How to read a BBB Report – Part 1

The Better Business Bureau, better known as the BBB, is a non-profit organization that operates as a third party overseer of businesses. The BBB is supposed to protect you, the consumer, from frauds and scams. While you should always look to the BBB as a source of information when researching moving companies, it should not be regarded as the be-all end-all of any decision.

The BBB is far from perfect and there are flaws in its reporting system. However, if you know about these flaws you can better arm yourself against fraudulent moving companies out there. Knowing how to read a BBB report is your first tool. The BBB report is full of useful information that you can utilize to better understand a company’s performance and quality of service.

So let’s take at look at the BBB report.

What the report grade really means:

The letter grade is the first thing that you see when you look at the BBB report. Unfortunately, this is where many people stop their research. The letter grade simply means that the company has fulfilled its obligations to the BBB’s specifications. As you will see, an “A” rating does not necessarily mean you are looking at a good moving company.

The difference between accredited and non-accredited businesses

One of BBB’s qualifications is whether a company is accredited or non-accredited. Being an accredited company means that the company has a paid membership with the BBB. A non-accredited company means that it does not.

The BBB is completely voluntary. A moving company can elect to be a member or not. No company can be forced by the BBB to follow its standards or guidelines. Even if a non-accredited moving company chooses not to be a member, it still may follow BBB standards and guidelines if it so chooses. However, to get a better grade with the BBB you must be a member.

Different types of complaints (and which ones you should be concerned with):

There are many kinds of complaints that one can file with the BBB about a company. They can range from a company not fulfilling its warranties or being rude, to breaking things or outright theft and fraud.

Here is an example of complaints that one moving company has gotten within the last 12 months (They have an “A-” rating… you be the judge.)

• Billing and Collection Issues
• Customer Service Issues
• Delivery Issues
• Guarantee and Warranty Issues
• Selling Practices
• Service Issues

This particular company has had 11 complaints in the last 12 months, 6 of which were “Customer Service” and “Service Issues”.

This means 6 people have objected to the way they had been treated by this company to the point where they felt it was necessary to complain to the BBB. That is significant. You should be aware of this. It does not look like this company treats its customers very well.

They only had 1 incident with “Selling Practices”. That could mean that this company sold this particular customer a little too hard, or it could mean that they fraudulently misrepresented themselves. The BBB does not tell us this, but based on the above complaints I would not be surprised if it was the latter.

Look at all the complaints together and then make a decision on whether this moving company is a good company or not.

Continue to Part 2: How to Read a BBB Report – Part 2

---

Jae Burnham is a guest blogger for One Simple Move and a moving company insider. After creating one of the most successful moving companies in Michigan he now dedicates his time to provide free information to help you Hire Professional and Reliable Moving Help and to Spot and Avoid Moving Company Scams.

---

6 Quick Tips to Avoid Surprises On Your Moving Bill

There a few basic considerations that will reduce the chance of surprise costs on moving day when the movers hand you a bill.  It all starts when the movers give you your estimate.

1. Get an accurate inventory of your belongings.  Remember, as I stated in an earlier blog entry (linked to from above), it’s far better to get the moving company to do this.  If you miss anything (and you almost definitely will) you will still be charged to move it, it just won’t show up on your initial estimate.
2. Check for any costs associated with packing or wrapping of furniture or belongings.  Although you may have done most of the packing there are other considerations like pictures, lamps and other miscellaneous items that although you didn’t pack because you didn’t think it made sense, the movers won’t move without them being in boxes.  So they will charge you for materials and labor.  Also some movers will charge you for usage of blankets and tape for wrapping furniture like tables, desks, chairs, etc.
3. Be careful if moving trucks can not park close to your home which may result in a “long carry” fee.  This can happen either because a driveway is steep, has sharp turns or a low hanging tree or may apply in apartment or condominium parking areas or structures because of accessibility issues or restrictions.  Even when a “long carry” fee does not apply it will take the movers more time to carry items from your house to the truck so you will pay significantly more when paying by the hour.
4. Know that stairs or elevators which both add time also add fees from $50 to $150 per flight of stairs or for the elevator ride.
5. If you have to make an extra stop at another house, storage facility or anywhere else, be sure to tell the mover upfront.  There will probably be a flat fee plus any additional mileage or time related fees.
6. Be sure to inquire about fees related to disconnecting of utilities such as washers and dryers or dismantling other items of furniture that may be required as a routine part of your move.

Ultimately, many of these charges can typically be avoided by having a moving company come to your house to perform an in home survey of your move but sometimes an in home survey is not an option.  In the end, no matter what the moving company may have told you over the phone, make sure the moving company provides you with a final estimate when they come to your house on moving day.  Then review this in detail and ask specifically about any or all of the issues above you think might apply.

Avoid Online Brokers

Online Brokers are companies that will find a moving company to service your move. Usually they’ll get your details over the phone or the internet, then let moving companies bid for your move. Online Brokers can be the start of a nightmare move, so always insist on talking to moving companies directly when shopping for a mover.

The issues boiled down:

1. Many times, online brokers will try to make you think they are a moving company to get your business.
2. Brokers sometimes charge “deposits” which are usually just extra fees.
3. Brokers might give you an estimate over the phone based on what you tell them you are moving. Phone estimates are usually red flags for scam/rogue movers.
4. Brokers do not have the incentive or responsibility to make sure your estimate is accurate, since they won’t be the ones moving your stuff.
5. Brokers do not have an incentive to make sure your move goes to the highest quality moving company.

Check out this Article from ABC News that explains some more dangers of using online brokers.

---

Note: One Simple Move is not an Internet Brokerage or Lead Generation website. One Simple Move allows users to contact moving companies directly and anonymously, pre-screens any moving company in our network, and does not charge moving companies “lead fees.”

---

NBC’s Today Show – Beware of Moving, Storage Scams

Check out this clip on moving scams and what to watch out for, from NBC’s Today Show:

You know moving season is coming up when Matt Lauer is telling you to be careful when shopping for a mover!

(Note on Matt Lauer’s arm: According to US Magazine, Matt flipped over the handlebars of his motorcycle when a deer ran out in to the street – just in case you were wondering…)

---

Original Link to video from MSNBC.com.

---

Moving Scams & Rogue Movers – Part 3

Part 1: What’s the Scam?

Part 2: Why is this Happening?

Part 3: The Role of the Internet

Part 3 of this series discusses the role the Internet has played in making the issue of Moving Scams and Rogue Movers so widespread and prevalent.

___________

Most people would agree that the Internet has made their lives better – but ask the same question to anybody in the moving industry, and you might get a different answer. Why? Because the Internet has played a key role in tarnishing the reputation of this industry over the past decade.

When the Internet became a mainstream part of business in the 90′s, it made sense for moving companies to get quote requests (estimates) from their customers through a website.  Some websites went a step further and gathered moving companies and people together so a customer could go to one website and find many movers.  The information age had come to the moving industry – yay!

Unfortunately, this also happened to coincide with a time when the moving industry was being deregulated (see Part 2 for more on this) and many companies were entering the market.  Some of these companies were just inexperienced, but others were full-on scam companies (see Part 1 for more on this) that were ready to take advantage of loose regulations to dupe customers.

The Internet made it very easy for these questionable moving companies to get quotes and business from customers just by having a pretty (and sometimes not so pretty) website.  It also began to change customers’ expectations in working with a moving company from a detailed, hands-on, direct contact approach to “instant quotes.”

So what’s the solution? Consumers should be aware of the issues when shopping for movers online, even if it is a reputable third-party website. Consumers should also be aware that getting an accurate moving estimate is never “instant” and takes good, direct communication with a mover, along with (in most cases) an in-home survey.

For information on other issues regarding finding a moving company on the internet, please see our articles on:

Lead Generation Websites

Internet Brokerages

---

Note: One Simple Move is not an Internet Brokerage or Lead Generation website. One Simple Move allows users to contact moving companies directly and anonymously, pre-screens any moving company in our network, and does not charge moving companies “lead fees.”

---

How not to find a moving company: Lead Generation Websites

Finding a moving company is easy.  Just type in “moving companies” in any search engine and millions of websites will appear.  Unfortunately only a few of them will actually be moving companies.  Some will be brokers (I’ll discuss these in a future blog post) and many will be “Lead Generation” websites.

They typically rank among the top listings with most search engines when searching for moving companies and related keywords.  They collect information about you and your move and sell it to moving companies enlisted in their services as a customer lead.

They are the websites that claim you can “get moving quotes now” or “get free moving quotes”.  Truth is you never actually get moving quotes now from any website and that moving quotes are always free.  The problem is that they are not a good way to find a moving company and can make the process of finding a quality moving company and having a stress free move more difficult than it needs to be.

The good. These websites are nice because they are quick and easy.  You fill in a few fields and hit submit.  Then moving companies contact you.  You have to do little to no searching to find them and they do all the legwork in contacting you.

The bad. Spam, sales calls and questionable moving companies.  First of all, because you have to give up your privacy in the form of your contact information, these moving companies can just email or call you at their convenience.  Second, typically you don’t know what moving companies have been given your information.  This is pretty scary because you don’t know who has your contact information and you don’t know anything about the quality of the moving companies.  And because you don’t know who the moving companies are, you can’t research them until they call you and you give you their company name and if they don’t call you at all it was just a waste of time.

Another issue with classic lead generation websites is that occasionally illegally operating or “rogue” movers purchase leads through these sites and can cause absolute nightmare moves (see our series on moving scams & rogue movers).  However, these sites are successful for a reason and their general ease of use makes them an enticing option.

Below are some links to past experiences from one of the more popular lead generation websites.

http://www.movingscam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=58081

http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.cgi?id=33032

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/291/RipOff0291367.htm

www.movingscam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=280&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=45

On the other hand, One Simple Move is different and is not a typical lead generation website.  But I’m not just trying to plug the site and I’m not going to say it’s better.  Ultimately, our users will decide that for us.

At One Simple Move you create an account and receive access to a directory of qualified, licensed moving companies that can service your needs.  You then research and contact movers and can contact them anonymously through our site until you feel comfortable giving up your contact information.

The good. You are empowered as a consumer with a list of licensed and qualified movers who you can now research and contact on your own time, at your speed and without giving up your privacy through our unique anonymous communication interface until you feel comfortable giving up your contact information.  You can also review your moving company post-move to help future users.

The bad. Well I guess the worst par is that you have to create an account and have to do the legwork of contacting the moving companies.  But we work with some of the best moving companies, inform you about the industry and make connecting with moving companies as easy as possible by giving you one place to track all of your contacts.

Moving Scams & Rogue Movers – Part 2

Part 1: What’s the Scam?

Part 2: Why is this happening?

Part 3: The Role of the Internet

Part 2 of this series on moving scams & rogue movers covers a bit of history on the moving industry in order to shed some light on why scams and disreputable practices have become so prevalent.
___________

If you’ve ever taken a self-defense class, the first thing your former cop/karate-master/ex-hell’s angel biker instructor told you was to “be aware of your surroundings.”  All images of dark alleys aside, this advice holds true when you are researching and hiring moving companies as well.  By knowing a little background on the moving industry you’ll be an informed consumer ready and aware of your situation when moving.

A little history…

Back in the day (1935), moving companies were heavily regulated by the Interstate Commerce Commission, a federal regulatory agency.  The ICC watched over the industry closely, regulating entry, areas serviced, routes taken, etc.  Later, moving companies were given the special privilege to meet with each other and decide upon tariffs (prices) that they would charge for their services.  In short, moving companies were heavily regulated in terms of who could be a moving company, what they could do, and how much they could charge.

In 1980, Jimmy Carter passed legislation that deregulated the industry.  Carter’s legislation made it much easier to become a moving company, loosened regulations on what moving companies could do (like hauling goods on a return trip), and introduced price competition.  The general idea was to make the industry more efficient and lower prices.

This in itself was not necessarily a problem.  However, it did open the door for many new, inexperienced moving companies to enter, as well as create the incentive to attract business through quoting lower prices.  But the ability to quote low prices and hold your furniture hostage for a fee doesn’t pay off unless the moving company can get away with it.

The Carmack Amendment, a federal statute, preempts state law and is what allows moving companies to get away with breaches of contract, deceptive practices, negligence, and even fraud.   Therefore, consumers can’t utilize state laws related to loss or damage of goods when an issue occurs with their moving company. While industry associations and businesses have raised quality standards on moving companies to combat the issue, consumers are still left legally unprotected. Many advocates are pushing for better consumer protection through state laws, but for now, it seems like it is up to the consumer to “be aware of your surroundings.”

[via movingscam.com]

Continue to Part 3: The Role of the Internet

---

Resources:
General Account Office’s Report: Consumer Protection – Federal Actions are Needed to Improve Oversight of the Household Goods Moving Industry

---

Moving Scams & Rogue Movers – Part 1

Part 1: What’s the Scam?

Part 2: Why is this Happening?

Part 3: The Role of the Internet

In this four part series, I’ll be covering the issues surrounding moving scams and rogue movers – everything from how the scam works, how it all started, what is being done, and most importantly, what you can do to avoid it.

___________

“Hi, my name is Rogue Mover – and I’m here to hold your furniture hostage.”

So what is a rogue mover, and how do they scam you? Typically, a rogue mover will get your business by giving you a low estimate – much lower than the competition – over the phone or through “lead-generating” websites  on the internet. Once they show up and pack your things in to their truck, they will demand a ridiculous payment (in some cases, many times that of the estimate) to have your possessions unloaded at your destination, threatening to keep your things until the payment is made.

There are many variations and unfortunate add-ons here as well. Some companies will take an upfront “brokerage” fee or deposit. Others will hold your possessions hostage, put them in to storage, and charge you to have your items delivered as well as for the storage you never asked for. To make matters worse, these companies will not be handling your possessions with care, so you can expect damaged items to be part of the story.

Check out www.movingscam.com for detailed information on scam movers. This site is dedicated to tracking down disreputable moving companies. You might have to comb through some forums to find information, but it’s worth it.

As the moving season kicks in every spring/summer,  stories of consumers getting their furniture held hostage, getting scammed by an online brokerage or otherwise just having a nightmare move make their rounds in the newspapers, television, and online media.  Avoid being a statistic and equip yourself with information on rogue movers and their disreputable practices.

Rogue Mover Red Flags:

• The mover does not offer to perform an on-site estimate before giving you a final quote
• The mover gives you an estimate significantly lower than estimates from other companies
• The mover gives you an estimate based on cubic feet instead of weight
• The mover charges a deposit before the move
• The mover does not list address, licensing, or insurance information on their website

How to Research Moving Companies:

• Use your state’s business services/records website to find corporate information on the mover, including the owner and number of years in business
• Go to the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) site for licensing and insurance information
• Check the BBB (Better Business Bureau) for complaint information

(Check out movingscam.com’s article on How to Find a Reputable Moving Company for detailed instructions)

Continue to Part 2: Why is this Happening?

---

Links referenced above:

www.protectyourmove.gov

www.search.bbb.org

www.movingscam.com

---