moving

According to data from the American Movers Association (AMA), 38 percent of the moving market is fueled by corporate relocation. Fast-growing businesses, both large and small, are constantly on the move and looking to expand into bigger office spaces or into new strategic locations.

By Mike Glanz

Odds are, as an employee, manager or military personnel, you’ve experienced  at least one corporate relocation in your career. And if you haven’t yet, you just might.  So it goes, if you run a business, a relocation project, short or long, seems as inevitable as death and taxes.

That’s bad news, because moving can also be one of the most stressful events in a person’s career. (According to a recent survey of 2,000 people conducted by British energy company E.ON, six out of 10 people acknowledged moving as their most stressful life event – topping even divorce, the loss of a job, or a loss of a loved one.)

The Financial Cost of Moving

Of course, the cost alone is enough to make moving a stressful event.

How expensive are we talking? According to Credibly.com, a mid-size manufacturing company in a 25,000 to 30,000 square-foot building could be looking at $100,000-$150,000 to move operations from point A to point B.

With limitless funds, one could hire all the hands-on assistance to manage every aspect of the corporate relocation process – from planning to unpacking. There are a number of movers out there that will gladly take your money to provide these services. However, not every business has an unlimited moving budget, and some may be stuck where they are until they can afford the expense of relocating.

So, how can a company relocate on the cheap and without disrupting business or traumatizing employees?

Saving Costs on Corporate Moving in 2019

A number of businesses have turned to a new “hybrid” form of moving that combines the convenience of a Full Service move with the cost savings of the do-it-yourself approach. In fact, it’s just called Hybrid Moving. Instead of hiring a Full Service moving company for tens of thousands of dollars, businesses are now hiring professional movers by the hour to simply load and unload a rental truck or a moving container. By self-managing the transport and letting hired laborers do all the heavy lifting, the cost of moving is drastically reduced. A Full Service move normally costing a business $26,000 could be done for $8,000 using the Hybrid Moving approach.

Where Do I Find Good Movers by the Hour?

Hybrid moving professionals are available in all 50 states and can be found and booked on sites like HireAHelper.com.

If you can afford to hire a moving company, take two things into consideration.

First, check their reviews. While some movers may offer you a good quote, they may also have a bad reputation for damaging items, scamming customers, or not showing up at all. Any of these occurrences will make that amazing quote seem a little less amazing – and needless to say, it could dramatically impact your business.

After checking reviews, be sure to get a final quote in writing and examine it closely. Don’t work with any company that won’t give you a written estimate. When examining the estimate, look to see if any unnecessary services have been rolled up into the cost. If cost is the biggest factor, and you may need to hire that cheaper mover, just know who you’re hiring before you choose them.

What Else Should I Know About Hiring Movers?

Here are some additional qualifying questions that people should consider asking before hiring a moving company:

“Do you offer Full-Value Replacement Coverage?”

If the moving company only offers Standard Repair Coverage instead of Full-Value Replacement Insurance, then you’ll only see an $18 check when your $500 projector is damaged. It could be a sign that they really don’t trust their movers, or that they don’t care about your belongings. If they don’t offer any insurance at all, then they’re probably not deserving of your business.

“Am I going to be your first move of the day?”

If not, you’re going to get a tired crew coming off of two or three earlier moving jobs – and it’s going to take them longer. Plus, they’re going to be more accident-prone. This scenario has the potential to cost you more in the end.

“What does your availability look like? ”

Never beg a mover to “squeeze you into” their schedule. If you need to be in or out of a location on a firm deadline, you shouldn’t put your trust in a mover that can’t operate on your timeline.

Despite all of the scary statistics, corporate relocation doesn’t have to be stressful or an incredibly expensive undertaking. Take a step back, look at all of the options available, do the research, ask smart questions … and all will be good on moving day.

Mike Glanz is the Founder and CEO of HireAHelper.com, a moving labor marketplace that debuted in 2007. Mike launched HireAHelper to provide do-it-yourself movers with an alternative resource for executing their relocation project – and to help small, local moving businesses to compete with the large companies that control the moving industry.

Moving a business stock photo by New Africa/Shutterstock