Over the last 18 months, companies across all industries have had to adapt the way in which they work.

The widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had a drastic effect on the manner in which businesses operate, as well as impacting the everyday lives of customers!

These changes have certainly transformed the ways in which removals companies have had to operate.

Various lockdowns coupled with social distancing rules meant removals companies had to adapt and adopt new ways to work.

In the past removals, companies were dependant on performing physical surveys, which involved interacting with customers in their homes.

However, this physical interaction side of the removals industry was greatly impacted during the pandemic.

This is where virtual video surveys have played such a significant role.

Virtual video surveys have emerged as the perfect remote alternative for companies in the industry, as well as in many others!

The software enables removals companies to perform face-to-face surveys with customers from any location with internet access.

This service has become a staple for customers in the last 18 months and is set to hold a key role moving forward.

We reached out to some industry experts who have been using virtual video surveys to get their specialist opinion on the importance of the technology in the removals industry.

The ability to conduct virtual video surveys has become an established feature of house moves across the UK, customers are increasingly expecting companies to provide virtual video surveys, a demand that will surely continue into the future!

In this blog we examine some of the crucial advantages of virtual video surveys, assessing how the surveys support removals companies and their customers.

With the insight of industry experts, we hope to shine some light on the necessity of virtual video surveys.

Adaptability

Virtual video surveys extent a whole host of benefits to both customers and businesses alike with regards to adaptability.

The capability of conducting numerous surveys in one day coupled with the flexibility to schedule calls in advance are massive attractions for both clients and businesses.

The fully personalised experience of Smart Website’s virtual video surveys offers a unique experience.

This guarantees customers will be given a fast, efficient, and highly individual service.

The intuitive process ensures the flexibility to conduct surveys at any time for all parties.

Adrienne from White and Company explains:

“Most customers understand the technology straight away. We are always sure to follow up after scheduling a virtual viewing with an email explaining the process and the time, this further reduces any problems.”

Our dashboard provides businesses with a complete video survey suite, ensuring surveyors can easily schedule appointments and examine previously conducted surveys!

Virtual video surveys provide far improved flexibility for both customers and businesses alike.

Improve Precision

Removals companies who offer virtual video surveys benefit from improved accuracy in their surveys.

Virtual video survey technology enables surveyors to never miss any aspects of a move!

By utilising the system, surveyors have the ability to re watch all surveys they have conducted as many times as they need.

By providing access to a catalogue of finished calls, surveyors can be sure that no aspect of a move is overlooked.

Extending virtual video surveys to customers means that removals companies are able to provide the most precise service available in the industry!

Craig from White and Company explained the significance of this feature:

‘The video playback is excellent… it allows us to review details that may have been missed such as any access issues or bigger items involved in the move.”

By enabling an increased degree of accuracy, customers can rest assured that they will receive the service required to complete their move and subsequently ensuring companies can be more precise than ever.

Money and Time Efficient

One of the key advantages of virtual video surveys is that they save a considerable amount of time.

While there will always be a requirement for physical interactions, most surveys can now be conducted remotely.

By utilizing virtual video software, companies can perform surveys from any locale with internet access, meaning they can support clients worldwide!

Additionally, virtual video surveys help to abolish long waiting periods.

All appointments will be scheduled in advance and begin at a set time.

This guarantees a high level of promptness!

Using virtual video surveys means no more interruptions due to bad traffic or any other problems that may arise.

Video surveys allow for increased levels of savings as surveyors can perform a larger number of appointments in far less time.

Virtual video surveys also ensure a reduction to travel costs as they are conducted completely remotely.

When asked about the key benefits of the technology, Craig from White and Company said:

“The technology is brilliant. It saves all the travelling time and means I no longer have to sit in hours of traffic a day only to organise the jobs when I get home.”

Clearly, there are great time and money-saving benefits that come when utilising virtual video surveys.

A Shift in Expectations and Attitude

The ways in which customers view businesses and their interactions with them are constantly shifting.

In recent years, customer expectations and attitudes have changed at a rapid pace.

New technologies are one of the driving factors behind these changing attitudes.

During the pandemic customers and businesses searched for new ways to successfully interact in an ever-changing landscape.

A multitude of other factors are defining the ways in which customers wish to interact with companies.

Increased working hours, busier social lives, as well as shifts in the kind of customer, are all important aspects that greatly impact these changes.

In a rapidly changing world, customers’ expectations of companies are changing.

Life seems to move increasingly quickly and there are never enough hours in the day!

The wider customer base is becoming more accustomed to new technologies.

With a greater understanding of new tech comes an increase in demand for new, exciting and useful tools that makes life easier.

Changes in the Removals Industry

This is also certainly the case within the removals industry!

Our technology provides clients with an accessible and easy alternative to conventional home surveys.

Using the technology, customers can slot a house survey into their busy schedules.

This makes the process far more convenient for the customer and is more akin to a modern lifestyle.

Providing customers with a seamless, quick, and remote option when moving home is becoming a necessity.

The industry experts we interviewed shared their enthusiasm for the virtual video survey technology, with Adrienne saying:

“The technology will always have a place within White and Company”

Craig from White and Company also stated that:

“I think this is the way forward and I’m confident that this is a great tool that will be embraced beyond the pandemic.”

By offering virtual video surveys, companies can easily adapt to a changing market and offer customers the services they expect.

Customer Problem Solving

Virtual video surveys are a fantastic tool to utilise for customer resolutions.

Removals companies offering Smart Website’s virtual video surveys have full access to all conducted surveys.

Providing access to recordings of all previous virtual video surveys enables removals companies have to have a log of that provides proof of all interactions with customers.

Any queries surrounding what was discussed or agree in the survey can be proven upon review of the recording.

This function not only protects the company but also guarantees that customers are sure to receive the services that they requested.

Introducing virtual video surveys means companies have a great resolution to the common problem of disputes surrounding what items were part of the move.

Improved Coverage

Virtual video surveys are an excellent tool to make certain you never miss out on a potential client.

Offering the service will permit you to conduct more viewings as well as allowing for a much broader range of customers.

Removals companies offering this service can conduct surveys from any location with internet access.

This subsequently expands the area the company is able to cover, thus expanding the pool of prospective customers.

Local moving companies can certainly benefit from this but it also broadens the horizons for individual branches of larger firms.

Another clear improvement comes to companies offering international moves, with the technology making surveys considerably easier.

Adrienne, an experienced surveyor for White and Company, highlighted this specific benefit:

“Beyond covid, there is no way to cover all of our enquiries without virtual video surveys.”

Introducing virtual video surveys will allow your business to reach customers who were historically outside of your grasp.

Environmental Benefits

Virtual video surveys ensure that removals companies are maintaining the top environmentally friendly procedures.

The remote surveys go a long way to limiting the number of miles surveyors have to travel.

Decreased physical surveys mean fewer miles on the road, which subsequently means a far better carbon footprint for your business.

Endorsing and offering environmentally friendly practices has never been more important.

Customers are progressively more mindful of the environmental impact they are having.

Offering customers video surveys provides the perfect tool to reduce their carbon footprint.

Guaranteeing your company adheres to environmentally friendly procedures will also help to cut costs.

A typical removals surveyor covers approximately 100 miles a day.

Now account for a team of 17 surveyors conducting physical surveys across a 12 month period, this amounts to around 408,000 miles!

A removals company of this scope carrying out video surveys could save around £59,000 a year.

The post 7 Important Benefits of Virtual Video Surveys appeared first on Smart Website.

The emergence of Chatbots has seen the rise of a new age in customer service.

Companies have quickly adopted the new technology, not only for the glaring benefits but also to keep up with the competition!

As this technology becomes increasingly common, Chatbots have become quicker, more efficient, and far more helpful.

Correctly implementing a Chatbot has countless benefits which we have discussed in depth here.

However, due to the excitement surrounding the technology, many businesses have made crucial errors in the implementation of their Chatbots.

Chatbot fails are far too common for our liking!

These simple mistakes can undermine your customers experience with the Chatbot, negating all of the benefits the technology has to offer.

For a Chatbot to be truly successful it must provide customers with a seamless service experience.

In this article, we will highlight 6 reasons your chatbot fails to produce conversions.

Initiating Interactions

Chatbot fails are bound to happen.

As customers become more accustomed to interacting with Chatbots they are also increasingly able to spot when a Chatbot is trying to push them in a certain direction.

Much like cold calls, proactive interaction is increasingly becoming an annoyance to customers.

Generic introduction conversations and impersonal introductions are a quick route to customer irritation rather than

This does not mean that initiating interactions is a bad thing!

Good News!

There are ways to prevent this failure in your Chatbot.

Ensure that your chat initiation rules are clearly defined.

This will ensure that interactions are only initiated with individuals who have met these specific criteria.

You can also create various initiation scenarios with different scripts for each.

This will reduce the likelihood of irritating customers.

Too Much Information

One of the most common Chatbot fails is TMI!

Overloading users with text-heavy messages are very overwhelming.

Whilst the intention is to display knowledge and win customers, this approach often has the opposite effect.

There are certain scenarios where a Chatbot should provide customers with text-heavy messages, particularly when providing information that has been requested.

However, too much information truly hinders rather than helps.

So, how can you fix this problem when your Chatbot fails to convert.

Producing replies and messages that stick to a more natural conversation style.

This could mean splitting large text up into smaller sentences.

By reducing the length of replies your Chatbot will provide ample time for customers to reply.

This ensures the whole process feels far more natural.

Cold Communication

Chatbots are ultimately implemented to ensure that users receive quick and easy service.

Many Chatbots are set up with this as the primary function.

However, this somewhat clinical approach to Chatbots fails to please every user.

Customers sometimes need a more personal approach.

Whilst many users understand when they are talking to a Chatbot, it does not negate the feeling of being spoken down to or being met with blunt replies by an impersonal bot.

This approach can leave customers feeling disenfranchised, frustrated, and neglected.

To prevent this failure your Chatbot needs to appeal to your customer’s specific needs.

To achieve this goal, you will need to understand the needs of the user.

The best way to understand the consumer is to ask!

Feedback and user research are the prime way to shape your Chatbot.

Different Chatbots used with different consumers will provide a range of findings.

Ultimately, ensuring your Chatbot appeals to your user is the goal.

Trying to do it All

One of the key reasons a Chatbot fails to convert is trying to do too much!

I have found it is often the case that when you try to do a bit of everything you fail to do any one thing successfully!

The same can be said for Chatbots.

It is far easier for users to interact with a bot that can assist them quickly and easily.

Ensuring the Chatbot performs its primary service function successfully will subsequently improve user satisfaction.

This means focusing your Chatbots key elements.

Chatbots with clear and concise tasks can function as intended.

If your Chatbot fails to convert, ensure it has not become congested with different functions and goals.

Clarity is the key to solving this problem,

Establish core functions and ensure they are achieved.

Sounds simple!

Options Galore

Everybody loves options.

But too many and you may become overwhelmed.

Picture a kid in a sweet shop.

Mars, Snickers, Galaxy… the list goes on and hours have passed before they settle for a Dairy Milk!

A good Chatbot will provide users with concise personal responses to questions.

However, a Chatbot fails to convert when it provides customers with too many options.

An excessive amount of information can not only overwhelm the user but will make the process of answering more confusing and long-winded.

To prevent this problem, ensure the bot provides a clear answer.

Do not bombard the user.

Think of it like a regular conversation, one simple answer to the question is more than enough.

This approach will undoubtedly provide the customer with a better experience.

Not Working

This is the biggest and most frustrating problem for any technology.

It just will not work.

This problem can arise for a frustratingly large number of reasons.

Software, backend, or any other issues may be the culprit.

Regardless of the issue, all the users will experience is a Chatbot that does not work!

The best way to prevent this Chatbot failure is testing.

Before you begin rolling your bot out you have to be sure of its capabilities and functionality.

Vigorous testing is the optimal way to achieve this.

You should first test internally and providing everything runs as expected, expand your tests.

Ultimately, you need to be able to test the Chatbot in a number of settings.

Before launching your Chatbot it is vital to test the bot on the public site.

You can achieve this by limiting access to the bot in a controlled setting.

The aim of the testing process is to highlight and amend any issues.

Do not be concerned if you stumble across any problems!

These are exactly what you are looking for and dealing with them will help to avoid a failure of your Chatbot further down the line.

The post 6 Reasons Why Your Chatbot Fails to Produce Conversions appeared first on Smart Website.

Both live chat and chatbots are innovating the way in which customers interact with businesses.

Some businesses may decide on live chat, some opt for chatbots.

However, both technologies attempt to achieve the same goal of enhancing the customer’s experience.

So, which is the best choice for your business?

Live chat is a commonplace tool that can be found on most websites.

But there is certainly a growing interest in chatbots.

According to Outgrow, 80% of businesses are expected to integrate some form of a chatbot by the end of 2020.

Whilst there is certainly a place for both, we will discuss chatbot benefits, highlighting what separates this emerging technology from live chat.

Different Types of Chatbot

Chatbots are programs that are driven by pre-set rules and or AI.

There are currently two main types of chatbot, rule-based and AI.

Rule-based chatbots follow a succession of specified rules.

These rules allow the chatbot to deliver answers for prearranged questions.

This form of chatbot maps out discussions by predicting what customers are going to ask.

Whilst rule-based chatbots can be programmed to follow simple or complicated rules, they are not able to learn.

This means rule-based chatbots cannot answers questions that they are not programmed to answer.

AI chatbots operate a little differently.

They can mimic real conversations with users, like a live chat.

Speaking to an AI chatbot is like having an interaction with a real person.

AI chatbots use Machine Learning.

This allows them to copy human conversations.

The more you train an AI chatbot, the better they can respond to the user.

Because AI chatbots use Machine Learning, they can understand the context of unscripted questions and can provide a more conversational response.

24/7 Accessibility

As technology continues to become an increasingly regular part of life, businesses must adapt to ensure their customers are fully satisfied.

Regardless of whether you are a small local business or an international company, chatbots can provide a fantastic impact on customers experience.

It is simply not viable for many businesses to depend on 24/7 customer support.

This is where live chat falls short of chatbots!

Chatbots can be programmed to quickly engage with customers around the clock.

Chatbots are easily accessible, meaning they can handle questions with instant responses, boosting customer satisfaction.

The capability to respond to customer queries also means that more challenging or tricky questions can be forwarded to a real person.

This filtering process frees up more time for operators, allowing more time for them to work.

Immediate Responses

We are more connected now than ever before.

Communicating with people around the world at the click of a button or the touch of a screen is certainly making the world a smaller place.

However, this familiarity with instant communication could have a negative impact on your customer’s experience.

Customers do not want to wait for help!

A chatbot can provide instant responses, limiting the scope for customer frustration.

Where live chat may take some time to respond to customers, chatbots provide a smarter, instant alternative.

By ensuring your chatbot can answer the most common questions, you can ensure your business maintains the best customer satisfaction.

Mindbowser found that 95% of consumers think ‘customer service’ will be the major beneficiary of chatbots.

This indicated both a need and willingness to accept the benefits of chatbots.

Initiate Interaction with Chatbots

Historically, companies have followed a reactionary approach to customer contact.

This means that unless they are specifically asked something by a customer, they do not seek out interaction.

This is not a stance that can continue to be afforded.

Initiating conversation with customers givens your brand an edge.

It not only establishes a relationship with customers, but it also increases brand perception.

Distinguishing your company as more caring and aware would traditionally require lots of staff.

Chatbots can fulfil this role!

They can instigate a conversation with every customer at any time.

You can programme their introduction, establishing a friendly, helpful tool that can assist any customer with any issue.

Ensuring a chatbot initiates conversation with customers can go a long way to setting your business apart from the pack.

Bain and Company indicate that a 5% increase in customer service profits businesses between 25% and 95%.

Improved Lead Generation and Nurturing

Chatbots are able to assist customers through the buying route by processing the information they receive from customers.

Using personalised questions, chatbots can quickly guide customers through the buying process.

By following your pre-set questions, chatbots can effectively persuade customers visitors to your site, generating you more leads.

This chatbot benefit ensures that customer flow is in the correct direction, leading to better conversion rates.

Chatbots are also able to nurture leads.

Any successful leads are nurtured subsequently by evaluating the customers buying journey.

The chatbot can achieve this nurturing by supplying customers with personalised adverts, offers and discounts.

Additionally, chatbots can use predetermined KPIs (Key performance indicators) to identify and avoid unwanted leads.

Reduce Customer Service Expenses

There are reportedly over 260 billion customer queries and questions each year.

To manage these requests, businesses spend more than $1.3 trillion!

According to Chatbots Life, introducing chatbots can help to save 30% of these expenses.

The cost of launching a fully operational chatbot is far less than employing new staff members to fulfil the same role.

By utilising chatbots, businesses can save money on salaries, reduce their infrastructural cost, as well as reduce the amount of time taken to train staff.

All these costs add up, making chatbots a particularly useful tool to surmount these rising costs.

The nature of chatbots means they can deal with multiple customers at the same time.

Deploying chatbots alongside regular staff means you are not only able to save on staff costs, but you are less likely to miss a possible lead.

The scalability of chatbots means that businesses can ensure that customers will receive a response, even during busy times.

Chatbot benefits your company by reducing expenses, whilst simultaneously boosting revenue and customer satisfaction.

Scaling Growth

Companies offering live chat services may have less scalability.

By using live chat, your business may be unable to handle increases in demand.

You may be unaware of the growth needed to meet demand.

Even if you know the required growth, scaling up with live chat demands increased costs through training, infrastructure, and wages.

Chatbots offer a perfect solution to this problem.

Live chat agents are only able to respond to a limited number of customers at any one time, chatbots do not have this issue.

They ensure the assistance of thousands of customers at any one time, any time of the day!

This scalability means that your chatbot can grow to meet increasing demand, without massively impacting costs.

It is important to consider the scalability as if you do not have the correct infrastructure your customers may be the ones to suffer.

Chatbot benefits both your business and customers by not missing any requests.

Optimal Customer Engagement

Research conducted by Gallup indicates that a highly engaged customer represents 23% more revenue or businesses.

If your business has little to no customer engagement strategy you are undoubtedly missing out on selling opportunities.

Whilst there are several ways to approach customer engagement, chatbots offer an increasingly interactive experience.

Chatbots supply customers with instant one to one conversation, they are the fastest response tool!

Customers are becoming more accustomed to rapid problem solving, using chatbots ensures your customers have immediate access to help.

Chatbots are the ultimate representative for your business.

By reviewing previous customer interaction, they can provide instant and helpful responses.

More traditional forms of customer service tend to provide lots of information to customers all at once.

This can be quite overwhelming.

Chatbot benefits include the ability to have conversational interactions with customers that provide the appropriate response to their specific request.

You can improve customer engagement by reducing this bombardment of information.

Chatbot Benefits on International Markets

Regardless of if your business is an internationally known name, or a smaller local firm looking to expand, chatbots provide businesses with the capability to operate on a global scale.

Thanks to their ability to respond to customers in numerous languages at any time of the day, chatbots provide a host of new opportunities.

Chatbots will allow your business to increase its operations, accessing global markets without any added concern.

The ability to cater to new opportunities are huge chatbot benefits.

Chatbots Save Time

It is important for businesses to make the most of their time.

Chatbots can ensure that your business is effectively using every second.

As we have already discussed, the ability for chatbots to run 24/7 is a fantastic use of time.

Alongside this, employing a chatbot means that customer queries and request can be successfully filtered, ensuring that simple questions are answered by the bot and more tricky problems or potential sales can be filtered through to a member of your team.

This automates information-based queries so that agents can spend more time on crucial issues that need human support.

Moreover, bots make it straightforward for customers to make a purchase or ask a question, removing the waiting time previously needed to provide staff assistance.

As a result, chatbots can help to diminish both costs as well as the amount of staff needed, saving your business time.

Optimise Services by Observing Consumer Data

Chatbots are the perfect tool for communicating with your customers.

Businesses can gather vast amounts of data and insight from the interactions chatbots have with customers.

Chatbots can be used to review trends in buying, using customers data to review what products or services are successful, those that do not convert well and any problems that customers may be encountering.

After identifying a page that does not convert well, your chatbot can be deployed on the page.

By asking customers basic questions regarding their experience and why they are leaving the page without purchasing, chatbots can help to gather vital information.

This information can also ensure the chatbot is asking the right questions as well as using the correct language.

A better understanding of consumer data allows you to consistently update your chatbot, making sure it directs customers to alternate services.

Data construed by chatbots can help optimise your business.

This chatbot benefit is not necessarily applicable to live chat.

Chatbots tend to be far more proactive, not needing a member of staff to initiate conversation.

Chatbot benefits your business by utilising customer data.

The post Chatbots vs Live Chat: 11 Benefits of Using AI Chat Technology appeared first on Smart Website.

As you are probably aware, the expense of relocating can quickly tally up.

When moving to a new house there are numerous costs to consider.

Many of these coasts come well before you even start thinking about selecting a removals company!

Surveyor fees, solicitor costs and stamp duty can all quickly add up.

It is no surprise that many buyers are looking for ways to save money when moving!

Whilst moving yourself may be a valid option for those with very few items, making sure you understand why to use a professional removals company is an important step for the majority of people moving house.

Removal companies go a long way to protect your belongings, relieving much of the pressure that buyers feel when moving.

We have compiled some of the best reasons you should consider using a removals company.

The aim is to provide you with a greater understanding of all the benefits to be had from employing a professional removals company.

Hopefully, these reasons can help you to establish why to use a professional removals company when moving.

Video Surveys

When deciding why to use a professional removals company to conduct your house move, it is important to consider the range of added benefits they offer.

Removals companies, like White & Company,  are always striving to ensure customers receive the best service possible!

One of the most significant additions to removal companies’ facilities is video surveys.

This emergent technology is taking huge steps to ensure customer satisfaction.

Video surveys allow removals companies to complete virtual house surveys remotely.

During a survey, they can gather all the required info about your move, all completely remotely!

During this turbulent year of lockdowns and social distancing, professional removals companies have modified the way they operate.

Choosing a removals company that conduct video surveys will reduce physical contact with people from outside of your bubble.

Video surveys have become a crucial safety staple in the removals industry!

They are the best tool to ensure house moves are conducted safely and competently.

Professional removals companies are rigorously governed to ensure the best safety for customers.

These rules include using adequate PPE.

This has been an imperative rule to reduce the risks that come with moving!

Whilst video surveys are not a legal requirement, choosing a company that offer video surveys is definitely worthwhile.

Video surveys have played a significant role in allow removals companies to run smoothly during the pandemic.

The technology will certainly continue to impact the removals industry in the future.

To guarantee you receive the best imaginable service, enquire if your chosen removals company are conducting video surveys.

Professional Experience

Removals companies have an abundance of practical knowledge and expertise in the house moving industry.

When you employ a removals company you can be sure that they have experience in moving (almost) every domestic item imaginable!

Moving certain item can be particularly tricky.

This is especially the case for larger items and household furniture which are always a challenge.

It is best to not find this out the hard way when moving by yourself!

Removals companies move these sorts of belongings every day.

Professional company’s years of knowledge and a range of specialist training ensures that staff members should be fully prepared for any challenges that inevitably pop up.

Traversing tricky staircases and transporting difficult items is certainly a top for professionals!

It is clear to see why to use a professional removals company!

They go a long way to relieving the pressures of moving.

When using a removals company you can rest easy knowing that your possessions are in experienced hands.

Protective Packing Equipment

Professional house movers can ensure that all your belongings are well protected for any upcoming transportation.

Your items will be securely packaged before moving.

Safeguarding your belongings mean you will not have to worry about any damage occurring during transport.

This is not always the case when you decide to move on your own!

A professional house movers’ job is to get you from your old property to your new one, making sure that everything is stress-free and runs efficiently.

Spending the extra money on a trustworthy removal company affords you better protection.

Your items will be protected by bespoke packing materials such as double-thickness cartons and special wrap for glassware and china, bubble blankets for larger items of furniture as well as made to measure wooden crates for specialist items.

Help with Planning

One of the hardest facets of relocating is simply knowing where to begin!

So, you have decided to move to a new house.

It may seem like you have an endless list of tasks!

From the intricacies of moving your items to the route you need to take; it can be a really daunting process!

By choosing a professional removals company you can receive ample help with the planning of your move.

Professional removals companies will not only take care of your move, but they can also provide you with excellent knowledge.

This will certainly assist you with the whole moving process.

Removals companies often have decades of practical experience.

This means they have unparalleled insight into everything that goes into moving home.

The guidance they can provide is invaluable!

They can provide tips on everything from packing to vital items you may want to stock up on.

Once you have chosen a removals company, be sure to ask them about anything you are worried about!

Insurance Coverage

Insurance is a very important consideration if you are thinking of moving to a new house.

It is especially important if you are thinking of moving by yourself.

Some comprehensive house insurance policies will go some way to covering your move.

Yet, you are likely not protected against most damages without one.

Most insurance policies are also unlikely to protect your belongings for the time that they are being transported to your new home.

The most effective way to protect items is to move with a removals company.

Using a professional removal company will certainly reduce the likelihood of any damage in the first place.

They will also offer you comprehensive protection in the event of anything going wrong.

In an ideal world, nothing will go wrong!

However, removals companies are very aware that problems can occur.

Most removals companies extend liability insurance as standard.

Furthermore, they will also offer added coverage for any belongings that may require specialist handling or protection.

Reduce Stress

As many of us have learned, moving home can be one of life’s more hectic events!

This is certainly one of the most important reasons why to use a professional removals company when moving.

With so many things on your plate during a move, it can become very overwhelming.

Regardless of if you are a seasoned mover, or if this is your first move, moving home always has certain stressful aspects.

Employing a professional removal company to ‘take the wheel’ will significantly reduce these stresses!

Sure, you may still be rushing around, but you can rest assured that your belongings are in safe hands.

This allows you to concentrate on the many other key aspects of moving house and will go a long way to limiting stress.

Why to Use a Professional Removals Company

Professional removals companies offer customers the very highest service.

Clearly, hiring a professional removals company has many benefits.

A predetermined moving date and inclusive insurance coverage afford you the peace of mind that you deserve.

The companies experienced and professionally trained staff will guide you throughout your move, ensuring that relocating runs as smoothly as possible.

Be sure to enquire about video survey service when choosing your removals company.

This imperative tool will not only help uphold the best possible safety levels but will also indicate that your chosen removals company are taking active steps to improve their customer’s safety and experience.

The post Why Use a Professional Removals Company When Moving? appeared first on Smart Website.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant effect on the way that we all live our lives.

These impacts have substantially changed the ways in which businesses in the removals industry have to operate.

A host of national and regional lockdowns, as well as social distancing measures, have pushed removals companies to adjust to a rapidly diversifying landscape.

Removals companies have historically relied on conducting physical surveys with their customers.

However, all aspects of the removals industry have been significantly impacted throughout the course of the pandemic.

In this time, virtual video surveys have been established as the ideal remote alternative for removals companies.

Virtual video survey software allows businesses to conduct face-to-face appointments from anywhere with an internet connection and have become a staple for customers.

With the second lockdown in full effect and more uncertainty ahead it is vital for companies to quickly adapt!

The emergence of virtual video surveys represents a crossroads for the removals industry.

The capability of conducting virtual video surveys is now an established aspect of house moves across the UK.

Customers are expecting companies to offer virtual video surveys and will continue to expect the service after the pandemic!

In this article we discuss all of the key advantages of virtual video surveys, reviewing how the technology is able to assist removals companies and customers alike.

Health and Safety

Virtual video surveys have meant removals companies can safely interact with customers throughout both national lockdowns.

Whilst home visits from removal companies have been permitted for some time, virtual surveys continue to flourish and are becoming a vital tool for removal companies.

Virtual video surveys help to limit physical interaction with people from outside of your customer’s bubble.

Video surveys are becoming an essential safety tool by reducing interactions with individuals from outside of a home.

Video surveys play an essential role in aiding removals companies with moves during the lockdown and will continue to be important going forward.

Customers are increasingly enquiring about remote surveys to uphold the best safety levels when moving.

Demand for the technology has risen as customers adhere to social distancing measures which remain an essential part of customers everyday lives.

‘Remote surveys have been a lifesaver for our company during the pandemic. Without the technology we wouldn’t be operational at this time.’ said Barnes of Lincoln when asked about the importance of the technology.

Video surveys have proven to be a crucial tool in supporting these health and safety procedures.

Save Time and Money

One of the biggest benefits of virtual video surveys is that they save a substantial amount of time.

While there will always be a demand for physical visits, many surveys can now be performed remotely by video call.

Using our virtual video software, removals companies can conduct surveys from any location with an internet connection, assisting clients worldwide!

Furthermore, virtual video surveys help to abolish wait times.

All appointments will begin at their scheduled times.

This ensures punctuality, with no more delays due to bad traffic or any other issues that may pop up.

Video surveys allow for greater savings as surveyors can conduct a greater number of appointments in less time.

There is nothing that businesses value more than expanding their client base.

By not utilising virtual video surveys removals companies may be missing out on potential customers.

Couple this with the considerably reduced travel costs and it becomes clear that there is a huge opportunity for savings when removals companies implement remote survey services.

Environmentally Friendly

Utilising virtual video surveys ensures that removals companies are upholding the best environmentally friendly practices.

The technology helps to limit the number of miles your surveyors have to travel.

Less physical surveys mean fewer miles on the road, leading to a far better carbon footprint for your company.

Endorsing and offering environmentally friendly practises has never been more important.

Customers are increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of their actions.

Offering virtual video surveys is an excellent option to limit their carbon footprint.

Ensuring your company adheres to environmentally friendly procedures will also help to save you money!

The average removals surveyor will cover around 100 miles a day.

When you account for a team of 17 surveyors conducting physical surveys across a yearlong period they will travel around 408,000 miles.

A removals company of this size implementing virtual video surveys could save around £59,000 a year.

‘The video software has allowed us to conduct surveys all around the country and win business from out of area customers, who we would have found it difficult to service without incurring some fairly heavy costs.’ said Maidmans Moving & Storage.

Clearly, offering virtual video surveys to customers ensures your removals company is more environmentally friendly!

Accuracy

Removals companies who offer virtual video surveys benefit from improved accuracy in their surveys.

Our cutting-edge technology ensures that your surveyors will never miss an aspect of a move.

Surveyors have the capability to review all video surveys as many times as they like.

Having access to a library of completed video surveys ensures that no element of a move is forgotten or missed.

By offering customers remote surveys, removals companies are ensuring the most accurate service available on the market.

This high level of accuracy ensures that customers are guaranteed the services they need whilst also ensuring removals companies are as precise as possible.

Customer resolution

Virtual video surveys are the ultimate customer resolution tool.

Removals companies offering Smart Website’s virtual video surveys have full access to all completed surveys.

Having access to recordings of past virtual video surveys ensures that companies have full proof of all interactions with clients.

Any doubts about what was included in the virtual video surveys can be proven upon review of the recording.

This capability not only safeguards the company but also ensures customers are guaranteed to receive the services that they have requested.

Offering virtual video surveys provides a simpler resolution over disputes regarding what items were supposed to be included in a move.

Quickly resolve customer disputes by introducing remote virtual surveys!

Wider Coverage

Video surveys help to ensure removals companies never miss out on a potential client.

Not only does the technology allow for more viewings to be scheduled in, but it also allows for a far wider scope of customers.

Removals companies can survey moves from any location with internet access, expanding the range of potential clients and removing long journeys to visit clients.

This is a particularly great advantage if you are a local moving company, allowing for a much wider reach when surveying potential clients.

Companies offering international moves will also greatly benefit from these capabilities.

Advances in technology are making the world a smaller place.

‘We are not confined to just our local area. The remote survey technology means conducting surveys abroad has never been easier!’ said BAR members GoodMove.

Utilising virtual video surveys allow removals companies to interact with clients that would have been out of reach in the past.

New Normal

It is not unknown that removals firms have heavily relied on remote surveys during the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.

The emergence of this new technology has allowed companies to assist customers and continue to conduct business in the face of strict social distancing measures.

Whilst physical home surveys are unlikely to disappear completely, the shift to the new online norm has started.

The change towards new remote online trends should not come as surprise.

A 2016 study from The Telegraph found that 98% of buyers looked online to find their new home!

Video surveys are the natural next stage of the moving process.

With customers becoming more accustomed to online services in the whole real estate industry, the requirement for virtual video surveys will undoubtedly increase.

As this technology continues to establish itself as a staple of removals industries, companies should expect the demand to remain high.

White & Company said, ‘Going forward it will be an important tool that we will keep on using to always give customers the option of remote surveys. Since introducing virtual video surveys we have learnt how valuable the service is to our customers.’

Offering remote surveys for customers is becoming the new normal.

This service will become even more valuable in the post-COVID period.

Remote Capability

When choosing a removal company during the pandemic, it has been a deciding factor to determine if they offer remote video surveys.

It is therefore imperative that companies offer this service!

Video survey software allows companies to determine all the information that will be required to conduct a full or part house move and can use the technology to solve problems remotely.

All of this can be achieved from the safety and comfort of the customer’s home.

‘Video survey software has enabled us to provide a cost-effective solution for potential customers not able to have a traditional survey.’ said White & Company.

Virtual video survey services have reduced face to face interaction with individuals from outside of the customer’s household.

This makes it a fantastic safety tool during the pandemic.

With the shift towards upholding wellbeing and safety, remote virtual surveys will continue to help businesses thrive in the post-COVID era.

It is therefore important to adopt these new technologies as customers will want companies to offer video surveys services.

Flexibility of Virtual Video Surveys

Virtual video surveys offer a range of advantages to both customers and businesses when it comes to flexibility.

The ability to conduct multiple surveys in one day, alongside the flexibility to schedule viewings in at convenient times strongly, appeals to consumers and companies alike.

The fully personalised experience of Smart Website’s video surveys ensures that customers always receive a fast, efficient, and personalised service.

An easy set-up process ensures that both customers and surveyors have the flexibility to conduct surveys at any time.

Removals companies have access to a comprehensive video survey suite.

This allows surveyors to quickly book appointments and easily review past surveys.

Virtual video surveys also provide a flexible substitute to physically surveys.

In the post-COVID era, businesses can utilise virtual video surveys to maintain the ‘human’ aspect that can be missing with phone calls or emails.

The flexibility of remote surveys for both customers and companies means surveys have never been easier!

Convenience

Video surveys are an excellent alternative to the conventional surveys that removals companies are accustomed to.

Companies can continue to offer customers a high level of service without an individual from the company physically attending.

Upon finishing the virtual survey there is no long drive to the next appointment.

You can jump straight into surveying the next client!

The remote capacities of our remote surveys ensure that surveyors have far more time to perform surveys.

This makes the process far more convenient.

Changing Customer Lifestyle

There has been a significant change in customer attitude in recent years.

Several contributing factors have led to this shift.

Longer working hours, a busier social calendar, and a change in the type of consumer are all significant contributors to this change in attitude.

In a rapidly changing world, customers’ expectations of companies are changing.

Life seems to move increasingly quickly and there are never enough hours in the day!

As the general population becomes more accustomed to technology, they are increasingly expecting new, convenient technologies to make life easier.

The same rules apply to the removals industry!

The post 11 Reasons Removals Companies MUST Offer Virtual Video Surveys appeared first on Smart Website.

By not conducting any research when choosing a removals company you may find that things start to break down very quickly.

Timely delays, untrained staff and uninsured removal companies could suddenly lead to rising costs, making moving home a traumatic experience.

It is therefore imperative to carefully research your options, picking a removals company that is registered with the British Association of Removers (BAR).

Choosing a BAR member is a great step on the road to a successful house move.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government’s home buyer and sellers’ guide, highlights BAR membership as a sign of excellence in the removals industry.

It suggests ensuring that a removals firm is BAR registered above all else.

Subsequently considering online reviews, additional charges in the small print and insurance cover before selecting your removals company.

In this article we hope to establish why you should choose a BAR removals company for your move, discussing what BAR is and what sets them apart.

What is the BAR?

So, what is the BAR?

The British Association of Removers (BAR) is the UK’s only removal and storage trading organisation that is approved by the Trading Standards Institute (TSI).

BAR has been the distinguished leader in the removals industry for more than 100 years.

It is accountable for assessing members standards, confirming that staff are suitably trained, ensuring procedures are ethical, guaranteeing members facilities are hygienic and ensuring that members services offer value for money to customers.

Membership subjects’ companies to disciplinary processes and sanctions them for not maintaining

“By adhering to their code of conduct, we have to be completely open and honest. This offers consumer protection and peace of mind.” said BAR members, Hilderbrand’s Removals and Storage.

All members of the BAR submit to yearly reviews and assessments.

These ensure that members can sustain the high industry standard set by BAR.

Over 97% of consumers surveyed by Reference Line, recommended using a BAR remover.

BAR members present numerous benefits which removals companies who are not associated with the cannot.

Best Level of Service

BAR members guarantee customers are given a team of professionals who have been approved by a certified body, ensuring they have received the highest level of staff training and uphold the best practices.

BAR removals companies can safely handle and protect a customer’s personal belongings, subsequently reducing the probability of damage or loss.

BAR members staff are highly qualified and can help customers no matter their age, disability, level of English or reading capabilities.

Staff will be able to clearly explain their processes and go above and beyond, offering expert advice for free.

BAR members GoodMove highlight this benefit.

“BAR requirements mean there is always someone on the end of the phone to assist you and answer any questions.”

BAR registered companies like GoodMove endeavour to deliver the greatest level of service, guaranteeing your move is completed as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Professional Packing

BAR registered removers will offer only the highest quality packaging materials.

They will provide professional insight and often offer specialist services to complete your packing for you.

BAR membership ensures companies use a range of modern packing materials.

Belongings are protected by bespoke packing supplies including double-thickness cartons and specialist wrap for glassware and china, bubble blankets designed for bigger items of furniture and made to measure wooden crates for other specialist belongings.

When you use a BAR member you can rest assured that your belongings will be well protected.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for all removal companies.

“Clients who say they cannot afford to be moved by a BAR Member… can you afford not to?” said D. Sully and Son Ltd.

The additional costs of using a BAR registered company not only gives you peace of mind that your items are well protected but could also save you a lot of hassle and money in the long run!

Video Surveys

Choosing to hire a BAR member to carry out your house move comes with a range of added benefits.

One of the most recent additions to many BAR registered companies’ services are video surveys.

Video surveys allow BAR members to execute virtual house surveys.

They can collect all the necessary information about your move, from the safety of your home.

With the outbreak of the coronavirus, BAR members have had to adjust the way they operate.

By choosing a BAR removals company who offer video surveys you can reduce physical contact with people from outside of your bubble.

Video surveys have become an indispensable safety tool and guarantee your move is performed safely and effectively.

BAR companies are strictly governed to provide the best protection to customers.

This includes using the correct PPE to limit the risk of moving.

Whilst video surveys are not a requirement, they go above and beyond in upholding safety measures.

Selecting a BAR member who offers this service is certainly advisable in the current climate.

Specialist Vehicles

BAR regulations guarantee that all members are complying with the latest transport legislation that governs the operation of goods.

All vehicles will be roadworthy and specially designed to conduct removals across both short and long distances.

BAR members are also able to offer customers a range of flexible transport options.

These are catered towards moves that may have accessibility problems and hard to reach locations.

Insurance

All BAR members will offer insurance against loss or damage to household goods and personal effects.

Insurance will be provided as standard, usually subject to a declaration of value by the customers.

Many members also offer additional protection options.

These insurance options are catered towards specialist items that may not necessarily be covered otherwise.

Choosing a BAR removals company gives customers peace of mind that their move is fully covered.

Whilst nobody wishes for any problems to arise, customers can rest easy that their belongings are fully protected when moving with a BAR member.

Protection When Things Go Wrong

Companies who are BAR members recognise that things sometimes go wrong.

This may well be out of their control and is certainly not ideal for anyone involved.

However, BAR certification means members will always be proactive in reducing any disturbances to their customers’ moves.

Choosing a BAR member means you will be offering professional assistance when things go wrong.

Payment protection is an integral part of BAR members’ promise to customers.

When booking a move with a BAR registered remover, customers are assured of a fixed moving date.

Any upfront costs paid are protected by the BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee (APG).

The plan protects customers, guaranteeing that if the removal company cancels, they are contractually obliged to refund your upfront costs.

Another protection afforded to customers is the Independent Complaints handling process.

This procedure is designed for customers who are not completely satisfied with their move.

The Furniture Ombudsman provides recourse for unhappy customers.

Check If A Removals Company Is A BAR Member

The best way to find out if a removals company is BAR registered is to check their website.

A BAR badge will be exhibited within their marketing materials and is regularly found on staff members uniform as well as on vehicles.

Companies like White & Company display the BAR logo across their website, informing customers that they are a registered member.

To quickly check if a removals company is a BAR member, head over to the BAR website and utilise the search function.

Choosing a BAR Removals Company

BAR members offer the greatest quality service to all of their clients.

All vehicles and warehouses are maintained to an extremely high standard.

Professionally trained staff will assist you throughout the whole process, making moving a friendly and easy task.

A fixed moving date, comprehensive insurance coverage and payment protection plan will give you peace of mind that your move will run smoothly.

To quote D. Sully and Son Ltd, “Cannot afford to be moved by a BAR Member? Can you afford not to?”

The post Why Choose A BAR Removals Company When Moving appeared first on Smart Website.

Does your business need chatbot technology?

As an increasing amount of businesses adopt chatbot technology, it is becoming ever more important to keep up with the competition.

Whilst keeping up with current trends is of great importance, it is also good to know why business chatbot technology has become a necessity!

The many benefits for businesses and customers drives the increased demand for the technology.

We attempt to shine some light on these benefits by discussing the 11 reasons why every business needs a chatbot.

Quick Replies

Businesses are increasingly competing for the same customer base.

With higher competition and a more well-connected customer base, response times are more and more important.

Customers expect immediate answers to questions and queries!

Businesses operating with human-based responses simply cannot keep up with advances in technology.

Business chatbot services ensure customers are given quick replies.

Chatbots will give rapid replies, thus reducing the capacity for customers leaving your site.

Business chatbot technology can be easily programmed to immediately answer common customer questions.

This ability to rapidly provide answers makes sure customer satisfaction remains high.

The cost of poor customer service is substantial.

According to RingCentral, bad customer service costs UK businesses £37 Billion every year!

Businesses are sure to profit from this benefit of customer service chatbots.

Improve Usability

Business chatbot technology ensures easy customer experience.

Not only are customers provided with immediate answers to questions, but they are also provided with straightforward user experience.

As chatbots become increasingly popular, customers are becoming more familiar with the technology.

This familiarity ensures customers can easily communicate with the chatbot.

Not that familiarity is needed!

Customer satisfaction is central to chatbots design.

They ensure that customers have no problems interacting with your business.

Whilst technology is often catered towards a younger market, ease of use ensures chatbots cater to all!

Business chatbot services enable premium usability for all customers!

More Efficient

Chatbots can guarantee your business runs efficiently!

Many businesses find that they are employing more and more customer service employees to complete repetitive and routine tasks.

Business chatbot technology diminishes this requirement!

Chatbots can answer the most common queries, ask relevant questions, and much more!

In fact, chatbots have been found to be capable of answering around 80% of all customer questions.

According to IBM, utilising this automated system could save your business up to 30% in customer service costs!

This also frees up more time for your customer service representatives to deal with more pressing issues.

Ensuring your business has optimal efficiency is a major benefit of chatbot technology.

Embody Business Brand

Business chatbot technology provides the perfect platform to represent your business.

Every interaction with your customers reflects upon your business either positively or negatively.

Chatbots are perfect at embodying and conveying the image of your company that you want customers to have.

A range of personalised responses and questions ensure that your brand is exactly as you want it to be.

By deploying a business chatbot you can ensure that customer interaction fully embodies your brand!

Always Available

Technology is truly changing the way that businesses operate.

With these changes, customers’ expectations are also changing.

To guarantee customer satisfaction businesses must keep up with these changes.

One significant adaptation is round the clock customer service.

Accessibility on this scale is simply not possible for many businesses!

Chatbots are designed to instantly connect with customers at any time.

Business chatbot services can always be accessible.

This means they are capable of customer interaction at any time, thus enhancing your customers’ experience.

Deploying chatbots 24/7 not only boosts satisfaction but also improves your potential sales.

Chatbots can convert website visitors to potential customers at any time.

This is simply not possible with real-time customer service representatives.

By utilising business chatbot services you will boost the number of potential customers.

Drift found that 64% of internet users say 24-hour availability was the best feature of chatbots.

Increasing the availability of customer interaction is a huge benefit of chatbots for any business.

Innovative

Whilst chatbots have been around for some time, implementing the technology sets your company apart from the rest.

Deploying business chatbot technology will go a long way to attracting tech-savvy customers.

By introducing innovative technology such as chatbots, your business sets itself apart.

Whilst companies may subsequently adopt chatbot technology, being one step ahead can boost brand loyalty.

Customers may feel that your business is one step ahead and has their interests at heart.

Chatbots are truly innovating the way customers interact with businesses.

This is a huge benefit for both customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.

Scalability

Chatbots offer businesses the best scalability!

Traditional customer interaction channels do not account for the growth of your business.

Employing customer service representatives is not cheap and could limit the possible growth in your business!

Business chatbot technology provides the optimal resolution to diminished scalability.

Chatbots can assist thousands of customers at the same time and are able to be active at any time.

The scalability of chatbots ensures increased demand is easily manageable.

Business chatbot services also diminish the potential costs of your business growth.

Scalability is an important factor to consider in the benefits of chatbots.

The ability to grow with your business makes chatbots a valuable tool, guaranteeing continued customer satisfaction and high conversion rates.

Understand Your Customers

Chatbots are the perfect tool for communicating with your customers.

Businesses can collect substantial sums of information and gather a far greater understanding of their customers from any dealings with chatbots.

Chatbots are always gathering valuable information.

This data can be utilised by assessing customers buying patterns.

Chatbots are extremely proactive in engaging with customers, meaning questions can be asked seamlessly without impacting the customers’ experience.

The information gathered by a chatbot can be used to highlight what products are effective and which ones are not working effectively.

The data gathered by the chatbot means you can make changes when a page is unsuccessful.

This improved understanding of your customers’ experience gives businesses a great insight into the buying experience that may not be easily obtainable through more ‘traditional’ avenues!

Furthermore, if you successfully detect a page or service that is not converting well, the chatbot can be implemented.

The business chatbot can ask visitors to the struggling page various questions relating to their experience.

This data can subsequently be used to improve the consumer experience going forward!

An improved understanding of customer satisfaction means businesses can regularly revise the chatbot.

Providing frequent updates to the chatbot ensures customer satisfaction remains high and guarantees that visitors are provided with the correct information.

This benefit of chatbots can aid businesses, creating a better understanding of the needs of their customers.

No Limits

Linking directly with scalability, business chatbot technology is limitless in its customer interaction capability.

Human operators are only able to deal with a limited number of customers at any one time.

Chatbots are not confined by these limitations.

Chatbots can manage thousands of customers at any one time.

This not only improves the customers’ experience but also ensures that human operators have ample time to deal with more challenging queries.

Furthermore, the chatbot can grow with your business.

Businesses can scale up chatbots, ensuring that increases in demand are always met!

If your business ambitions are international the flexibility of chatbot technology caters to this.

Chatbots can operate in various languages and can be active at any time, ensuring overseas customers always have access to customer service!

Cut Costs

Chatbots can greatly reduce the cost of customer service provisions for businesses.

The automated nature of chatbots means that businesses can reduce the cost of salaries as well as limiting the time taken for training new customer service staff.

Subsequently, the expense of introducing a chatbot into your business is much lower than hiring new staff who provide the same service.

Furthermore, chatbots can free up time for existing staff.

By answering the most common questions, chatbots provide your staff with more time to focus on tricky customer queries!

Chatbots are not here to completely replace staff!

Working in collaboration with your existing staff will go a long way to cutting costs and improving both customer satisfaction and scalability.

Chatbot technology benefits your business costs by reducing expenses and improving customer satisfaction.

Improved Leads & Sales

Chatbots can assist customers through the buying process, turning leads into sales.

By correctly handling any information received from visitors to your site, conversion chatbots can boost sales.

Utilising your businesses pre-established questions, chatbots help to guide visitors to your site through the purchasing process!

This benefits your business by leading customers in the right direction.

Chatbots are therefore able to improve the conversion rate of your business.

Business chatbot technology is also capable of nurturing new leads.

Chatbots can successfully nurture leads by distributing personalised adverts, specific customer offers and catered discounts.

Every business can benefit from the improved leads and sales that chatbot technology offers.

The post 11 Reasons Why Every Business Needs a Chatbot appeared first on Smart Website.

No need to worry, you are not the only one.

An article by the Express reported that one in eight house movers experienced increased stress in the build up to moving day.

The review was based on a study of 2,000 recent house movers overseen by OnePoll.

The study revealed all the major stresses both preceding and after a house move.

These findings included:

• Over half of all homeowners have suffered a ‘fail’ of some kind on moving day.
• One in three have had furniture delivered which would not fit through the door.
• Packing up your old house was voted the worst part of moving.
• Wardrobes were named as the worst items to move from one house to another, followed by sofas, and fragile items such as mirrors.

With so many different facets to moving to a new house and no single way to complete a move, there is certainly scope for things to go wrong.

An already chaotic time has been made increasingly stressful with the outbreak of coronavirus.

The global pandemic means that there are even more considerations than ever before!

But it does not have to be this way, as we will hopefully explain below.

We will not only examine 17 top moving house tips, we will also discuss how you can overcome the most common obstacles.

By following our tips your move should run as smoothly as possible!

Choose Your Removals Company

Selecting a great removals team is an important part of your move!

They will be responsible for overseeing your move and will be handling your value belongings.

Because of their important role it is imperative to choose professionals.

Removal companies have years of on the job experience in packing, transporting, and handling household items.

It is important to research various companies, looking at customer reviews and comparing what each company offers.

Whilst we are amid the coronavirus pandemic, it is important to choose a removals company that can still assist you.

Make sure you contact companies and ask the following:

• Are they fully operational during the pandemic?
• Are they achieving the necessary health and safety practices?
• Do you need to follow any additional safety measures?
• What happens if you or a member of your family have symptoms or feels ill?
• Are they available to conduct new house move immediately or are they booked? (Many removals companies are dealing with a backlog of moves that were postponed due to the coronavirus.)

By asking these simple questions you should be able to choose a removals company that will help your move run smoothly.

This is certainly a top moving house tip.

Damage to Furniture

The Express’ article found that a third of people reported items of furniture arrived broken.

To make sure everything arrives in one piece it is essential to use the correct materials to wrap and pack your belongings.

Fragile items such as china and glassware should be wrapped in specialist paper and packed in double-thickness cartons for extra protection.

You may also wish to use made-to-measure wooden crates for antiques, glass items and other delicate objects.

Furniture legs and edges can be shielded against damage and scratches by using bubble wrap or other comparable materials.

Once you have opted to move, choosing a BAR registered company such as GoodMove, can help safeguard your belongings.

Not only will these companies employ highly trained teams, they will also use premium packing materials to ensure your items are well protected.

Video Surveys

When choosing a removals company, it is important to ascertain if they are offering virtual video surveys.

Video survey software allows removals companies to conduct virtual house surveys, collecting any required information about your move, all from the safety of your house.

Virtual video surveys help to limit physical contact with persons from outside of your bubble.

The lessened interaction with individuals from outside of your household makes video surveys an indispensable safety tool.

Adhering to social distancing measures remains of paramount importance during this unique time.

Video surveys play a huge role in supporting removals companies with moves during the pandemic and will continue to shape the workings of the industry going forward.

Be certain that your removals company are providing virtual video surveys before you move.

Create an Inventory

Another of our top moving house tips has to be creating an inventory.

Make sure you are prepared to move by putting together a comprehensive inventory of all your belongings.

Having a thorough inventory means you can keep track of your belongings.

That way if anything is lost during the packing process you should notice!

Ask your removals company if they can create an inventory for you.

This is particularly relevant if they are organising your packing.

Pack Ahead of Time

It can be very easy to misjudge the scale of packing up your home.

This could mean that you do not have everything packed on your moving day!

Be sure to plan ahead.

This is a key moving house tip.

Tackle one room at a time!

This will help to break down the packing making it seem less daunting.

It is always advisable to start with the least used rooms first.

Garages and lofts can be packed up well in advance of your actual moving day.

If it feels like too much, ask for help.

Many removal companies can provide a packing service, this can certainly take some of the stress out of packing.

Scratches on Walls

Another common pitfall often reported is damaged or scratched walls.

This is a persistent problem for items being moved up and down staircases where pivoting is needed.

Scratching can be averted entirely by using protective materials such as bubble wrap and padding on hard edges.

This prevents furniture brushing against walls and will spare you some added worry.

Ask your removals company to check that they have the correct equipment to carefully move items in tricky spaces.

If there are any awkward spaces in your house, their knowledge will be much needed.

Check That Your Furniture Fits

The report also found that one in three movers have had furniture delivered that was too big to fit through the door.

It is essential to check that your existing furniture and any other items can fit your new home.

Remember, your removals company is there to ensure you move successfully.

However, it is your responsibility to make sure everything fits inside your new home, this also includes providing valid entry points.

Measuring each item carefully and drawing up a plan of where everything will be placed in your new house will be of a great use.

Be sure to ask the owners of your new property if you can gather some measurements to ensure everything will fit.

Tricky Stairs and Tight Corners

Moving your belongings up and down the stairs is no mean feat.

You need only remember the scene from the famous American sitcom, Friends, where Ross struggles to move his sofa up the stairs to screams of ‘Pivot’!

You can make this process far easier by wrapping your furniture in protective material and asking for help from trained specialists.

If you are undertaking the move yourself, we advise that you carry items ‘high and low.’

Tilt the item at an angle and have one person carry the top while the other holds the bottom.

Professional Removals Companies, such as White & Company, should check to see if there are any complicated stairs but if they don’t be sure to inform them, this will avoid any extra problems on the day.

Much like our previous advice, it is important to take care when moving bulky items as these are often difficult to move and can cause problems.

If an item of furniture does not fit, do not force it.

When moving belongings with legs, ask yourself if you take them off?

If you can, it may allow some more room to manoeuvre, making tough corners easier to navigate.

Cleaning

Not everyone is as considerate as you may expect.

Homeowners often do not have time to do a thorough clean of their old house before leaving.

Come equipped with cleaning products so you can get your new home looking and feeling clean before you move in.

Make sure you keep some spare boxes handy so you can gather any items left behind.

You can subsequently either donate or throw away these belongings when you are happily moved in.

Pack Boxes Securely

It is always a frustrating inconvenience when picking up a box only for its contents to spill out everywhere.

Ensure you pack boxes the correct way up and seal them with adhesive tape or another strong material.

Do not overfill your boxes and be sure to label the contents clearly, indicting their intended destination.

Good labelling will guarantee your removals team know how to handle each box and will help to avoid any breakages.

Do Not Borrow Boxes

It is important to stay vigilant during the pandemic.

Coronavirus can survive on surfaces for quite some time.

This includes both cardboard and plastic boxes!

We recommend not to make use of any moving boxes and materials received from your friends, family, or neighbours.

Do not to obtain any used boxes, making use of the containers and boxes already available have will maintain welfare.

Fragile Belongings

Delicate items such as glass and china can easily be damaged when moving around in boxes if not properly cared for.

Glass and china should be wrapped in special protective materials and packed into double thickness cartons.

If you do not have access to these materials, you can used newspaper to stuff inside the boxes in between items.

The House Is Not Ready

It is very easy for living in your new home to get off on the wrong foot.

Frustrations that not everything is ready when you arrive are common.

Call up your chosen gas, electric and broadband suppliers in advance and inform them of the date of your changeover.

By being well prepared you can avoid paying for bills of the previous owners and can assured that you will have access to all the basics when you move.

Ensuring everything is ready for you arrival is an important moving house tip.

What to do if You Feel Unwell

House moves recommenced some time ago however it is still important to realise the impact of the pandemic.

If you or any member of your household is show symptoms of the coronavirus or is feeling unwell you must postpone your move.

Make sure to follow government guidelines around isolating for an extended period.

It is important to contact your removals company as soon as you can.

This will help to ensure your move can be rescheduled to a time that is safer for everyone involved.

Removals firms are very aware of the risks of the pandemic and will be happy to work with you to ensure the optimal safety levels.

We are aware rescheduling may be inconvenient, but safety is of primary importance at this time.

Arriving at Your New Home

Considering the huge changes that we have all experienced during the lockdown period, arriving at your new home may be a little different.

When you arrive, make sure you and any family members are wearing PPE.

Using PPE will go a long way to putting your new neighbour’s minds at peace and shows you are taking care with your move.

Be sure to keep wearing PPE when entering your new property.

Make sure you thoroughly clean ever room!

It is likely that other individuals have been living in the property so wearing PPE until everything is cleaned is the safest course of action.

Whilst this is a new consideration, it is an essential moving house tip.

The First Night

It is common for movers to become so overwhelmed with moving that they forget to be prepared for the first night in their new property!

Be sure to set aside some of the essentials to make your first night as easy as possible!

We suggest putting together a ‘care package’ filled with everything you could need on your first night.

Make sure you take this box with your rather than your removals team.

What you choose to put in your ‘care package’ may differ dependent on your circumstances but will usually include:

• Food – Planning meals for the first week and bringing lots of non-perishables will make your moving week far easier.
• Toiletries – toothbrush, toilet paper, shower gels, shampoo.
• First aid kit.
• Tools – these may come in handy for a spot of DIY.
• Eating utensils and paper plates.
• Baby supplies and pet food (if needed.)

Having easy access to these essentials goes a long way to allowing a smooth transition into your new home.

Update your Address

We recommend that you begin to update your address around two weeks prior to your move.

Ensure that you prioritise your bank, doctor’s surgery and dentist!

By changing your address early, you should be prepared for any unexpected occurrences.

This moving house tip will help to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible.

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Timely delays, untrained staff and uninsured removal companies can quickly lead to spiralling costs and make your moving experience a real nightmare.

That’s why it is key to research your options thoroughly and select a removals company that is registered with the British Association of Removers (BAR).

In fact, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has recently reissued it’s home buyer and sellers’ guidance and explicitly makes reference to the BAR brand as mark of quality in the removals industry.

The guides recommend checking that a firm is BAR registered before even considering online reviews, small print for charges and other important considerations, such as insurance cover.

What is the BAR & What Does It Do?

It is important to note from the outset that there is no legal requirement for a removal or storage business in the UK to be a member of a recognised trade body.

The British Association of Removers (BAR) is the only removal and storage trading organisation certified by Trading Standards and has been the recognised voice of the industry for over 100 years.

It is responsible for reviewing standards and ensuring that staff are suitably trained, practices are ethical, premises and facilities kept clean and that the services provided offer real value for money to home movers.

Members sign up freely to the BAR Code of Practice which subjects them to disciplinary processes and sanctions for failing to uphold the high standards set by BAR.

All members, from small family sized businesses to large multinational movers, undergo annual audits and inspections to meet this industry standard.

Why use a BAR Registered Removals Company?

More than 97% of 15,000 consumers surveyed by the independent review site, Reference Line, recommended using a BAR remover.

BAR registered removal companies offer several benefits which those who are not affiliated to a trade body – or one which is not explicitly linked to the removals industry – cannot:

Quality Service

As mentioned above, with a BAR remover you are guaranteed a provider who has been approved by a certified industry body to meet the highest expectations with regards to staff training and practices.

Members can safely handle and protect a customer’s personal belongings and minimise risk to the possibility of damage or loss.

Staff are trained to help customers no matter their age, disability, level of English, reading capabilities and can clearly and simply explain their processes and offer advice free of charge.

Many of the top BAR registered companies are offering new technology to improve customer experience.

Services such as remote video meetings and smart sales bots go a long way to ensuring customers are provided with the best possible service available.

BAR registered companies like GoodMove will strive to provide the highest level of service to ensure your move runs smoothly.

Packing Methods & Materials

BAR registered removers will offer only the highest quality packaging materials.

They can advise and even carry out the packing themselves using the most up-to-date methods.

Materials will be disposable in line with good environmentally friendly practices.

Purposed-Built Vehicles

All vehicles will comply with the latest transport legislation governing the operation of goods.

Vehicles will be roadworthy and suitable for the removals work presented.

Flexible options will be provided for accessing hard to reach places.

Correct Goods in Transit Insurance Cover

All BAR members will offer insurance against loss or damage to household goods and personal effects.

Insurance will be provided as standard, usually subject to a declaration of value by the customers.

Many will also offer additional protection options for specialist items.

How a BAR removal company can help when things go wrong?

BAR members acknowledge that despite their best efforts sometimes things go wrong some of which is outside of their control.

They attempt to minimise disruption and distress to their clients by offering support and alternatives when things go wrong. Two ways in which they do this are:

Payment protection

When you book with a BAR registered remover you are guaranteed a fixed moving date. The upfront fee you pay is protected by the BAR Advanced Payment Guarantee (APG) scheme so that if the removal company cancels they are contractually obliged to return your fee or arrange for another BAR removal company to turn up.

Independent complaints handling process

If you are not happy with any aspect of the service you are provided with you have recourse through an independent complaints handling service, the Furniture Ombudsman.

How can I check to see whether a removals company is a BAR member?

The best way to identify if a removals company is BAR registered is to check its website.

A BAR badge should be displayed on its marketing materials and often on staff uniform and vehicles.

Businesses like White & Company display the BAR logo on the front of their website to let customers know they are a registered firm.

White & Company have been helping families and individuals move home for over 145 years and have gained a great reputation through their BAR membership.

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