Finding a local mover isn’t very difficult. In fact, there are more than 60 companies listed in the various Twin Cities Yellow Pages directories. The problem can be in finding and choosing a company that is truly committed to meeting, even exceeding, your family’s needs and objectives. This is where doing a little homework can dramatically improve your ultimate moving experience.

So What's Important?
The goal for the consumer should be to find a company that you trust has the skills, the resources and the commitment to make the move as efficient and stress-free as possible.

You want to find a company that has developed a culture of customer service throughout their entire organization. This includes not only the people who are conducting the actual move but also the sales, administrative, dispatch, operations and customer service departments, all of which need to be operating as "one company, one team" in their commitment to meeting and exceeding customer expectations.

Finding that kind of company starts with being an informed consumer. By asking a lot of questions you will gain a sense of a company’s values as well as the scope of their services. There are many service variables that separate moving companies, including: the training of their professional staff; whether they employ full time professionals or use temporary help; whether they charge for travel time; the availability of climate controlled storage; fleet condition; savings for mid-month moves; interior and exterior floor protection; the availability of complimentary boxes and so on. Questions around these variables are the kind of questions an informed consumer will want to ask.

Moving Costs
It is also important to understand the costs of employing a professional mover versus renting a truck and moving yourself. When you have fully weighed the expense in time, as well as the potential liabilities in moving yourself, you may very well come to the determination that using a professional firm clearly outweighs the perceived cost benefits in conducting your own move. There is a significant investment in the time it takes to recruit friends, to rent the truck, to buy or rent equipment such as pads, two wheelers, moving dollies, shrink wrap, boxes, straps and other important equipment that will assure a safe move. Other variables, such as fuel and possible mileage fees, insurance coverage and possible personal injury suddenly raise the cost of doing it yourself considerably.

Making a Decision...
A good place to start in making a decision is to ask friends, relatives and co-workers for their recommendations since good companies leave a trail of highly impressed and satisfied customers. You may also consider asking your builder or developer, your realtor or your property manager for a referral. They have often developed relationships with companies whom they have trust and confidence in referring. You can also consider alternatives by checking local newspaper and magazine advertising as well as the Internet. Top companies will have a web-site you can visit to check available services. The important message is: determine your needs, consider the choices and ask a lot of questions.

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