Two Men And A Truck Promotes Awareness, Protects Consumers From Getting Taken For A Ride By A Moving Company

LANSING, MICHIGAN (Friday, February 07, 2003) - "Where's My Stuff?" shouts the headline; another story about consumers getting taken for a ride by a moving company. Contrary to recent media coverage about a select few companies in the industry, most moving experiences are positive for consumers.
Many problems can be avoided by asking the right questions when obtaining estimates from moving companies. National moving franchise Two Men and a Truck International, Inc., is providing consumers with 12 Questions to Ask Moving Companies to help protect themselves from moving mistakes (National Consumer Protection Week is this week).

All 119 Two Men and a Truck locations nationwide, and the company's Web site offer consumers 12 Questions to Ask Moving Companies before inking a deal. These questions include, "Does the company charge by the piece or the hour?" "Are all items insured during a move?" and "What kind of cancellation policy do they offer?"

"There are many reputable moving companies in business today and it only takes one bad apple to spoil the whole bunch," said Melanie Bergeron, president of Two Men and a Truck. "The only way to put an end to these problems is to educate consumers on ways they can confidently hire companies that offer fairly-priced moving services, show up on time and handle belongings with care."

According to Bergeron, most disputes over moving agreements occur when the customer is confused about pricing. The company created its 12 Questions guide to help customers understand all aspects of the estimation process.

Joe Harrison, president of the American Moving and Storage Association, said that inaccurate estimates often lead to problems. "One important caution is to be wary of initial 'low-ball' estimates that are doubled or tripled over the course of the move. These tactics are used by rogue movers posing as professional movers. If you receive an attractive low price for your move and it seems too good to be true -- it probably is!"

The Internet can be a good starting point for finding a moving company, but should not be used to obtain an estimate. Customers can help guarantee accurate estimates by contacting the moving company and speaking directly to a trained representative. "As you can imagine, it is easy for people to overlook many items that need to be moved, unless prompted by a professional," adds Bergeron.

Harrison reminds those moving from one state to another that interstate moving companies are required by law to give you a copy of a consumer booklet titled Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move. Companies must also supply information regarding the mover's required participation in a Dispute Settlement Program and information on movers' liability.

"Pricing for moving companies is regulated in many states," adds Bergeron. "No matter how the rate is calculated, customers should find out everything that is included in advance so that there are no extra charges down the road. After all, nobody likes surprises during the moving process."

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