November 18, 2009
As with anything, there is a learning curve that applies. When getting started, you have to learn the business.
Make yourself aware of other competitors in your field. Build clientele. Learn if that business has an up and down marketplace or if it remains steady throughout the year. For example, in the moving business, the summer and holidays are the busiest times. In retail, holidays are also a busy time so business hours may increase and sales may apply accordingly.
Items needed for the business you are starting. This depends on the type of business: office building or equipment needed. 
Study the annual income and net worth of this? High demand equals successful business. Research: successes and failures of past companies in that business. Cost of what it will be to start and run the business. All these are factors that need to be learned about the business.
You want to stand out and be unique. Need something that will set you apart from the other companies. I don’t think you can be fully prepared for every situation. Unexpected things comes up that you didn’t anticipate.
The better you understand the business, the better the outcome will be. You don’t want to go into something with a blind fold on. That will lead to running into objects and a lot of unnecessary bruises along the way. While preparation is necessary, you will also learn much from experience after starting your business. Some things may be trial and error. For example, one phone system doesn’t work well so you try a different one.
Its takes a lot to start a company but with hard work and dedication, it can be done.
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Posted by nicoleives
November 17, 2009
At HireAHelper, we do our best to treat our customers as well as possible, and we try to advocate a “the customer is always right” policy. There will always be difficult customers and difficult situations, you can either chose to deal with them by telling the customer they are wrong, or you can take the loss and try not to make an enemy of the customer.
It is better to lose $100 on one job out of every 100, than to lose customers forever and possibly hurt your reputation. It is better to make the customer happy. Remember, word of mouth is a powerful source. I understand that it is inconvenient, but it will avoid making a customer angry which will hurt both your company and ours in the long run. Take the loss with a grain of salt.
This can be difficult sometimes and maybe even unfair, but without customers there would be no jobs, so you can choose which is more important. And think about this. Can you really teach a customer a lesson? Odds are no, because they are just not going to use your services again in the future.
See Seth Godin’s blog: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2006/11/why_bother.html
Remember, we’re all selling the same product (moving labor), the best companies that set themselves apart will be the ones that leave customers happy after every job.
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Posted by nicoleives
November 5, 2009
Sometimes things happen and there are situations you can’t control. This is something you can’t avoid because with most things, problems may arise. How you handle it is what makes the difference.
For example: the system going down, car accidents, or technological problems. They may be out of your control, but have to be dealt with. Finding a different helper when someone doesn’t show or dealing with a lose of internet connection.
Some helpful tips:
-Explain the situation, whatever it may be. Make people/customers aware of the situation to help them to understand what is happening via email, phone, or website. This will help people to know that your company is aware of the situation and working to solve the problem.
-Explain what you are doing to fix the situation. Or if out of your control, explain why.
“I’m sorry our internet is currently down, our internet company is experiencing technical difficulties but we are being told it will be up shortly. If you would like, I can give you a call back when it is working and then help you out.” So even if you can’t fix the problem right away, people would like to know that something is being done to solve the problem and it will be fixed shortly.
-Find a solution, which may be easier said then done depending on the problem at hand. Try to find the best solution, at least for the time being if the whole problem can’t be solved immediately.
-Stay calm
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Posted by nicoleives
November 2, 2009
HireAHelper is now a member of the American Moving and Storage Association.
The American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) was established in 1936 and is a site that lists promovers. It is a place you can go to to check out moving companies, help you make sure you hire a ProMover, verify a company’s ProMover status by entering their Motor Carrier number, and more.
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Posted by nicoleives
October 21, 2009
Starting a moving company may be difficult at first, but once you get started it can be very successful. Building clientele and a reputable company are key. Decide on a company name. When it comes to moving company names, you want something that shows the strength of the business. This is the name that is going to represent your company.
Need to purchase all necessary equipment. Does your company offer full service moves or labor only? What services are you are going to provide such as pack/load/unload/unpack? You can either have your own trucks or rent trucks, although it is easier to have you own truck. Having the ability to provide packing supplies may also be a good addition.
Purchase all the necessary license and insurance. This is different from state to state. Check with your local departments on the permits you will be needing. This is also based on if you drive the truck and whether you are local or long distances movers.
Then you will hire movers: strong people that will be able to handle lifting boxes and furniture all day. When you are on the job site, it is difficult to return customer phone calls and sometimes you are out till late. Having a secretary in the office taking care of all the paperwork could be beneficial.
Advertise-that is were Hire A Helper comes into play. Hire A Helper handles the booking and advertising for moving companies which is a way to get clientele and get your company name out there. From there, you can build up customer reviews. Remember, word of mouth is a powerful source.
As with any business you have to do research and learn the business. Moving does have an off season. The summer and holidays are the busiest times so you have to plan accordingly. A bigger crew may be necessary. The winter months are going to be slower.
People move for several reasons: employment, retirement, new environment. Starting a Moving Company does require planning and hard work, but once you have build it up, then you could have a very successful company.
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Posted by nicoleives
