Every Tuesday at 1PM Central Time, Portage Cartage moderates a Twitter-based "movechat" for movers and consumers looking for information on moving. For the most recent chat, the topic was "Turning Customers Away." Below is the abridged transcript of the questions and the responses.
Q1 - How often do you have to turn customers away?
TopMovingTips Q1: I would have to actually *have* some customers first. =)
MovePoint A. Not very often, But we try to pre-qualify them first
PortageCartage @TopMovingTips Turn the Q around then: how often do customers get turned away by movers?
TopMovingTips @MovePoint- Very wise.
RELORoundtable Several of the nation's largest national van lines issued booking restrictions in early May.
KingsTransfer This time of year it happens. We try to accommodate as best we can, but it amazes me how little notice people think they need
jkmoving A1: Only in the heart of "silly season" (summertime) when EVERYONE wants to move. And even then, just the last week of each month.
GoodStuffMoving Q1 - Good question! Um...not often, but more often in peak months.
TopMovingTips @PortageCartage When trying to book Memorial Day or Labor Day weekends, I am guessing fairly often.
RELORoundtable Since then it seem like the cut-offs have cascades throughout the full service moving industry.
TopMovingTips What is the longest time anyone has given you for a reservation?
HAuston @portagecartage: Depends on several factors.
jkmoving A1: We do all we can to encourage customers to book early and NOT book the last week of the month from June - Aug.
TopMovingTips Is October or November your slowest month?
PortageCartage @TopMovingTips I don't know that we keep a record book, but we've had some bookings 6 months ahead of time.
RELORoundtable Do you just 'say no' or do you offer the customer service (and price) alternatives to accommodate their relocation plans?
PortageCartage @RELORoundtable Hey, quit jumping ahead to future questions! :)
jkmoving This is y some folks have a bad move experience. They wait until the last minute & book whatever (fly-by-nite?) mover they can.
TopMovingTips @PortageCartage Six months is pretty darned impressive. What would you say is the average?
jkmoving More like February. RT @topmovingtips: Is October or November your slowest month?
PortageCartage @TopMovingTips Average is closer to 3 weeks.
TopMovingTips @JKMoving I just offer a website of articles and tips, so I am a lousy one to ask. Big hat, no cattle, so to speak. =)
HAuston @jkmoving: Good point. Hurry up moves can prove challenging.
RELORoundtable Many of the new closing schedules allowed by banks and mortgage companies don't allow as much time to find a mover.
PortageCartage RT @HAuston: @jkmoving: Good point. Hurry up moves can prove challenging.
TopMovingTips Do you refer those you can't service to other providers? If so, how do you pick?
PortageCartage @TopMovingTips Hey, slow down, eager beaver... we'll get to that question too. :)
KingsTransfer @jkmoving The worst is when uhaul over books and leaves people stranded on the day of and you can't help
TopMovingTips @KingsTransfer Yikes! That is the pits! =(
jkmoving Awful! RT @kingstransfer: @jkmoving The worst is when uhaul overbooks and leaves people stranded on the day of and you can't help
GoodStuffMoving @RELORoundtable Do you closely communicate with banks and mortgage companies outside of moves?
RELORoundtable @GoodStuffMoving No, I have family in the banking and mortgage businesses.
KingsTransfer @topmovingtips It happens a handful of times every year. :(
RELORoundtable During the last 30 yrs, the cycle time for movin' has dropped from approximately 60 days on average to just under 20 days.
RELORoundtable That type of contraction at the front end of the relocation process puts stress on everything else that normally occurs behind it.
PortageCartage @RELORoundtable Exactly. The crew can usually adapt to last-minute jobs, but rushed pre-planning is always risky.
TopMovingTips @RELORountable 1) Convenient family connections! =) 2) Great stat! What are you using as your source?
RELORoundtable @TopMovingTips Years and years and years of experience ; -)
MovingPiecesLLC I believe it! No time these days! RT @RELORoundtable In the last 30 yrs, the time for movin' has dropped from ~60 days <20 days.
HAuston @RELORoundtable: The cycle time has decreased. Also, many of our local customers are needing overnight storage.
RELORoundtable @HAuston Is the overnight storage for necessity or convenience? Seems like the mortgage crisis forces many into smaller homes.
Q2...ahem: Do you just 'say no' or do you offer the customer service (and price) alternatives to accommodate their relo plans?
jkmoving A2: We offer a date alternative to start with (sometimes people can be flexible).
TheMovingCost Read our informative blogs on what you need to "Know Before You Book" « http://t.co/Q5RSL1N
KingsTransfer If we absolutely can not accommodate we will recommend other movers who we think will do a good job.
HAuston @jkmoving Q2, look for other options. quality movers
Q3 - We mentioned a few, but let's make a list: what are some common reasons to decline a potential customer?
TopMovingTips A3- Customers who cancelled the move twice after the truck shows up?
PortageCartage @TopMovingTips The way you phrased that makes it sound like a true story.
RELORoundtable 1) Late booking 2) Can't accommodate schedule 3) Deeply discounted 4) Unrealistic expectations 5) Customer not ready to move
KingsTransfer If we decline a move it is almost always because we cannot fit another move into the schedule.
TopMovingTips @PortageCartage Didn't happen to me, and I have no evidence, so it may be more "urban legend"/ war story than fact. =)
HAuston @portagecartage: Q3 budget, overbooked, not being able to offer quality service on the customers schedule.
jkmoving A3: Customers who keep trying to negotiate the price down (unreasonably so). After all, we're in business to make SOME $$.
PortageCartage Sometimes personalities don't "fit" between the moving consultant and the customer.
PortageCartage It doesn't happen to us, but I wonder if anybody has turned away jobs that are just too complicated for them to handle well?
TopMovingTips Have you ever had to pull in "temps" to get the work done?
jkmoving A3: Agree; overbooking increases the likelihood for a mistake/problem. That's no good for anyone. We all want to do the best job.
HAuston @RELORoundtable Sometimes both. the Realtor plays a key role in these situations as well.
MovingPiecesLLC Hi Everyone! I'm a relocation concierge/move mgr in Northern VA. How often do you do these chats? So helpful! -
PortageCartage @MovingPiecesLLC We do them every week at this time. Would love to have you join in! Tutorial here: http://bit.ly/eoX9tB
jkmoving @movingpiecesllc Every Tues, same bat-time, same bat-channel :-) Welcome!
MovePoint @MovingPiecesLLC Every Tues same time
RELORoundtable Everyone uses 'temps' but it's getting harder with the new employment guidelines and internal van line qualification processes.
jkmoving @topmovingtips We hire seasonal/PT employees like most big moving co.s, but they are fully-trained & background checked 1st.
GoodStuffMoving @jkmoving @topmovingtips That background check and training is a key thing we've noticed as well...
jkmoving It's vital. RT @goodstuffmoving @topmovingtips That background check and training is a key thing we've noticed as well.
TopMovingTips Does everybody offer their own training, or is there someplace people can learn outside of your company?
PortageCartage @TopMovingTips All our training is done in house. If we hire temps we always put them with experienced teams.
MovePoint A. Having a previous history with problematic customer
movertim @PortageCartage @movertim decline a potential when I see the red flag waving
movertim Red flag Eg: mouse droppings, bugs, hoarders, smelly , dirty
jkmoving @topmovingtips Ours is on-site with a FT trainer. Part classroom time, part hands-on in a house we built special for training.
TopMovingTips RT @JKMoving is on-site with a FT trainer. Part classroom time, part hands-on in a house we built special for training.|| WHOA!
PortageCartage @jkmoving Cool! Do you have any pics/vids of that training house online?
jkmoving @portagecartage Why I am so glad you asked ;-) Video, photos and text from our website: http://ow.ly/5hHPP
Q4, courtesy of @TopMovingTips: Do you refer those you can't service to other providers? If so, how do you pick?
movertim @PortageCartage @TopMovingTips depending on the need, I will send welfare to a small local company
GoodStuffMoving Q4 - We tend to network with a couple other small local moving companies, keeps things friendly and still competitive.
HAuston @GoodStuffMoving Q4. How does that work? Traditional movers tend not to talk.
GoodStuffMoving @HAuston a lot of the movers around here, in our network at least, are related, so know one, know all.
Next week's chat topic will be Online Marketing.
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