How Are Business Movers Different Than Residential?

Commercial moves aren’t very common, so many people may be surprised to see how thorough business movers are when they’re on the job. Transporting a business to a new facility is a delicate process that usually requires more manpower, more foresight and more experience than residential moves. Fortunately, these professionals are capable of handling anything that needs to be taken to the new office and can set them up once they arrive.

The two things that managers worry about the most when transitioning to a new location are electronics and files. Without these, a company cannot function. They are also sensitive to damage and improper handling. For these reasons, only business movers that are experienced should handle the process. In the wrong hands, files can easily get hopelessly disorganized, delaying the company days, possibly weeks, when trying to get operations running again. Electronics are fragile and can be rendered inoperable by careless moving services. It’s also important to select a group of professionals that are certified in commercial transports. These workers will be better trained to lift, carry and store sensitive pieces of office equipment like printers or computers.

Hiring a residential-only service to complete the job will not just put company property at risk, it will drain time. Business movers have the ability to employ more manpower and more equipment during the process. Office buildings typically have much more to carry and much heavier items. Without lifting equipment and extra workers, the job will move slowly. Most services charge by the hour, so this can cost the company a great deal more.

Experienced professionals know how to carry and store everything properly. They set aside, secure and organize files before loading them. They bundle wiring together using colored tape so that everything is marked. These specialists often map the area out so that setting up the new space is quick and easy. Business movers don’t just drive everything to the new facility, they set it up so that it can start operating as soon as possible. This includes office equipment, cubicles, furniture, electronics and documents. Managers know that time is valuable and that every hour wasted is costly. Commercial move specialists know this too and move with efficiency.

As soon as a company finds a new facility to transition to, the most important thing to do is to hire business movers who have a proven track record. The best way to do this is to find a few professionals online that are highly respected in the area. Contact them for an on-site estimation and have them check out the property before agreeing to anything. Get a copy of all of their paperwork and make sure that they agree to a timeline in writing. The most thorough way to check on a group of professionals, though, is to get their Department of Transportation license number. These companies are regulated by the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration, and each service must be filed in their database. With the DoT number, a person can check the FMCSA’s online database for their performance history. This will verify whether or not the company is certified to handle commercial moves, what insurance they are carrying, and if they have caused any problems in the past for their clients.