When you hire a long-distance moving company, a lot of hard and time consuming work will be off your shoulders. And even though each mover will be compensated for their hard work, you can still decide to reward them. But how to tip movers, and how much is enough? Here are all the factors you should consider when tipping relocation professionals.
Did you know that tipping a waiter in South Korea is considered an insult? Different cultures dictate different rules. So what are the rules regarding rewarding good performance in the relocation industry? One thing is for sure – in the USA, nobody will think you are rude for giving your money away. Still, should you add tipping to your moving expenses checklist or not? We will try to answer this and many more questions.
Is Giving Rewards to Movers Mandatory?
The answer to this question is no. But it’s the same when it comes to your cab driver, valet, or any other professional who provides you with good services. If the service is good, tipping is a great way of letting its providers know they are doing an excellent job. The same is with relocation professionals. And some extra cash on a side will not affect your relocation budget by far. In the end, tips should reflect your satisfaction with the job and the appreciation of the crew.
If You Are Not Satisfied With Long-Distance Moving Service, Tipping Is Not Obliged
Finding a good service nowadays can be challenging at least, and it’s the same when choosing a relocation company. You can end up getting bad service. And if this is the case, then any extra cash given is out of the question. Furthermore, there are ways and red flags for you to look out for to ensure you will be getting the best cross-country moving services.
For starters, you should first check if the company is running a legit business. As you may know, all long-distance moving companies must have a USDOT number or be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association. Federal law mandates this for all companies, and it’s a great way for you to avoid relocation scams when picking a company.
The other thing you can do is view other people’s reviews of a particular business and see how satisfied they were with the job done. If the reviews are bad, something is probably off, and you should skip that particular mover. So the first step in getting the best professionals to help you move is to pick the trustworthy ones who can provide you with all the services you need – from car shipping and storage units to packing.
How to Tell You Are Getting Bad Service?
On the other hand, even if you plan your move to the last detail and check your company thoroughly, you still can end up unsatisfied with a job done. That can happen for many reasons, misunderstanding in communication, for example. But there are more serious reasons why you wouldn’t want to show any additional gratitude. Here are some of them:
- Some belongings are broken or damaged due to movers’ neglect,
- Workers were late for a job without any explanation or apology,
- The professionals that are paid by the hour prolong tasks unnecessarily,
- The team acted unprofessionally and disrespectfully.
Why Should You Tip Movers?
As you know, relocating to a new state demands a lot of effort and preparation. From finding a new job, packing your entire household, and home hunting to transferring your kids to a new school, a lot of things will be on your shoulders. Luckily you can outsource most of the time-consuming, hard, and heavy lifting tasks to long-distance movers. Their services will be of tremendous help. If you hire them for packing and storage service, they will make sure your belongings are properly and safely stored for transportation.
You will not have to figure out how to move your refrigerator down the stairs or how to deal with pots and pans. Some companies will even send professionals that will disassemble and reassemble all of your furniture. So having this in mind, once you see all the work they have done, the question of how much movers cost will become irrelevant, and you will want to tip them at the end of the hard-working day.
What to Consider When Tipping Moving Professionals?
As you know, it’s not the same if you are relocating from an apartment to a house or vice versa, or if you’re relocating alone or with family. The cost and number of people involved in your relocation process will be significantly different. And like the cost of the move will be different so should be your tips. Here are some things to consider when watching your crew work, as it will help you get a better assessment of how much to tip them. So, if your workers did some of the following things, you should think about rewarding them:
- They dealt with your fragile items,
- They knew how to handle antique furniture and items,
- Moving was efficient and quick,
- They disassembled and reassembled your furniture,
- Friendly but professional behavior,
- They took care of your safety and that of others,
- They moved the furniture on tricky terrain (lots of stairs or narrow passages).
How to Tip Movers and How Much Is Enough?
First, you need to understand the complexity of your relocation. Is it a long-distance move or local? The second question is how big is your move. Are you relocating to a four-bedroom home or studio apartment? Are there any unusual and bulky items you need to move, like a piano? Also, the services you took are a significant factor. If they pack everything for you and place everything in storage units, the tips should be better. You can either set a flat rate of 5-20% of the total relocation cost or an hourly rate for each team member, around $10 for 4 hours of work and $20 for eight hours.
How Much to Tip Cross-Country Movers
But even though the flat rate is the easiest solution, it doesn’t come as affordable when cross-country moving. That’s because a loaded truck and team of professionals are not the only things to calculate here. With long-distance moving, the distance is the one that makes the price. If you are relocating to a new home on the other side of the country, you may end up giving a pretty large tip. So when it comes to cross-country moving, the best formula is to set aside $100 and divide it among the team members.
In the video below, you’ll not hear about tipping movers, but you’ll learn some unwritten rules for giving tips for services in general.
There Are Different Ways of Payment You Can Choose From
Even if you are relocating for the first time, you certainly know that relocation is chaotic and everybody is on the clock. And believe it or not, tipping movers is one of the most common things people forget to do when they move. It just slips their mind. And it’s understandable – relocation stress is at its peak at the moment the truck arrives. To avoid this unfortunate situation, you should wisely choose a payment method and to whom you will be giving money. One person will probably be in charge of the entire process, so you should give them the cash. Or, if you can, choose to add extra cash on a final bill. Just make sure you ask your company if this is possible.
What to Tip Movers – Ways for Rewarding Movers
Money is not the only way you can show your appreciation to the crew. You would like to have a nice, friendly, and professional team spend a day with you. It’s only logical to assume they would like you to be the same. You know the saying, “you can succeed in anything by being polite.” And this is true. If you nicely ask professionals to unscrew the shelves on your wall or help you pack your TV, they will probably gladly do so. Also, there are ways to prepare for movers, so you make their work easier and more comfortable.
Also, don’t forget to prepare some snacks and refreshments for the team. If you are relocating in winter, make sure to have tea, hot chocolate, or coffee prepared in advance. But snacks shouldn’t be all you have prepared. Not only will your workers be hungry, but you and your family will be too, so don’t forget to order some food. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy but good enough to keep you all going.
Reward Your Crew With Excellent Reviews
Even before the modern age and online reviews have become part of our life, a good word is what kept our economy going, and a lot of companies stopped working because of the bad user experience. Reviews and lawsuits are probably the only way to control what we are getting for the money we are paying. But reviews are not only beneficial to the company.
For example, if a waiter was super nice and professional, and the meal was great, you’ll leave a flattering review about how a professional waiter was, which will benefit him too. If more similar reviews are left, he can get a promotion or raise. The same is true with professional movers – if you leave flattering reviews about how the crew was professional. It can help them with their career, and it is worth more than just giving them money.
Make Your Cross-Country Moving a Positive Experience for Everyone Involved
As you can see, there are many factors to consider when calculating the reward you plan to give to your professional helpers, and it doesn’t matter what model you choose or how much cash you are able to set aside. What counts is intention. If your relocation budget doesn’t allow you to tip $100, give as much as you can or don’t give anything. Instead, prepare a nice meal and hot beverages and make sure you do whatever is in your power to make this working day more comfortable. Either way, true professionals will not expect to get any extra cash, and they will make sure you get the best service possible whether you reward them or not.
Daisy Wilson
Daisy was born in Salt Lake City and in her free time, she writes about moving and watches Charmed.
