10 years, 10 Helpers, 10 Call Service Representatives.
A trio of celebrations was recently held on HireAHelper’s “Top 10 Helper Day”, HireAHelper’s 10 year aniverssary event that doubled as a summit of some of the best people working in the moving industry today.
A Contest for Movers
Rigo’s Moving Company being interviewed at HireAHelper headquarters.
Rather than just ordering a cake for the big “1-0”, HireAHelper used their milestone moment to shed light on the people who make the company possible: hardworking movers, as well as the people booking their jobs every single day.
Here’s how they did it: they asked Call Service Representatives (CSRs) to vote for their favorite movers in the HireAHelper network. Additionally, HireAHelper asked the movers to submit the names of their favorite CSRs, as moving companies interact with their call center day in and day out. In many cases, movers interact with various CSRs for years on end. Voting on both ends was based on professionalism, efficiency, helpfulness and ability.
More than a thousand moving companies across the country were eligible. (Not to mention a few dozen phone operators.)
The voting was fierce and the lists were long. But after the votes were tallied, the top five moving companies on the list were invited to take part in a special event at HireAHelper headquarters in sunny San Diego, CA, which took place this month.
Top 10 Helper Day
One by one, the contest winners emerged into HireAHelper headquarters, each bringing with them unique backgrounds spread out across the United States. They also brought anecdotes regarding how they found out they had been named a top 10 moving company in the country.
Says Crystal Rocci out of Lakeland, Florida’s Family Movers, “(We) got the email and he’s shaking and I’m like, ‘Why are you shaking?’ And he hands me the phone…and I’m reading it and saying, ‘Honey, we made fourth place!'”
Movers also shared stories from their long journeys establishing themselves as major players in the moving world.
Family Movers receives their certificate.
“There’s a lot of bad reputation in the industry,” says Carmen Ball, from Aurora, Colorado’s LeDoux Moving Solutions. “If you build a reputation, you know, you gotta ride on your reputation. You screw that up, you don’t stick around.
“That’s my name on my shirt. I am representing everything, not just the company, I am representing the family as well.”
Continues Ball, “There’s many small businesses where we are that have been in business 20 years and they don’t do what we do. But I really believe (in) focusing on reputation and integrity.
Winners pose with their certificates.
The theme of the day? Going the extra mile.
“Rigo is very passionate about what he does,” says Susana Avelino of Rigo’s Movers out of Los Angeles, the contest winning moving company.
Martha Martin, also of Rigo’s Movers, echoes that sentiment. “(Rigo) wants everything perfect. If something happens, resolve everything. If something gets damaged, try and fix it.” To get this level of recognition, they stress that customers have to always feel safe and secure in their hands.
“Our guys always calm down the customer and say, ‘Okay, you’re in good hands. Let me do my job and let me wrap everything. We will fit it on your truck.'”
Prizes Galore
The Top 10 Helper ceremony was held in front of a big screen and among boxes of gourmet donuts, during which the top 10 Helpers and CSRs received recognition. All present Helpers received their certificates and cash prizes. Afterwards, a catered lunch of tacos and drinks awaited everybody outside.
On getting to meet with the top 10 CSRs that they’ve worked with for years, Rocci of Family Movers exclaims, “I was like, ‘Yes!’ I finally get to put some faces to some names! I talk to these super energetic people on the phone, and I’m like, ‘I thought I was the only person like that.’ [laughter]”
Top 10 Helper Day wasn’t the only place celebrations were held, however. The top 10 CSRs were assigned a Helper from the rest of the top 10 list and given free airfare, lodging, cash prizes, and the opportunity to award the rest of the top Helpers their certificates in person.
Jess and Camille, winning CSRs, visiting Top 10 Helper “Moving Texas” in Austin.
Says Camille, Helper Relations Specialist and a winning CSR,
“There is definitely something different about meeting a Helper in person, something significant about putting a face to a name that brings life to their voice the next time I work with them over the phone.”
Again and again, winners stressed the importance of community as a key to success.
Now with 2017 in the books and ten successful years behind them, HireAHelper is positioned to continue their impressive take over of the moving labor marketplace. And with the Top 10 Helper contest being such a hit with everybody that participated, hundreds of professional moving companies (and the passionate employees that fuel them) remind us that all continued success will have to go through them.
Rachel Ledoux of Ledoux Movers reiterates, “You can slam out a bunch of jobs and…walk away thinking that everything’s great, then come to find out later that they never took the time to find out if that customer was actually happy.
“You know, moving is more than just a business; It’s relationships.”
For a list of the top 10 Helper winners and their prizes, click here.
