An average person moves once every seven years. In large metro areas, that average increases to once every three years. Your customers will begin talking to moving companies without understanding the process. The best way to manage customer expectations is by educating them about their moves. Following below tips is a surefire way to make for happier clients.
Pre-Move Planning
When a customer reaches out for an estimate for a small move (like a studio or 1 bedroom), this can be given over the phone.
To best manage customer expectations, be sure the sales rep gets all of the necessary information. Not just the inventory, but also details like whether there are stairs, what additional services might be required, etc.
It’s important that the customer understands the estimate is based on the inventory given, and that the price could increase if items, services, or location details were omitted, resulting in more time and labor on your crew’s part.
To ensure accurate estimates, any moves larger than a 1 bedroom should have a complimentary in-home consultation. This way, you’ll be prepared for the job, and the customer will have the most accurate estimate possible.
Giving a Pricing Breakdown
Different customers will have different expectations when hiring movers, so explaining to them what’s included in the price and what’s not is the easiest way to avoid any confusion or frustration on everyone’s part. When you manage your customer’s expectations, there’s a better chance that your customers will feel at ease.
Things like the truck, labor, moving blankets, and tape — that are included in the standard estimate — should be explained to the customer.
Services that result in extra fees like providing and packing boxes or purchasing full value protection — the customer also needs to be aware of prior to the move.
The same goes for anything else that might end up raising the cost of the move: long carries, shuttles for long distance moves, and increased inventory are some examples.
Educating the Customer Ahead of Move Day
Customers hire professional movers often thinking they don’t have any responsibilities of their own. Letting the customers know that there are some things they need to take care of themselves before the crew arrives is essential to managing customer expectations.
Making sure customers are aware that drawers should be empty, appliances should be unplugged, air conditioners should be removed from windows, and pictures should be taken off walls will allow your crew to arrive at a job set up for success.
If you know that a parking permit will be necessary, you can help by providing a link to the local municipality’s website so the customer can secure the permit or even provide this service for them. This isn’t just to provide customer service, it’s also a way you can lessen the customer’s workload and get a better handle on customer stress management.
Making Sure the Customer Understands Their Move Timeline
The differences between a local and long distance move may seem obvious to a moving company, but many customers aren’t familiar. Before the job takes place, talk to customers to go over all of the factors that might affect their move timelines.
A typical local move will be completed in one day, but larger moves might require two days (one to pack and one to move and unload). If a customer’s move is so big that it might require two days, be sure to tell the customer in advance so that they can plan their schedule accordingly.
Other things like elevator reservations or building move-in/out time restrictions can also affect the timeline of a move, so double check with the customer ahead of time to avoid any potential factors that could turn a one day job into a two-day move.
Since long-distance moves are more complex than local moves, it’s critical that the customer knows in advance, what to expect from the time of pickup to the time of delivery.
Customers might not understand why their delivery estimates (for example 3 – 14 business days) are so wide. Explaining to a customer upfront about how shipping works will ease any concerns they might have. They could think their items are shipped as soon as they’re picked up, and they might not even know the truck will be making other stops along the way.
By explaining these things to customers and keeping them updated about their estimated delivery date along the way, everyone will be happy. To learn about how to start the move day off on a good note, click here.
Happy Moving!
