Moving Brokers Review

Reviews Of Moving Company Brokers

When it comes to hiring professional help to shift your household or commercial belongings, you have two main options: enlisting the help of a moving company or hiring a moving broker. While some providers are licensed as both a carrier and a broker, it is generally not recommended to work with firms who are only licensed to dealers' hauls. This is one of the best ways to avoid a delivery scam. However, simply telling you this isn’t all that helpful. So, let’s take a look at what exactly moving dealers are, how an agent differs from an actual hauler, their associated pros and cons, what their reviews say about them, and more.

What Is A Hauling Dealer?

A moving agent is essentially a company that serves as the middleman between the actual hauling firm and the customer (you). Moving dealers operate as intermediaries. They are the go-between and the ones who handle the booking of your shift and then hire a third-party shifting company to execute it. Put simply, moving mediators are not delivery firms.

Their only responsibility is to book the shift and once it’s booked, they find a company to do the rest of the work. Moving brokers are not professional haulers, nor are they authorized or licensed to transport household goods. As a result, dealers will not have trucks, delivery equipment, movers, or packing materials.

All responsibility for the actual relocation falls on the delivery firm that is hired by the broker. If a mistake was made by the agent in the estimation process, the moving provider must correct and, if necessary, renegotiate the price. Reputable dealers will work closely with the delivery provider to ensure that all fees and estimates are transparent and consistent.

However, it’s common to find delivery dealers that omit important details in the written agreement or, in worst cases, quote you a low price by intentionally leaving details out of the estimate. This will often lead to unexpected price increases on hauling days. There are also shady moving brokers who connive with rogue delivery companies to take advantage of their clients, beware of such.

Shifting Mediator vs. Delivery Firm

Moving companies, on the other hand, are professional haulers. They have their fleet of delivery trucks or at least (a hauling truck), necessary equipment, and packing supplies, and are appropriately licensed to execute your move. When you hire a delivery provider, they will handle every aspect of your shift. You will also enjoy the benefit of communicating with your haulers directly, rather than having to deal with a middleman. It is also only movers that will come to your house to do a physical survey before providing you with an estimate of the move.

Of course, both brokers and haulers come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. And, when it comes to moving companies, one of the major risks is that they may not be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). This is a huge red flag and one you should look out for before hiring a transit firm. However, rest assured that most reputable delivery companies have the FMCSA's license, especially when they ply long-distance, interstate, and cross-country routes.

Pros Of Hiring A Transit Intermediary

Although some experts recommend avoiding firms that are solely licensed to agent shifts, quality moving dealers do exist and they come with the following benefits:

• Lower pricing. When you hire a moving broker, they will solicit bids on your behalf from various delivery firms to either locate or negotiate the best and most affordable deals.
• Less likely to cancel. If there’s a delay or one of the delivery company’s trucks breaks down, dealers can often tap into their network quickly to find you a replacement hauler on short notice.
• Negotiate for you. If you hate having to negotiate pricing, choosing a quality hauling broker may be the way to go. If something goes awry during the negotiation process, your agent can threaten to stop working with a particular firm which gives them leverage over the hauler.
• Ideal for more remote/ rural locations. For those who live in secluded areas, it can be difficult to find a delivery company that services your region. Fortunately, dealers are notorious for having an extensive network, which makes it easier for them to cover remote shifts and find moving trucks that have routes through less trafficked areas.

You can enjoy a range of benefits when you work with a quality delivery agent. However, many of these advantages can become disadvantages when you work with a dishonest moving broker.

Cons Of Hiring A Dispatching Agent

With that said, let’s take a look at how the aforementioned pros can become cons when you choose the wrong moving broker.

• Estimating too low. It’s not uncommon for a mediator to price your move too low, which forces your delivery firm to blindside you with an increased cost on shifting day.
• Cancellations are common. Since you’re going through a middleman, the hauling company your agent hires has little to no allegiance to you or the low-quality broker you hired. As a result, moving firms will often cancel moves if a better job arises.
• Negotiate on your behalf. If something does go awry, oftentimes the mediator will blame the delivery firms and the delivery company will blame the agent. Ultimately, no one ends up taking full responsibility for problems that come up.
• They don’t handle the job themselves. This fact is often a deal breaker for most people. Moving brokers are not shifters, it’s as simple as that.
• Broker service fee. In addition to the general delivery costs, you’re also required to pay an agent service fee – typically 20-40% of the total cost of the shift. Therefore, if the move itself is going to be costly, your mediator service fee will be high.
• Servicing remote areas. This is factual, though hauling companies will only decide to work with low-quality agents if they have a truck that they need to fill up.

These disadvantages are exactly why you must do everything in your power to avoid bad hauling brokers.

How To Choose A Conveyance Middleman

If, at this point, you’re still considering going with a delivery agent you need to know how to find one that is reliable. Unfortunately, it can be challenging to find honest moving brokers nowadays, and you may be better off hiring a hauling company. It’s incredibly easy to become a moving agent – all you need is a license, an office, and some sales representatives. With that said, here are some tips to help you weed through hauling mediators and find one that is reputable for your next move:

1. Perform a background check. Brokers are regulated by the FMCSA. You can use their online tools to check if the hauling mediator you want to hire is registered with them.
2. Ask the broker for a list of the moving companies they work with. The most trusted moving agents will provide a list of the companies in their network. That way, you can do more research on these firms and find out if they have the services that you need.
3. Make sure they advertise themselves as an agent. An unreliable hauling mediator will lead you to believe that you are working with a hauling provider. So, proceed with caution.
4. Find their physical address. A quality agent will list their physical business location on their website.
5. Check the hauling agent' reviews. Although you may want to take online delivery broker reviews with a grain of salt, they can help determine if the company is legitimate. Pay close attention to the 1-2-star reviews, as these are most often genuine and will give you a peek into what you can expect from the mediator.

Planning an upcoming move, We can help! Call us today at (888) 202-0036 or fill out our convenient online form to find out how you could save up to 20% on your next shift!