It's the Journey That Matters: Who's Piloting Your Move?

Summer is here! The days are long, the kids are out of school (or nearly), and the moving industry's busy season is under way. If the summer plans include moving homes, here are a few tips to navigate the industry's landscape in 2024.

Sadly, the latest developments in our industry—moving brokers and disconnected van lines—have left many customers asking, “Who really is moving my home?” While I make it a policy to steer clear of scare tactics, lately I've heard too many scary moving stories to keep quiet. Entities of all types and sizes are coming onto the scene with little to no experience, even no moving equipment, posing as genuine moving companies. 

Here’s how to avoid the anonymous (careless) mover:

As you weigh your summer travel plans, imagine trying to book your next trip: how many connections would you like? The more connections you have, the more likely your luggage might not end up at your destination on time…or at all! Now imagine not only avoiding all connections but sending your luggage by private jet! That's the difference between working with an independent moving company for your entire move and hiring a van line.

A van line is a network of separate entities that will hand your belongings from one party to the next. I know because I got my feet wet as a link in the Bekins chain. We all know a chain is only as strong as its weakest link! That's why I knew that when I started my own moving company, it would not be the face of a large network. It would be the entire network, from beginning to end: my company, my trucks, my crew. No more weak links! Voila! Camelot Moving & Storage has lived up to its mission throughout its 38 years of service!

Brokers are not moving companies, though they present themselves as one. They have no physical presence. They book jobs with customers, and then sell them to the highest bidder, no matter their credentials.

Bidders may include freight and delivery companies, whose experience loading freight via pallet jacks, forklifts, and loading docks does not meet the requirements of handling personal belongings and furniture through tight hallways and narrow staircases. Nor are these freight haulers trained or experienced in isolating their freight, in this case, separate household belongings being delivered to separate homes, leading to questions like “Whose suitcase is this and where is my record collection?”

Let's imagine moving homes via a van line or broker… whom did you hire? The broker, a salesman with nothing more than a phone number or website? The long-haul freight driver used to driving pallets from warehouse to warehouse? The local moving crew loading your belongings, whom you'll never see again? The guy with a pickup truck who bid on your job?

How do you know you've hired a real moving company? Stop by and check them out in person.

We invite all our prospective clients to come check out our enterprise! Kick our literal tires, tour our warehouse, and meet our staff. And we encourage you to do the same with all the moving companies you're considering.