Manage expectations by explaining household moving to your transferees, especially during the height of the busy moving season.
Aside from selling their home and finding a new one, the household goods moving process
is the most stressful aspect of your employees’ relocation process. There are a lot of details and steps involved in ensuring the move goes smoothly and in a timely manner. While your relocation company will spend time explaining each step, it is always a good idea to be prepared to answer any questions that may come up regarding household goods.
One of the biggest issues people tend to have regarding the household goods move is the concept of a delivery spread. So what exactly is a delivery spread?
The delivery spread is the window of time, determined by the moving company and agreed upon by the transferee, in which the delivery of household goods will occur. The spread is determined by a few different factors. The main two are:
1. The size of your transferee’s load;
And
2. The distance of the move.
Long distance moves will have a wider delivery spread to allow for safe travel and possible weather delays. Similarly, small loads (1 bedroom apartments for example) will also have a wider delivery spread. In most cases, a moving truck carries multiple households at a time. The smaller the load, the more deliveries can fit on the truck.
In some cases, the last home to be loaded is the first to be delivered if all of the deliveries are in the same area (think group move). But, most moving fleets have trucks with doors along the side in addition to the back which allows the mover to deliver based on route.
Additionally, many moves require pick-ups at multiple locations. For example, a family may have a pick-up at their origin home but an extra pick-up at a storage unit. This works the same way at destination. Some items may be dropped off at a new home while others go to a new storage unit. Delivery spreads allow for the multiple pick-ups and deliveries en route to your transferee’s new location, maximizing the time spent by the moving company.
Lastly, and most importantly, drivers for a van line, by law, are not permitted to exceed 11 hours of driving per day for safety reasons. While this can add time to a delivery spread window, it promotes safety for both the driver and all others on the road.
It’s important for transferees to understand why they aren’t given a specific date for their household goods delivery. This helps manage expectations. Multiple moves, distance, and travel restrictions and laws all play a part in developing the spread. A reputable moving company will work hard to ensure they arrive within the agreed upon window. Transferees can help by having their items packed and ready to go on the date of pick-up, parking for the moving truck set and ready, elevators reserved, and home inventory complete and accurate.
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