Reliability Issues in the Summer Months With Movers

Over the past few years, American National Movers has noticed a pattern of service-based failures in the summer. The summer is the busiest time of the year for all moving companies, but unfortunately this may come with service issues between you and your moving company.

This article dives deeper into why your movers may be less reliable during moving season and what you can do as a consumer.

Moving Season Can Be Overwhelming For Small Movers

In the spring and summer months, every local and long distance moving company gets excited due to a higher volume of inbound calls and leads. Many of these movers become overzealous and overbook to take advantage and make as much money as possible. But many times this backfires and results in consumer dissatisfaction. This content explains why:

 No Shows

Picture this: a mover books your job from Florida for $3,300, you pay a deposit, and the movers don't show up. Sounds crazy, but it happens a lot in the summer because some brands bite off more than they can chew and realize last minute they can't service your job. While this might not be a big deal for the mover, it's a nightmare for the consumer.

Price Increases

Although you booked the job in May for a competitive rate for July, the mover might not find the load worth it after other loads get booked. What does this mean for you? A sudden estimate increase, which is considered legal.

Delivery Delays

In the summer, long distance movers are scrambling — piggybacking moves and back-hauling several shipments in one truck. This puts smaller loads or jobs with lower balances at a lower priority to ship out and begin delivery.

Higher Rates

What usually costs $7,000 for the same route and shipment size can climb even higher. As a consumer you can try to seek budget alternatives, but your job will most likely get canceled at the last minute.

Carrier Agents

In order to service every job in the summer months, your long distance movers may partner with carrier agents — which is a sophisticated way of brokering your move. To a consumer this can be frustrating, but it comes with hiring movers during busy season.

How to Protect Yourself

Sometimes these inconveniences are inevitable, but there are ways to protect yourself:

Hire National Movers

Long distance moving companies like American National Movers have several trucks and movers across the United States. This allows us to book several loads without scheduling issues.

Binding Estimates

Binding moving estimates protect you from volume-based increases, which is the main reason for price changes. This means even if your estimated cubic feet or weight is inaccurate, your movers cannot charge you more than the estimate.

Book In Advance

Contact your movers and negotiate 30-45 days before your moving date. This gives you more time to find a better rate and negotiate with your movers.

Dedicated Truck / Straight Delivery

If you're not comfortable waiting 2-3 weeks for delivery, you should avoid shared load moving. Get a dedicated truck or negotiate a straight delivery in a shared truck. This guarantees your delivery date and expedites your load.

Avoid Moving in Summer Months If Possible

A lot of movers will hate us for saying this, but moving in the summer can be a nightmare for the consumer on so many levels:

Inflated Costs

You'll pay 35% more than what you would pay had you hired movers in the winter or spring.

Last Minute Cancelations

You might become a victim of a costly reschedule or a cancelation, resulting in you scrambling to look for last minute long distance movers.

Price Increases

In the summer, if a mover feels your long distance moving costs are suddenly too cheap, they will change the price. If your contract is not binding, the movers are legally allowed to do that.

Longer Wait Times for Delivery

In the summer, expect to wait an average of ten business days for delivery (or more). If you don't have a dedicated truck, sit tight — it will get there when it gets there.

It's Not Intentional, It's Logistics

While delivery delays, higher prices, and no shows are upsetting, it's not always intentional — many times it's the nature of moving with movers. That's why we recommend moving in the spring or winter if possible. If the summer is your only option, contact reputable brands like American National Movers for a smooth experience.