Over the last few years American Express has invested in a marketing campaign called Small Business Saturday which is the Saturday after Black Friday to promote the “buy local” movement. When people think about “shop local” they typically think of small, locally-owned retailers or restaurants, but often overlook locally-owned and operated service companies.

Here are several reasons to feel good about moving with a local service provider:

1. Reputation

In our current marketplace, brand recognition is naturally synonymous with trustworthiness. However, the two are not directly related at all. The fact is small businesses typically cannot compete with the marketing and advertising budgets of national chains. Just because you have heard of a business does not mean they do a quality job or offer premium services. It just means they have more money to spend on billboards, print media, or television ads. With a small, local moving company, reputation is everything so you can expect a greater customer experience whereas to a larger national business you may just be another number passing through their system.

2. Nickel and Dimes

While a nationally recognized moving company might be able to offer a lower hourly rate to appear competitive, some may tack on additional charges like mileage fees and fuel service charges. Other additional fees include: truck maintenance fees, heavy item fees, oversized item fee, long carry charge, or even a stair charge. All of these extra charges turn their competitive hourly rate into an expensive moving rate. Fully investigate what a moving company will be charging you at the end of the job so you understand exactly what you will be paying for.

3. Community Support

If you are not willing to invest in your local economy who is?  According to the Retail Merchants Association $0.45 out of every $1 spent though a local business stays within that local economy in some way. The employees that work for these companies are your neighbors, they are the teachers or fire fighters who have part time jobs, and they are probably the future movers and shakers of your community. If you are willing to drive out of your way to shop at a local bakery, why not shop local and support service-based businesses as well?

Even if you decide to hire a moving company, we recommend doing your due diligence on all your potential choices. Whether the moving company is a national chain or a local mom-and-pop shop, there are still bad eggs out there and you want to make the best decision possible.

If you are moving in the Overland Park area, shop local and hire a locally-owned moving company for your next relocation.