Top 3 Things to Discuss with a Car Transporter in the First Conversation
Hiring car carrier services has proven beneficial in transporting your automobile. The only challenge you may face is identifying a reliable and experienced car moving company from the many available. As a result, we've listed a few topics in this blog that you may discuss with auto transport companies during your initial call to shortlist and pick a suitable car moving service.
#1 Basic Information About Your Move
Before you decide which car shipping company to move your car with, you need to ensure that they provide quality service and are the right moving partner for your move. The first few topics to discuss on your first call with the moving company should cover all your basic information, such as:
- Origin and destination: The first thing to tell the mover is the exact pickup point of the vehicle and the location to which the car needs to be shipped.
- Type of car: Make sure you inform the mover about the type and model of your car you wish to move so that the movers can plan and prepare for the best transport method for your vehicle's size and needs.
- Date of move: Inform the mover of the date when you need the car to be picked up and moved.
- Customer’s delivery date: Talk to the mover about when you expect the automobile to arrive at your new address and whether you can be flexible with the delivery date to receive better pricing.
#2 Expected Date, Time & Place of Delivery
After discussing your moving needs, you should enquire about what the moving firms offer and whether they can meet your needs. By discussing these few topics, you can get a better idea of the move.
- Delivery time - You can discuss when the movers can bring your car to the new location. Moving your car across different states can take a few days, so the movers can specify a delivery window for when the vehicle can be expected and delivered to the new city.
- Duration of move - The movers can provide an estimated transit duration and expected delivery time. The term can vary based on various conditions such as severe weather, strikes, roadblocks, etc.
- Doorstep pickup delivery - You can enquire whether the moving company offers doorstep pickup from your native address and drops it at the destination address.
#3 Approximate Price of the Move
Another important topic to discuss before selecting and hiring a moving company is knowing their charges. Genuine and trustworthy moving firms are upfront about their quotes and offer an approximate estimate on the first call. After discussing your moving requirements in detail, they provide actual cost estimates.
- Costs for car shifting - After discussing the car shifting requirements, the movers estimate an approximate cost by calculating various factors like the moving distance, carrier type, labour charges, packing charges, etc.
- Insurance - You can discuss with the mover whether they provide insured transport services, i.e., comprehensive or transit coverage. If so, what extra charges can be expected.
- Additional charges - Ask the movers whether you need to expect additional charges such as toll charges, GST, octroi charges, etc., while moving interstates.
- Payment options - discuss with the mover how the payment is accepted and when to be paid.
Additional Things You can Ask the Car Transporter
A. Scope of Services Offered
Lastly, make sure you also discuss with the movers about the scope of moving services they provide:
- Involvement of movers/customers - This is where you should ask the movers what additional services they provide with auto moving, such as whether they can carry your bikes with your car or offer moving services for households, office equipment, etc. You can also check whether you have to transfer the vehicle to the moving company's site and whether the customer is required to pick up the automobile from the hub where the car has arrived.
- Packaging for premium/luxury cars - You can ask how the movers prepare and pack for premium, antique, or sports cars. You can talk about safety precautions, packing and loading procedures, employed carriers, etc., to get a good understanding of their premium moving service.
- Other services - Check with the movers whether they have excellent customer service if you face any issues during the move, whether the movers have warehousing and storage facilities, and whether the client can track the vehicle in transit.
B. References of Previous Customers
You can check reviews online and ask the company for references to be more sure about the customer satisfaction.
The Final Word
When selecting an automobile shipping company, most consumers make the mistake of relying solely on online reviews. You can also contact the auto transport companies directly and ask them questions to ensure they're the right partners for the job.
Before signing a contract directly with a moving company, discuss these topics with 3 to 4 car-shifting companies to better understand the moving process and narrow your search to hire the best company meeting your requirements and offering value for money services