With a self-service truck rental company, you entrust your life's belongings with the company's driver. Find out how to choose the best self-service truck rental company possible.
Entrusting a company with your life-long possessions can be scary. And that's exactly what happens when you choose a self-service truck rental company. Basically, you trust the company's driver to deliver your belongings in one piece (no damage, no theft). To ensure that's what actually happens, it's crucial that you thoroughly check out the truck rental company that you decide to go with. Here's the best way to go about it.
Ask friends and family members
Asking your friends and family members for references is one of the key ways to find quality truck rental companies. Find out who've they've used for their self-service move and if they had any problems or complaints. And ask them if they would use them for their next move, which is perhaps one of the best ways to really find out satisfaction levels.
Call up a number of companies
Don't just choose the first self-service, truck rental company you find in the phone book. Take down at least five or six company names and start calling. Find out rates and ask such questions as, "How long have your drivers been working at the company," "What happens if the belongings are damaged or lost due to the driver's carelessness," and "Who's charged if the driver arrives later than expected (especially for a long-distance move)?"
Ask for references
Once you've narrowed down the list to the three or four top companies, ask them for a couple of references. Then, contact those references and ask questions such as, "Would you use the same truck rental company for your next move," "Did the final bill match your estimate," and "Was anything stolen or damaged?"
Better Business Bureau
Checking references is not always enough. Go one step further and phone the Better Business Bureau and find out if there have been any complaints on any of your top truck rental company candidates. If so, don't necessarily discount them, as the complaint could have been old, not entirely true or even petty. If you are concerned about a complaint but are still considering the company for the move, confront them and find out their side of the story. Perhaps it concerned a driver that is no longer employed with them.
