People all over the internet are constantly asking, “How much should I tip my movers?”
Sometimes, my customers would ask me directly what a standard tip would be. Call me crazy, but I would give them two different amounts: one a little below what I thought was average for that job, and another that was higher. I’d tell them that would be the normal range for a tip corresponding to the job we were doing for them.
Then I’d challenge my crew to make the customer want to give them that higher amount.
Customers might have a general idea of what they’ll tip their movers, but for some of them, it doesn’t take much to make them want to give more (or less). The following are a few ways (aside from generally being great movers, naturally) to give yourself and your crew a shot at a happier customer.
1. Show up early, but just a little!
Customers universally stress about two things on move day:
- Being all ready and having the movers not show.
- Having the movers show and not being ready.
(Some customers stress about both, simultaneously.)
Calling each customer the day before their move is a no-brainer, and so is showing up on time. You can do one better though, by showing up five or ten minutes early — but let them know over the phone you’d be happy to wait a few minutes until they are ready for you to get rolling, if they’d like.
If they aren’t quite ready, they’ll appreciate the gesture. If they are ready, they’ll say so. Either way, the show will be off to a positive start.
Protip: While It may seem harmless to tell the customer you are ready whenever they are, this sometimes leaves you sitting in your truck for half an hour while the customer slowly finishes breakfast. Try phrasing it along the lines of, “We’re happy to wait five or ten minutes.” This gives them a bit of breathing room without opening up the door to your schedule being destroyed for the day.
2. After you arrive, go over your game plan with the customer
Once you’ve done your walk-through, let your customer know exactly what’s coming. This is huge!
Make sure to tell them things like:
- Which rooms you’ll be tackling first
- What you’ll be taking apart
- Where you’ll be staging stuff
- If you might have to remove any doors or stairwell light fixtures to keep the risk of damage to a minimum
- What the timeframe goals everyone should be trying to hit are
Also worth mentioning is if one mover is going to be mostly on the truck doing the loading; communicate that to the customer so they don’t start wondering why their move is short a worker who’s just hanging out outside all morning.
Protip: You also need to let them know what you need from them.
This could mean keeping their kids and pets from getting stepped on, making sure hallways and staircases are clear, and generally being available in case any issues arise (not that they should expect any problems). Also, if it applies, let them know you’ll be taking thirty minutes for lunch and ask them if there is a specific timeframe that might be convenient for you to do so; they may need and appreciate the chance to run a quick errand.
The point here is to give them a sense that you know what you are doing beyond just hauling everything out the door.
3. Give them their own space you won’t touch
On moving day, customers can be as busy as their movers.
You might overhear them canceling utilities, cleaning the bathtub, wrapping things up with the landlord, and all while working remotely. Make things a bit easier for them by suggesting ahead of time that, if necessary, they designate a room that the movers know to leave alone.
Alternatively, ask them if they could use some kitchen counter space to keep any paperwork, notebooks, pen and paper, phone chargers and any other miscellaneous things they’d like to keep handy. Anything in that designated space can be recognized as stuff the movers should ignore and not put on the truck.
4. Keep your own stuff out of their house
I know it makes sense to leave your Gatorade in an easy-to-grab place as you haul stuff in or out of the house. When things heat up, you may be tempted to shed that sweatshirt before you finish packing the kitchen. Or if it’s raining, maybe you just want to keep a towel handy, to keep your hands dry.
We work best when we’re safe, but let’s not confuse that with overly comfortable. Leaving drinks, shirts and towels lying around the customer’s home might not make a welcome impression, especially if the whole crew is doing it. Who knows? They may not care. But in either case, they likely won’t say. Try and keep all of your items on the truck.
If the customer offers you and your crew drinks, gratefully accept and then either leave them where the customer put them out for you, or bring them out to the truck.
Protip: Tape, shrink wrap and hand trucks are a different story — sort of. If you need them, keep them handy. But as soon as you’re finished with them, get them out. If there’s equipment all over the place, it’s a subconscious stressor for the customer at minimum.
5. Look every bit the pro you are
Very early in my career, I got a tongue-lashing from the owner of the moving company I was working for.
My crime? Wearing jeans on the job.
He said I looked like some random guy they just picked up off the street who he gave a t-shirt to wear. And quite frankly, he was right.
You may have made a great impression over the phone. You may have looked sharp when you went to their house to give them an estimate. But when the entire crew shows up on move day, how you look matters. And if this is your crew, investing in uniforms is a big step toward becoming a “real” business. Hey, I know you don’t need a tongue-lashing from me, so I won’t bother with the style details; you know what to do.
Protip: I should also mention that how you talk matters too. Err on the side of politeness first — use “Mr.” and “Ms.” or “sir” and “ma’am” first, and only change if they ask you to call them otherwise.
At the end of the day, just do the job safely and correctly
Impressing your customer with these extra touches might help make them feel generous when everything is on or off the truck, but at the end of the day, how well you do your job remains the biggest factor in scoring a nice tip from your customer. (After all, being super polite won’t negate the fact that half their stuff is damaged.)
Keep in mind there will always be customers who will tip you by buying lunch instead of simply giving you cash. There will also be those who won’t offer you a thing. It’s not the greatest feeling; I’ve been there more times than I care to remember. But that’s part of the job, unfortunately.
But for those customers who are inclined to tip you, and just haven’t decided how much, every little thing you can do to impress and instill confidence will help your crew feel well compensated for their 5-star move.
The most common answer you’ll hear or read is $10 per mover for a half day, $20 per mover for a full day. 
While it may be quicker and easier to hand your lead mover some cash and ask them to split it up among the crew, the sad truth is that the occasional unscrupulous leader will pocket the cash and tell the crew “Sorry, they stiffed us.” It’s probably quite rare, but it happens. (Never to me, I could say, but then again, how would I know?)
The answer to this may seem obvious: At the end of the move! But once or twice I had a customer hand everyone on the crew a ten or a twenty before we got started and say “Take care of my stuff guys, okay?”
This is another question with no set answer. I can tell you, though, that pizza is like a tip: not necessary, but never turned down.