Moving Company Franchises: The Blind Leading The Blind.

Many people aspire to be self-employed. Flexible hours, independence in decision-making and a belief you are building your own future fuel the desire to go out on your own. Not everyone however has a skill or a unique idea to pursue, therefore some follow a more tried-and true formula; the franchise. In simple terms a franchisee (you) is granted the right, or licence, to market the franchisor’s (the company) product or service in a selected area. Drawing on the company’s specialized experience, proven success and the ability to replicate that which makes them successful, the premise is that you too can have a flourishing business. What happens though, when the company selling the franchise works in an industry based on deception with no industry training standard?

The moving industry can be a dirty nasty low life filled affair. And this is just the good days. I’ve highlighted the deficiencies of the industry many times over the years but these points are worth reiterating as they relate to franchising. The first relates to training; in any franchise the two key components are the product and the mode of delivery i.e., the training methods. In the furniture moving industry I have yet to see a company use a structured, formulaic and replicable approach to the moving of furniture. And if the franchisor has nary a clue about the transition of furniture from a to b, who is going to teach you? Remember, the moving industry has no licensing or training standard to rely upon, but if you doubt the veracity of my words, stop and watch movers load a truck some time; It’s a Gong Show.

The larger point as it relates to furniture moving franchises is this; Why would you pay a company money for a franchise when you can do the thing yourself at a fraction of the cost?  It’s true! First chose a company name. In this industry the trend seems to be getting a name as close to your competition as possible, for example, if there is a company call Muppet Movers you call your company Vancouver Muppet Movers, geddit? Second you get a decent truck and put some flashy graphics on it – customers know you are a pro when they see that. Third, create a website filled with the usual bullshit about how you are a professional and all your workers are fully trained etc. Oh, did I mention you should claim to be licensed bonded and insured? Fourth, write your own testimonials and lots of them – currently the Gold Standard is 103. Fifth, have someone overly caffeinated answer the phone and promise the customer, “Yes the trucks are always on time”, “Yes are workers are fully trained professionals with a minimum of five years experience”, “Yes, we are Vancouver’s best movers”, inter alia. Sixth, when a customer tells you there is damage to their oak table just tell’em it was there before, it works every time. Seventh, and this is the long view, when someone complains to the Better Business Bureau, by the dozen in all likely hood, or worse sues you in Provincial Court, just ignore it until it finally catches up to you – then “sell” the company – preferably to an existing employee – Presto, an instantly cleaned up reputation.

See? Why bother with the nonsense of a franchise when you can fully engage in the nonsense of the industry at a fraction of the price? Good luck muppet!

Movers in Vancouver: When Deception is King

                 ”If you want to swim with the fishes, you must get used to the water”

- Chinese Proverb

What is the most vague word in a Vancouver movers’ advertisement? “Professional.” And if you were to scratch at this thin veneer of competence, you will expose a more authentic identity. An identity, based on deception in a variety of guises, from multiple websites and phone numbers under single ownership to bait and switch, overcharging, counterfeit testimonials, website content theft, concealed company ownership and more. Why is this?

The moving business is a rara avis. In an age of government over regulation it stands out as a refractory and unregulated industry with no defined professional standard. Yet it is precisely a professional standard which could bring about much-needed change to our industry. For example, I worked overseas for a government department that mandated mover testing before a contract was signed. The test was a simple one; you were asked to pack properly 45 cubic metres of furniture into a 40 cubic metre space, in a specified amount of time*. This scrutinizes the spatial recognition and time management skills of a mover; precisely the skills which should be benchmarks of a professional standard in Canada. These benchmarks wouldn’t clean up the industry entirely, but they would be a significant step toward allowing skilled movers in Vancouver to differentiate themselves from the masses, with government accreditation.

*The trick was to put boxes inside wardrobes or large cabinets!

Is Three a Crowd?

Hiring a moving company is a daunting process with a multitude of choices. Each company highlights what they believe a customer is looking for; some draw attention to their price, others to their service. Inherent within the price and service consideration is the element of manpower: how many men does your job require? Generally an apartment move requires two men and a truck. However, recently I have seen advertisements which promote three men as standard instead of two. How can you assess the needs of your move?

There are several circumstances under which you can benefit from a third man. For example, if you have a one bedroom apartment (550-800 square feet) on the top floor of a three-story walk up, a third man could be beneficial. Why? First is the aspect of endurance - especially on heavy items. Two men go upstairs with a heavy sofa, next, one subs in and the other two go up: this cycling allows the pace to remain steady. An added benefit of a third man relates to time management. Perhaps you’ll move out of a three-story walk up and go to a building with an elevator booked for your exclusive use (e.g., noon till two pm)? Extra personnel can be beneficial in keeping to this strict schedule. Sheer volume of items to be moved is another third man indicator. If your apartment is a two bedroom (800-1200+ square feet), an extra man should be a careful consideration – especially with stairs or time restrictions. One last issue combined with those above is your moving date. If your move occurs at the end of the month, your mover has worked numerous jobs before yours; moving has a cumulative affect on a person and it is likely your mover is fatigued.

Remember, the devil is in the details. If you choose to have a third man on your job, it is important to clarify with your moving company the extent of his involvement. Sometimes a third can be a driver only, or, in the back of the truck when the other two work. By clearly establishing the role of the third man you ensure value for money.