Office Moving Companies: What to Ask the Lowest Bidder

“If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.” – John Ruskin

Office moves are one of those situations in which paying a little more can save you money in the long run. Mislabeled, unassembled, broken or undelivered goods and equipment translate directly into lost productivity. And trying to handle some of the more complex planning steps yourself can end up taking more time than it’s worth. If you’re considering a range of office movers, these are the baseline qualifications you should expect.

Are they qualified?

Find out if the organization is licensed and insured, and if its moving teams are trained, drug-free and have passed background checks. Are they IOMI-certified, and what does the Better Business Bureau have to say? Talent can drive price, and you may pay less for some office moves because the mover isn’t employing the best people to handle your business assets.

What’s included?

Will they offer an office moving plan that details resources, time and services? How many drivers will they employ? How many trucks? Containers? Make sure they’ll label your goods and also provide advice on communicating to your employees.

Will they provide an inventory?

Make sure they will provide an inventory as part of an office moving plan that details every item they will and will not move, and then hold them accountable when the move happens. This is a frequently overlooked step in office moves that can lead to problems.

How thorough was their proposal?

Sometimes the way companies represent themselves on paper can mean more than you’d think. First you want to ensure the proposal has enough detail around the questions you have. Particularly important is the sense that the proposal was written for your company, vs. a collection of boilerplate text. How well and how professionally was the proposal written? Have they taken the time to put together a thoughtful response? Are they explaining exactly how they approach office moves? Make sure they also explain how they arrived at their price.

Do they want the business?

Did they simply email you a proposal, or did they schedule time to talk to you about it?  Do they genuinely seem interested in earning your business?

What does your gut tell you?

All of these individual points should roll up into an overall impression you will have of who is best qualified to handle your office move with care. It’s possible your choice of provider is not the cheapest on the list. But if they satisfy these criteria—they’ll help you create a moving plan and communicate it to your employees; they’ll take a careful inventory of your assets; they have qualified employees and a lot of moving resources at their disposal; they put together a detailed and customized proposal; and they seem genuinely interested in your business—the price is well justified. The effort a provider puts in during this initial stage can say a lot about what it will be like working with them after any deals are signed.

Feel free to contact us for more information about move planning, space planning, furniture options and office moving services.