Professionalism describes Vic's Moving. The movers were the best I have ever seen and Richard's sales presentation was very thorough and the best I received. I give Vic's name out to all of my customers and I have made sure that Vic's name is on the Reece Nichols preferred vendor list. Do not make a mistake and call another moving company.
Cathie Bordner
Reece Nichols
Beware of Rip-offs
Most moving companies don't deserve the bad rap caused by a few. To avoid a nightmare, call a Certified Mover.
Feb 18, 2005 I was amazed at the speed and efficiency of your packing crews - they minimized the risk of damage and nothing in my boxes broke. All of your staff was courteous and your movers really cared about my home and furnishings.
Steve Dewilde, Kansas City, MO
Feb 11, 2005 It was good. Fast and efficient!
Jim Weber, Kansas City, MO
Feb 11, 2005 The guys were great and very personable. The guys were awesome. We couldn't have completed the move without them. Thanks for everything. Next time we move we will definitely call Vic's.
Jennifer Kinser, Lee's Summit, MO
Feb 7, 2005 The men gave 100 percent effort. They were a nice group of young men. I really enjoyed talking with them.
Marilyn Taylor, Liberty, MO
Feb 7, 2005 I felt like we were in very good hands. The movers took good care of all of our furniture and didn't bump into any walls or door jambs. The house protection was a huge plus! I felt like we didn't have to worry about a thing.
Myra Colbert, Prairie Village, KS
Feb 3, 2005 Sean and his crew were very hard working! They were very quick! I don't plan on ever moving again, but if I do I will use Vic's.
Diana Hiebert, Shawnee, KS
Feb 2, 2005 Your men were very professional. They were very friendly and efficient. They didn't waste any time.
Danny Price, Lenexa, KS
Feb 2, 2005
I am going to tell my new neighbors and my real estate agent about your excellent service. All three movers moved very quickly, didn't touch a wall, and didn't damage one piece of furniture. Brian, the crew leader, did a super job. He really cared.
David Wright, Olathe, KS
Feb 1, 2005
Even though the weather was terrible and the unload was difficult, your men kept a great attitude. Wonderful service!
Rick Day, Oak Grove, MO
Feb 1, 2005
Your service was the most professional we have ever experienced. After having used several other movers, your movers were the most courteous. We can tell that your movers treated our furniture just like they would their own. Angie Weaver, Lenexa, KS
Vic's pads stair rails and rolls down a clear vinyl covering to protect floors from soil and damage.
Dec 31,2004 I would like to thank you for your fine assistance and the professional quality of your staff in what was a very trying year for our family. In 2004, we used your services on two separate occasions to move us: the first one in July from our house in Shawnee to an apartment in Shawnee as well as to two separate storage locations; and the second move, from the apartment and from the two storage locations to our newly constructed home in Basehor.
Ken was the team leader for our move in July. Even though we had requested three men and on that particular day, he ended up with only himself and one other (J.R.), the two of them were able to complete the move that day (major items only) to all 3 locations. It was a long day but they gave us great and professional service all day.
Again, on December 1st, Ken was the team leader of 3 men (Brian and Bryan) who all did a fantastic job for us in moving the contents of the apartment and one storage site to our house.There was a lot of big furniture items, some of which were brand new and they took exceptional care with our things while, all the while, keeping a very pleasant attitude throughout a long and hard day.
Our last move also required a second day with your movers moving the contents of our last storage units to our new house. This second day, Ferdinand was the team leader with two young assistants. They too did a very fine job and worked hard for what was a long and probably frustrating day (lots of trips up and down stairs).
All of your movers worked very hard, took few and short breaks and really showed that they were working with us to accomplish our goals. We appreciate them all as well as the office coordinator's help with the whole thing. However, we want to put in an especially good word for Ken who, we believe, showed that he has exceptional experience, superior Judgment and problem-solving ability in directing his team. He managed which things to tackle first, how to approach each situation and completed administrative matters with us in an extremely professional manner. We really wanted to let you know that we feel he deserves a great deal of credit for the success of both our moves this past year, and hope he gets the recognition he deserves.
Again, thank you. We will be sure to recommend your company to all our friends and co-workers who might someday need your services. Happy New Year! Very truly yours,
Orville & Theresa Stokes
Vic's Hiring & Training: It Takes a Special Person
Our greatest strength is our employees. It is almost impossible to get a job at Vic's and it really separates us from all the other movers in Kansas City. Richard Bitterman
President, Vic's Moving
Hiring
Vic's hires no temporary workers. We are special in the market because of our no-temp policy.
Full drug screen prior to first day of employment. If you use drugs do not bother to apply.
Full background check of all prior employers.
Must past our mutiple choice personality test.
Only about 5% of those who apply are good enough to be considered for employment at Vic's.
Training
Complete orientation prior to first day.
Intensive new-hire training class covering "the Vic's way."
Each employee is mentored by a crew leader until proficient enough to be a second man.
"Training Tuesday" classes for all employees, old and new, cover important topics such as customer service, role playing difficult situations, how to minimize furniture and real property damage, and safety.
Weekly crew leader meetings make sure a consistent message of our expectations reach all employees.
Ongoing training by outside experts.
Have you heard the
“bad mover” horror story?
It's every homeowner's nightmare. The mover shows up late and the customer is scared to even let the men through the door, but it's too late to change moving companies.
The movers are rough looking and rough acting. They seem to only be concerned with cigarette breaks and cell phone calls. They fail to protect the door, bannister, and floors, or have much regard for the customer's belongings. Their "30- minute lunch" lasts two hours and they blame the customer's bad directions for their tardiness.
When they open the truck to unload, it’s a horrifying sight. Few things are blanket wrapped and it looks as if everything has been thrown hastily into the truck.
Near the end, sensing the customer's great displeasure, the movers refuse to unload the TV until the customer pays in cash. Then the customer is presented with a bill that is double their "phone estimate" and is pressured to tip the movers. The customer pays the bill and tips the movers out of fear. Afterwards, the customer finds too many damages to even count and realizes the box with the stereo is missing!
Don’t let this be your story! Choose a professional mover that is certified in local residential moving.
Six Reasons to Choose Vic's
1. We use only our own full-time employees to service your move. Why is that important? The moving business is very cyclical, people tend to move in the warmer months and at the beginning and end of the month. This creates a labor "crunch" during these times. Many companies employ "temps" (labor from a temporary staffing company) or cash labor (people who for one reason or another will work only for cash on an "on call" basis). The moving company has no direct power or control over these people. This is an important consideration when these people will be handling your antique table or your boxes containing your great-grandmother's china.
2. We shrink wrap leather and upholstered items. Why is that important? Because it protects your furniture from soiling and damage. Most moving companies don't offer this service on local moves.
3.We are fully insured, bonded, and carry workman's compensation insurance. Why is that important? Most moving companies of any size do carry all the proper insurance, but some smaller companies do not. Make sure the company can provide you with a copy of their certificate of insurance. The most common insurance left out by smaller companies is workman's compensation insurance. This can be a large liability for you if one of their workers gets injured on your move. Without workman's compensation insurance there is a possibility that the injured employee could sue you for damages.
4.Vic's is locally owned and operated. Why is that important? We are not a branch or franchise of an out-of-area corporation. Your referral to your friends and family is very important to us, so we work hard to satisfy every customer.
5.We are a member of the Better Business Bureau.
Why is that important? Check out any mover you are considering on the web before you make your decision. What you find might surprise you. Check out the number of complaints for each company, then check Vic's.
6. We provide "day of move" wardrobe rental free of charge! Why is that important? The amount of time you can save by not having to pack all your hanging clothes into boxes can be quite a bit and you will not have to "throw them in your backseat." Your clothes can be loaded into our wardrobes, transported in our truck, and be back hanging in your closet before we leave. When you use Vic's, our wardrobe service saves you time (and money).
Doing it Yourself vs Hiring a Professional
So the house is sold, closing date is set, time to start thinking about the move. What should you do? Get some friends and a rental truck? Most people believe this is the cheapest option, and it may be, depending upon the number of "reliable" friends you have and on your back strength. But, be sure to add up all the expenses. The cost to use a rental truck can be $150 to $200 for a one-day rental, and you still do all the work! This cost is an estimate based on renting a 24-foot truck.
When estimating the cost of renting, always make sure to include ALL the possible charges including mileage, fuel, insurance, pad rental, and dolly rental. Keep in mind that the pads they will rent you are basically a thick felt and are approximately 1/3 the thickness of a standard movers quilted pad. For this reason, it may be necessary to double up pads when covering grandma's antique china cabinet. In order to pad your belongings well enough to protect them it may take as many as 12 dozen pads for a three-bedroom house.
Also don't forget to add in the emotional cost of Uncle Bob scratching your new chest or of you having to be off work for a week because you threw out your back lifting the refrigerator. And of course, don't forget the pizza and pop as well as the extra time it may take non-professionals to get the job done. In the end using a professional mover or doing it yourself is a decision that must be made by you. Just make sure you are aware of all the costs, real and emotional, before you make the choice.
Choosing a Mover
So you have decided that "doing it yourself" isn't really worth the headache, what now? Open the phone book and start calling?
First, ask around. Find out if friends, family members, or co-workers have used a mover recently. Who did they use? Were they happy with the service they received?
Next, look in the phone book, the larger the book the more choices you will have. Pick three to five movers that you are comfortable with and call them.
Now, here is the important part, listen to how they treat you. Do they quickly give you their rates then try to schedule your move? Do they seem uninterested in answering your questions? Listen carefully, the way in which they treat potential customers Is a clue as to how important your business is to them.
Ask These Seven Questions
Following are some of the important questions that you need to ask. Listen carefully and take notes on what each moving company tells you. You do not want to confuse what each company says with the others.
1. How do you charge? Most companies charge either by the hour or by the piece. If they charge by the piece, make sure you give them a very accurate list of the items to be moved. Otherwise, they may charge double for pieces you didn't list.
2. Do you have a minimum? Most companies have a minimum. Make sure you understand what it is and how it works.
3. Are your workers covered by workman's comp? This is very important. If workers are not covered, you could be liable for injuries that occur while they are moving you. Make sure they're willing to send you a copy of their Workman’s Comp certificate.
4. Are you a member of the Better Business Bureau? Call or go online to verify and check their record.
5. Are your movers contractors or company employees? Make sure they are employees, not contractors. Contractors often work for more than one company, which can make it hard to control the quality of the work of the mover.
6 . Do you use temp labor? A lot of companies use temporary labor when they are short on help. Temp laborers usually have very little or no experience and do not have any loyalty to the moving company or to you.
7. Are you insured and bonded? Over the phone the answer is always “yes.” Make sure they are willing to send you a copy of the certificate.
Vic's Promise To You
We promise to do the following at the loading address:
1) To do a complete walk through with you before the start of the move.
2) To pad all banisters and protect your floors from being soiled or damaged.
3) To shrink wrap ALL your upholstered items prior to removing them from your residence.
4) To do a complete walk through with you after loading and before we leave.
We promise to do the following at the unloading address:
1) To do a complete walk through with you before we start unloading.
2) To pad all banisters and protect your floors from being soiled or damaged.
3) To do a complete walk through with you after unloading and before we leave.
4) To re-arrange any furniture you request.
We are authorized to do what it takes to make your move as smooth as possible.
Our names are ___________________________, please feel free to ask us for anything you might need during your move. If at the end you feel we did an excellent job, we do accept gratuities. Thank you for using Vic's Moving and
Storage!
This article appeared in The Washington (D.C.) Times May 16, 2002.
Van scams
By Tim Lemke
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
The warm weather of May once again brings the familiar sight of people loading boxes onto trucks en route to a new home. But with the excitement of moving comes the possibility getting stiffed by a moving company for hundreds, even thousands, of dollars.
The scam often goes like this: A company gives an estimate of, say, $1,000, only to charge $4,000 later. Then it holds furniture and other goods hostage until the company gets its money or auctions the stuff off to the highest bidder. What's worse: seizing furniture is legal in most states because moving companies have a possessory lien on goods once they load them onto trucks.
Stories like these are common in states such as Florida and Arizona, where there are large numbers of elderly people, and the problem is getting worse in the Washington area.
Complaints to the Consumer Protection Division of Maryland's Attorney General's Office increased from 95 to 145 in 2001. So far this year, 33 persons have levied complaints. In Virginia, 148 persons have made official complaints in the past three years. Complaint figures for the District were not available.
Last August, Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr. reached settlements with five area moving companies all owned by Bryan and Michael Funk, a father-and-son team. The Attorney General's Office collected numerous complaints against Discount Moving and Storage Co., Metro Moving and Storage Co., Metropolitan Moving and Storage Co., Mid-Atlantic Moving and Storage Co. and Nationwide Moving and Storage Co., all owned by the Funks.
The complaints said the companies charged consumers for insurance they never provided, and that the Funks did not have a warehousemen's licenses.
The complaints also said employees of the companies loaded furniture onto trucks, then demanded cash payments. If customers refused to pay, their items were improperly auctioned off, the complaints said.
Bryan and Michael Funk agreed to pay restitution and $20,000 in civil penalties, and change the way they operate. The Attorney General's Office did not release the names of those making complaints.
Moving companies and industry observers acknowledge there is a problem with dishonesty within the moving business.
"We represent about 3,000 moving companies that know how to treat their customers," said Joe Harrison, president of the American Moving and Storage Association. "But there are some crooks out there."
The U.S. Department of Transportation says it receives between 3,000 and 4,000 complaints against moving companies each year.
The General Accounting Office has been particularly critical of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the division of the Department of Transportation that has overseen the interstate moving industry since 1999, for showing little initiative in going after dishonest movers.
Only five of the administration's 760 employees are assigned to moving and storage issues, and efforts to create a complaint database and training efforts are more than a year behind schedule.
Industry insiders and consumer advocates say consumers often don't have solid recourse against shady movers. The agencies that oversee smaller, intrastate moving companies vary from state to state, and it's often not clear which agency collects complaints and has power to make change.
In Virginia, it's the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs. In the District, it's the Office of Corporation Counsel. And in Maryland, it's the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General's Office.
"Unfortunately, as much as we try to educate people, they don't always know where to turn," said Becky Bowman, Maryland's assistant attorney general in the Consumer Protection Division.
The Maryland legislature recently passed a bill requiring intrastate movers to deliver all goods and prohibiting them from enforcing a lien. The bill is awaiting approval from Gov. Parris N. Glendening and is expected to be put into effect by October.
Those within the moving industry say there are many preventative measures consumers can take to ensure they aren't cheated. The first, and most important thing to remember, they say, is to do customer homework.
"There are a lot of dishonest movers and there are a lot of honest movers," says Chuck Kuhn, president of JK Moving and Storage, of Sterling, Va. "It's important customers perform due diligence."
Ed Katz, president of Office Moving Systems Inc. and operator of the Web site officemoves.com, suggests talking to several moving companies and asking not only for references, but the names and numbers of their five previous customers.
In addition to checking references and past customers, industry representatives say it's best to make sure moving companies are licensed and insured.
Some even suggest visiting the company's headquarters, meeting employees and checking out the fleet of trucks.
Experts advise getting an estimate from the moving company in writing, and if possible have the company come and view what is to be moved ahead of time. And, don't choose a company based solely on price.
"For some reason, the customer looks at price only, and believes what they see," says Mr. Harrison. "Customers get themselves in binds, and aren't educating themselves properly."
Companies say it is important that customers be honest about what they have to move. All too often, customers will underestimate the amount they need to move, or ask that movers pack items when they originally said they would do it themselves.
If movers arrive to find that they must haul more furniture or do more packing than originally told, they may be forced to charge more than the original estimate
"The number one issue is clear communication between the customer and the business," says Mr. Kuhn. "There needs to be a clear understanding of what the customer wants."
