Local Vs nationwide removal companies

If you are moving house, you will obviously be losing your sleep over which removal company to hire. There are so many choices to pick from – should you go for the one whose number you saw on the truck parked in the next lane or should you go for the one with the flashy advert in the corner of the newspaper page? Moving is a one-time affair and an expensive one at that, so you want to make sure that you get the best service. Unfortunately, it is difficult to decide whether you should go for the more expensive and larger removal business or opt for the cheaper but family-run moving company. It is easy to stress out about the decision when you hear so many horror stories about both kinds of removals services.

Local company Vs nationwide removals

When it comes to deciding between the bigger and smaller business, many people think that going for the larger company is a better idea because they have handled more moves and thus are more experienced and reputable. While this might be true, what actually matters is the experience and expertise of the movers in the local branch and chances are the smaller and more local companies have the same, thus giving them a great reputation of high quality service as well. How would you then know which ones to go for?

Begin by asking around

A good way to find out a sure-shot good removals service is to follow a word of mouth recommendation. Ask your friends and family if they have moved recently or if they know somebody who has. Look on social media such as Facebook and Twitter for people who have moved in your area and what they have to say about the local companies. Type in keywords like ‘man and van’ or ‘house removals’ along with the location and find a broad list of companies that work in your area.

Experience

Because local companies work solely in that city or locality, they are likely to know the area thoroughly. Thus they will have knowledge of when and where the traffic gets heavy and which areas will be shut off to large vehicles during certain times of the year. This means they can give you a more accurate estimate about how long it will take to move and which times of the day are best for it. This will save you a lot of money and time if you are relocating within a short distance. However, if you are moving to another city or even another country, a nationwide company will be better suited.

Reliability

A family run, local company will want to build on its reputation within the local area, so it will possibly go the extra mile for their customer. A pleased customer means that they will get more recommendations and popularity in the community. On the other hand, cost control is an issue with smaller companies and so they might hire cheap labour, which means that your moving crew has been picked off the street and is probably not trained in removals nor feel as responsible towards your belongings as a bigger company would.

Affordability

It is very obvious that a larger company will charge more for the same job as a smaller, local company would. This is because a nationwide company has a lot more overhead expenditure and staff to support through its business. However, given that it has a larger capital to invest, you will also get better service with a larger business in every aspect of the relocation – packaging, customer service, transport, insurance etc. These are also factors you need to keep in mind when you are considering if a service is worth paying for. Place a call to a few differently sized moving companies and compare how their prices differ according to their services.

Availability

A local company will receive far less business than a nationwide business, so chances are that they will be more flexible with their service hours. But then again, a larger business will probably have a larger fleet of moving vans and crew, which means they can handle more number of removals in a given day than a smaller company. In the end, it can be said that, irrespective of whether it is a large company or a smaller, local one, the company’s availability depends a great deal on the day you pick for the move and the number of people moving on the same day in your area. However, if you are looking for a moving company on very short notice, chances are that you will strike lucky with a smaller company than a larger one. These companies are also more likely to be available outside of normal working hours and during weekends. But on peak days, these companies are also likely to be the busiest.

Returning customer advantages

Since local moving firms are dealing with a smaller network of customers, they will try their best to keep them. Which means that as a returning customer, you will be treated equally well as a first time customer and may even be able to avail discounts. Moreover, since their working crew is also small, you are likely to get the same people who worked on your removal the first time around, which means that you already know how they work and can thus be relieved about the quality of work you will receive. Local companies are more likely to customize a removal package suited to your needs as compared to a larger firm. Although some larger companies can also give you a warm, welcoming and personalized service, most of them are limited by firm policies and logistics. However, larger companies often give seasonal discounts which makes it more economical to hire them than a smaller firm if you are moving during that period.

Picking the right company can make all the different to your moving experience. However knowing which company will suit you best depends a lot on what you need moved and where. So weigh your pros and cons about moving with each kind of company and decide which one is likely to give you the best service within your budget.