Some services limit support for core services
While the fun of home-buying typically comes from discovering and falling in love with your new home, there may not be much fun at all in home-selling unless it is simply the first leg of home-buying. Transaction management solutions have evolved to make the closing process easier, but the biggest hang-up for consumers remains the classically painful process of moving.
Mover automation companies have sprung up to enable brokers to deliver concierge services that contribute to the process of an efficient move. Some firms have even begun to include allowances to defer the cost of moving as a defining component of their services, finding this to be a differentiator that combats commission discounting.
Each moving automation and/or concierge service is uniquely designed.
Regulated vs. deregulated markets should be an area of serious consideration in the selection of a new moving concierge service. Regulated means that consumers may only have one choice for a utility, so the state regulates the service to ensure consumer fairness. While 34 states have regulated the utility services provided to residents, 16 states have been deregulated, offering multiple consumer options for either electricity or gas, which creates a market driven by competition. In competitive marketplaces, moving automation or concierge companies that help connect your customers are paid a fee for doing so. This incentive drives many service providers to focus only on deregulated markets.
If you are in a regulated state, you may find that your moving concierge partner does not provide the full service of connecting electric and gas because there is no revenue source. Ultimately, this undermines the service that your customer receives from your firm when getting support for the challenging move ahead.
This is only one of many service areas that you should evaluate to determine the comprehensiveness of your moving service. No doubt, a dedicated moving service will compete to provide the most effective, comprehensive and service-friendly platform to delight your clients.
Another key area of your moving service platform should be the ability for your brokerage to connect local community providers who are well-known in the area with excellent reputations. There is typically a fee for connecting to a moving service, and those fees may be prohibitive to some smaller companies. Be sure to dig in and ask careful questions about how flexible your moving concierge will be when it comes to supporting local businesses.
Launching a moving service for your homebuyers and sellers may be among the more critical actions that you take in 2020. Choosing the right partner is the first step on a long journey. Be sure to develop a plan to survey your customers on the moving experience and the suppliers they pick. Regularly check up on the list of suppliers being offered to ensure that the relationship is working out well for all involved. And always remember to ask for referrals.
Scott Oakley is CEO of MooveGuru. For more information, please visit www.mooveguru.com.
