The American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) is the national trade association for the professional moving industry. Based in Washington, D.C., AMSA’s mission is to represent the interest of the domestic and international moving and storage industry and to help the customers it serves. Before you hire a moving company to carry out your move, you should always check to see if they are a member of AMSA. This is another simple but important step toward making sure your move is handled with the utmost quality and care.
The American Moving & Storage Association was established in 1936 as a non-profit trade association and it consists of more than 4,000 local and out-of-state movers. It is our recommendation that you only hire a mover that is an AMSA member, in an effort to avoid dealing with disreputable moving companies. There are a couple of different ways you can check to see if your mover is AMSA certified. Most companies who are AMSA members will have a badge posted on their website indicating their membership. The most fool-proof way to check their status however, is to visit the AMSA website and view their list of ProMovers.
ProMovers alleviate some of the worry and the hassle out of moving by helping consumers identify quality professional movers who subscribe to AMSA’s goals and by providing them with information and assistance with everything from finding a mover, to getting an estimate and packing tips, to understanding valuation and insurance.
The ProMover program promotes ethical principles in the moving and storage industry and works with federal and state governments to mitigate unethical moving practices; it clearly separates professional movers from rogue operators masquerading as legitimate movers. Most importantly, this program aids consumers by providing an identifiable measure of quality while, at the same time, enhancing the moving industry by encouraging and recognizing high professional achievement.
AMSA puts all of its members through a secure screening process at either the state or federal level, and they coordinate with the Better Business Bureau as well. AMSA also has its own code of ethics that each member is sworn in under, to ensure they operate in a professional manner. For all of its interstate members, AMSA has a secondary membership program and they are subject to annual background checks. You can rest assured that if the mover you are in contact with is AMSA certified, that they are safe, reliable and will go the extra mile to meet all of your moving and storage needs.
Simply put, AMSA can act as a safety net of sorts for you and your family while you plan your next move. Of course you should still conduct your own research when hiring a mover, but by choosing a mover that is an AMSA member, you eliminate a lot of the big questions about experience, performance and fair business practices. For more information about the American Moving & Storage Association or to look up any of their members, visit moving.org today.
