Last night we hosted our Preferred Partners group at Humboldt.  We formed this group last fall and it consists of a group of top notch professionals who have worked with Humboldt directly or our clients.  The partners are people who can help our customers before, during and after the relocation process and take great pride in their work. This team is committed to and understands the words reducing stress. Some types of industries who have joined in this- cleaner, home appraiser, realtor, mortgage, insurance, security, accountant and the list goes on.  You can check out the complete Preferred Partners Team by clicking here. Our meeting last night included two aspects- a guest speaker and networking amongst our partners.  Our speaker, Jim Ayraud, is the President and CEO of Next Level, Inc. a sales strategy and development firm located in Franklin, Ma.  Next Level is committed to challenging individuals and companies to reach heights never realized through a proven process.  Jim challenged our group to build our business on referrals. In our current economy we need each other more today so that we personally and our companies will continue to be successful.  Jim continued by comparing referrals to a bank account meaning you have to make deposits in order to make withdrawals.  We were also encouraged to surround ourselves with the right people those that are givers and will be there for you at the most difficult times.  We at our Boston moving company couldn’t agree more and we have done this in creating our Partners program to reduce the stress of our customers.

What a great night and we will certainly begin planning our next event.  The challenge to the group is to make a few deposits in that bank account before our next gathering.

Thank you to all our Preferred partners for their dedication and service to Humboldt and our clients.

Relax.  And get moving.

One common question that many people moving ask is: Do I need to tip the crew and, if so, how much?

First and foremost, tipping is optional. I have heard of some small time boston movers tacking on as much as 20%  for a tip to the final charges, but any reputable moving company would frown upon that. But in moving, as with most other services, any tip the crew receives goes above and beyond what is required by the customer.

Secondly, if you decide the service you received was so exceptionable that you would like to give the crew something extra, take into consideration who you are tipping. I say WHO because on a local move the crew loading and delivering will be the same, but on an interstate move that is not likely the case. An interstate move can have a packing crew, loading crew and a delivery crew so if there is a particular crew that you think is doing an outstanding job, either tip them that day or find out if they will be with you the entire move. It may make the most sense to tip the crew leader and let him deal with splitting the money up among his men.

You can also consider buying lunch for the crew. Many customers choose to go this route as an alternative (or in addition) to tipping. Helping the crew to stay hydrated and fed will help them to focus on the job at hand, moving you and your family!

Remember, tipping your Boston mover is not a requirement, but if you feel like your crew has done an outstanding job and you’d like to give them something extra, feel free, they will appreciate it.

So last week we learned that another one of our heroes has succumbed to the pressure of being the best.  It was not enough for him to be a solid baseball player in the big league.  He wanted it all the fame and the money.  In my opinion Alex Rodriquez would have been a very good baseball player without enhancing drugs.  He most likely became a better player due to the drugs he supposedly injected into his body from i believe 2001-2003 (if you believe him).  The numbers tell the story as his average especially in home runs soared to new heights.  In watching his press conference i could not help but wonder how much was true of what he was telling us.  In an initial interview with Peter Gammons, A-Rod commented that he got a headache and he stopped.  I guess his PR people told him that would not fly so he changed his story yesterday.  Additionally, it was a bit much the 37 seconds of staged silence as he tried to cry.  A-Rod take some acting lessons.  Why am i talking about this man?  I was thinking about the stress that has entered into his life and will be with him for a long time to come is my guess.  In my opinion he caused more stress yesterday by including his cousin as the supplier and other comments he made will raise more questions.  The media will have lots of work to do in the weeks to come.  I personally would have like him to tell the complete truth yesterday so we could move on.  In our Boston moving company if we make a mistake we will address it directly in an honest manner.  In short make it right!  A-Rod you had your chance twice so be prepared for your stress level to rise as the information little by little leaks out.  It appears he is heading for many painful years ahead.  My advise to other ballplayers when it is your turn step up and tell it like it is- do not follow Clemens, Bonds and now A-Rod.  America is a very forgiving country!

I would bet that if you set out to ask people all across the country what their major source of stress was right now, 50% or more would answer the economy. With the crumbling housing situation, a volatile stock market, the near failure of major industries (banking and auto), climbing unemployment and with no certain end is site, there is little wonder way people are so concerned. If you would like to see how your state stacks up to the rest of the nation on some of these issues click here.

So the big question is: in these trying times, what can you do? The truth is, on many of the large issues we can do nothing but wait for the government to get moving. However, there are some things you can do/realize to lower your stress level:

#1. Unless you are retiring very soon, don’t over react to the stock market- Most people have a 401K or IRA or the likes that has taken a tremendous hit right now. Remember that the loss you see on your statement is not an actual loss unless you move your money into your bank account. The only time the amount in your retirement plan that matters is when you retire. (And don’t worry, the market is cyclical will bounce back eventually!)

#2. Don’t over extend yourself- Just because you can do something does not mean you should. The reality is that banks loaned money to people that the people could not really pay back, hence the foreclosure problem. As much as companies need to take responsibility for their actions, so do individuals.

#3. If you are doing business with companies, make sure they are financially stable- Humboldt is a great example. We have had storage customers call in and ask about how we are doing because they are worried about their goods. The good news is that this Boston moving company is doing well, even in this downturn economy.

#4. Don’t stress what is out of your control- Listen, as an international mover there are things that are in our control and things that are not. Customs is a great example. We can do all the right things, but if customs decides that they are going to inspect or hold up a shipment there is nothing anyone can do. Think about your life, your career, your health and the economy. You may have general control of these (with exception of the economy) but each one has some aspects which are beyond your control. Realize what these aspects are and work hard to not let them be sources of stress.

The long and the short of it is that no one knows what the future holds and things may infact get worse before they get better. But, no matter what happens staying relaxed and thinking things through logically is always the best solution! Like we alway say here at Humboldt, ”relax and get moving“.

Purchasing a home is a stressful time. With all of the uncertainties that lie ahead, a buyer can become anxious. Then once the deal has become finalized it is time for the real fun to begin of moving. Whether you rent a truck and grab some friends and move or hirer a professional mover this is stressful because you are leaving your familiar territory and venturing off to a new experience. Furthermore, you yourself or strangers are handling your most prized possessions and have the concern about those pieces.
Recently, I have decided I want to join this group that is attempting to realize “the American Dream” of purchasing a home. As a first time home buyer I am anxious and excited to move forwarded with my life? Currently, I am pursuing a short sale home which brings on a whole new level of stress as a buyer. First, I have all the same concerns of a conventional buyer; however, additionally I am concerning myself with the bank. Are they going to accept our offer, how long are they going to take, once they do accept will they want to close immediately? These topics are keeping the process interesting and stressful. As the buyer I would like to eliminate both of those from my life. I would like the process to go quickly and smoothly to get me into my new house. It is important that I keep a level head through the process and look at the big picture. One question that I keep asking myself is, should I wait an extra few months to get the deal done. I keep coming up with the same answer of yes, with the potential purchase of this home I see many positives that will come and mold my future goals, and the one negative stress point is, what if the bank comes back 3 months from now and rejects us, and then we are at square one again.
When it comes time to finally move one should do there research when selecting a mover. As a Boston moving company we have to compete with many others. Humboldt strives to separate ourselves from the others in providing a top notch quality move. Many competitors do not provide the quality of service, along with all of the intangible items that go with it. A simple thing such as proper uniform is high on our importance list but not on others. These small items that we work to perfect along with our quality skills, place Humboldt Storage and Moving above all others.

I think most everyone has had one of those experiences where you have to speak with a customer service representative on the phone and about half way through the conversation you realize that the person you are speaking with is not going to help you. I can’t count how many times I have been on the phone with a Comcast or a Dell and had my stress level go through the roof because of horrible customer service. So when I recently began having problems logging into my online ING Direct saving account, you can imagine that I was prepared for the worst.

When I called into the company I was greeted by Jeff. I told Jeff that for some reason (my forgetfulness) the pin number to access my account online was not working. He quickly punched up my info and started asking me some security questions so that I could prove it really was me. With a few quick key strokes, Jeff solved my problem and notified me that a new pin number would be sent in the mail. At this point, my problem was solved with no real hassle and in a few days I would be back in my account, a normal decent customer service transaction.

But before he let me go, Jeff inquired why I was going into my account in the first place. I told him I was trying to transfer some money into the account. Jeff reminded me that I would not have my pin for a few days so I would not be able to get in to do the transfer, but that he could do it for me if I let him know which account I wanted the money to come from. I told him the account and within a few minutes Jeff had made the transfer for me.

Fixing my problem and processing my transaction is not exactly a touching or moving experience, but it was what I needed at the time. And since I work for a Boston mover that is so conscientious of reducing the stress for customers, I tend to take notice of the little things. There are too many companies out there that just don’t seem to care about customer service as much as they should and I think consumers are sick and tired of it. The truth of the matter is, the swing is happening now. More and more people are refusing to except poor customer service and spending their money with companies that know how to treat a customer. For me, a company that just does the basic little things that make my life easier, just like ING did, will continue to get my business.