Ed Mattern: Hi! I am Ed Mattern with Interstate Worldwide Relocation. Today we are talking to you about how to plan for your move.

Now we are going to talk about how to select a moving company. First, talk to family and friends. Their experience is the best marketing tool that there is.

You can also log on to the American Moving & Storage Association website, also known as AMSA. The website address is www.

moving.

org. On the website, you will see the members of the American Moving & Storage Association. These members are professional relocation and moving companies. Their focus is customer service and satisfaction and they adhere to specific standards set by the American Moving & Storage Association.

Next, you want to contact local moving companies, approximately four to six of them. The information you are looking for is that the company is insured, bonded, and what professional licenses or certifications they may have.

Some of these licenses and certifications could include Six Sigma, an ISO 9001. You also want to make sure that these companies have formal training programs and that they have a quality control department.

You also want to make sure that the company has a security system. Ask about employee turnover. And if you are going to self store, remember that a professional moving company is going to remove their furniture pads from your items before placing it into the self storage, so you will need to provide protection for your own household goods.

You also want to conduct a phone interview of two to four companies. While conducting this interview, you want to ask them about the programs that they may have to ensure good customer service.

You also want to perform a physical inspection of these facilities, looking at their general appearance of the equipment and the facility itself, remembering that they only get one chance to make a first impression.

You want to obtain two to three estimates from the companies that you interviewed. You want to ask them about packing and unpacking services, the disassembling and reassembling of items, such as hot tubs and swing sets, as well as valuation. Valuation is not insurance. Valuation is a release reliability of your shipment to the moving company if something is damaged. It is important that you have a clear understanding of valuation, what it covers, what it is, and what it is not.

Next, you want to select a mover and sign the appropriate documentation to include valuation. At this point, it's good to begin making written notes of questions you may have for the estimator, regarding the relocation process, the disassembling and reassembling of items, pricing; whether it is fixed, not fixed, or not to exceed price.

Up next, we are going to tell you what you need to know about your move two to four weeks out.