General Overview of Moving Industry

• The moving industry in the US consists of 7,000 companies, operating from 13,900 locations. This includes "van lines, van line agents, independent full-service movers, international movers, forwarders, and auto transporters ."
• 122.600 people are employed within the moving industry, with the industry payroll sitting at $3.6 billion.
• The industry consists primarily of smaller companies, with 47.5% of companies employing less than 5 people. Only 8.5% of the companies employ more that 100 employees.
• Total US industry revenue in 2018 was $12.6 billion, with 69.6% attributable to local or long distant transportation, 20.2% from warehousing or storage, and 7.5% for packing or packaging services.
• Key players in the US moving industry include Arcbest Corporation, Sirva, Atlas World Group, Unigroup, International Van Lines, American Van Lines, Allied Van Lines, North American Van Lines, and PODs.
• Independent company, Moving.co´s list of the top five moving companies in the US is as follows: international Van Lines, North American Van Lines, United Van Lines, Bekin Van Lines, and Allied Van Lines.

International Van Lines

• International Van Lines is a moving broker and carrier, working with over 3,000 global partners. The services provided by International Van lines range from crane lifting and piano moving to motorbike haulage and full service packaging. The company was established in 2000, focusing primarily on international moving and logistics. In 2004, the company purchased its first truck, and expanded into the local moving space.
• The company has an estimated annual revenue of $8 million. It has its headquarters in Coral Springs, Florida, and offices in Illinois, Texas, Philadelphia, and California.
• They are able to handle local, interstate, and international moves. International Van Lines also offers trash and debris removal and has a range of long and short-term storage options. Consumer Advocate has named International Van Lines the best moving company in 2017, 2018, and 2019.
• Consumer websites have listed the high deposit of 25%, reports of movers showing up late, and the above average costs as some of the key disadvantages in using International Van Lines.
• International Van Lines has an online and telephone quote process. The website shows a preference towards the telephone quote process, with users encouraged to enter their telephone number to receive a call withing "8 Seconds."
• In November 2019, International Van Lines announced that they had developed a unique business model that meant they were now able to offer franchise opportunities. The franchise opportunity aims to "provide its customers with better service and potential franchisees a low startup cost."
• For international moves, International Van Lines is known as a non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC), providing services to over 180 countries.
• The President of International Van Lines, Josh Morales described the company in a 2019 interview. He said “My business is known for its reputation, quality of service, and customer care. Although that may seem like a small thing, it’s huge in an industry that lacks quality. There are also many scams and thousands of complaints in the moving industry. We’ve set ourselves apart by simply caring about the customer.”
• The website offers a moving cost calculator where consumers can obtain a quote based on where they are moving from and to, and the size of the house. This is described as a "ballpark" quote, which the company cautions should only be used for planning purposes.
• When it comes to a firm quote, the company offers two options: one traditional and one technology-based. The company will send someone to the house to do a visual survey, which will inform the quote. Alternatively customers can undertake a virtual survey, which is done over a mobile phone. International Van Lines emails customers a link, they record what is to be moved on their smartphone, and this data is used to inform the quote.
• International Van Lines does not have an app that enables consumers to book. Consumers are required to contact the company directly in this regard. Customers are assigned an account representative, who is their first point of contact for anything they require or any questions. The company website prompts consumers to contact the company directly via telephone throughout their web page visit. They do not have a chat feature on the website, the contact us button prompts consumers to enter their phone number to receive a call within 8 seconds. Alternatively consumers can email the company.

Summary

• In our initial hour of research, we have provided a broad industry overview, and an analysis of one of the key players in the industry. There is little direct information available on the technology employed. This will require an in depth review of the websites of the respective companies and any independent information available.