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Lemme explain how the household goods (HHG) business works:
The driver and loaders are not employees of the moving company.
The driver (technically an owner-operator) is a business owner; he owns the truck and pays all the expenses (truck payment, insurance, taxes, fuel, tires, maintenance, license plates, permits, scale fees, etc.) and either owns the trailer or rents it from the company.
You pay the company. The company takes their cut and then pays the owner-operator. He then pays the crew (whom he hires) to load and/or unload the trailer.
The restaurant analogy is apples-to-oranges, for two reasons:
1. Menu price reflects a low labor cost because servers are paid less than standard minimum wage; it is expected that servers make most of their money in tips.
2. Whereas the truck driver owns the truck, servers are employees, not business owners.
Actually, not all moving companies are the same. Some are what you would call brokered moving companies where the company hires third-party people to actually do the loading/unloading/shipment. Not all companies are this way. I did my research before I chose my moving company. I suggest (if you moving anytime soon) to do yours.
Oh yeah, I wanted to Add that we always left Cold Drinks and $ for lunches, just didn't tip them at the end, we were Already gone. I'm not sure buying Lunch is a tip?
Actually, not all moving companies are the same. Some are what you would call brokered moving companies where the company hires third-party people to actually do the loading/unloading/shipment. Not all companies are this way. I did my research before I chose my moving company. I suggest (if you moving anytime soon) to do yours.
As a truck driver, I did plenty of research into how the HHG side of this business works when I was considering getting into the moving business.
If you know of any moving company that only uses employees, please let me know who they are. The business model I described is standard in the HHG business.
As for me, I move myself. It's not economically feasible for me to hire a moving company when most of my moves are local and I don't own a large amount of furniture or appliances.
I don't understand when tipping every type of serviceperson imaginable became the norm, but it's irritating, confusing, and expensive. Why should movers get tipped? Because they moved your furniture without destroying it? That's their JOB, after all. Why do I tip my hairdresser? Because she cut my hair nicely instead of shearing it in a stupid style and making me look like a Poodle? That's her job too. And cab drivers? why do cab drivers get tipped? They drove me to my destination, which is performing their JOB. Shouldn't tips only be given when one goes above and beyond the call of duty and not just in the course of performing one's regular duties? I don't understand this.
Because in these professions, you're paying the company, not the person doing the work.
I don't tip the coffee makers at Starbucks, or the person who plugged my take out order into a cash register unless they've done something to "WOW" me, because those people make a full salary and aren't out extra expenses or effort. That is their job, they are supplied all the food, equipment, etc.
Hairdressers - did you know that they pay to rent a chair in most salons? Then in addition to renting space, part of their fees go to the salon owner as well, plus they buy all their own supplies - shampoo, dye, etc. So, the hair dresser is lucky to get half of what you paid for that haircut. A tip is extra money for a job well done and they appreciate it enormously.
Taxis - same.
Movers, same. You pay all the money to the company and they make barely above minimum wage for all that heavy labour.
If they provide good service, I tip movers $20 each and make sure there is water, pop, and Gatorade for them as well. If the move is longer than a half day, I also buy them food. Giving them a few slices of pizza from Little Caesars $5 pizza may not be a grand gesture, but it's polite and decent thing to do if they are working hard for you.
As a truck driver, I did plenty of research into how the HHG side of this business works when I was considering getting into the moving business.
If you know of any moving company that only uses employees, please let me know who they are. The business model I described is standard in the HHG business.
As for me, I move myself. It's not economically feasible for me to hire a moving company when most of my moves are local and I don't own a large amount of furniture or appliances.
Mayflower comes to mind. When I sat down with an in-home estimate this was one of the questions I had for the representative. She said all the loaders and drivers were in-house. Checking out their website confirms this as well. I did not sign with Mayflower, though. I went with another company.
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