The American Moving & Storage Association launched a consumer protection and certification program called ProMover on January 1, 2009. This initiative is designed to fight imposters, known within the industry as “rogue operators,” by giving consumers an easy way to separate reputable, professional movers from con artists out to make a quick buck at their expense a program that Cord Moving and Storage with offices in Saint Louis, Memphis and Belleville, IL were quick to apply and become certified as a ProMover.
The ProMover program takes the worry and the hassle out of moving by helping consumers identify quality professional movers who subscribe to our goals and by providing them with information and assistance with everything from finding a mover, to getting an estimate and packing tips, to understanding valuation and insurance.
As the representative of the nation’s household goods movers, AMSA holds itself out as the good steward of the moving industry. They believe in effective government regulations and policies which enable our members to provide quality service at compensatory prices. Along with providing advocacy for consumers utilizing professional moving and storage services, AMSA strives to furnish information that informs the public about their rights and responsibilities when they move and the value of professional moving and storage services.
The ProMover program promotes ethical principles in the moving and storage industry and works with federal and state governments to mitigate unethical moving practices; it clearly separates professional movers from rogue operators masquerading as legitimate movers. And most importantly, this program aids consumers by providing an identifiable measure of quality while, at the same time, enhancing the moving industry by encouraging and recognizing high professional achievement.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that AMSA is not a government agency and does not have the authority to order refunds or reimbursements for damages, force a settlement or to demand any type of compensatory payment from your mover. Although the ProMover members have agreed to meet the standards, participation in the ProMover program does not represent a guarantee by AMSA of their performance; however, they do routinely remove movers from our membership that no longer meet the stringent standards. As a ProMover Cord Moving – a mover based in Saint Louis offers the following tips –
Planning
It’s never too early to begin planning your move. Start out by de-cluttering your home! Create a Trash, Donate and Keep pile for your entire home; you won’t believe how much stuff you don’t need. Donate used clothing and other household goods, which will provide a tax deduction with the Habitat for Humanity that only North American Van Lines has a full partnership with. For other items, have a yard sale. When should I move? If you can move during off-peak season, from September through April, you may get a better price and find that movers can be more flexible in their pickup and delivery
If you need to move during the busy season of summer, schedule it mid-month and/or mid-week, which may result in a lower price and fresh crews. Weekends and ends of month are busiest for movers. Who should I look for?
AMSA strongly recommend choosing among the more than 4,000 companies who are AMSA members. Each one has passed our background screening with government authorities at the state or federal level, as well as with their Better Business Bureau chapter. They have also pledged to abide by and uphold the AMSA Code of Ethics. They are reputable, legitimate companies who operate under honest business practices and the law.
Many AMSA members proudly display our logo on their website. Unfortunately, some bad guys steal our logo, so you can check our latest list of ProMovers to verify membership at . Or call us at (888) 849-2672; we’d be glad to help. In addition to the AMSA logo, we established the ProMover program; a quality certification program for our members who provide interstate moving services, and local moving services. These members, subject to annual background checks, are authorized to also display the ProMover logo. Learn more about the ProMover program. You can check your interstate mover’s complaint history at the federal government’s consumer information website for household goods moves. If you’re moving internationally, look for a RIM-certified company with this logo. RIM companies have been certified by AMSA through training, testing and verification that they meet the standards for equipment and facilities to handle quality international household goods relocations safely and efficiently. Brokers Household goods brokers arrange moves by serving as an intermediary with any number of actual movers, who buy jobs from them. Brokers, however, are not themselves movers; and do not operate trucks or handle shipments. Using a third party can lead to problems. If the broker can’t sell the job to a mover for any reason, such as a low estimate or availability, you would end up without a mover on the day of your move. Once a broker does sell a job to a mover, the broker may not be willing to intervene on your behalf if any problems or concerns arise involving the move. Under federal regulations, all household goods brokers must: • Be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) • Use only movers that are registered with FMCSA • Provide you with a list of the moving companies they use • Provide you with the Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move and the Ready to Move? publications • Include in their advertisements their physical business location, MC number, and their status as a broker that does not transport household goods but arranges for such service.
These tips and many others are to assist you in making the relocation as smooth and uneventful as possible and they can be found at http://www.cordmoving.com/ or call 800-873-2673.