Everyone knows that moving is physically and mentally draining but if you own or manage a moving company, it is your responsibility to employ techniques that preserve your movers, get the job done safely, and put your professionalism on display. There are no shortcuts in this business, but there are smart-cuts. Here are some of my favorites.
1. Chain Flights of Stairs or Long Walks
Having to walk a long distance between the house you are moving out of and the truck you are packing can take the easiest job and make it a long ordeal. However, there are techniques your team can employ to make the workload easier on everyone. If you are working on a staircase you can have Mover A place boxes on the landing where Mover B can take them and stack them on the ground level. From there these 2 movers can dolly the boxes to the truck. That process would go much quicker than each mover climbing the stairs, grabbing an item, going down the stairs and back to the truck. This will lessen the workload for both employees and help delay exhaustion, all while completing the job quicker.
2. Blankets on the Floor
This is a great technique to save your back and any door frame of your customers house. If you have a long piece like a dresser, and a sharp angle to work with, odds are you will need to place the dresser on its side. Assuming you are doing the right thing and protecting your customers’ furniture by wrapping them with blankets and plastic wrap, they will not slide easily on the floor. Take a moving blanket and put it on the floor, placing the dresser on its side, on top of the moving blanket. From there you should be able to move the dresser with ease by pulling the moving blanket. Nice and easy, no need to go fast. Once the dresser is in place, have a second mover help get it right side up and in the perfect spot. No damaged knuckles or walls.
3. Take Doors Off Hinges
I manage a moving company in Charleston, SC called Hauling Hubbies & Handymen. Charleston, SC is one of the oldest cities in the country. Many of the homes located in Downtown Charleston were built in the 1700s. These homes are very expensive and frequently have narrow doorways. On a few occasions we have made the decision to take doors off of hinges before we even began the job. Our movers assessed the house, saw large furniture, and decided it wasn’t worth the risk of damaging the home or the furniture so we removed the doors. This may delay the job slightly, but it’s better than coming back to repair a door frame, filing an insurance claim, or paying for a repair on expensive furniture. Proactive > reactive.
4. Be Honest with the Customer if They Want Something Difficult Done
If your customer is asking for you to accomplish something that is challenging, be honest with them about it. The situation that comes to mind is a large piece of furniture going up a flight of stairs with a low clearance and bad angles. By saying to your customer “Yes sir/ma’am we can get this up the stairs, however it is heavy and the angles will make it difficult. As always, we will do everything we can to stay off the walls but damage here is possible,” you will benefit yourself in a few ways. Your customer will recognize your professionalism and experience. They may change their mind on the piece going upstairs. They may feel less inclined to get upset about any damages that take place. Either way, being honest upfront will play out better than saying nothing and getting stuck in the now damaged stairway.
5. One Person Stays on the Truck for Unload
My personal favorite, one person stays on the truck for the unload. This strategy is really only effective when you have a crew of 3 or more people. Have one stay on the truck and begin breaking it down, moving all boxes to the very end of the truck. From there, the other movers can come by and grab a box, bring it inside and repeat. It does not help anyone to have 3 or more movers each try to dig out a box every time they return to the truck. You will save time and energy for all movers involved. The faster and more orderly this can be done, the quicker the truck will get unloaded.
There is no shortcut when it comes to moving. Boxes and furniture only change scenery if someone moves them. The best moving companies accomplish this with as little damage or exhaustion as possible. Happy staff and happy customers lead to a happy business. Even though moving will never be easy, we can all make it safer, smarter, and more efficient. I hope these techniques do just that for you.
We hope you found this blog post on 5 Ways Your Movers Can Work Smarter and Not Harder useful. Be sure to check out our post on What to Know Before Hiring Residential Movers for more great tips!
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