How To Acquire Large Office Moving Accounts

Large companies are always moving. When companies are not growing and expanding, they are shrinking, consolidating and storing furniture. Big companies are always doing something.

Many times, large companies already have a mover they use, but that’s ok. Just because a large company might already have a mover, doesn’t mean they won’t switch. So why would a large company fire their current mover to hire you?

Here are some possible downfalls that companies might feel about their current mover that might open the door to you stealing their business.

They are:

• Unreliable—they don’t show up for a small move. It’s hard to believe but some movers really do miss a scheduled move. When they do, they offer a fantastic alibi, such as “our truck crashed.”
• Late—they regularly miss their arrival time, causing department heads to miss or delay meetings and appointments while waiting for their mover.
• Unprofessional—their crews are often noisy, loud, rude, impolite, and disrespectful.
• Not accommodating—if the customer asks the movers to do something extra, the supervisor refuses, telling them it’s not on their paperwork or they don’t have time because they need to go to another job. Basically, they’re telling one customer that another customer is more important. Never a good strategy!
• Inefficient—they’re slow; they stand around or sit in the customer’s cafeteria while on the clock.
• Unfamiliar—they get lost in the customer’s facilities because the mover sends different supervisors to the job each time.
• Dishonest—they over-charge the customer for labor and material without providing justification or documentation.
• Irresponsible—they cause unnecessary damage to furniture, computers, copiers, walls, carpet, and elevators because they’re careless.
• Unaccountable—they don’t handle damage claims in a timely manner.

Obviously, not all movers are guilty of poor performance but enough are for you to target their customers.

If you initially try to take the entire account away at the outset, however, odds are you’ll fail. No matter how bad their existing mover is, the hands-on training required to replace him with a new mover can be overwhelming.  Logistic nuances such as where to park the truck(s), how to “sign in,” where to enter the buildings, and what specific equipment is needed all require a huge learning curve.

Despite this, I have discovered a “backdoor” approach to winning all their business.

Step 1: Using A “White Paper”

The first step to attracting a large company to use your services is by creating a “white paper”. A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that addresses issues and how to solve them. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions. I recommend creating a white paper of your own that best fits your company, but if you like you can use mine as a template:

White Paper Template (PDF)

Step 2: Launch Your Attack

Launch your attack by “cold calling” the largest companies in your city, following this script.  (To get the contact information, subscribe to a leads source like ZoomInfo. Once you reach the contact, SMILE and say the following: 

• “Hi, my name is _____________ and I’m with (your company name).  Unlike our competition, we don’t send information out indiscriminately.  The purpose of my call is to get your permission to send you a white paper about office moving.  May I please send it to you?”  They’ll say, “Yes” just to get off the phone.

• Before you hang up, be sure to get the correct spelling, title and the exact address of the prospect and send him the 5 STEPS TO A SUCCESSFUL OFFICE MOVE white paper.

• A week later, make a follow-up call and say, “Last week I sent you a white paper on the 5 STEPS TO A SUCCESSFUL OFFICE MOVE”. Once they confirm that they received it, say, “I just wanted to point out Step No. ___ (1., 2. or 3.—whichever one you do).”  If, for example, you use Comp-U-Wraps, say, “We protect every computer component with a patented computer wrap before we move them.”

• Your goal is to meet with the prospect so that you can pitch him the benefits of using your company.

• To get the appointment, ask, “May I please stop by for 15 minutes and demonstrate our patented computer wrap?”  Then make the appointment.

• Before you meet with the prospect, prepare for the face-to-face meeting. Take a prop(s) such as a sample of Polynite, Mat-A-Door®, Comp-U-Wrap, or a plastic crate with you.

• Rehearse your presentation before you go to ensure that it’s brief and that you’re enthusiastic.

• No matter how well the meeting goes, don’t stay longer than 15 minutes.  Better to leave the prospect yearning for more than for you to outstay your welcome.  

• After you greet the prospect, go right to the chase—don’t waste time talking about the weather or other trivia. Ask, “I’m just curious, how do you presently move your computers?”  Never criticize his present mover because he probably hired him.  Stand up, take control, be excited and say, “We have a patented method for moving your computers that minimizes the risk of damage to your monitors, printers and CPU’s.  Unlike our competition, we wrap every computer component with this reusable anti-static bubble wrap protection”.  (Or, show him your sample Mat-A-Door® and tell him how your Mat-A-Doors® repel a blunt force and don’t fill landfills like cardboard does when protecting elevator entrances and main building doors.  Or, tell him the benefits of using your plastic crates.)

• 10 minutes into your presentation, hit the prospect with your close.  “What I’d like to do is give you a demonstration of our service.  How about if you let us handle your next small move”?  (This is a no-pressure, innocuous way to eventually get all his business.  There’s no overwhelming learning curve because you’re only asking for one small move.)  The prospect will rarely say, yes on the spot.  However, they will think about it.  

• Then, like clockwork, call him once a month, smile and say, “Are you ready for us to handle your next small move?”   Eventually, your competitor will mess up and your prospect will throw you a bone by giving you a small move.  At this time of reckoning, send your best crew and render a superb service using your differentiators—Comp-U-Wraps, Mat-A-Doors®, Polynite, or plastic crates.  Within time, you’ll become his primary mover.

This really works!  We took Southern Bell away from four other movers, winning more than $1 million of business per year using this process.