumb here is to know as much as you can about a DC mover ahead of time. Here are some important things you should find out about any DC area moving company you are evaluating – Full company name and any DBA names (doing business as), how long they have been in business, company address, verify they have actual permanent phone numbers, DOT and MC license numbers, make sure they have a professional website, real e-mail addresses with company URL, always get references(and call them).
How To Find Reputable Moving Companies On The Internet
We all love the internet, and we use it more and more to help us find various types of services and products. However, this can be a slippery slope to go down, so we would like to share the two most important factors on how to identify reputable, fair and legitimate DC movers. Usually the moving companies that show up in the “Natural” search results are trusted and dependable. The banner ad’s and Pay-Per Click ad’s are only showing because those moving companies are paying big dollars to Google, BING or Yahoo. Here are the two most important rules to follow;
- STAY AWAY FROM ONLINE PAID ADVERTISEMENTS – These would include Banner Ad’s, Pay-Per Click, Pop-Up’s. Moving companies spend millions of dollars a year on these, so this means that the only reason these companies have visibility on the internet is because they pay for it. These advertising costs they are paying to the search engines cost a ton of money. Guess who ends up paying for it…YOU.
- PAY ATTENTION TO THE “NATURAL” or “ORGANIC” search results – These DC area moving companies are showing up in these “NATURAL” results for legitimate and valid reasons…such as…reputation, history, excellent reviews, as well as standing the test of time. Again…these “NATURAL” search results are what you want to pay attention to. Nobody can pay Google, BING or Yahoo to show up in these type of results.
All dependable moving companies have professional websites listing all of their various moving services and should have some type of helpful resources or information available on the site. Any dependable company will list contact information, including contact e-mail addresses, that will allow you to ask questions in order to be provided with a written response. Last, but certainly not least……ask around. Almost everyone has moved once or twice in their life, so always be sure to ask friends, family and co-workers if they can recommend a reputable Washington DC area moving company, as well as any they do not recommend. Both lists are certainly invaluable when deciding on what professional moving company to choose.
Now this is certainly not every single piece of information you will need or helpful suggestions to follow, but we think it is a good general outline. As always, wishing you the very best in your next Washington DC area moving adventure!