Are Traditional Movers a Thing of the Past?

Hidden deep in the Olympic National Forest, I came upon this relic of a moving truck. I wonder whether the truck was left there because the driver and crews went on an extended lunch break of 60 years?

With the downturn in the economy and the advent of alternative moving services, some have wondered whether the traditional moving industry is a thing of the past.

My answer is sort of. Every day I read of local agents going out of business. Consolidation and reorganization of van lines is common place.

But what will come out of this transition is hopefully a more robust, up-to-date service from the survivors. In order to survive, the best companies will take this downturn as an opportunity to re-evaluate their service offerings and process to provide even more customer-focused moving solutions.

Self move and containerized storage is in some instances a fine solution for those that are willing to carry heavy sofas down stairs and into fancy painted containers with names that roll of the tongue like "Joe", "Bean Sprout" (can't use their actual names or I will get sued).

Two facts come to mind when pundits announce the demise of the moving industry.

1. Our society is aging. I can speak with some experience that once you get a birthday card from AARP, the last thing on your mind is to move yourself. Mature adults need movers, full service movers.

2. Containerized moving can actually be more expensive than a professional mover. There is no slight of hand manipulation of a cost analysis here. Check it out. In a number of different senarios, a professional mover will cost less than having a container shipped across the country. Much of it has to do with the efficiency of a mover. Professional movers can consolidate several customer's shipments on one truck. They can also load a shipment more densely. This allows more to be moved with less. Less fuel, less trucks. More green. Hmmm.... cheaper? Someone else that knows what they are doing loads my truck?

So the next time that you consider a moving company or container for rent for your next move, just remember, new isn't always better, and don't fix what isn't broken.

Brad Fransen is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Continental Van Lines, agent for Mayflower Transit in Seattle and Tacoma, and United Van Lines in Anchorage Alaska.

How Many People Ultimately Chose a Mover

Recently, I chose a company to insulate my home. Not having any means of determining the reliability of companies, I turned to several sources including Angie's list and the BBB. It turns out that was a wise move. One of the companies that I was considering had several unresolved complaints with the BBB and a poor rating with Angie's List.

Social media and customer reviews are becomming an excellent tool in determining service providers. While customer referrals and repeat customers provide a steady flow of business, many consumers, wary of movers, are looking to peer-to-peer reviews as a means of doing the initial evaluation of vendors.

Here are several sites that have produced significant numbers of leads, resulting in new customers who continue to refer us:

Moving Scam http://www.movingscam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=77124#77124

Moving Scam writes: --Continental Van Lines, Inc. (Mayflower) in Seattle/Tacoma. Continental Van Lines out of Seattle (4 locations) was an Allied agent for years but became a Mayflower agent on May 1st, 2008. As of 9/06 their overall quality rating from the van line was 4.59 out of 5 (well up in the "excellent" range and about the highest Allied score ever reported on this website). "PMueller" (then working for Allied in FL) told a MovingScam moderator in a PM that Continental would be her choice for help in the Seattle area. "Lynn" got a quote from them for a move to Chicago but ultimately went with BE: http://www.movingscam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2497 (interstate) Someone else was set to move with them from Tacoma to Galveston but never came back to post how it turned out: http://www.movingscam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2492 (interstate) "seattle-jeff" was set to use them for a move to Houston but never came back to report: http://www.movingscam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2669 (interstate)

Citydata http://www.city-data.com/forum/anchorage/183596-how-transport-furniture-car-seattle.html
Blogger "All for Cats" writes: I've moved a couple of times with Continental/Allied Van Lines -- a VERY long-established national moving company. They have a special operation between Seattle/Tacoma and various locations throughout Alaska. They're at Seattle Mover, Tacoma Mover, Seattle Moving, Alaska Moving, Continental Van Lines Free Moving Quote

The Better Business Bureau http://http//www.bbb.org/western-washington/business-reviews/movers/continental-van-lines-in-seattle-wa-500046
Continental receives an A+ rating from the BBB for reliability, responsiveness, and length of time in business.

Angie's List https://www.angieslist.com/AngiesList/Login.aspx
Angie's List is a members only website. Continental has two great reviews.

Red Tricycle http://www.red-tri.com/archives/continentalvan.php
A surprisingly important website for those folks with children in the Puget Sound area.


All in all, consumers have more access to critical information, reviews, and resources than ever before. For additional information on chosing a mover and frequently asked questions, refer to Continental's frequently asked questions page at http://www.continentalvan.com/faqs.cfm.

What is Home?

I just moved back to my house after a fire. After a year and a half living in cramped quarters, I looked forward to getting back into the house. What I wasn't prepared for was the feeling that everything was still unsettled. My new and improved house wasn't the house that I came from. When someone moves, it is rare that they end up back in the same house again.
As people hear that we are finally back into our house, most ask, "Isn't it great to be back in?"

My response, of course, is to politely smile, and say what they expect me to say, "Why, yes it is!"

Actually, that is far from the truth. After two weeks back in the house, it still doesn't feel like home. I don't sleep well. Nothing seems quite comfortable.

As I work with customers who are in the process of moving, I now understand the complex emotional issues that they go through. When the last box is unpacked, the process of moving still is not over.

It makes me think about what is exactly "home". Is it physical? Is it emotional? Share your thoughts.

Affiliated with a Van Line? You must be too costly for a local move.

In a recent marketing study, over 50% of the respondents surveyed indicated that they wouldn't call a mover affiliated with a major van line for a local move. Van Line affiliated movers were perceived as too expensive.
While I can certainly understand why people think that way, it is far from the truth. For instance, Continental's local move rates are very similar to a number of smaller movers. Continental is a locally owned company just like all of the smaller movers. When Continental performs moves locally, they do it as a local moving company, with no fees or involvement with the Van Line.
So, what's the message here? Why not use a mover with outstanding quality, certified movers, new well-maintained equipment, all for the same rate as a small moving company.

So How do you move Plasma and LCD TVs?

Several people have asked how to best move plasma and LCD TVs. For us, the process is a bit simpler. We have a customized crate with closed cell foam inserts. These crates provide complete protection to the TV. We use these crates on local moves.

When we move TVs farther, we rely upon custom cartons designed specifically for transporting the flat tvs. These have foam inserts for the corners that can be cut to conform to the TV's dimension's. They run approximately $200.

Should you decide to move a TV yourself, it is best to keep the TV upright and either boxed or fully padded. The surface of a LCD TV can be damaged if touched with sharp or hard items.

I have not heard of cartons available for purchase for self moves, so if you have a place to keep your original packing materials, it is a good idea to do so.

As with all electronics moved during the winter, it is a good idea to allow the units to come to room temperature before plugging them in.