The Yembo Blog

Are Moving Claims Costing You?

Written by Sid Mohan | Dec 12, 2024

How many times have you lost money to claims? And worse, how often have you paid for items your team didn’t damage? Too often, moving companies lose claims because they don’t have enough evidence to prove or even know if they’re responsible.

Most moving pros don’t realize there’s a way to avoid unfair claims — and increase customer transparency. Here’s how to keep from losing money or customers to moving claims. 

Why traditional moving surveys don't work in your favor

Traditional pre-move survey methods set up moving professionals to lose money on claims. They don’t include visual proof showing the items' condition before they're moved. That means claims boil down to the customer’s word against yours—and moving professionals face a lose-lose situation. Either you reject the claim, upset the customer, or swallow the cost of the claim.
Most modern moving software isn’t solving the problem.

There are software tools that create a digital record of moving inventory. For instance, some software lets you inspect items through FaceTime-like video surveys. But these tools don’t solve the problem either.

Unless you want to spend hours taking pictures and listing out the condition of every item, you’ll still leave room for unfounded claims. 

And even the most rigorous documentation does nothing to build trust with your customer. There’s only one way to avoid losses from disputed moving claims. Both your team and the customer need to see a visual record and agree upfront on the condition of items.

How to save money on moving claims

AI technology can help protect moving professionals against false claims — without extra effort. With Yembo AI virtual surveys, the customer shoots 10-15 second videos of each of their rooms. From there:

  1. AI will automatically identify items and build a visual digital inventory with actual pictures of items from the customer’s video. 
  2. The visual inventory displays a room-by-room, color-coded list of items that need to be moved.
  3. The customer and surveyor can review pictures of each item and add notes with any special instructions.

The result?

Customers and moving professionals can see and agree on the condition of items before a move. When you agree on a quote, you and your customer can set expectations upfront. 

In turn, the move process is transparent, customers trust your company, and your team has a visual record if claims still arise.

More benefits of visual inventory

AI visual inventory doesn’t just protect you against false claims; it also prevents damage that may result in a claim. With a clear, visual list of moving items, your moving crew knows what to expect and how to prepare when they show up at a site – and that reduces the chance of damage.

Ultimately, the visual inventory gives you control over working with your customers. Your customer goes into the move with peace of mind, and they see the level of trust you bring to the table — setting your company apart from competitors.

Prepare for safer moves

Visual inventories also help agents and drivers note and care for damaged items. Rather than relying on simple written notes, agents can see pictures of items that have pre-existing damage. That gives them an extra layer of support.

Crew leaders and drivers can also see visual inventory and videos highlighting damages. That transparency reduces the chance of erroneous claims. It also lets customers know that the driver is fully aware of damages and taking time to note those details on the inventory. 

Moving professionals can start saving right away

As interest rates climb, costs remain high, and the economy slows, saving money is as important as making money. The visual inventory can help shield moving professionals from losses and create more satisfied customers. If you want to save your company headaches and money, it all starts with Yembo AI Video Surveys

Want to learn more? See how Yembo’s AI virtual surveys save moving companies money and time while eliminating the high cost of an upset customer.