HOW TO CHOOSE A MOVER

Despite the unpredictable factors in a move... traffic, weather, the mood of the elevator operator... a good moving company does a very good job, consistently, say 95% of the time. How does one find this company?

1. Check out companies with NY State Dot (1-800-786-5368) and the Better Business Bureau. The BBB has a service which, among other things, gives you the complaint record of a moving company. But with both the DOT and the BBB, a clean slate should be considered only a minimum requirement, since a bad record is usually the result of serious customer outrage.

2. Try to use companies who have been in  business for at least three to  four years. There are an infinite number of small details in a move, the handling of which, for some reason, can only be learned the hard way. As a customer you do not want to share a learning experience with a newly formed company, especially concerning the subject of insurance.

3. Unless you know the source well, be wary of relaying on referrals from supers, "bargain guides" and organizers.  Sometimes, for example, movers advertise in the same "guides" in which they are (not so) critically reviewed.  A safer approach is to look for personal recommendations.  If you can get TWO personal recommendations for the same company consider that to be a very strong positive sign.

4. Is the company advertising oriented? Big companies with full-page ads  won’t be especially depending on you for word of mouth referrals.

5. Is the company detail oriented and organized? Has every expense been spelled out? Is the company willing to discuss possible negative aspects of the move, including insurance claims? Or does the representative simply inflict on you a vast amount of empty fast talk?

6. Binding estimates and replacement insurance were invented specifically to assure the customer’s peace of mind. Demand both. (But do read the fine print.)

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Next: BROWNSTONE BROTHERS

Brownstone Brothers
Moving & Storage
Tel. 718-665-5000