5 Ways to Mitigate Risk during the Busy Season

With summer fast approaching and home sales showing signs of improvement (crossing our fingers), the moving season is in full swing and it's time to prepare for an increase in workload. While we all welcome the surge in business, let’s not forget that more work being done equals more chance for mistakes—and mistakes cost money. Following are five ways moving and storage companies can keep risk to a minimum in order to fully capitalize on the busy season:

1. Hire responsible helpers. In beefing up your crews for the busy season, don’t forget to do some careful screening of your applicants. Check on referrals, and ask questions about the applicant’s work experience, ethic, and attention to detail. If your primary source of labor is local college students, don’t be shy to ask for grades. Remember, you’re looking for brains as well as brawn.
2. Don’t breeze through the training. You want to get your new help out in the field just as much as they’d like to avoid watching hours of instructional videos. Make sure your program keeps the attention of your trainees by mixing in some hands-on tests in the warehouse in between lessons. The faster your helpers pick up proper techniques, the less chance there is that they’ll make mistakes handling your customers’ belongings.
3. Keep your crews healthy and happy. Mistakes happen when people are tired, overworked, or unsatisfied with their jobs. Make sure your summer crew is well-aware of the importance of hydration, taking appropriate breaks, and on-the-job safety. Keep your employees happy by showing your appreciation for all their hard work by scheduling a summer barbecue or two.
4. Reward attention to safety. Research shows that small rewards can go a long way. Hold monthly competitions for safety standards and give the winner a gift card, or other fun prize.
5. Keep the bar high. It is often easy to passively allow guidelines and regulations to loosen—especially when your crew is working longer, harder days.Set and keep the bar high, by communicating high expectations regularly.

What other tips or best practices do you have for keeping risk to a minimum during peak season?

New Feature: Weekly Network Roundup

Today we're starting a new weekly feature, where we'll highlight news and events from the property relocation and storage industries. Included will be content from our broad network of affiliates, vendors, and thought leaders. We hope you find our Weekly Network Roundup to be a valuable resource for business ideas, product and service commentary, and more.

Week ending Friday, May 28, 2010

Big Day for GRM Document Management - posted by GRM Document Management

Selling Below Cost While Making a Profit - posted by GoMini's

Check Out Raleigh Mover's Reviews - posted by All My Sons Moving & Storage

Calling All Social Media & Twitter Experts - posted by Drum Marketing


Honor and Remember - posted by National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM)

5 Benefits of Offering Third-Party Relocation Insurance

Relocation insurance is too often overlooked as an added value to a moving or storage company’s primary services. Here are five good reasons you should consider partnering with Relocation Insurance Group to protect the value of your customers’ belongings:

1. Keeping up with the competition –More and more often, customers expect to have insurance options for their belongings while in transit or storage. For those of you currently not offering insurance, you may be losing business to those who are. Relocation Insurance Group offers competitive rates that can give your firm the edge it needs.
2. Financial liability – When your customer purchases third-party insurance, you have it in writing that you are no longer financially responsible for damage to their belongings. Can’t you feel the burden being lifted already?
3. Claims handling – A good relocation insurance broker has their own claims department with licensed claims adjusters. Let us handle the paperwork and investigating while you focus on doing what you do best.
4. Protect your reputation – Consumers are quick to write scathing reviews online when they are unhappy with a company’s performance. In the case of an accident or disaster having damaged someone’s belongings while in transit or storage, the best way to maintain your good name is to make sure the customer is satisfied with the resolution. Is there any substitute for full reimbursement of the value of the damaged items?
5. Synergy – Partnering with an insurance broker like Relocation Insurance Group offers more than just a service to your customers. We are constantly looking for new ways to leverage our industry relationships for the mutual good of our affiliates and our own business. Additionally, our program offers periodic advertising and promotional opportunities to help drive more business your way. When our affiliates succeed, so do we.

If your company is not currently offering relocation insurance to its customers, or if you are looking for better rates for your customers, we’d like to talk to you. Visit our website at www.RelocationInsurance.com to review our offerings, and give us call at 888-893-8835. We look forward to working with you.

Educating Your Customers about Relocation Insurance

Many consumers decline relocation insurance for one of two reasons: a) they believe it to be an unaffordable luxury purchase; or b) they believe their belongings are fully covered through their homeowners insurance or through the mover's valuation. The common thread between the two reasons is lack of education on the topic. As insurance professionals with strong relocation backgrounds, it is our responsibility to provide the clarity our customers need in order to make well-founded decisions and protect their belongings.

The Cost of Moving Insurance

The truth is, the cost of our All Risk policies tends to stay between just .07% and 1.75% of the declared value of the insured items. Think about that. To cover a $1,000 television during a move, the shipper would typically pay from $70 to $175.00! On a larger scale, an entire shipment with a declared value of $50,000 could cost just $400 to insure.

Homeowners Insurance and Mover's Valuation

Most homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover one's belongings once they've left the home. Homeowners are encouraged to review their existing policies carefully, but unless they have added on relocation coverage specifically, chances are that policy will not cover the value of their items in transit or storage.

Movers' valuation is not the same as insurance and will not cover the full value of one's belongings. Of course most of our readers are well aware of this fact, but it is worth noting if only to remind you all to make sure your customers are well aware of it. All My Sons Moving does a great job of educating their customers on the various coverage options available, and illustrating the differences between valuation coverage and relocation insurance. (Incidentally, AMS carriers consistently rank amongst our top movers!)

Are your customers typically confused about their coverage options? What are some reasons your customers give for declining insurance coverage (if offered)?

Are You Connecting With Your Audience?

If you're still waiting for this social networking thing to pass, it's time for you to take a look at the latest statistics. According to findings from the 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study, sixty percent of Americans use social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter. What's more, Cone found that consumers today expect to find companies on such websites, and are more likely to develop loyalties to companies they interact with on social networking sites.

Have you begun to use social networks for marketing or customer service? Share your success stories, or ask questions in the comments below.