Since I started writing this blog I realized I have been focusing on the fact that we move household goods and nothing else. All My Sons of Dallas does so much more than just moving your home, we can move your business. We moved ourselves, along with our corporate office, about this time last year. Believe me it was an undertaking. Our office was not that enormous but we had so much stuff to move. From files to computers to our warehouse crates, it seemed like it was a never ending process to go through. I thought it would be so easy to get a Dallas moving company moved, right? Well you would think so, but after working a full day the last thing you want to do is go home and pack your house up…well the same goes for packing up the office. I procrastinated until the very last possible second to get everything packed. I was lucky that I worked for a Dallas mover and had all the resources I needed at my fingertips. We managed to get our entire warehouse, office and corporate location moved within a week’s time. Unpacking, however was another story. Getting everything set up and in its new place harder than I could have imagined, not to mention I had to unpack all of our files and put them back up. Granted I could have left everything in the drawers and filing cabinets but since we were moving into a new office and it was the beginning of the year why not kill two birds with one stone and get the packing and archival process underway. We moved into a much larger warehouse and office space, and it was a little nerve wracking in the beginning to get it all set up. It was a chance at something new and I did not want to mess it up right from the get go. Over the past year we have grown into our new place and it seems sometimes that we might have even outgrown it.
One of my best memories about moving our warehouse is the cleanup process, making sure that the floor was clean and that all the lights were working. Some of the bulbs had gone out and our Operations Manager had to lift the Owner up on top a crate so he could switch out the bulbs. Nothing like seeing a grown man sitting on top of a wooden box putting up lights about 300 feet in the air. Although my greatest memory has to be the day we were in the office sitting at our desks eating lunch, when all of sudden we heard all this yelling and cheering and engines revving. We looked on our cameras and the construction crew the new tenant had hired was having fork lift races. It was absolutely hilarious.
Since then All My Sons has grown and realized how much of an undertaking it was to move ourselves, we now have an All My Sons Commercial Division; working with small offices to large industrial relocations and have a Certified Office and Industrial Consultant that can help with the design to the implementation of any size move. All My Sons starts with a simple needs analysis and then customizes the move plan to fit each client. You can choose from a menu of turn key solutions that make the time and motion of your move more efficient. We can even help you move your warehouse.
A few aspects of this set up are as follows:
Boxless Moving- Use of plastic crates, part of our Going Green campaign.
I T Services- All My Sons can help your IT Department with any pulling of cables, taking down and putting back together your equipment.
Modular Services- The taking apart and putting back together of cubicles, desks, partitions etc.
New Furniture and Design Layout- We can help you set up your new office to be more efficient and be up and running quicker after your move.
Space Layout Design- All My Sons will help you with the special layout of your new office.
Furniture Renewal- Helping you give some of your favorite pieces a new look.
Archive Management- Moving is chaotic enough without the extra hassle of wondering what you are going to do with all your old files. All My Sons can store your files for you and help alleviate some of the unpacking and storage issues.
Cleaning Services- All My Sons will send a crew to do basic clean up of your office. We will vacuum, wipe down counters, mop, windows, dust, and any other minor interior touch ups.
Project Management- All My Sons will have on site a supervisor that the crew leaders will answer to. This project manager will be the salesperson that gave you your estimate. He not only will be there for the entire move but he will be with you step by step throughout your entire moving process.
Showing posts with label warehouse storage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label warehouse storage. Show all posts
Monday, March 10, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Questions To Ask Your Mover
Find Moving Tips!
In an earlier blog I gave you some tips to help make your move as smooth and as quick as possible. I told you what to ask but I did not tell you what you should be hearing as the answer. So I am going to list some questions you should undeniably ask your local moving company when you call to get a quote and what you should listen for. The moving industry also has a language of its own, like most professions if you are not in it we can not decipher what they are saying. You get confused and end up kind of brushing it off your shoulder and hope for the best; therefore I will give you a little description or definition to what we are actually saying to you.
1. Are you licensed and insured/bonded? YES! We are licensed and insured, but we are not bonded.
Bonded: Refers to a type of surety guarantee that a specific project, service or act will be financially covered if performance is not complete or satisfactory. A bonded company has protected funds (controlled by the state) that are accessible for consumer’s claims against that company. The money is directly accessible to you for an assortment of reasons as controlled by a state agent. Bonded also implies that we are able to move military.
2. Are your employee’s full time or hired day labor? No. They are all full time professionally trained employees; we do not hire any day labor or hired help. My men show up in uniforms with their names and our logo, so you know that they are my guys. They carry their own tools on the truck so that they are able to do any minor disassemble and reassemble.
3. Can you give me a “Price Guarantee”? Unless you have received a written estimate from a salesman who came out to see your home, then no I can not give you a PRICE guarantee. Any local moving company that says they can and do give you a specific cost without getting a detailed inventory or sending someone out be ware. It is almost impossible to give someone an exact quote on moving without seeing their belongings or where they are moving from. Any company that does this can be considered a rogue mover. Rogue movers: Typically a rogue mover is going to work like this: They are going to decline coming out to see your belongings even if asked. They will give you a low ball estimate and then once they have all your items loaded, they will demand more money and essentially hold your items ransom until you pay what they are asking. They demand payment in cash only or require a large deposit up front. This can get particularly scary and upsetting when you have moved out of state and need your household goods.
4. Are there any additional fees? When you move with All My Sons of Dallas what you are responsible for is any time the men are working for you (time it takes to load you on the truck, drive to your destination, and then unload you into your new home) plus a one hour trip charge, which allows our men a half our from our warehouse out to you and a half hour upon completion of the job back to our warehouse. Any packing material used there will be an additional charge or specialty items (i.e. plasma tv’s, pool tables, glass or marble) that require special attention there will be additional costs accessed.
5. How do I pay for my move? All local movers should accept all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard and American Express) cash, cashier’s check or money orders. When it comes to corporate moves it is best to get it approved if you wish to pay with a company check. Once again, if the company only wants you to pay in cash then you need to watch out.
6. If there are any damages how long do I have to file a claim? In Texas you have 90 days to file your claim. The best thing to do once you notice any damages to your home or belongings is to make the crew leader aware, write down any and all damages on your bill of lading. Go ahead and call your moving company and get the claim process started. Remember you have 90 days to get all the paperwork in so take your time and go through all of your belongings to make sure all is well.
7. How much notice do I need to give my moving company when booking? In the perfect world once you have a firm moving date the best thing to do is call and get your move scheduled. Two weeks in advance is a good rule of thumb however, most moving companies will be able to work with you if you book your move at the last minute.
8. Are there any penalties accessed if I cancel a move? Yes and no. We are in the moving business so we understand completely about closing not going through, apartments not being ready and any other uncontrollable circumstances that may come up. All My Sons does not penalize you if this happens. The only thing that could be considered a penalty is the day you want to reschedule for may not be available, not really a penalty just an inconvenience.
9. What times will my move start? There are two positions in a moving companies schedule, a starter and hanger. Starter: Our morning position. Starters get started between 7:30am-9am, depending on that morning’s traffic and weather. Hangers: Our afternoon position. Afternoon positions are just that they are after noon. We typically try to get them started between 12 and 2 pm, but it really does depend on what time the crew gets done with their morning job.
10. Do you offer storage? If so how much is it per month and is it climate controlled? All My Sons of Dallas does offer warehouse storage and it is climate controlled. Since it is warehouse storage everything is kept in vaults. A vault is a wooden container usually 7 ft tall by 5 ½ ft wide and 7 ft deep. This container is used to store your household goods. Storage fees are dependent upon the season and are charged on a per crate per month basis.
Above all make sure any and all of your questions are answered, and that any and all of your concerns are addressed.
In an earlier blog I gave you some tips to help make your move as smooth and as quick as possible. I told you what to ask but I did not tell you what you should be hearing as the answer. So I am going to list some questions you should undeniably ask your local moving company when you call to get a quote and what you should listen for. The moving industry also has a language of its own, like most professions if you are not in it we can not decipher what they are saying. You get confused and end up kind of brushing it off your shoulder and hope for the best; therefore I will give you a little description or definition to what we are actually saying to you.
1. Are you licensed and insured/bonded? YES! We are licensed and insured, but we are not bonded.
Bonded: Refers to a type of surety guarantee that a specific project, service or act will be financially covered if performance is not complete or satisfactory. A bonded company has protected funds (controlled by the state) that are accessible for consumer’s claims against that company. The money is directly accessible to you for an assortment of reasons as controlled by a state agent. Bonded also implies that we are able to move military.
2. Are your employee’s full time or hired day labor? No. They are all full time professionally trained employees; we do not hire any day labor or hired help. My men show up in uniforms with their names and our logo, so you know that they are my guys. They carry their own tools on the truck so that they are able to do any minor disassemble and reassemble.
3. Can you give me a “Price Guarantee”? Unless you have received a written estimate from a salesman who came out to see your home, then no I can not give you a PRICE guarantee. Any local moving company that says they can and do give you a specific cost without getting a detailed inventory or sending someone out be ware. It is almost impossible to give someone an exact quote on moving without seeing their belongings or where they are moving from. Any company that does this can be considered a rogue mover. Rogue movers: Typically a rogue mover is going to work like this: They are going to decline coming out to see your belongings even if asked. They will give you a low ball estimate and then once they have all your items loaded, they will demand more money and essentially hold your items ransom until you pay what they are asking. They demand payment in cash only or require a large deposit up front. This can get particularly scary and upsetting when you have moved out of state and need your household goods.
4. Are there any additional fees? When you move with All My Sons of Dallas what you are responsible for is any time the men are working for you (time it takes to load you on the truck, drive to your destination, and then unload you into your new home) plus a one hour trip charge, which allows our men a half our from our warehouse out to you and a half hour upon completion of the job back to our warehouse. Any packing material used there will be an additional charge or specialty items (i.e. plasma tv’s, pool tables, glass or marble) that require special attention there will be additional costs accessed.
5. How do I pay for my move? All local movers should accept all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard and American Express) cash, cashier’s check or money orders. When it comes to corporate moves it is best to get it approved if you wish to pay with a company check. Once again, if the company only wants you to pay in cash then you need to watch out.
6. If there are any damages how long do I have to file a claim? In Texas you have 90 days to file your claim. The best thing to do once you notice any damages to your home or belongings is to make the crew leader aware, write down any and all damages on your bill of lading. Go ahead and call your moving company and get the claim process started. Remember you have 90 days to get all the paperwork in so take your time and go through all of your belongings to make sure all is well.
7. How much notice do I need to give my moving company when booking? In the perfect world once you have a firm moving date the best thing to do is call and get your move scheduled. Two weeks in advance is a good rule of thumb however, most moving companies will be able to work with you if you book your move at the last minute.
8. Are there any penalties accessed if I cancel a move? Yes and no. We are in the moving business so we understand completely about closing not going through, apartments not being ready and any other uncontrollable circumstances that may come up. All My Sons does not penalize you if this happens. The only thing that could be considered a penalty is the day you want to reschedule for may not be available, not really a penalty just an inconvenience.
9. What times will my move start? There are two positions in a moving companies schedule, a starter and hanger. Starter: Our morning position. Starters get started between 7:30am-9am, depending on that morning’s traffic and weather. Hangers: Our afternoon position. Afternoon positions are just that they are after noon. We typically try to get them started between 12 and 2 pm, but it really does depend on what time the crew gets done with their morning job.
10. Do you offer storage? If so how much is it per month and is it climate controlled? All My Sons of Dallas does offer warehouse storage and it is climate controlled. Since it is warehouse storage everything is kept in vaults. A vault is a wooden container usually 7 ft tall by 5 ½ ft wide and 7 ft deep. This container is used to store your household goods. Storage fees are dependent upon the season and are charged on a per crate per month basis.
Above all make sure any and all of your questions are answered, and that any and all of your concerns are addressed.
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