Running a moving business is a lucrative idea since businesses and families tend to relocate on a daily basis. They move from one side of the state to another and from one part of the city to a different suburb. Either way, this means that the demand is there and all you have to do is start a business that’s capable of providing the supply. This, on the other hand, is not as easy as it sounds. There are a lot of logistical and infrastructural issues that you’ll have to handle beforehand and here are several tips to help you out.
A business plan and a budget
When starting a business of any kind, what you need is a business plan as well as a budget. This business plan consists of the executive summary, statement of your objectives, description of your business model, list of your assets, and list of your keys to success. Other than this, you need to keep in mind that your budget will be determined by your ambitions. Your equipment, initial supplies, initial staff, and plans of growth and expansion are things that you simply have to take into consideration.
A skilled crew
The next thing you need to take into consideration is gathering a skilled crew. Here, you need people to pack and carry, as well as careful drivers. When hiring drivers, make sure to look for an impeccable driving record. Even with this step of precaution, it would be ideal if you could install a GPS device on the vehicle and monitor it via a fleet management software. Risky driving behavior and speeding can pose significant damage to the goods transported which is why they are to be avoided at all costs.
A truck
Another thing that you need to take into consideration is the fact that not a lot of people actually hire professionals to help relocate them. However, even people who prefer to transport their own goods often have to hire a truck. This is why, by offering this service as well, you’ll be able to maximize your profits as well as diversify your offer. This will make your business model a lot more resilient. First, however, you need to look for trucks for sale and consider how many of them you can afford. Also, keep in mind that what you’re looking for is a balance between quality and price.
The rest of the equipment
Once you have the staff and the truck, you need to consider the type of relocations that you’re about to perform. Are you going to specialize in residential moving or will you deal with other businesses as well? If the latter is the case, you may need to acquire additional equipment like forklifts and trolleys. In fact, trolleys are recommended for any type of business. As you can see, depending on your ambitions, the array of services that you’ll provide will differ.
Suppliers
Keep in mind that, in a lot of cases, it will be your job to provide packing supplies. Sure, duct tape, bubble wrap, wrapping paper, cardboard boxes, and other supplies are relatively cheap. However, this might not be the case when they’re bought in the quantity necessary to run a moving business. This is why it’s so important that you find trusted suppliers. Other than this, you will also have to invest in proper storage because this will allow you to get a larger bulk of these supplies. While you’re at it, garage facilities also need to be taken care of.
Marketing
The last thing you need to worry about is the issue of marketing. Namely, word-of-mouth recommendations are incredibly important but they might not be enough to provide you with all the work you need. Therefore, you need some online presence. Start by building a website and registering on all the major social networks out there. Most importantly, you need to become available on a business registry like Google My Business. Google reviews and Google Rich Answers are also quite important, which is why you should put some effort into making it there.
In the end, these are just some of the requirements that you’ll have to fulfill in order to start a moving business. Later on, the issue of which jobs to accept and which to refuse, how to manage your staff, and more, are up to you to decide. Nonetheless, with a healthy foundation, your business will become a lot more promising and resilient. This is the advantage that you can get from following the above-listed six tips.