We are delighted to share that Ridgewood Moving Services has been named Bekins‘ ‘Agent of the Month’ for May 2024! This prestigious award is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing top-notch moving services and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Commitment to Excellence
At Ridgewood Moving Services, our mission has always been to offer our clients a seamless and stress-free moving experience. This recognition from Bekins, a leader in the moving industry, underscores the hard work, dedication, and professionalism of our entire team.
Raising the Bar in the Moving Industry
Being honored with the ‘Agent of the Month’ award is not just a recognition of our efforts but also a motivation to continue raising the bar in the moving industry. We understand that moving can be one of the most stressful experiences, and our goal is to make it as smooth and efficient as possible. This award highlights our success in achieving that goal and encourages us to strive for excellence.
Ridgewood Moving Services
Gratitude to Our Clients and Team
We owe this achievement to our amazing clients, who trust us with their moves, and to our dedicated team, who work tirelessly to ensure every move is handled with care and precision. Our team’s commitment to delivering exceptional service and their ability to adapt and cater to each client’s unique needs are what set us apart.
Celebrating a Milestone
Receiving the ‘Agent of the Month’ award for May 2024 is a milestone that we celebrate with immense pride and gratitude. It reflects our dedication to maintaining high standards and continually improving our services. We look forward to continuing our journey of providing outstanding moving services and achieving many more milestones in the future.
Thank you to all our clients and incredible team for making this possible. Here’s to many more successful moves!
For more details on our services and to book your next move, visit Ridgewood Moving Services.
We are writing this blog post today to address a recent issue that has come to our attention – one that affects our loyal customers and undermines the hard-earned reputation of our company, Ridgewood Moving Services, also known as Ridgewood Movers.
In our many years of operation, we have always strived to provide the highest level of service to our customers, earning us the reputation as one of the leading moving companies in the area. Unfortunately, we have recently learned that this reputation may be leading to some confusion due to the actions of other companies.
Brand Confusion & Deceptive Advertising
We’ve found that some moving companies have been using our name, “Ridgewood Movers,” in their online advertising. This practice has caused some customers to mistakenly contact these companies, thinking they are reaching out to us. One such example involved a loyal customer of ours who inadvertently scheduled an estimate with another company, under the impression he was dealing with Ridgewood Movers.
Our Commitment to Clarity
We would like to clarify that Ridgewood Moving Services is the only genuine “Ridgewood Movers.” We are a certified woman-owned business, proud of our dedication to professionalism, customer service, and integrity. We are not affiliated with any other moving services that might appear in your search results when looking for “Ridgewood Movers.”
Protecting Our Customers
We are committed to protecting our customers from any deceptive practices that could lead to confusion or misrepresentation of our brand. To help avoid any confusion in the future, we are taking the following steps:
- Clear Branding: We are working on increasing our online visibility with clear and consistent branding. Look for our official logo and the full name “Ridgewood Moving Services, Co.” in all our official communications and advertisements.
- Use of Keywords: We are optimizing our website and online presence using the term “Ridgewood Movers” to ensure that when you search for us, you find us – the real Ridgewood Movers.
- Buyer’s Beware Campaign: We are launching a “Buyer’s Beware” campaign to educate our customers about this issue. We want you to be aware of the potential for brand confusion and ensure you are hiring the moving company you intended.
Your Role as Customers
As our valued customers, you play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of our brand. If you have any doubts about the identity of a moving company claiming to be “Ridgewood Movers,” please contact us directly. We are here to answer any questions and ensure your moving experience is as seamless and trustworthy as possible.
Thank you for your continued trust in Ridgewood Moving Services, your genuine Ridgewood Movers. We appreciate your support and loyalty, and we promise to keep delivering the high-quality service you’ve come to expect from us.
Cynthia A. Myer,
President, WBENC, a certified woman-owned business
Ridgewood Moving Services, Co.
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Research Movers Before Hiring Them. These Are Some Red Flags:
Research Movers Before Hiring Them. These Are Some Red Flags:- They give an estimate by phone or email, when an in-person estimate or virtual is required.
- They require or demand a large deposit.
- They do not have a physical address or license on the website, which is required.
- They use a generic name when answering the phone, such as “Movers”.
- They are not listed with the BBB.
- They did not provide the legally required brochure, Important Notice to Consumers.
- Many bad reviews on Angie’s List, Yelp, Google, etc.; a few can be overlooked.
- If they arrive in an unmarked truck, that could be a red flag; verify the mover.
- If you’re quoted a very low price that seems too good to be true, it probably is false.
- There is no DOT or license number on their website, or it doesn’t match the Federal and/or State websites.
Read More:
NJWMA 51st Annual Convention – VIRTUAL! November 11-12, 2020 | 11am to 1pm | Register Today: https://njmovers.com/njwma-convention/
There are those that feel that it is unwise to do business with friends. “I never do business with friends” is a statement we might hear. I guess the theory behind those words are if something goes wrong it can end a friendship.
When I look at my business and the years of friendships built from growing up in Ridgewood, raising my family in Montvale as well as establishing Mahwah as our business community and home base for Ridgewood Moving….. that adds up to over 50 years. Relationships and pride of what you do are what makes running my business so fulfilling. I cherish the friendships and connections that have formed over the years and know that I do business with those that I know, like and trust.
People do business with people they know, like and trust.
Companies depend on the reputation and the relationships that have been built through the course many years in business You get to know a company from their website, social media presence, google ratings and of course the best of all….word of mouth. Organic growth in my opinion, is the most authentic way to build your business. Organic growth comes from the referrals, friends, repeat customers and by being “known” in your community. It has always been important to us as a culture to be more than a moving company, but a total resource to those that need us. We are very committed to giving back and not for the recognition but because it is part of our DNA and because we care.
People want to do business with people they like.
When it comes to first impressions, you know what they say, “you only have one chance”. In business we develop relationships with colleagues that become our friends sharing and supporting each other’s businesses through introductions and referrals, makes for good business. With a new customer, it truly warms my heart, to be told how less stressed I made someone feel or less anxious. I was even dubbed “move therapist” from a former customer, which I loved because when you are moving, you need a little move therapy!!
Trust……..this is the most important, for trust is earned not a given.
I follow that school of thought every day. We, as a company must deliver on our promises for all customers. We want to buy from people that do what they say and fulfill their promises and will fix things if/when things go wrong. There should and needs to be a mutual respect on the friendship guide to doing business. I have found with friends, you need to set clear parameters as how to handle their move with me and my team in a businesslike fashion that preserves our friendship and my business structure. The trust and faith that I have in my own team, gives me the confidence to move my friends, family, colleagues and the generations of families we have come to know over the 55 years in business.
I sincerely cherish the friendships and relationships over the years and greatly appreciate the business that comes from it, which is at least 50%. So, when people say “I don’t do business with friends”, I say that’s not good business. Have confidence in what you do and what you say and most of all what you deliver!!
I’ve included a couple of woman entrepreneurs that I am supporting and giving a shout out as a result of doing business together AND who I happen to LIKE, TRUST and have gotten to know. I feel very blessed that I get to meet so many people, get to hear so many stories through this industry of moving people’s lives. It is truly empowering to be able to support, give back and be a part of the next chapter…to be continued.
- A police officer can issue a disorderly persons summons to any unlicensed person advertising or offering moving or storage services.
- A police officer can issue a disorderly persons summons to any unlicensed person operating as a public mover or warehouseman, punishable by a fine up to $1,000 or by imprisonment for up to six months, or by both.
- A police officer can issue a disorderly persons summons to any person that owns or operates a motor vehicle, or directs another person to use it for unlicensed moving or storage services. Any vehicle used can be impounded. The vehicle owner / operator must notify the consumer to return any property on the vehicle at the owner, operator or lessee’s expense, and pay any fines, towing and costs.
- Municipal court fines for disorderly persons are $500 for a 1st, and $1,000 for 2ndor more violation. After a 1stoffence, a judge can order a website shut down, and stop all unlicensed advertising. Penalties for failing to shut down a website is $1,000 for each day the website remains visible.
- Civil fines for 1st offense was raised to $5,000, and not more than $20,000 for 2ndor subsequent offense. Civil cases are remanded to the Superior Court.
- If a consumer has paid all lawfully agreed charges, the mover must release the consumer’s property. Failure to release the property is an unlawful practice violation, but only if all charges were paid in full, and would go to Superior court.
This is exciting news to protect those who happen to unknowingly hire unlicensed moving companies. As of late, there have been unscrupulous illegal companies that offer moving and storage services and then raise the amount owed to withhold customer property. These practices are deplorable and now there is finally legislature to protect those customers.
However, despite this protective legislature, it is important to prevent this ordeal from happening in the first place. Always ensure that any moving company you hire has the proper credentials and legally authorized to move. There are wonderful resources such as https://njmovers.com/ to help you find accredited moving companies.
Or skip the searching process and hire us! Ridgewood Moving Services is ranked as one of the best moving companies according to https://njmovers.com/! We are here to help for all your moving and storage needs! Give us a call for a free quote today: (201) 529-2211!
Source:
The sting operation occurred over the course of four days in April 2018. Investigators from the Division’s Office of Consumer Protection (“OCP”) posed as individuals planning to move from an upscale neighborhood in Montville. The investigators found various unlicensed moving companies advertising online and hired them for their “move.” The movers drove to Montville, expecting to find a luxury home full of items to load, and were instead met by a team of OCP investigators, who issued them NOVs for operating without licenses.
Also awaiting the movers were members of the State Police’s Mobile Safety Freight Unit, who conducted vehicle safety inspections on their trucks, and members of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”), who checked for verification that out-of-state movers were registered with the FMCSA to engage in interstate operations.
One out-of-state moving company cited in the last Operation Mother’s Attic sting in 2016 was among the unlicensed movers caught this year. Go To Moving & Storage of Staten Island, New York was cited as a second-time offender and assessed an enhanced civil penalty of $5,000.
“An unlicensed moving company can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare,” said Attorney General Grewal. “They’ve been known to hold truckloads of property hostage until the customer pays an extortionate fee. And these unlicensed movers often don’t carry adequate insurance, creating the risk that homeowners will be left high and dry if their property is seriously damaged during the move. That’s why we regulate the industry – and why we crack down on rogue operators.”
“Operation Mother’s Attic is a proactive effort to identify and weed out movers doing business outside the Division’s oversight,” said Paul R. Rodríguez, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “By requiring movers to abide by our state’s public movers’ licensing laws, we are protecting consumers against fraud and other risks.”
State law requires all intrastate movers (those performing residential moves that both begin and end in New Jersey) to be licensed by the Division of Consumer Affairs and to observe the statutes and regulations concerning the storage and transportation of household goods. Those laws require movers to maintain cargo liability insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, and bodily injury and property damage insurance. Movers also must provide the Division with proof of vehicle registration and insurance coverage, and must include the mover’s license number on the outside of the vehicle, as required by State regulations. Movers also must provide consumers with a written estimate of the costs of the move. There are approximately 320 licensed public movers in New Jersey.
“Horror stories about predatory movers are all too common,” said “
The public movers cited for operating without a license are:
- ½ PRICE MOVERS, Staten Island, NY
- ALPHA MOVNG SERVICES , Highland Lakes, NJ
- AFFORDABLE & ASSERTIVE MOVING & STORAGE, Pompton Lakes, NJ
- AVELAR TRUCKING, Landing, NJ
- BIN IT NJ, North Bergen, NJ
- CENTURION MOVERS, Willow Grove, PA
- CONSIDER IT DONE, Toms River, NJ
- CRUZ MOVES, Cinnaminson, NJ
- ENTERPRISE VAN LINES, Congers, NY
- GDK LOGISTICS a/k/a GDK INTERNATIONAL, Fairfield, NJ
- H & D TRANSPORTATION, Clifton, NJ
- HELPING HANDS MOVING, Newark, NJ
- I.D. NOBLE MOVERS a/k/a NOBLE ID MOVERS, Hackensack, NJ
- IMPERIAL MOVING & STORAGE a/k/a LION’S DEN ENTERPRISES, a/k/a INSIGNIA MOVING, New York, NY
- J & L MOVING, Hillside, NJ
- LITE MOVING, Franklin Square, NY
- MOVING GOOD, Little Ferry, NJ
- MOVING HERO, Rahway, NJ
- OLD COUNTRY VAN LINES, East Newark, NJ
- PRINCETON MOVERS a/k/a GREAT EASTERN MOVERS, Brooklyn, NY
- RENT A HELPING HAND, Pennington, NJ
- MUNDANZAS, Dover, NJ
- ROADWAY MOVING, Elizabeth, NJ
- ROUND CITY MOVING, Garfield, NJ
- ROSIE’S MASTER MOVERS, Cherry Hill, NJ
- TB MOVING a/k/a TB MOVING & STORAGE, Brooklyn, NY
- WE MOVE YOU, Maywood, NJ
- BIG MEN IN TRUCKS, Sloatsburg, NY
Each mover has the option of seeking mitigation or requesting an administrative hearing to contest the NOV and civil penalty. The $2,500 civil penalty for unlicensed operation will be reduced to $1,250 for any mover that applies for licensure with the Division within 30 days of receiving the NOV.
Also as a result of this year’s Operation Mother’s Attic, the Division issued warning letters to three licensed public movers for alleged advertising violations:
- ADMIRAL VAN LINES, of Bayonne, was advertising as HOBOKEN MOVERS without being licensed to operate under that name.
- ALL PRO MOVING, of Hawthorne, was advertising as NJ LOCAL MOVING and ONE & ONLY MOVING without being licensed to operate under those names.
- DIRECT MOVERS, of Union City, did not include its license number in its advertisement.
The State Police’s Mobile Safety Freight Unit’s inspections found 29 motor vehicle violations, five of them serious enough to put the vehicles out of service. Three drivers were prohibited from driving trucks away from the scene because of motor vehicle violations, including not having a valid driver’s license or not having a proper license. Two people were placed under arrest for outstanding warrants, and one person was arrested for possession of under 50 grams of marijuana.
The Morris County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montville Police Department also assisted in carrying out Operation Mother’s Attic.
Advice for Consumers:
Before hiring a mover, review the tips available from the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. They include:
- Call the Division of Consumer Affairs at 973-504-6422 to verify the license status of any mover you consider hiring, and to ask whether consumer complaints have been submitted against the mover.
- Obtain a written estimate from the mover you select. The cost can be estimated on an hourly rate, by weight and miles traveled, or by cubic measurement.
- Never pack jewelry, money, or valuable documents with your goods to be moved. The mover is not responsible for items of extraordinary value.
- Check your goods as they are being delivered. If any are lost or damaged, notify the mover immediately. A damage claim can be filed up to 90 days after the move date.
- Unless you purchase additional coverage, the mover is required to compensate you only up to $1.00 per pound, per article, for damages.
Chief Investigator Edward George, Supervising Investigator Murat Botas, and Investigators Vincent Buonanno, Roger Hines, Luis Zuniga and Oscar Mejia of the Division of Consumer Affairs’ Office of Consumer Protection conducted this investigation.
Deputy Attorneys General Eric Boden, Robert Holup and Chanel Van Dyke of the Division of Law represented the Division in this matter.
Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of consumer abuse, can file a complaint with the State Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website or by calling 1-800-242-5846 (toll free within New Jersey) or 973-504-6200.
Original Article: NJMOVERS.com
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On-Demand Service for the Moving Industry?!
On-demand is the new customer expectation for EVERYTHING! Customers want what they want when they want it. Come on, don’t we all? Think Amazon, Netflix, Uber and the list goes on and it grows every day. No longer can one think this is the way we did it, it works so why change? Start-up’s live for that mentality and look for ways to DISRUPT that kind of thinking and POOF, a new business is born. All businesses in every industry have to be vigilant about staying relevant, especially with up and coming technology trends, and it’s no different for the moving industry.
So how is the moving industry being disrupted? Well, to name a few: driverless trucks, GPS tracking to create more efficiencies with fuel, mileage, and ETA, and now virtual surveys for people who want to use a moving company without an in-home estimate. Look out, here comes SurveyBot! This platform allows customers to do a virtual survey of their premises right from the comfort of their home. All you need is an Android or IOS device (smartphone, tablet or iPad) and, voilá, you are ready to go.
Erik Christensen spent many years in the moving industry, seeing a need for the on-demand service and went for it. Through his company, Crater, he created SurveyBot, a platform that allows moving companies to do the virtual surveys themselves. If the moving company does not have staff, resources, or the time, no problem, SurveyBot has staff on hand to do the surveys for you. There is a fee, of course, but the option is there. The reality is people want convenience and SurveyBot provides that.
Cindy saw SurveyBot at a conference. She met with the representatives and signed on immediately so Ridgewood’s clients would have access to its services. While some clientele with larger homes may still prefer an in-home moving consultant – that customized and personal service that Ridgewood is known for – for those who are moving to and from a studio or one bedroom, this new option is perfect. Precious time and money will be saved for moves of this kind. So how does the virtual survey work?
So how does the virtual survey work?
A customer goes to the Ridgewood Moving website, schedules an online appointment and then receives a call at their scheduled time to begin the survey. The customer simply downloads the survey app onto their Android or IOS device and are ready to go. A Ridgewood Moving staff member will call the customer and start the process of recording the survey video. All the customer has to do is walk around their premises, pointing out items to be moved. It’s in real-time so if more details are needed, or a closet door needs to be opened or a piece of art needs special TLC, it can all be discussed at that time. When the virtual survey of the area is complete, both parties log off. Within 24 to 48 hours, a moving estimate is provided for the customer.
SurveyBot is a sure sign of the on-demand culture we’re living in. Ridgewood Moving strives to stay ahead of the curve, seeking out all the new technological advances out there that makes any move less stressful for its customers.
Schedule your virtual survey today.
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Good Works of Heroism. This is the touching story and reminder of Road Safety. We all know how dangerous our roads have become with all the many distractions that surround us…this is a reminder of the importance of awareness and focus when you get behind the wheel.
Jose Rivera a driver for Budd Van Lines was driving his tractor trailer on Hwy 26… to South Carolina. While driving, Jose noticed two cars coming up behind him at a high rate of speed. When the cars flew past him, Jose noticed one was tailgating the other within inches…… the driver being tailgated looked petrified. Once the cars passed Jose, the front car moved over to the right lane, and as she moved over, the tailgater struck the rear bumper causing her to lose control. Her car went into a spin and eventually flipped over several times and ended up landing upside-down on the roof and in the way of traffic. The tailgater never stopped.
In order to avoid hitting the car with great force, Jose made an evasive move with his trailer by driving his unit across all lanes, and blocked other traffic from hitting the disabled vehicle. Jose instructed his crew to call 911….retrieved his fire extinguisher….and heading over to the victim. There was no fire, but glass everywhere. All the windows were blown out and the driver was trapped in the vehicle, upside down with numerous cuts and bleeding. Jose then used a furniture pad to place over the door frames broken glass…then used a box knife to cut the seatbelt from the trapped driver enabling him to lower her out of the vehicle and out of harms way.
Jose’s quick thinking and reaction prevented an accident from being a tragedy…and for this we acknowledge Jose Rivera for his Good Works of Heroism.
The post Good Works of Heroism; Driver 2 appeared first on Ridgewood Moving Services.]]>April 2016 — At the past 2 Chapter Meetings I’ve made a point of showcasing the “History in the Room.” Our Association is rich with Moving Companies that have been in business for almost a century. Some of the companies who attended the meetings and were highlighted (the over 80 years); included Lowy’s 93 years, Sinclair Moving & Storage 93 years, The Liberty Group 96 years, Reliable 83 years. Last but not least the Donald S. Hubsch Company 97 years in business President/Owner Bob Steinmetz (our friend and Convention Emcee) and the 1995 recipient of the prestigious NJWMA life time achievement award. Impressive numbers filled with priceless wisdom and experienced professionals in our Industry.
As we move ahead to the next century, we need to look at the generation behind, our children in some cases….as our young leaders and future of the Moving Industry AND our Association. This topic was discussed at length at our recent March board of directors meeting with much enthusiasm. This new initiative will provide opportunities to network, share best practices, brain storm new ideas, and technologies and….to be mentored by the best of the best!!
So we are calling all “Young Leaders” to come forth and join your peers and colleagues within our Industry. John Somonik, Somonik Moving & Storage and member of the Board has volunteered to Chair our new “NJWMA Young Leaders” program. We have a list of several names already and want to build upon that list by inviting anyone interested to contact Tracy, John or myself as we move this idea into reality.
[email protected]
[email protected]
As always, we welcome any and all members of the Association’s input or suggestions and….If you question whether you are “YOUNG” enough to be in this program, call me I’ll tell you!! =)
Best of Everything,
Cindy
[email protected]
201-248-0677