One of the effective ways to relocate home within your budget is to do negotiation with packers and movers. We often think that there is no scope for price negotiation with good, reputable moving companies. But it is possible by using the right way and skills to negotiate rates with packers and movers.
Price negotiation with movers often comes with reducing services. Most people don’t have the bargaining skills or they don’t even know that packers and movers charges are negotiable. For them, negotiating a lower price with a moving company is a little tricky. If you are one among them then this blog is for you. Here, you will learn the skills to master the art of packers and movers negotiation.
Prepare Yourself to Negotiate with Packers and Movers
Before you select a company and start bargaining rates, prepare yourself by doing the following:
Know your specific needs
You hire professional packers and movers in India to transport your goods across the country. However, the process does not include only goods packing and transporting. You may require other services for the complete home relocation from your current city to your destination. You need to understand what you need because movers determine their rates based on your requirements.
Get multiple quotes
The next step for packers and movers negotiation is to approach the relevant moving companies near you and get their price quotes. To get precise quotations, schedule a pre-move survey with movers and packers. Get quotes from at least three companies. Ensure each quote is based on the same information you have given to them:
- Pickup and delivery address
- Number and type of items
- Shifting date
Review each quote and understand the fees
However, before you select the lowest-rate quotation, you should understand the services and charges included. While doing you understand where you can negotiate with your movers. For instance, if one is adding extra fees for packaging materials and the other one is not, then this is what can help you choose the right company at the right price.
How to Negotiate Rates with Packers and Movers
Once you are ready to deal with movers and packers, it’s time for you to bargain. Most moving companies do not negotiate their rates easily. However, by using the following smart tips, you can reduce packers and movers charges. For instance, one of our neighbors, Mr. Sharma, was able to negotiate a 10% discount on his moving charges by mentioning a lower quote he received from a competitor. This shows that packers and movers negotiation is possible and can lead to significant savings.
Ask for Discounts
Moving companies offer discounts to some clients and for new customers as well. Alongside, they offer discounts to senior citizens, college students, military or army officers, first-time movers, and customers who buy their membership. Check if you are eligible for any of these discount offers.
Goods transport companies always come up with some good deals and discounts for their customers, especially when customers for them. And even if they don’t, you should never hesitate to ask; they might make an exception for you.
Be Flexible with Scheduling
This is something that you might be unaware of, but being flexible with your schedule can help you get a good deal from movers. Yes, moving companies do offer you a good discount if you are ready to move on a certain date, they are available on or have no other bookings. Peak seasons like summer, spring, and weekends are the busiest for movers. Since the demand is higher, so is the pricing.
If you’re looking to make the most of your budget, consider being flexible with your moving dates. Movers can schedule your move on another day, considering their availability, and offer a reduced price. They may even provide a further discount if you move early or late in the morning. This flexibility can lead to significant savings, giving you more value for your money.
To save money or negotiate costs with packers and movers, you should relocate during:
- Weekdays
- Mid-month
- Winter season
- Monsoon season
Leverage Other Quotes
If you’re looking to do negotiation with packers and movers, always mention their competition. This is a fair and common practice in the industry. Take advantage of the price quotes you have from other moving companies in your city and compare the services and charges with their quotes. This will help you to negotiate a deal at fair prices, ensuring you get the best value for your money.
No moving company will ever want to lose a customer. So, you can negotiate rates with movers and packers by showing them you have better offers. Considering this, they might give you a discount. And if they don’t, they will give you the reasons for their higher prices. The reasons for this price discrepancy could be:
- specialized services
- trained professionals
- faster delivery times
Consider Only Necessary Services
You might have got a price quote beyond your moving budget. Movers estimate the price based on what you need. They calculate all the moving expenses and quote the final price, including their fees. But if the price exceeds your budget, you need to rethink the services you need. Review the quote and look for the services you don’t need.
Ask your movers to issue an updated estimate if you do not need:
- a packing service as you are ready to pack your goods on your own.
- furniture disassembly and reassembly service
- an unpacking service
You can also ask your movers want to remove a few unwanted items from the list
See if doing these things can make a price difference in the estimate and if it fits your preferred budget.
Try Your Bargaining Skills Once Again, If Needed
You may not be able to crack the deal on your first attempt of packers and movers negotiation. No worries, take your time and search for other companies. You can also collect quotes from other companies and then try to connect with your interested moving company once again.
The executive you spoke with before might have changed his mind. Or, this time, you might connect with a representative who is more inclined to offer you a good deal. Because negotiating the cost with you gives them a new customer. You should always take a second chance and negotiate rates with packers and movers.
Important Things to Consider While Negotiating with Movers
Negotiating costs with packers and movers helps you move within your budget. However, you must:
Be careful of hidden costs
Getting a low-cost quotation from a moving company does not mean you can afford its services. Some agencies keep some costs hidden and disclose them later. To avoid this, get a clear breakdown of all the charges, including:
- Packaging materials costs
- Fuel costs
- Long carry fees
Know the factors that affect packer and mover’s charges
Before you negotiate costs with packers and movers, it is important to know the common factors that affect your moving costs. Make sure you have given the complete details of your move because everything associated with packing and moving services impacts rates. Even if your movers have offered you a discount or negotiated the costs, any last-minute update impacts the rates like:
- Adding extra luggage or bags
- Rescheduling the move
- Additional stoppage
Focus on value, not just pricing
Everybody wants the best packers and movers services at cheap rates. However, quality never comes at cheap costs. The cheapest movers will not be the best in every situation. Therefore, instead of focusing only on the rates, you must consider the other factors like:
- Company’s reputation
- Experience
- Insurance coverage
- Quality of the service
- Customer support
So, instead of looking for the cheapest moving company, hire a renowned company and do packers and movers rate negotiation.
Get everything in writing
If you have to come to a final agreement with your selected packers and movers, it’s time for you to get the details documented. Before signing the agreement, ensure everything is mentioned, like
- Insurance coverage
- Final price
- Services included
- Dispute resolution procedure
Concluding Words: Negotiation with Movers and Packers
To be honest, full packers and movers services don’t come cheap. However, using the above-stated tricks, you can negotiate rates with packers and movers effectively and avail of complete relocation services. It is beneficial in several ways for saving money, customizing quotations, maintaining transparency, and moving with peace of mind. But you must be realistic about how much a full packing and moving service can cost while doing negotiation with packers and movers.