If you’re concerned about the impact of AI, you’re not alone. According to Pew Research, 52% of Americans say they’re more concerned about AI than they are excited.
However, giving in to AI fears could cause your moving company to miss out. Here are 4 moving company pros who were skeptical about AI, overcame their doubts, and are using the technology to pull ahead of competitors.
1) 33-Year Moving Pro Wonders Whether AI Technology is Worth it
Over more than 30 years in the moving industry, William Whaley, a Spirit Movers surveyor had seen technology fail time and time again. He was worried AI would just complicate the moving process.
“I’ve been all over the world in the moving industry over the last 33 years, and until Yembo, I had never seen surveying technology work very well,” he says.
But Yembo’s AI Workflow Companion made his job easier right away. He used AI to complete more surveys with fewer employees. Because AI creates surveys faster and more efficiently than humans can, it also allows him to reach customers outside his typical service area and close more business.
“My quality of life is so much better because I can do surveys anywhere at any time,” he explains.
2) Moving Company Owner Raises Eyebrows at AI Investment Cost
Justin Hart, the owner of Just-In Time Moving and Storage was convinced AI could improve his company, but he worried about the upfront cost.
However, after giving it a try, he saw how much more profitable using AI is.
“Then we got it, and I realized it’s an investment that will add revenue to your bottom line.
Your estimates will be more accurate, your conversion rates will increase, and your costs to complete surveys will go down.
Yembo also makes hiring easier, since we can bring in people who aren’t from the industry. The AI does a lot of the heavy lifting and allows us to standardize our survey process.”
He says using Yembo’s AI Workflow Companion reduces his moving company’s labor costs, increases revenue, and lowers the potential for losses during the claims process.
“One of our biggest risks was the upfront commitment annually,” he says. “But I would say, absolutely, Yembo reduces risks to your business. It’s a no-brainer.”
3) 17-Year Moving Veteran Worries About Losing “High-Touch Service”
Ian Imlach, VP of Business Development at Imlach Group, had seen the industry go through significant changes throughout his 17 years in the moving industry. He was concerned using AI to complete pre-move surveys would detract from the human interactions his customers had come to love.
“We’re not a huge behemoth, and part of our value proposition to our customers is our high-touch service. Obviously, the survey is the very first interaction that we have with the shipper, especially on a corporate shipment. I never liked the idea of handing that over to a digital product.”
But when he started using Yembo AI, he realized the AI Workflow Companion cuts down the amount of work his team needed to do on a daily basis — and frees them up to improve customer service even more.
“We like how Smart Consult allows us to maintain that personal touch while making it easier to get surveys done with the AI,” he says. “Our output per surveyor has gone up dramatically with Yembo.”
4) Moving Company Surveyor Questions AI’s Accuracy
When the pandemic hit, Alexander Mobility Services adopted an AI Workflow Companion. But coordinator Cindy Keenan was worried AI would not produce pre-move surveys that were as accurate as ones created by humans.
“My main concern early on was the accuracy. We were all used to our old system,” she says.
However, AI quickly hit her team’s accuracy levels, while increasing output and cutting out in-person visits.
“Looking at the numbers from in-homes to Yembos now, it’s just as accurate as going into the home,” she says.
Her team was able to keep their business running smoothly throughout the pandemic by giving shippers AI-powered self-survey or Smart Consult options.
Not only has AI eliminated human errors, it also creates a visual inventory that shows customers–and crew–what items will be moved, each item’s specs, and any extra instructions about the move.
“Feedback has been positive,” she says. “Overall, with the do-it-yourself survey (Yembo AI Self-Survey) most shippers like it because they can do it on their own, and they’re able to see what they have going on and can communicate via text. With Smart Consult, they like having the face-to-face interactions and extra assistance.”
Read More Stories About How AI is Changing the Industry
These AI pioneers overcame their skepticism about AI, and it has pushed them past competitors. But they’re not the only ones. Visit our moving case study library to read how moving companies are using AI to drive down costs, bridge the skills gap, and overcome the industry’s most pressing challenges.