Professional moving and storage companies make moving faster, easier, and less stressful. Modern technology has further streamlined the moving business and given customers greater visibility and control over their moves. Some even say the moving industry is undergoing a small revolution, thanks to technology. Here are some moving industry technologies that are revolutionizing the business of relocation.
Real-Time Property Monitoring
Traditionally, once your household or office property is aboard the moving trucks, it’s out of sight until it arrives at your destination. But thanks to move-monitoring systems, customers now can check the real-time progress of their move.
Just as commercial retailers can track their inventory as it arrives from wholesale warehouses to their stores, moving customers now have the ability to track the movement of their property from start to finish. In addition to providing customers a feeling of control and assurance, it also saves effort and money for both the moving company and the customer. Both know exactly how the move is progressing, when various properties will arrive, and are aware of any delays so they can plan accordingly.
With real-time monitoring, movers are able to provide up-to-date schedules and timelines, and coordinate future moves based on availability of trucks and personnel. They also get fewer status inquiries from customers, who can tell at a glance where their property is. Corporate customers particularly appreciate this feature, so they can ensure their items are accounted for and will be available in their new location at the time specified.
Moving Apps
For many customers, the moving process starts when an estimator comes to their home or office, takes half an hour to inventory their goods, and provides a handwritten estimate for the move. Nowadays, various mobile apps are greatly speeding up this process. Personal property apps enable users to inventory their property, room by room, on their own.
Although these apps are often used to document property for insurance purposes in case of loss or damage, they are also a great help in planning moves. The Home Inventory app for Apple devices can estimate the weight and size of each item so a customer can send this information to moving companies to get a more accurate quote, and avoid unpleasant surprises on moving day.
Artificial intelligence software is also available that enables customers to easily gather even more accurate size and weight data. Customers use this software, along with the camera on their smartphone, to take a video of each room. The software’s AI identifies items in the room and compiles a property list that it sends to the moving company. The company uses this to provide a more accurate quote. Moving companies report significant improvements in estimate accuracy and lower complaint rates.
One-Stop Moving Platforms
Once you have your moving inventory, many apps enable you to get an estimate online in seconds, and then select and contact a moving company and schedule your move, all with your smartphone. These platforms can even enable you to upload documents and provide you information about the local area at your destination so you can plan for a successful relocation.
Online Booking
Many customers now prefer to interact with companies online rather than on the phone. Moving companies are providing features that enable customers to self-book moves and to modify or cancel bookings using apps or websites. This increases customers’ sense of control over their moves and provides flexibility and convenience. Customers can manage their moves from anywhere and make changes as circumstances warrant, without waiting to speak with a customer service representative.
Automated Customer Support
Speaking of customer service, many customers now expect to be able to interact with a company 24/7/365. Companies are taking note of this trend, and moving companies as well. AI chatbots are becoming more popular and also more sophisticated.
24/7 customer support is particularly relevant for international shipping. Chatbots can converse with multiple customers simultaneously. They can recognize customers’ texts or voice inquiries and provide answers to common questions and also provide status updates about moves in progress. This ability to interact with companies and get immediate answers at any time is reassuring to customers. It also saves companies time by not requiring human representatives to answer common questions.
Future Trends
As technology continues to advance, moving companies and customers will be the beneficiaries. AI-based virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa are fixtures in many households now, and similar systems will soon be in place in the moving industry. AI advisors will help plan and coordinate moves and advise corporate customers on the most efficient use of their moving dollars. They will also help residential customers keep track of their moving to-do lists and even complete some of the more straightforward tasks autonomously.
Moving industry technologies will also enable moving companies to save money, and reduce the costs of moving to customers. Self-driving trucks and fuel-efficient electric vehicles will provide cost savings at a time when there is a nationwide shortage of qualified truck drivers. These promise increased productivity and lower fuel and operational costs. While self-driving trucks will not eliminate human operators, they will take much of the driving load off of human drivers and enable them to relax while traveling in easier, less congested areas.
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Finding Help with Moving Professionals
We hope you found this blog post on How New Technologies Make Moving Easier and Faster useful. Be sure to check out our post on 5 Ways Technology Can Help With Moving for more great information!
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Have Experience in the Moving Industry? Want an Additional Income Stream? Work With All Around Moving!
Partner with us and we’ll help you make money by establishing your own moving relocation consultant business. Click here to learn more.
