Moving Company Software Market Trends

Introduction

Efficiency. Transparency. Customer satisfaction. Employee loyalty. These are all key elements in growing a successful moving company. How does moving company software play a role in helping your moving company succeed? This article will outline the latest moving company software industry trends you need to know to keep your moving company ahead of the curve.

Why moving company software is important

The best moving companies know that using the right moving company software will streamline business operations leading to overall efficiency in all areas of your business. Technological advancements are a good investment; more streamlined operations save time and money – for both you and your customer – and lead to increased satisfaction for your customers and team members. Paying attention to technology trends can bring your moving business some major benefits.

Aside from overall efficiency, the right moving company software can allow your company to reduce costs, collect better leads, better manage customer demand, and process payment easier. Moving company software will also provide you with more visibility and transparency as your customer service process will become automated. This will ultimately lead to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty within the competitive landscape.

The best moving company software will provide tools for inventory management, scheduling, tracking, customer support, and documentation. Automation leads to better organization and coordination and reduces the chances of errors or oversights during the moving process.

The current state of the moving industry

According to Gitnux, the moving services market in the United States is the 18th largest Transportation and Warehousing Industry. In 2021, there were 6,473,000 hand laborer and material mover jobs in the moving industry. Twenty-one percent more people planned to move in 2021 than 2020 with 40% of movers living in large cities moving to a different type of community.

According to a US Census Bureau report, while moving rates were slightly higher in 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic did not significantly impact the overall moving statistics, which have steadily declined. That said, 22% of Americans moved or know someone who moved due to COVID-19-related reasons.

With approximately $86 billion in annual revenue, and the average American moving nearly 12 times over the course of their life, the demand for moving services remains steady. Population growth, urbanization, job relocations, and changing housing preferences are all drivers of this demand.

Moving Company Software Market Trends

As a moving company owner, here are some trends you should definitely check out:

Cloud-Based Software

Most of us use cloud-based software – software used through the Internet – every day without even thinking about it. Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft 365, Slack, and IBM are all examples of cloud-based software that simplify our lives.

This same ease can be found in cloud-based software for moving companies. There are many benefits that cloud-based software provides to moving companies – more accessibility, scalability, security, collaboration capabilities, integration possibilities, and cost-effectiveness. The goal? To improve overall operational efficiency, data protection, and customer experience as well as gain a competitive edge in the moving industry market.

The benefits of cloud-based software

Accessibility and mobility – With cloud-based software your information is available to anyone on your team, at any time. Employees can easily work remotely and team members across departments have access to account updates and changes in real-time, allowing everyone to work from the most current data.

Scalability – Cloud-based software allows your moving company to grow with you and will support you in that growth. Gone are the days of huge upfront software costs and laborious updates of on-premise systems. Management software is now available at your fingertips.

Data security and backup – Most cloud-based software provides security measures that include encryption, user authentication, and regular data backups. This helps to ensure sensitive customer and company information is protected.

Collaboration and communication – Get rid of your Excel spreadsheets! Cloud-based software will allow your team to easily collaborate and communicate wherever they are. They can share information in real time and coordination of tasks and tracking moves now becomes much more streamlined.

Integration and automation – Another major benefit is that cloud-based software can integrate with other apps. Oncue, for example, integrates with all major lead source providers, as well as Yelp and Thumbtack with custom autoresponders to increase your bookings. Integration and automation are game changers when it comes to eliminating repetitive tasks and streamlining your process.

Cost-effectiveness – Traditional, on-premise software usually comes with a hefty price tag, while cloud-based software often follows a subscription-based model. Moving companies can therefore pay for the services they need on a monthly or annual basis. In addition, the cloud service provider is responsible for maintaining the software, updates, and infrastructure management, reducing the IT burden on the moving company.

With Oncue, moving companies can book more jobs, automate their communications, collect payments, and showcase stellar reviews. Our software can support you in driving business growth, simplifying your customer interactions, streamlining your business operations, and building an amazing reputation. The best moving company software can increase your market share.

Oncue provides the following features:

• Easy-to-use scheduler to manage your moving company’s availability.
• Custom lead and booking forms to capture leads or book a move directly from your website.
• Yelp & Thumbtack autoresponders to improve your ranking and help you book more jobs.
• Configurable inventory and electronic BOL to streamline the inventory process.
• Seamless payment and financing options to make getting paid easier for you and less of a hassle for your customer.
• Reporting and dashboards to get a high-level view of all the activity happening in your moving company at any time.

Mobile Apps

These days, almost everyone has a smartphone in their hands. Where would we be without this device letting us perform a Google search and stay in contact with each other at every turn? Small businesses can now compete with the big guys. The rise of mobile technology has impacted the way we do business, and the moving industry is not exempt.

According to Statista, the number of smartphone network subscriptions worldwide reached almost 6.6 billion in 2022 and is forecasted to exceed 7.8 billion by 2028. This means more people are on their phones – so it’s up to moving companies to do their market research and meet their customers there.

Moving companies that use mobile technology are ahead of the curve because their movers, drivers, dispatchers, and team members all have access to updated information while they are long-distance and on the go. Smartphones, tablets, and apps easily allow them to view job details, track inventory, capture signatures, update statuses, and communicate in real-time. This improves efficiency and streamlines processes across departments to ensure everyone has the most up-to-date information and customers can be better informed about their moving process.

Benefits of mobile apps for moving companies and customers

There are several benefits of mobile apps for both moving companies and customers. When it comes to moving companies, the advantages of using global moving company software include:

• Accessing job details in real-time;
• Allowing for more paperless processes and better document management through digital documentation;
• Integrating with GPS and tracking systems to accurately monitor fleet inventory and truck routes;
• Improving communications among team members and leaders;
• Enhancing data accuracy by reducing the risk of errors and
• Improving customer relationship management, as mobile apps help moving companies better manage their customer interactions and provide increased transparency during the entire moving process.

Mobile apps allow for an easier, more streamlined experience on the customer side. Aside from more convenience, transparency, and real-time communication, customers can take more control of their move allowing them to make updates and manage their move details. Paperwork becomes easier as customers can now easily digitally receive quotes, access inventory lists for household goods, and make payments within the app.

Perhaps the best benefit of all for customers is to be able to do all these tasks wherever they are, on their own timeline, and online – minimizing the need for phone calls or in-person meetings.

Popular moving company mobile apps

Some popular moving company mobile apps for moving companies integrate with Stripe for payment processing, Yelp and Thumbtack autoresponders for increasing your conversion rates, and other systems for managing your customer experience. For customers, some of our favorite recommendations to prepare for a move include Facebook Marketplace, TaskRabbit, and Thumbtack.

Artificial Intelligence

According to TechTarget, artificial intelligence (AI) is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. AI is being used in a variety of ways within the moving industry to increase operational efficiency, enhance customer experience, and improve decision-making. AI is particularly handy when it comes to automating repetitive, detail-oriented tasks.

The benefits of using AI for moving companies

Chances are that your moving company is already using AI every day. Do you have chatbots that appear when someone visits your website? That’s AI. Do you offer automated quotes and pricing? That’s powered by AI algorithms. Machine learning techniques allow these algorithms to continuously improve accuracy based on your data, customer feedback, market analysis, and market trends.

Other benefits of using AI in your moving company include more optimized and cost-efficient delivery routes; better forecasting of customer demand for moving services; streamlining inventory management with image recognition; improved fraud detection and data security by flagging suspicious transactions and behaviors; and providing predictive analytics and customer insights so you can make better-informed decisions regarding your services and business.

AI-powered moving company software

There are many AI-powered apps out there to help grow your moving business. These include virtual assistants such as chatbots, inventory management apps, intelligent packing apps that can help customers pack their items more efficiently, route optimization software that can assist in coming up with the best driving route, and pricing and cost estimation tools to help moving owners like yourself come up with the most competitive price.

Internet of Things (IoT)

The Internet of Things, known as IoT, refers to the connection of devices – other than computers and smartphones to the Internet, according to Insider Intelligence. For example, cars, appliances, and other objects can be embedded with sensors, software, and connectivity capabilities that enable them to collect and exchange data. These devices can then communicate with each other and with central systems over the Internet allowing for automation, monitoring, and more control of various processes.

Moving companies can take advantage of this trend by improving asset tracking, creating an enhanced customer experience, and optimizing their operations.

Benefits of IoT for moving companies

The best moving companies know the importance of data and how data can improve their overall business strategy and market size. IoT can be applied in several ways to increase company insight and growth.

GPS trackers or radio-frequency identification [RFID] tags are considered IoT devices and can improve asset tracking and management. These tools are used to monitor moving trucks and inventory items and can help with better resource allocation, route planning, and improved security.

IoT sensors can be placed on vehicles, equipment, and storage facilities to monitor conditions such as temperature, humidity, and shock/vibration. This data helps to ensure fragile and sensitive items that are being moved are properly handled and transported safely.

Yet another benefit of IoT for moving companies is vehicle maintenance. IoT sensors can be placed in moving trucks to monitor fuel consumption, engine performance, tire pressure, and more. This data can help ensure your fleet is ready to get on the road as scheduled and can track any issues that may arise during a trip.

Examples of IoT-powered moving company software

IoT-powered moving company software will vary by market segmentation but can include devices such as GPS trackers and RFID tags; IoT sensors for temperature and humidity monitoring; IoT-powered vehicle telematics systems; IoT-enabled smart home devices, such as smart locks or home automation systems; and IoT cameras or surveillance systems.

Blockchain Technology

Blockchain is a digital database or ledger that is distributed among the nodes of a peer-to-peer network, according to Investopedia. Blockchains can be used to make data in any industry immutable—or the inability to be altered.

Benefits of blockchain technology and examples

While the blockchain impact on the moving industry is still unknown there are benefits already emerging. Since blockchain technology is a decentralized and digital ledger that records transactions across multiple computers, it provides transparent, secure, auditable, and immutable record-keeping without intermediaries.

This means there is enhanced transparency and trust when it comes to documents. Contract agreements, insurance policies, and payments are now recorded in a centralized place, enhancing accountability and trust. In addition, smart contracts can be created, which are self-executing contracts with terms and conditions written into the code of the blockchain. This will help moving companies automate various processes such as booking, invoicing, and payment while minimizing errors.

Another benefit blockchain technology brings to the moving industry is providing secure data storage and sharing. Blockchain is made for storing sensitive data related to customer information and their moves. Moving company owners can rest assured that information on the blockchain is secure, private, and protected against unauthorized access.

Other benefits this technology offers moving companies include supply chain management and tracking as each stage of the moving process can be recorded on the blockchain, leaving a tamper-proof audit trail. Moving companies can also take action to prevent fraud by verifying identities and credentials on the blockchain and ensuring the authenticity of customers, partners, and employees.

Conclusion

To stay competitive in the ever-changing market dynamics of the moving industry, moving software is critical for business development and growth. As customer demand and expectations increase, having business processes in place that streamline your operations and efficiency will be the key to moving forward successfully.

The best moving company software will not only help you streamline your day-to-day tasks and business operations by application but will help you save time and money. With a dashboard allowing you to visualize your moving company’s real-time activities, you’ll be able to see where to make improvements and changes. Your team members will be up to date on all accounts as they change and will be able to communicate more collaboratively. Moving company software will help you manage your resources better, facilitate more organized documentation and communication, and provide overall better service to your customers.

The future is now

As a moving company owner, you can expect to see more changes on the horizon. Cloud-based software, mobile apps, AI, IoT, and blockchain technology are already here. What’s coming? Expect to see more of all these trends, as well as a greater reliance on data analytics for business decisions, sustainability and eco-friendly business practices, and implementing Virtual Reality (VR) into the customer experience.

Stay tuned!

If you’d like to know how Oncue can help your moving company take advantage of these trends, contact us for a free demo.