As new technological innovations and development come to life, it is natural for different industries to adopt them and forge them to aid their customers. That is how the trend of moving companies offering quotes online came into existence. And to this day, it has revolutionized the relocation and logistics industry. As a well-recognized brand name in this niche, Movers Development has had the opportunity to work with some of the finest moving and logistics companies worldwide. And with the implementation of our Instant Moving Quote Calculator, we’ve made a significant contribution to this industry, helping those companies tailor their online moving costs calculator forms to the specific needs of their customers today.
What is the role of relocation quotes in the moving industry?
When you start planning a relocation, one of the first things you want to know is how much it will all cost. It’s not so much a matter of overpaying or underpaying so much as simply knowing and preparing your budget. And so, moving companies came up with a simple enough system in the beginning – you give them a call, they send a relocation consultant to your house or office to take a look at the items you want to move, the access for moving trucks, get any additional feedback from you in terms of additional moving services, etc. And what you have there is an in-home moving estimate.
However, the downside here is that in-house estimate not only take time to schedule and conduct, but they can often be inaccurate and lead to unplanned expenses that customers dislike and want to avoid. That is what lead moving business owners to ponder on how to calculate relocation costs in a more time-saving, cost-effective, and precise manner. And that is how the introduction of offering free moving quotes online came into everyday practice in the moving industry.
Online moving costs calculator forms and moving estimate templates
There have been many inventions designed to influence the development of moving companies. Most of them were not nearly as significant as the invention of moving estimate templates. This innovation revolutionized everyday operations for moving companies and their clients. To let you know what we mean by this, we will answer these simple yet essential questions:
- How do moving companies quotes online work?
- What are the improvements in implementing such an invention?
- How moving companies and their clients feel about free moving quotes online?
How to calculate relocation costs online?
This piece of innovation in movers software development brought about a completely new way for companies to operate. So, let’s take a closer look at how moving companies quotes online work:
- You enter the destination you’re moving from.
- After that, the destination you’re moving to.
- In advanced forms of moving company estimate template, you can even choose the route.
- You then come across the Items Section, where you can select the items you’re about to move. (Advanced online moving costs calculators offer the option of video estimates where you record your home and have the relocation consultant analyze the video to determine the price).
- Certain moving estimate templates offer the option to add additional details regarding your move (stairs, floors, access, elevators, etc.)
- Finally, you end up getting an accurate calculation of the services you are looking for, by the pricing rates of that particular company.
That was just an example of how the online moving costs calculator forms work. Therefore, don’t expect this order of steps, nor should you assume that all the calculators have the exact kinds of actions.
The advantage of online moving costs calculators implementation
How does the implementation of the online calculator impact your moving business:
- Online relocation quotes reduce operational costs. Moving companies don’t have to waste resources sending relocation consultants for in-home estimates. They receive all moving quotes through online channels, which reduces overall operational costs.
- Online moving companies quotes save time. Customers don’t need to schedule in-home estimates or wait on moving company staff to calculate estimates, so it takes minutes to get a precise moving quote.
- Brand development for moving companies becomes more manageable. The better the user-experience your website and company offers, the more likely the option of them referring you to friends and family members.
- Companies that use the moving costs calculator tend to generate more moving leads. Offering free moving quotes online to all site visitors opens more possibilities of reaching a higher number of potential leads.
How does the implementation of the online calculator impact relationships with customers:
- Prompt moving estimate from the comfort of one’s home makes for satisfied customers. Customers have instant access to prices based on their specific moving needs. Therefore, it becomes simpler for them to choose the option that suits them best. Modern users will lean towards moving companies that can offer relocation quotes online and choose one of them. The very existence of the calculator offers a great starting point for forming a bond with customers right from the start.
- A moving company estimate template can save time for last-minute moves. If potential customers don’t have enough time to have the in-home inspection for the precise estimate, they will want to find a way to calculate relocation costs instantly. Using an online moving costs calculator will offer that option for them.
- Using the calculator can help companies avoid unwanted confusion when it comes to the final relocation price. Customers will be more satisfied with the precise estimates they receive for their upcoming relocation, with slight variations.
What is the public opinion on the subject of online moving cost calculator forms?
- From the perspective of moving business owners, the introduction of this convenient piece of software has boosted website traffic as well as increased lead generation efforts. Once the calculator is fully customized and integrated to fir their brand, it can easily provide quotes via email and give them the basic information they need to reach out to customers and schedule moving jobs.
- From the perspective of customers, the existence of moving companies quotes online makes planning a relocation or shipping process much simpler for them. It saves time, instills trust, makes their moving company selection process easier, and they have it all documented. No need to concern themselves with fraudulent moving companies, unplanned relocation expenses, etc.
So, how does one determine and calculate relocation costs today?
It never is quite as easy to put a price on something, whether it’s a service, product, favor, photograph or anything else. However, this is commerce and businesses exist. Everything has a specific value that can be converted into currency, and the aspect of relocation is no different. Are you relocating a house or business? How much packing materials will you have to use? How large will your moving crew have to be? All these are essential questions that you have to answer to calculate relocation costs. And then, you waste hours to put it all together. That is unless you have an instant moving quote calculator – in which case it can take a matter of minutes.
Understand what moving costs include in terms of services
For an experienced moving company, the concept of determining the price of the services they decide to provide comes easy. You are already acquainted with all the costs associated with hiring a moving crew, getting the right equipment and packing material, transportation expenses, etc. However, clients or those fewer experiences newly-established moving companies might have trouble with this. So, the best starting point is from the actual services that a moving company will offer:
- The distance of the relocation (local, long-distance, interstate or international)
- Type of the move
- Packing services (and supplies)
- Loading and transportation
- Unloading and unpacking
- Storage services
How does distance play a role when you want to calculate relocation costs?
How can it not? After all, there are the travel expenses to consider, the type of transportation to use, the overall time-frame it will take to complete the move, etc. After all, it won’t be the same to move someone down the block and coast to coast, will it? So, every mile counts, and the more details, the better. That is why online moving quote calculator forms include ‘From’ and ‘To’ fields.
Always remember to examine the type of relocation
Moving a house, business, or warehouse – these are three entirely different tasks. Each can require a different number of movers and trucks, depending on the size of the property and quantity of items. And this is why online moving estimates have an Items section in them. That is also one of the factors that will determine just how much to charge when you decide to calculate relocation costs for a particular moving gig.
Packing services and materials
That is the next essential step to help you calculate relocation costs. After all, the necessary services people are paying for is for someone to come over, load all their belongings and transport them from point A to point B. So, anything beyond that would count towards additional services and is usually charged accordingly. Packing takes expertise and training, especially when it comes to handling fragile and specialty belongings such as:
- Pianos
- Artwork
- Electronics
- Pool Tables
- Antique Furniture
- Fine China and Glasses etc.
And then, there is the matter of packing supplies that we can’t neglect. Quality packing supplies such as boxes, containers, tapes, wrapping materials, bubble wrap – this all costs. Hence, they should be charged additionally. However, bear in mind that you can offer all this within full-service moving packages.
Unloading & unpacking as the final touch
We once again go back to the previous two phases as these two services are typically included as part of them. However, you should not neglect this process, as it bears certain expenses of its own. When it comes to unloading, the matter of access is once again very much influential on the estimate of the moving costs. Together with the unpacking, it might require extra hours of labor, which in turn results in a higher price.
The potential need for storage
It’s a proven fact that no matter how much belongings you believe you have, the actual number is always higher. Unfortunately, people still tend to reach this conclusion too late. That is when you are faced with the challenge of where to put all those extra things you have no room for. Why storage rental, of course! But do you provide reliable storage solutions? And if they do, how will it influence your online moving costs calculator?
Which factors can influence the overall moving costs estimate?
Other than the actual cost of professional moving services, other elements can impact the costs of relocation:
- Truck access;
- The number of floors and stairs;
- Whether everything can fit through the doorway;
- Time of the year;
- Size of the moving crew;
- The time frame of the relocation.
Truck access
The building or household access plays an essential role when it comes to relocation. The closer a truck can get to a home, the faster the move itself will proceed. So, if you want to calculate moving costs in a precise manner, you might want to do so by taking into consideration truck access.
Number of floors and stairs
Another vital query to include in your online moving costs calculator. After all, when you have a piano or king-size bed to carry down four flights of stairs, you will feel each and every one of them. So, it’s nothing unexpected to charge for each one of them.
Time of year – moving season or not
Most people choose to conduct their relocation in-between May and September when the conditions are best. However, this is also when the moving prices are the highest due to the peak of the relocation season. So if you were inclined to relocate outside this time-frame, the estimate would be much lower. Plus, it would prove much more natural to schedule the move on a date that you want. Moving in the off-season can result in you saving anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars. It all depends on how much stuff you have.
The size of the moving crew
Depending on the size of the moving team, you can estimate moving costs. The goal is to avoid overtime costs for an overly low number of movers, which starts after 9 hours of work or more.
The time needed for you to complete the relocation
As you might have already imagined, the more hours it takes to complete the move, the more expensive it will be. The good thing is that you can keep track of the moving process, to ensure that everything is being done on time. Plus, if you decide to get involved in the relocation process, it might shave off some of the expenses and time.
Offering free moving quotes online can only benefit movers
Just remember this, if nothing else you read here today. In the end, it all comes down to time spent on getting answers about your relocation costs. Time is money and the less time goes on how to calculate relocation costs, the more successful your online moving costs calculator will be. And this means that you have one unique feature that you can use to advertise your moving company. This is the one feature that will differentiate you from the rest of the competition.