Reliable Craigslist Movers
March 10, 2010 by admin
Filed under Moving Tips and Advice, Moving labor
One of the many questions that I get asked a lot is: “Are Craigslist movers reliable?” And the answer to that is simple. Some are and some aren’t. You have do your home work on all the movers you may hire no matter where you find them. And it doesn’t matter if you find through friends, Craigslist, Yellowpages, or on Google.
I made a quick video about reliable Craigslist movers; enjoy:
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I’m Very Pleased With U-Save Moving
March 7, 2010 by admin
Filed under Testimonials
“Very pleased. Very professional” is what Ken said about U-Save Moving.
We were able to help Ken with his move in Burton, MI and save him from a high priced move. Needless to say he was very pleased with us…And why wouldn’t he be? We are the best movers in Mid-Michigan bar none…Let us do the same for you.
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Moving Videos
February 28, 2010 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Here is a collection of helpful moving tips videos for you in one place. I will update this regularly as I create new videos.
Reliable Craigslist Movers:
Gas Mileage for Moving Trucks:
Ryder Moving Truck Rentals:
Tipping Your Movers:
Craigslist Moving Help:
Moving Systems, Part I & II:
Penske Moving Truck Rental Review:
U-Haul Moving Truck Rental Review:
Moving Truck Rentals:
Moving Brokers:
Cheap Movers:
Moving Scams:
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U-Save Moving’s Brand New Service!
February 25, 2010 by admin
Filed under Moving News
Announcing U-Save Moving’s New WorldWide Moving Services!
In another step forward for U-Save Moving we have now partnered up with company that can transport your household possessions all across the country and across the world. No longer is U-Save Moving regulated to just intrastate moving. With our new partners I can offer you a full service moving experience for a lot less than you would get with regular van liners like Mayflower, Allied, United or Bekins.
This full door to door service like never before. And we can even move your vehicles as well!
Need to move from one state to another but are tired of being quoted $5000, $6000 or more, well now U-Save Moving can offer the same service for far lower rates. And this is full service at its best. You get a team of guys to load up the truck, it driven to your location, and then unloaded into your new home. You’ll never have to lift a finger.
Let give you some comparisons:
- Lansing, MI to Austin, TX: $2550 to $2725 add $1400 to move your vehicle.
- Lansing, MI to Los Angeles, CA: $3200 to $3500 add $1700 to move your vehicle.
There is just a couple of examples of the costs. Now compare that to your other movers. These are flat rate, binding estimates as well. Meaning that these prices WILL NOT change no matter what, and they include everything. Labor, Insurance, fuel, blankets and straps, tie downs and tools. These prices don’t include packing so if you want those services you’ll need to call us for rates.
And we are not limited to Just moving to or from Michigan. If you need to move from California to Florida or Alaska to Texas we can help with that as well.
Just give us a call or contact by using the form below.
Thank you.
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Can You Afford Cheap Movers?
February 22, 2010 by admin
Filed under Moving Tips and Advice
Can you afford cheap movers? I would think again. And this video explains why.
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Are You Designed To Move? A Moving Company Review
February 22, 2010 by admin
Filed under Moving Company Reviews
Can you trust Design To Move?
Company: Designed To Move
Grade: A+
City: St Clair Shores/Detroit/Port Huron
I first learned of Design To Move from James Height when he wrote to me on FaceBook. Apparently he liked my website and the fact that I exposed the moving scammers that prey on unsuspecting customers. he wrote:
James Height hey just wanted to say I love your web site! calling out the scammers on craigslist is what needs to happen. Its hard for legal movers like us to get ahead with people like that out there. Check out my page its Designed To Move MI and become a fan if you want. if I get any moves in your area I cant fit in I will send them your way.
So I thought that I would review his company. Seems fair doesn’t it?
So let me say this. I LOVE THIS COMPANY!
What a professional moving company. I know that Designed TO Move and James have more than just a Craigslist presence as James, as I said, found me via FaceBook. As a matter of fact I have never seen Designed To Move even advertise on Craigslist. So that is a step up from the rabble and the moving scams. I don’t know if they are also on Twitter but they may be. It would seem logical.
This company is licensed and insured. I have verified this with the government website. So you can rest easy in knowing that would be taken care of in that regard. They are also part of the Michigan Movers Association which has stringent requirements to be a member. So this is another plus-point.
For the full review plus click this link: http://movingcompanyreview.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/designed-to-move-moving-company-review/
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Reviewing Your Moving Company
February 20, 2010 by admin
Filed under Moving Company Reviews, Moving Tips and Advice
How to review your moving company
Have you ever wanted to comment on the service you had with your movers, good or bad?
Unfortunately most moving companies do not have a website where you can leave comments about your service. And in fact I advise you not to use any mover that doesn’t have a website. (websites can be made for free these days so there is no excuse not to have one.) But even the moving companies that do have a website, most often than not, there is no place to leave comments about your service. And this is unfortunate.
Testimonials are powerful. Many of you will decide to use a moving company just because of the good reviews that you find of them online. Testimonials and reviews help build trust for moving companies; and any moving company not actively campaigning to get as many as they can and publish them far and wide are shooting themselves in the foot.
After every move that I do I ask if the customer was happy, and if they were (which is usually the case 98% of the time) I have them write a few words about there experience. Lately I have been getting videos of them saying on camera what they experienced. You can see all my testimonials on this website. Just go to the “testimonials” category and you can see hundreds of them. Or just click the videos off to the right and see and hear what a few of my recent customers have to say.
But in lieu of mover not asking for the testimonial or review where can you go to leave a review? Where will it make the most impact? This is the question.
Yelp
Yelp is a website designed just to leave reviews of businesses. All you have to is sign up and start reviewing.
There are people on Yelp that have made careers going into businesses and using their services just so they can review the business. It sounds like a horrible career choice but it does happen. Thing about Yelp is that it ranks very high on the search engines. So if you write a review of XYZ MOVERS that review will show up very early in the search engines for others to see.
Yellowpages
The Yellowpages as we know it: the big, bulky book is outmoded and going the way of the Dodo bird. Everyone is using the search engines to find businesses. Yahoo is partnered with Yellowpages so you can find those companies with internet listings ranking quite high with Yahoo. The thing about the internet listing for Yellowpages (and Yellowbook, Superpages, etc.) is that they have a place where you can leave reviews the moving company that you used. You can leave up to 5 stars for the movers that you chose.
I love Google. As a business person Google makes it so easy for me to have everything I need to create, run and manage a business. They provide all the tools I will ever need. One feature which I am sure that you are familiar with is Google Maps.
Type in the keyword you are looking for like: “professional movers” or “reliable moving” or “movers in (your city)” and a bunch of listing s come up right next to a map. By clicking on those listings you will find a profile page provided by that business of choice. What you may have not known is that that listing page gives you the option to not only read reviews but to leave them as well.
In my opinion, this is one of the best places to leave a review of the moving company that you used.
Yahoo and Bing
Yahoo and Bing also have map listings of businesses. However it is not as easy for business to get a listing on these sites as it is for Google. But like Google; Yahoo and Bing offer a place where you can leave reviews of your chosen moving company.
Ripoff Report
If you go to ripoffreport.com you will find hundreds of reviews left by people like yourself that have used various businesses. However, unlike all of the places mentioned above, you will only find bad reports here. So if you have had a bad review then this may be the place to leave your review; and trust me you will get action if you leave a review here. These show up very high on the search engines and make quite an impact.
But be warned, these reports NEVER disappear. They will always be available to everyone later on down the road.
Of course there are dozens of other consumer review sites out there but none as accessible as ripoffreport.com.
BBB
The Better Business Bureau or more commonly known as the BBB is also another place where you can leave a review. However more often than not and reviews of businesses that are left are usually negative. But you can leave positive reviews for business there as well.
I personally don’t like the BBB because they can be so easily bribed and manipulated by businesses. I know because I have done it.
Despite popular belief the BBB is NOT government operated. Its a ruse. It is a franchise like McDonald’s or Burger King. It is owned by someone to make money, and they make their money by charging businesses that are signed up with them fees for their “services”. If you have a bad BBB report all you have to do to fix it is pay out money to have it fixed. Its really that simple. So I can’t trust the BBB reports at all.
Does your mover have a FaceBook page? It does!? Cool. Do they have a tab where you can leave reviews? If so then leave a review.
You can leave a review of up to 5 stars. What I love and hate about this is: as a consumer I can leave a review knowing that it can never be deleted. So if I leave a bad review then it will be seen forever. As a business person, I hate this. I like to control what is being said about me. Personally I am not afraid of bad reviews and I welcome them as it helps me improve for the next time, but I also know my competitors can leave fake reviews for which I cannot delete. So it is a double edge sword for the business person.
Your moving company doesn’t have a FaceBook page? Doesn’t matter because you can still leave a review on your own Facebook page.
Angie’s List
Many people use Angie’s List to review moving companies and other businesses. The problem with Angie’s List as compared to Yelp is that you have to pay a monthly membership fee for it.
I know that I am not going to dole out hundreds of dollars a year just so I can read a review of a company or two, especially when I can do that for free with Yelp, Google or the other places mentioned here.
The plus point however, is that it is far more reliable than the free places. So if you find a good review of your chosen moving company then it is probably a good chance that it is a good company.
So there you go. Several places that you can go to leave comments and reviews of your experience with your moving company. So whether you are leaving a good comment or a bad one you have choices to be heard and have your count (unlike the presidential elections.)
But I caution you: If you leave a bad comment for any moving business make sure you do it when you have cooled down, and only report the facts. If you leave and angered filled terse review it will be looked upon as if you are the crazy person. Angry people never tell the truth.
Reviewing your moving company and the experience is easy. It only takes a little of your effort and time to do it. If you have something nice to say then please say it. It means so much to the people that work so hard. Of course if you have had a bad experience then you also are obligated to make sure that is know as well.
So no matter what your experience is or was it is always best to leave a few words for the next down the pike to hear what you have to say.
Lastly, you are always free to leave any reviews of your experiences with your moving company with me on this website. I welcome them all. the bad, the ugly and the Great. I will published them unedited for the world to see if that is what you want. Of course you can tell that you don’t want it published and I will honor that as well.
Thank you and good luck with your move.
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Tips For Getting Accurate Moving Quotes From Reliable Movers
February 13, 2010 by admin
Filed under Moving Estimate Advice, Moving Tips and Advice
Here is another great article I came across about getting accurate quotes from reliable movers. It is good read. I hope you like it.
4 Tips For Getting Accurate Quotes From Reliable Movers
By Maureen RomensyaWhen looking for reliable movers to hire it can be hard to decide which ones would be the best choice. That is why getting quotes from reliable movers is so essential. Before getting the quotes there are some important tips that will help you get the most accurate quote possible.
Here are the tips that you want to remember and use so that you end up with as accurate of a quote as you can.
1. Plan – When you are going to be making a move it is important that you take time to plan ahead. Planning ahead will help you get a more accurate quote.
You want to know exactly what items will be going with you and what won’t. Along with what services will be needed from the company such as packing.
By knowing ahead of time what you want and planning things then you will definitely have a much higher chance of getting the most accurate quote from reliable movers.
2. Compare – There are so many different moving companies available these days and trying to find the best one to hire can be hard to do. By taking time to get a free quote from each moving company that you are interested in you will be able to make a more informed decision.
Comparing quotes from moving companies is important because the companies are similar but not the same exactly. This means that their estimates will be just a little bit different in different ways.
By comparing the quotes you can see what they are offering you and for what price. This will help you choose the company that is within your budget so you don’t spend more money than you can afford to.
3. Ask questions – Don’t be afraid to ask questions of any moving company about the quotes. If you have questions you have to get them answered before making your final decision. This will help to ensure you are choosing the best company for your move and for the price you can afford.
4. Take your time – Always give yourself plenty of time to do your research on the companies and to get quotes. The more time you can give yourself the more informed decision you can make because you will be able to gather important information that will make it much easier.
These tips will definitely help anyone get the best price on your quote if you remember them and use them. If you don’t use them then be prepared when you end up paying more money later because you didn’t take time to ensure accurate quotes from reliable movers.
Maureen Romensya invites you to visit her moving website to receive moving quotes and moving estimates on your next move. Compare quotes from reliable movers and pick the best moving company based on services & price. When moving companies compete you save up to 35%.
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3 Basic Moving Options
February 11, 2010 by admin
Filed under Moving Tips and Advice
You have 3 basic moving options: 1) Full service professional movers like U-Save Moving; 2) You pack – We drive, and; 3) Do it yourself.
Only your bank account and your health can choose the right option for you. I say go with option 1! (joke)
Here is a great video to illustrate my point:
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Two Small Men With Big Hearts Moving Review
February 4, 2010 by admin
Filed under Moving Company Reviews
Company: Two Small Men With Big Hearts
Grade: F
City: Across Canada
I can’t tell you how many times that it is the large well known moving companies that actually committ the majority of the moving scams: Starving Students, Bekins, Americarrier and the lit goes on. And this is the case with Two Small Men With Big Hearts. The fortunate part is that I don’t hve to do the review; I only have to cut and paste from a news article.
Large moving company faces charges, upset customers
Two Small Men with Big Hearts apologizes for failure to address complaintsLast Updated: Wednesday, February 3, 2010 | 6:30 AM PT By Kathy Tomlinson CBC News
Shelagh Bruhn shows the wardrobe unit she says was dropped and broken by movers. (CBC)
Canada’s largest network of independent moving companies is coming under fire from some customers for its business practices.“I’ve moved a number of times and it was probably the worst move in 20 years,” said customer Shelagh Bruhn. “They have no hearts, as far as I’m concerned.”
According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Two Small Men with Big Hearts receives more complaints than any other moving company in B.C. — 50 in the last three years. The BBB has given “F” ratings to the company’s B.C. locations in Surrey, Richmond and Kamloops.
Bruhn complained to the management in Surrey after her move in June of 2009. Bruhn said the movers, who are paid by the hour, took several hours more than they estimated.
“I was quoted a certain amount every hour and we figured about six to eight hours. Instead it took 11 hours,” said Bruhn. “They deliberately dragged it out. They were ill-equipped. They were inept.”
Bruhn said the movers lost her ladder, broke a large piece of furniture that they dropped and chipped and scratched several other items.
“I picked this company based on its name — Two Small Men with Big Hearts,” she said. “It was just one disaster on top of the other.”
Toronto operators facing charges
TSM Canada started as a Vancouver company with one owner in 1981. It now has more than 30 franchise offices across Canada, “working as one, a collective organization,” according to the company’s national website.
Operators based in Toronto are facing charges after consumer complaints were filed about overcharging and broken promises.
In March 2009 the Ontario government filed several charges under the Consumer Protection Act against a North York, Ont., location of Two Small Men with Big Hearts. Company representatives Jeff Green and Brent Witte are also named in several counts.
The allegations include making false and misleading statements, renegotiating prices while in possession of customers’ goods and exceeding estimates by more than the 10 per cent of the maximum increase allowed under provincial rules.
“There are probably reasonable grounds for not moving with a company like that,” said John Levi of the Canadian Association of Movers. Levi represents several Canadian moving companies, but TSM Canada is not a member of his group.
“By the time you add up your time, your losses, your damage and the estimated cost plus the overcharges — you are at a significantly higher cost than you would have been with a reputable mover,” said Levi.
Bruhn was charged $1,500 for her move. In September, she said she reluctantly agreed to settle for $186 in damages, which she said is far less than her real losses. Despite that written agreement, Bruhn said the company has not paid her a cent.
Operators in Toronto are facing charges of unfair practices. (CBC)
“They suck you in — and they have you believing they are going to do the best job they can for you. Then, once they have your money — $1,500 later — they drop you like a hot potato,” said Bruhn.
“Almost every day I can find something else that was wrecked.”
Resolution promised
Stu Starkey, who took over the Surrey, B.C., franchise after Bruhn’s move, said he will now do whatever he can to resolve her complaint.“I can only handle problems case-by-case and make sure our customers are now satisfied at the end of their move,” said Starkey, who said he is also moving out of the rundown location.
“We want to clean up the appearance a little bit. We’re going to paint our trucks and put new ones in and get a brand new yard.”
Representatives from TSM Canada, the franchiser, refused a request for an interview with CBC News. Ben Hanuka, a Toronto lawyer who represents the company, sent a statement.
“TSM Canada takes its customers and reputation very seriously and regrets the inconvenience that was caused to them,” Hanuka wrote.
“The root cause of these problems is in large part inadequate customer communication and insufficient administrative oversight on the part of TSM Canada’s local offices and movers.”
The London location also has an “F” rating with the BBB.
Bradley Lang won his court claim against Two Small Men, but still hasn’t been paid. (CBC)
“I lost almost half of my things — gone, broken or smashed. There were boxes that had been opened and things pulled out of them,” said Lang. “I literally was picking up boxes that rattled — and all there was were large chunks, broken.”Lang said his shipment arrived almost a month late, after he was told it was left sitting for several days on a loading dock in Toronto.
His box spring and mattress has to be thrown out because of severe water damage, he said, while several items were missing, including a leather jacket and irreplaceable pieces of art and pottery.
“It breaks your heart — when you’ve got all those things and you’ve spent so much time collecting,” said Lang.
“I also lost coats. I lost pants. I lost boxes of clothes — so I hope they enjoyed them.”
The company admits it has customer-service problems that need to be addressed.
“Avoiding such customer complaints requires better training and supervision of TSM Canada’s local office representatives. This is not an easy task for us. There are over 30 Two Small Men With Big Hearts Moving offices in Canada, which together handle between 25,000 and 30,000 local and long-distance moves every year,” read the statement from the lawyer.
Court-ordered damages not paid
Lang’s move happened in 2003. He then spent four years trying to get the company to cover the damages. In 2005, after failing in several attempts to get a settlement, he filed a suit in small-claims court.“When I took it to the lawyers they said, ‘Oh this will be no problem. We’ve seen these people before,’” said Lang.
B.C. court records show 150 lawsuits have been filed involving Two Small Men with Big Hearts since the early 1990s. The majority are small claims against the company by customers.
Two Small Men with Big Hearts has three dozen franchise offices in Canada. (CBC)
In 2007, the court issued a default order directing TSM to pay Lang $8,582.65.By then, longtime company owner Glen Buckler had sold his interest in the company to six other operators. Buckler appeared in court to argue that because of the 2004 sale, he was no longer responsible. In addition, Buckler said the company’s legal name had been filed incorrectly.
“The court said I needed to re-file more papers — that my lawyers needed to file the last set of papers with an amendment to this name,” said Lang.
Faced with more legal hassles, Lang decided to give up.
“For the years that I’ve been going after this — that I have made myself sick over this — it was easier just to let it go.”
Kate Wittaker and James Carter moved from Port Elgin, Ont., to Sooke, B.C., in November 2009 and have filed a complaint with the BBB.
They claim TSM Canada arbitrarily inflated the price of their move by more than $700, including a surprise “fuel surcharge” of $283.80, after their belongings were picked up.
“What your company has done is unconscionable,” Wittaker wrote in a complaint to representatives in the B.C. booking office. “You cannot quote a customer one rate then once you pick up their stuff, inflate the rates and add additional charges.”
Tips on hiring a mover from Ontario’s Ministry of Consumer Services:
•Get the contract in writing.
•If an estimate is provided, the final cost cannot exceed the original estimated price by more than 10 per cent.
•Check the ministry’s Consumer Beware List: complaints received and charges laid are disclosed.
•Remember that the lowest price may not be the best choice — you get what you pay for.
TSM responded by telling Wittaker her belongings would not be delivered until the higher price was paid in full.“If you don’t pay your bill, it will go into storage and you will have to pay that before we deliver your goods,” a company representative wrote in an email. “If you are reporting to the BBB and government agencies, it seems you don’t want to pay your bill.”
Wittaker said she was more than willing to pay the amount originally quoted. However, she said, after the threat of having her belongings put in storage, she eventually relented and paid the charges.
Stu Starkey is taking over the Surrey franchise and says he will resolve any complaints. (CBC)
“We were on the phone every day for a month trying to find out where our stuff was, before it finally showed up,” said her husband.Apology from head office
“TSM Canada will be certainly reviewing these issues in an effort to learn from the past and avoid such customer complaints in the future,” wrote Hanuka. “TSM Canada apologizes for these delays and overall failure to address these three particular customer complaints in a timely manner. ”“As a result, TSM Canada is prepared to offer full compensation to Shelagh Bruhn [her claimed amount is $160] and Kate Wittaker [her claimed amount is $300]. TSM Canada will mail out the cheques to these customers this week.”
As for Lang’s longstanding claim for more than $8,500, the TSM statement indicated the company wants to settle with him, too.
“TSM Canada would like to have an opportunity to investigate this matter and attempt to resolve it with Mr. Lang with a suitable settlement offer over the coming several days.”
Hanuka also told CBC News he is also currently handling the allegations of unfair practices by TSM in Toronto, which are before the courts.
A spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Consumer Services said it could not comment on the details of the complaints. Company representatives could be fined up to $50,000 and the corporation up to $250,000.