Just by reading this article, you can sleep well knowing you’ve mostly eliminated your chances of getting ripped off by a moving company.

Anything is possible. But with the actionable knowledge below, you can make all the right moves and ask all the revealing questions, like an insider does, when hiring a residential or commercial moving company. How do we know?

Optimum Moving is one of the best moving companies in NJ because our long-term growth strategy depends on attracting and retaining customers by delivering unmatched, white-glove service.

One way we engage our customers and potential customers is by sharing the secrets to a successful move our experienced local and long-distance movers use every day.

Most people don’t have a process for hiring complete strangers to pack and transport all their personal things—including cherished items of value. That’s why we put together the Residential Moving Checklist.

The in-depth article you’re reading now expands on one part of that checklist by providing

3 surefire tactics to maximize your move:

1. Know who you’re working with.

Using the Internet to find long-distance and local movers in NJ is a fast and easy way to learn about the ins and outs of hiring a moving company and compiling a list of companies to get moving quotes from. Always meet a representative from the moving company before you sign a contract. It’s essential for getting a binding moving quote, and that’s covered in the next section. More importantly, if a company treats you with professionalism and respect, there’s a real good chance your belongings will moved the same way.

Take action and learn everything you can about a moving company by looking them up at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, American Moving & Storage Association, and Better Business Bureau.

2. Pay attention to red flags and bad feelings.

While you’re searching for the best commercial moving company to hire, don’t take the bait of the lowest bidder. You always get what you pay for, and most people who get ripped off by fraudulent movers say they were lured in by low rates. However, that doesn’t mean the most expensive movers will be the best.

When interviewing moving companies, ask a lot of questions and take notes. The best moving companies offer white-glove service at competitive rates, and the ones you should avoid promise unbelievably low rates by cutting corners and misrepresenting services.

Expert tip: get referrals from friends through social media and word of mouth. You can also check online reviews such as Yelp or Angie’s List.

Take action, and walk away if something doesn’t feel right or any of these red flags appear:

• The moving company doesn’t provide a local street address, licenses, and proof of insurance
• The movers operate with rented trucks or moving vehicles without the company name on them
• The moving company requires a moving deposit up front and payment in cash
• When you call the moving company, you are not greeted with the company’s name (i.e., “Movers,” instead of “Optimum Moving, this is Elvis.”)

3. Get a real quote in writing.

The best moving companies in NJ don’t give online moving quotes. These types of quotes may be good when researching local moving companies, but they are non-binding quotes. This is where you can get yourself in a situation where the final bill ends up being much, much more than the moving estimate, and the moving company holds all your belongings until you pay.

Expert tip: be completely open and honest about what you need for your move so you don’t void your estimate by adding additional items or not completely packing on moving day.

Take action, and schedule an appointment to meet with an estimator from the moving company to do an on-site inspection of everything you need to move and insure (yes, ask for a quote including proper insurance) and get a guaranteed moving quote in writing.