A move-day checklist your crews will actually use

Most damage claims, angry phone calls and unpaid balances trace back to a few moments on move day: the start, the walk-through, the last box and the payment. A checklist that covers those moments, and nothing else, is one your crew lead will actually follow.

Before leaving the yard

• Truck checked: fuel, tires, lights, straps, dollies, pads and shrink wrap.
• Job sheet open on the phone: address, access notes, stairs, elevator booking, special items.
• Customer texted with the arrival window and the crew lead's name.

On arrival

• Walk the home with the customer before touching anything.
• Take photos of existing scratches and dents on floors, walls and furniture.
• Agree on what is going, what is staying and what is fragile.
• Confirm the price basis out loud: hourly, binding or not-to-exceed.
• Get the customer's signature to start.

Photos before the move are the single best protection against unfair damage claims. Ten photos take two minutes.

During the move

• Pad and protect doorways, banisters and floors first.
• Clock breaks and drive time honestly. Customers check.
• Write down anything the customer adds, with their OK, before doing it.

At the new home

• Ask the customer where each room's boxes go before unloading.
• Reassemble what you took apart.
• Do a final walk-through together: every room, the truck, the old home if close.
• Take after photos of any spot the customer worries about.

Before leaving

• Go over the final bill with the customer, line by line.
• Take payment and send the receipt by text or email on the spot.
• Ask for a review while the customer is happy and you're still there.

Keep the list on the crew lead's phone, not on paper in the truck. When each step is a tap, the office can see where every job is without calling the crew.