We’ve all been there. We’ve laid the most intentional plans and taken care to be thorough in our preparations – and yet, we’ve run headfirst into moving problems that are outside of our control. This is always frustrating, but when it happens during a move, it can be disastrous. Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances are exactly that: unforeseen. 

Even the best packing, moving and storage providers can’t always prevent situations like these. But, they can do a lot to ease you and your clients through them with creative problem solving. Here’s how top providers should be ready to handle damage control for any sudden issue that comes up. 

Prevention Is The Best Medicine

At FLD, we invest in training our team members to the highest level when they come on board. This way, the likelihood of breakage on our jobs is drastically reduced. Even so, all movers are human – and sometimes an accident happens. What separates the most committed providers from those who are run-of-the-mill is how they respond. 

When an incident does occur on our job sites, we track them in a comprehensive spreadsheet, noting how it happened, what was damaged and when. Then, we incorporate these learnings into our training so we can equip our teams even better and hopefully prevent the exact same scenario in the future. 

Damage Control

Here’s an example. We had a high-end move we were doing relatively recently, and had prepared for it to the max. When I did the walk-through, there were a lot of very expensive, one-of-a-kind items and a lot of glass. Our team was ready to handle the packing and moving with the greatest level of attention and care. And yet, a piece broke that was worth a lot of money. 

Most companies in this situation would offer pennies on the pound in return for the damage, but not us. We have cost replacement insurance. Our insurance company was quick to respond, I was quick in relaying the information and our customer got the entire value of the item replaced. The client was over-the-top satisfied with how we handled the situation, so much so that they hired us again for another move two years later. 

Scheduling Delays & Pricing

There are other factors that are outside of the control of all parties involved in a job, and it matters how your moving partner is prepared to navigate them. One is the inevitable issue of a schedule delay. We had this happen recently where a designer’s customer was building a brand new house, and the contractor had estimated eight months for the delivery and install of the furnishings and items. 

Yet, as time progressed, it became clear it would actually take 14-15 months. The customer was stressed because of the added cost, and the designer was worried about keeping the items safe in the warehouse until they could be transported and installed in the finished build. In this situation, FLD went the extra mile and gave the customer a discount on the additional months of storage needed, so no one had to absorb extra stress and unnecessary expenses. 

Another example is pricing. Maybe a client is building a home in Colorado but discovers there’s not a logistical company in the state. They’d rather work with us directly. In these cases, we try to save them money on the transfer of goods from one state to the other, always looking out for how we can better serve them and make the process seamless. 

The point is – accidents, damage, scheduling delays, pricing variability and more happen. When you work with a provider who cares about you, they’ll be ready to handle any unpleasant situation that arises and look out for your best interests while they do. This is what we pride ourselves on at FLD. Ready to feel the difference? Give us a call!