As days go by, we are slowly approaching the 2020 peak season for movers. And so, we’ve decided to explore the topic and offer some practical advice for both moving companies and the people/businesses planning to relocate. Certainly, the influence of current global events is detrimental when planning on how best to approach the entire topic. As far as moving industry trends are concerned, a majority of states and countries have found them to be vital for maintaining balance. Therefore, moving businesses should still be preparing for the upcoming season. We are here to offer the following guidelines on how best to accomplish that.
Vital advice when it comes to peak season preparations for movers
#1: Keep up with global news and trends
Certainly, as far as relocation services are concerned, there is little room to think outside the box. People want to relocate their household or business and they need someone to handle that task for them. The end. Well, not necessarily. There are plenty of external factors that you need to consider as a business.
For example, with the current COVID-19 situation, people will be looking for certain assurances. Many moving companies are providing those assurances in the form of banners on their homepages, explaining the current situation and whether or not they will be offering services. Additionally, movers are presenting customers with an action plan in terms of the steps they are taking to ensure the safest relocation possible. And most are also offering advice on how customers can stay safe during a relocation under the current circumstances.
#2: Adapt to the needs of the market
The overall dynamic of the relocation industry lies in its potential to tailor its services to the expectations of customers. Modern consumers are looking for ways to shorten their decision-making process as well as the moving process itself. Therefore, it rests on professional businesses to provide the foundation for that. Whether we’re talking about the implementation of an online moving quote calculator on your website, providing the option of virtual in-home estimates, or using any other moving estimate app, implementing technology is crucial.
With so many advancements in terms of not only moving industry software solutions but also for other industries, you need to do all you can to remain competitive. And that means making certain changes to help modernize your conversion process. By offering potential customers the comfort of organizing an entire relocation within minutes from their homes, you are adapting to the needs of the modern market. And this can prove to be one of the best ways to remain competitive during this peak season for movers.
#3: Ensure that your moving crews are up to the task
It’s important to avoid as many delays as possible while being able to ensure as many quality moving jobs as possible at the same time. In order to accomplish that, companies need to make sure that their staff is up to the task. So, before the moving season beings, now would be a good time to give all your employees a physical. Make sure that they are in top shape and in zero risks of taking sick leave when you need them most. Remember – a healthy inner structure of a company leads to top-quality services.
#4: Optimize your company resources
As busy as the upcoming months are sure to get, moving companies need to prepare their resources for the peak season. The last thing your company needs is truck malfunctions or equipment failure in the middle of the season. Therefore, you will want to go through all your resources and double-check all trucks, equipment, packing supplies, protective gear, etc. This occasion would also be ideal for calculating the overall volume of moving jobs your company is prepared to handle at any one time.
#5: Prepare contingency plans for peak season for movers
The thing to remember about peak season for movers is that you can always get overwhelmed with the amount of moving jobs. And when companies don’t want to miss out on additional chances for profiting, they implement contingency plans. When it comes to professional relocation companies, this usually varies but most commonly comes down to:
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Hiring part-time moving crews
Complete with background checks and prior experience, you should always have a couple of crews ready to step in to fill the gaps. And even if your labor lacks the experience, you can easily pair them with your full-time crews, still increasing your number while maintaining quality.
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Leasing additional trucks and vans
During critical times, you might lack the trucks to accommodate all the moving jobs in the most time-efficient manner. And delays can lead to bad reviews or lost moving jobs. Instead, you can always sign a limited-time lease for additional moving trucks. That way, you will secure a sufficient number of trucks in case that business really picks up and overwhelms your company.
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Double your equipment and supplies
Companies tend to neglect just how much packing materials it can take to handle a large volume of moves. Therefore, make sure to double your usual supplies and go through all your equipment once again in the upcoming weeks. Of course, remember that there will also be people wanting to buy packing materials, so you will want to prioritize whether or not you want to sell supplies during the season or just accommodate as many moves as possible.
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Secure additional storage units
According to trends in the past several years, the storage industry has been growing exponentially. Today, it is a multi-billion dollar industry with facilities and warehouses across the globe. And so, more and more moving companies are looking to secure storage units and add it to their portfolio of services. It can not only meet the specific requirements of potential customers, but it can also prevent any unwanted chaos in your operations. By using storage units, you can avoid logistical issues and make additional time to take on more moving jobs.
#6: Target the right audiences with your marketing strategy
We’ve discussed the importance of marketing for moving companies in the past. After all, it’s what our company does and has been doing for the past several years. And being prepared in terms of pre-peak advertising ideas is one of the finest ways to attract as many customers during peak season for movers as possible. After all, there are plenty of last-minute promotional solutions for movers looking to generate as many leads as possible during the upcoming months.
#7: Understand the motivation behind the decision to relocate
As most of us are aware by now, the peak season for movers in the U.S. falls in the summer months, in-between May and August. People find this time of year best for making changes. Whether it’s going on vacation, relocating, decluttering a home or office space, expanding a business, etc. – the better the weather, the easier it gets. And the reasoning is simple enough:
- Military staff often get re-assigned during the spring and summer months. Hence, most military families will be looking for relocation companies.
- Regular families with children tend to opt for summer moves to take advantage of the summer break from school.
- Students find the end of spring to be great for heading back home for the summer, and the end of summer to head back to the university.
- Of course, there are always temp workers and interns that usually end their employment before or during the summer months.
- Finally, you can always count on senior citizens to wait for nice weather conditions to retire long-distance and take their belongings with them or store them away.
And these are just several prime examples of your typical relocation needs and audiences. And each one of these responds well to different channels of advertising your business.