Mobility Monday - The Longest Move Ever!
It was the longest night ever.
I remember asking my dispatcher where our move crew was before we locked up for the night. Their truck hadn’t returned to the lot as scheduled. Back in 2000, communication was a lot different… no cell phones, no GPS tracking, no instant updates. After reviewing the paperwork for what appeared to be a simple local move, we both agreed the job probably just ran long. We locked up, left a note for the crew, and headed home.
Never in my wildest dreams did I expect the story that was about to unfold.
I arrived at the office around 6:00 AM the next morning and immediately noticed the truck still wasn’t in the parking lot.
My mind started racing.
What happened?
Did they have an accident?
Did they take the truck home?
Where were they?
I spoke with my dispatcher, and we decided that after getting the 7:00 AM crews dispatched, we would drive to the residence ourselves to see what was going on.
As operations manager, the weight of responsibility hit hard. I started replaying everything in my mind.
Why didn’t I check on them sooner?
Why didn’t I drive out to the house the night before?
Then suddenly, around 6:30 AM, the crew walked through the door.
They looked exhausted, like they had been awake all night and slept in their uniforms.
I immediately asked, “What happened?”
That’s when the most unbelievable moving story I’ve ever heard began.
The crew leader calmly said, “We just finished the job.”
I stared at him in disbelief.
“What do you mean you just finished? The move was scheduled as a three-man crew for eight hours. It’s been almost 24 hours!”
He explained that the move had been estimated over the phone as a standard three-bedroom apartment move. But when the crew arrived, they discovered something completely different.
The customer had actually moved out of a 5,000-square-foot home and used the apartment as temporary storage until their new home was ready. Every room of the apartment was stacked floor-to-ceiling with boxes and furniture.
What was supposed to be a simple apartment move had turned into a massive full-home relocation.
I asked, “When it started getting late, did you tell the customer we’d need to come back tomorrow?”
The crew leader smiled and said, “They asked if we could just finish it.”
Then he added… “The customer bought us meals and even took a shower around 2am while the crew kept moving their belongings into the house.”
The crew worked all night long!
I was stunned.
Then another thought hit me:
How are we going to collect payment?
The estimate was for an eight-hour move. This had turned into a 24-hour marathon — nearly triple the cost. I asked nervously, “Did you explain the additional charges?”
The crew leader simply handed me the paperwork and full payment for the move.
“No problem,” he said. “They understood.”
WOW.
I felt terrible for those guys. They should have had more manpower. The move should have been planned as at least a two-day job with a larger crew.
I immediately sent them home to rest and took them off the schedule for the next day.
But I never forgot that move.
So what’s the lesson?
1. Visual surveys are critical.
You need to know exactly what’s being moved to plan and execute effectively. Today, there’s no reason not to complete a virtual survey or video walkthrough. But technology alone isn’t enough. It still takes an experienced surveyor asking the right questions and spotting potential issues. Make sure you have trusted moving partners and professionals guiding the process.
2. Set expectations early.
We should have empowered the crew to immediately call us when the move looked different than expected. Moving situations change constantly between survey day and move day. Communication throughout the process is everything.
3. Check on your people.
When that truck wasn’t back at the lot, I should have driven to the residence or sent someone to check on the crew. Leadership means caring for your people beyond the schedule and the paperwork. Today, our coordination teams make calls, send texts, and proactively monitor move-day progress to ensure both the customer and the crew have the best possible experience.
Because sometimes… what looks like an eight-hour move can turn into a story you never forget.
Quote of the Day
“How you do anything is how you do everything” -Kelvin Sampson
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