Tag: Olympia

Questions To Ask A Moving Company

Posted on by olympiamoving

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Either during your in-home survey or over the phone, taking the time to thoroughly discuss your move with a potential moving company is the key to accurate pricing and a successful move. After all, the company will be coming into your home and handling everything you own, so it’s important to find a company you feel comfortable with, especially since there are unfortunately bad or rogue moving companies providing poor service.

When you’re discussing your move, be sure to ask questions about the company. How the company answers will tell you a lot about the quality of the moving company you are considering.

Olympia Moving & Storage compiled a list of questions to ask a moving company that can help you navigate through the mover selection process. By asking the following questions you can select a mover that will treat you and your home with respect.

Questions About Moving Costs

This is probably where customers have the most concern. Always make sure you get a written moving estimate for the costs of your move. Here are some questions that are good to clarify about the quote:

  • Are supplies such as mattress covers, extra boxes, tape, and moving blankets included in my quote? How much do they cost?
  • Is this a binding or non-binding moving estimate?
  • What insurance is included? How much does it cost for additional insurance?
  • If a deposit is required, is it refundable?
  • What forms of payment are accepted?  (A company that only accepts cash is a red flag!)
  • What are factors that could change the cost of the move? Would changing my move date affect the estiamted cost?

Questions About Moving Pick Up and Deliver Times

  • If the company charges an hourly rate ask, when does the chargeable time begin and end? Is travel time included in my estimate?
  • If the company does not charge by the hour, how long does the company anticipate being there each day?
  • Will my delivery be on a specific day or a delivery spread?
  • What happens if I’m not available to receive my delivery?

Questions to Ask About the Moving Service

About the Moving Company

  • Who will be my point of contact leading up to and during move day?
  • Are your movers trained and background checked? Are they on the company payroll or hired from a third-party or day labor?
  • Is your company licensed and an AMSA ProMover?
  • If needed, could your company provide a Certificate of Insurance?
  • Can you provide me with references from previous clients?
  • What makes you different from other moving companies? Why should I choose your company?

Asking these questions will give you the confidence you need to know you are choosing a great moving company to take care of your relocation!

If you are looking for an exceptional moving company for your upcoming move, contact Olympia Moving & Storage for a free moving estimate at 800-222-4744 or request an estimate online.  We are happy to answer any of your questions about the company and service!

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Confusing Moving Terms Definitions

Posted on by olympiamoving

Moving is hard enough without all of the confusing industry moving terms that can be thrown around.

Here are some common moving terms defined to make your search for the perfect mover a little bit easier.

Click on the links throughout to learn more about each topic.dictionary

COI – A COI, or a certificate of insurance, is used to give proof of insurance to commercial and residential buildings in case damages to the property occur during a move. *Always make sure your moving company is properly insured to protect yourself from personal loss.

Access – Access refers to how the crews will be entering/exiting the property at origin and/or destination. Long walks, narrow stairs, and parking are all things to consider when telling a surveyor about your move in order to give you the most accurate estimate.

Shuttle – A shuttle might be used to transport your goods if the planned truck is unable to make a normal pickup or delivery because of geographical or urban planning (think: low bridges, narrow roads) constraints. The shuttle is the smaller truck used to complete the pickup or delivery. There are separate charges for this service, depending on the size and location of the shipment.

Binding Estimate – If your mover gives you a binding estimate they are guaranteeing the total cost of the move based on the quantity of items and services shown on the estimate. This type of estimate means that you will pay the agreed upon amount regardless of the difference between the estimate and the actual cost of your move.

Non-Binding Estimate – Non-binding estimates charge you based on the actual cost of your move, regardless of the initial estimated cost. This means you could end up paying less or more based on the actual amount of work necessary to complete your move.

Bill of Lading – If you hear the term bill of lading don’t get nervous! The bill of lading is an important part of your move that is actually a service agreement detailing terms and conditions of your move and the receipt for your goods. All moving jobs have a bill of lading attached making it easier to review services agreed upon.

PBO / PBC – here’s an easy one! PBO / PBC just means that the items were packed by owner (you, the customer) or packed by crew. No sweat.

OA/DA – Everyone loves a good abbreviation but they aren’t much fun when you’re stressed! Don’t worry if a salesperson mentions an OA or DA during your conversation. These abbreviations refer to the origin agent (the company at the origin of your move who will service the first half of the move) and destination agent (the company at the destination address responsible for completing the move.) If the company you’re getting estimates from is part of a van-line then the agent on the other end of your move will also be a part of the van-line and you can rest assured that your goods will be handled in the best way possible.

Class 1 Move – A Class 1 move,  also known as crate and freight, have your belongings move from one dock to another in shipments. Crate and freight may be a better option for those with smaller moves and can be handled by preferred agents outside of a company’s regular van-line network due to travel restrictions during peak season.

Hoist – In the case of large or heavy items that need to be handled in or out of homes through windows, you may need to use a hoist. Hoists are auxiliary services offered by movers using specialized equipment, such as a hoisting crane and a moving platform.

Valuation – The amount of cash value assigned to the items in a shipment is called valuation in the moving world. When purchasing valuation, the customer will pay a certain amount of money for their items to be covered at the assessed value in the event of damage. There is a required $0.60 per pound minimum for all moves, but for an additional charge you may purchase other levels of valuation options.

Full Value Protection – Full value protection is a valuation option where the moving company is liable to repair or replace any lost or damage items at their full value minus any deductible amount on the valuation option.

Not seeing the moving term you’re puzzling over? Check out the ultimate moving terms dictionary, which includes definitions for over 458 moving terms, from our friends at Olympic Moving in Washington state:  http://www.olympicmovers.net/moving-terms/

Have more questions about moving terms, or want to book your move? Call us today at 800.222.4744 and we’ll get you started or request an estimate online.

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Olympia Opens New Philadelphia Moving Company Location

Posted on by olympiamoving
Philadelphia PA Moving Company
Olympia Moving & Storage is now open in Philadelphia, PA

Olympia Moving & Storage, a leading moving company in Boston and Washington DC, announced the opening of their newest Philadelphia moving company location.

“We are looking forward to bringing the Olympia Moving experience to families in Greater Philadelphia,” said Michael Gilmartin, President and Founder of the Boston-based moving company. “We chose Philadelphia as our newest location in response to the demand from area relocation and real estate professionals. Philadelphia’s historic homes, new condos, and universities are a perfect fit for Olympia’s 25 years of experience.”

Olympia Moving & Storage uses highly-trained moving experts, technology, and an extensive a-la-carte menu of services to provide families with a move that goes far beyond lifting boxes.

In addition to local, interstate, and international moving and storage, the new Philadelphia moving company offers relocation concierge services, designed to assist families in the luxury market with every aspect of their move. Olympia’s moving consultants recommend services to make the process smoother or accommodate for high-value items or antiques. Olympia’s concierge services include building custom crates for art, professional organizing, maid cleaning, car, and even pet relocation.

Olympia uses a combination of personalized customer service and technology to ease pre-move jitters and ensure a seamless move. Each client is assigned both a dedicated move consultant and coordinator to plan the move, guide families through the process, and be responsive to client needs. Olympia Moving customers can also track and manage their move online via the Olympia Move Portal, where they can sign and download documents, review details, access moving resources, and more.

Most importantly, Olympia Moving & Storage employs the best full-time moving professionals in the industry. Olympia’s movers practice their skills in the fully furnished Olympia Training House before stepping foot in a client home for the first time. The crews’ extensive training includes packing, furniture and home protection, moving, furniture assembly, and customer service.

“Our goal is to redefine the moving industry. We work with families to eliminate the stress and intimidation from the move so they can concentrate on enjoying their new home,” says Michael Gilmartin. “We’re excited to show Philadelphia that there’s a better way to move.”

If you’re in need of a move in Greater Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey, or Northern Delaware, request a free, no obligation moving estimate online or by calling 610-651-6090

A Successful Weekend Working with Special Olympics MA Summer Games

Posted on by olympiamoving

This past weekend Olympia Moving’s crew donated their assistance to over 1800 Special Olympics athletes by moving them into their dorms. Over the past four years, volunteering for Special Olympics Summer Games has become a highlighted and anticipated event by our whole team. 

In addition, it was the first year Olympia Moving sponsored the “Are You Strong Than An Olympia Mover?” high-striker challenge in Olympic Town. With a continuous crowd of people watching one another test their strengths, this game was a big hit among the athletes, coaches and their fans!

In addition, Olympia Moving provided equipment transportation and event breakdown services as part of our role as the Official Logistics Sponsor.

Read our press release about Olympia Moving’s sponsorship of Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games.

To learn more about Olympia’s sponsorship of Special Olympics, visit olympiamoving.com/specialolympics

Olympia Moving Donates Heavy Lifting to Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games

Posted on by olympiamoving
Olympia Moving at last year's Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games Move-In
Olympia Moving at last year’s Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games Move-In

On Friday, the athletes of Special Olympics Massachusetts will be greeted by the professional movers of Olympia Moving & Storage as they arrive at one of their most anticipated events of the year: Summer Games. The Olympia Movers cheer the teams as they pull in before unloading the buses and moving them into their dorms for the weekend, bellhop style.

The move-in to Summer Games is just one part of Olympia Moving & Storage’s role as the official logistics sponsor of the event. This is the Boston moving company’s fourth year donating services to the competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Special Olympics Massachusetts Summer Games takes place June 3 – 5 at the Harvard University Athletic Complex and Boston University. Over 2,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities across Massachusetts will come to Boston to compete in sports including track & field and athletics. The event strives to promote the athletes’ abilities instead of focusing on disabilities and encourages their health.

“Our movers look forward to greeting the athletes at Summer Games each year,” says Michael Gilmartin, President of Olympia Moving & Storage. “During our past four years of sponsorship with Special Olympics Massachusetts, we’ve found that the athletes’ determination and positive attitudes inspire our team.”

“Special Olympics Massachusetts is grateful to the great staff of Olympia who volunteer their time to give our athletes a great weekend every June and for all they do year round to support our program,” says Matt Ruxton, Vice President of Sports at Special Olympics Massachusetts. “Their great staff that is willing and ready to do anything to make our events go as easy and smooth as possible.”

In addition to athlete move-in, Olympia Moving & Storage provides equipment transportation, move-out, and break-down assistance to Summer Games. The donation is part of the company’s year-round sponsorship of Special Olympics Massachusetts. Last year the Boston moving company donated over $50,000 in monetary and logistics donations to the organization

To learn more about Olympia’s sponsorship of Special Olympics, visit olympiamoving.com/specialolympics

Spring Cleaning Tips – Make Your Move Easy

Posted on by olympiamoving

It’s spring, and that means it’s time to do some spring cleaning.

March 20th marked the official first day of spring – though some of us in New England are a little hesitant to say winter is officially over.

Just because we aren’t sure about the weather doesn’t mean we can’t start our Spring cleaning!clean house

At Olympia we think that feeling organized is one of the best feelings, just come by and look at our weekly checklists. What some people underestimate is how helpful pre- and post-move cleaning / organizing can actually be, so we thought it would be a great idea to go over some quick tips to start your spring off fresh.

Pre-Move Cleaning

Before you begin packing you’ll want to evaluate if you can downsize. Moving can be pricey, so why pay to move something you don’t need anymore? You’ll also want to take your new space into account. If your new place is smaller, you may be forced to part with some furniture.

Doing a deep clean before you list will be sure to make your listing photos shine and appeal to more buyers. If that seems like a lot of work you can even bring in the professionals to do the cleaning for you.

Post-Move Cleaning

Unfortunately not everyone is a good neighbor when they move, so there’s a good chance that there will be some unwanted items in your new home.

Give yourself a fresh start!

Rather than push past residents’ memorabilia to the depths of the basement, why not get rid of them so you never have to worry about it again? A lot of cleaning companies offer deals for pre or post move cleaning and you may be able to find a deal by doing a quick search in your area.

What Do I Do With All This Extra Stuff?

There are so many options when it comes to getting rid of unwanted items. Instead of throwing your things in the trash, consider donating your unwanted items to local organizations. There are a number of organizations looking for different types of goods but make sure you check their website for restrictions on what can and cannot be accepted. You can also check out this furniture disposal directory from Wayfair!

Okay, But How Do I Keep My Home This Tidy?

One of my favorite wind-down activities is going through my belongings once a month and making a decision about how necessary they are. You don’t have to be moving to tidy your home and feel more organized – We love this list of 50 items to remove from your home today from our friends at Ditch The Clutter!

If you think you’ll have a harder time staying on top of things you may want to consider professional help from a company like Flying Prince. Flying Prince is a full service, green, cleaning company that aims to provide top of the line service at an affordable rate while looking out for the environment. What better way to start off your spring than with a company that provides cleaning, organizing services, and recycling/compost programs?

Have questions about cleaning for a move or want more information?
Give us a call today at 800.222.4744 and we’ll get you started.

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Olympia Moving and Storage Reviews: Client Satisfaction 2015

Posted on by olympiamoving

Olympia Moving Customer

Olympia Moving & Storage moved almost 5,000 families in 2015, and our clients continually review Olympia Moving via client satisfaction surveys they receive after their move. These reviews help our leadership and staff carefully track our quality quickly respond to outstanding issues. Here’s how Olympia Moving & Storage performed in 2015 as reviewed by our clients.

Olympia Moving and Storage Reviews 2015 Results

Click here to view the full report.

Highlights from the 2015 report

  • 94% of our clients were satisfied with their sales representative
  • 94% of our clients were satisfied with their move coordinator
  • 95% of our clients were satisfied with their crew
  • 97% of our clients said our staff and crew was professional and courteous
  • 94% of our clients would hire us again for their next relocation

The Olympia Moving team is proud of the consistently high scores we receive from our clients. It’s no secret that the moving industry has a reputation for inconsistent or sub-par customer service, but our clients’ satisfaction with Olympia Moving far exceeds not only the moving industry’s standards for customer service, but most service industries’ standards. Moving is a challenging service to provide. Olympia Moving goes into clients’ homes and handles their precious possessions under sometimes emotional, stressful, and overwhelming circumstances where a lot can go wrong. Despite these obstacles, our clients’ satisfaction with their moving services with Olympia Moving is exceptional.

How Olympia Moving Uses the Client Satisfaction Survey

Our clients’ satisfaction is the result of the Olympia Moving team’s hard work and dedication and our leadership’s commitment to constantly challenge mediocrity. The client satisfaction survey is just one part part of Olympia’s Total Quality Management program. Olympia’s managers meet to review the results of the client satisfaction survey and implement action steps to improve our weaknesses. The client satisfaction scores are also analyzed by employee to inform training and personnel decisions. The moment new Olympia Moving and Storage reviews are received from a client, they are immediately disseminated among all staff and crew members involved in the move and their managers, either to boost morale or resolve outstanding issues.

In addition to our clients feedback in these reports, you can also read out recent clients’ comments about their experience on our testimonials page, or view our ratings on review websites such as the Better Business Bureau, Google+, Angie’s List, and Yelp.

If you’re ready to move with a well-reviewed Boston or Washington, DC moving company, click here to request an estimate, or give us a call at 800.222.4744.

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Announcing Olympia’s New Mansfield MA Moving Company Location!

Posted on by olympiamoving

Mansfield MA moving companyOlympia Moving & Storage, a premier Boston moving and storage company, is proud to announce the opening of Olympia’s second Boston area location in Mansfield, MA.

“We are proud of our hard-earned reputation,” says Michael Gilmartin, Founder and President of the company. “The growing demand for Olympia’s services is built on our reputation, and is really what prompted the expansion.”

Olympia Moving & Storage chose Mansfield because it provides better access to the South Shore, and towns such as Franklin and Medway. The Mansfield facility is located at 290 Forbes Boulevard; with easy access to I-95 & I-495.

Olympia Moving's new Mansfield MA storage facility
Olympia Moving’s new Mansfield MA storage facility

The 80,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art warehouse is the company’s largest facility to date. “We exceeded capacity in our Watertown location” says Michael Gilmartin, “Mansfield will feature 2,000 additional storage units along with a comprehensive training facility for our moving teams. This is a big step for us and reflective of past success and our commitment to responsible growth. Over time, I also believe this location will create a lot of jobs.”

The training center in the facility will be for both current and new employees. The Mansfield facility has a seminar room for classroom training and a model home inside the warehouse where crew members can practice their technique in a realistic setting.

Since acquiring the warehouse, the Olympia Team has been working hard to ensure that the Mansfield location is up to standard. This includes a 24-hour security system, climate control, a dedicated warehouse staff, and an immaculately clean space.

Olympia Moving is exciting to bring their premier moving and storage services to the families and businesses in the Mansfield, MA area!

Are you moving in Eastern Massachusetts or Rhode Island and looking for a Mansfield MA moving company? Click here to request a free, no obligation moving estimate or give us a call at 800.222.4744.

Boston Moving Company and Northern Virginia Moving Company Trends 2015

Posted on by olympiamoving

Olympia Moving was proud to move thousands of happy families in 2015! We decided to take a look back at the year’s moves and dig out some interesting moving trends in the numbers.  Here are some infographics and observations on our findings:

Boston on the Move 2015 Trends by Olympia Moving & Storage2015 Boston Moving Trends

We started by taking a look at trends among the families we moved in our Boston moving company branch in Watertown, MA.

  • Boston-area families seem to be seeking warmer climates, as California, Florida, and Texas are among the top states we moved families to last year.
  • Bostonians also look to move to bigger metro areas in states such as California, Virginia, and New York.  The high number of families we move to Virginia might also be influenced by our second location in Alexandria, Virginia.
  • Most Boston-area moves occur in the summer, due to the good weather and the summer school break.  The most popular month to move is July, but due to the influence of universities and rental turnovers, the popularity of August moving days is higher than in other parts of the country.
  • Olympia Moving & Storage moved families all over the world in 2015, and 94% of our clients said they would choose us for their next relocation.

Northern Virginia on the Move 2015 Trends by Olympia Moving & Storage2015 Northern Virginia Moving Trends

We also looked at trends among families we moved in our Washington DC moving company branch in Alexandria, VA.

  • The most Northern Virginia families we moved interstate were relocating to the nearby states of the District of Columbia and Maryland.  A large number of Northern Virginia families shipped up to Boston and moved to Massachusetts.  One reason we moved so many NOVA families to the Bay State may be due to the location of our Boston branch.
  • Many Northern Virginia families also looked to escape the cold by moving to California and Florida.
  • Moving in Northern Virginia starts to pick up in April, peaking in June.

Are you moving in 2016?

If you’re looking to move from Boston or Northern Virginia to these states, or any other states, we’re looking forward to guiding you through every step of the relocation!  Get started by requesting a free, no obligation moving estimate or give us a call at 800.222.4744

Olympia Moving Delivers Toys to the Big Wishes Gift Drive

Posted on by olympiamoving

Congrats to Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage of New England for filling TWO Olympia Moving & Storage trucks full of gifts and toys for The Home for Little Wanderers Big Wishes Gift Drive!

The generous agents & communities around Coldwell Banker offices collected the thousands of gifts including laptops and bikes!  The gifts will go to needy families in the Boston area in The Home’s care, making their holiday seasons a little brighter.

Olympia Moving & Storage donates logistics assistance to the drive every year, picking up the gifts from the Coldwell Banker offices and delivering to the Home for Little Wanderer’s Toy Room in Rosindale.  Coldwell Banker has filled an Olympia Moving truck with gifts every year, so our crew was pleasantly surprised to discover that the gift drive would require two trucks this year!

We got this note of thanks from the Facilities Coordinator at Coldwell Banker:

We want to thank you for your help again with this year’s toy drive! As you probably know, this year we had two full trucks of toys to donate (the most ever!) and it would not have been possible without Olympia’s help! Deb even said that we donated more toys than Walmart and Bernie & Phyl’s. There will be a lot of happy children this Holiday season! Again, thank you for everything you do for CBRB and Happy Holiday’s!

We hope the families that receive these will have a brighter Christmas! More on Olympia Moving & Storage’s community involvement: