How to Improve CSAT: A Mover’s Guide to Winning More Jobs

Let’s talk straight. If you want to raise your customer satisfaction (CSAT) score, you have to nail the entire customer journey. It’s not just one thing. It’s everything from the first time a customer calls you—probably after hours—to the final follow-up after your crew heads home.

It's about answering every call promptly, giving them a quote you can stand by, making sure your crew is professional and efficient on move day, and keeping the customer in the loop. When you get these moments right, you don’t just get a happy customer—you get a five-star review that brings in the next job.

Why CSAT Is Your Most Important Growth Metric

As an owner, you’re juggling a dozen things at once—managing crews, keeping trucks on the road, and trying to book the next job. It’s easy to dismiss "Customer Satisfaction" or CSAT as a soft, feel-good metric that doesn’t actually pay the bills.

That’s a dangerous mistake.

In this business, a happy customer is your single most powerful marketing tool. They’re the source of your best reviews, your most valuable word-of-mouth referrals, and the local reputation that closes deals for you. A high CSAT score isn't just a number; it’s a direct indicator of your company's health and a leading predictor of future revenue.

The Real Cost of a Bad Experience

Think about it this way: the average local move is worth over $1,000. When a customer has a bad experience, you don't just lose that one job. You lose all their future moves, their referrals, and you open the door to a one-star review that could scare off dozens of new leads.

One unhappy customer can easily snowball into thousands of dollars in lost revenue.

But on the flip side, a great experience creates a loyal advocate who will recommend you to friends, family, and coworkers for years. That’s free marketing that works better than any ad you could ever buy.

Your CSAT score is the pulse of your business. It tells you exactly where you're delivering value and, more importantly, where you're leaking revenue without even realizing it.

The customer experience isn't just one moment; it's a series of small interactions that add up. Getting these right is the secret to a high CSAT score. Here’s a breakdown of the four critical pillars where things either go right or horribly wrong.

The Four Pillars of Moving Company CSAT

Key Moment	Where Things Go Wrong	How to Make It Right
The First Call	Missed calls, long hold times, rushed conversations, or an unknowledgeable agent.	Answer every call quickly. Train staff to be empathetic, patient, and able to quote accurately.
The Estimate	Vague pricing, hidden fees, or a final bill that's way higher than the quote.	Provide detailed, transparent quotes. Explain potential extra charges (stairs, long carry) upfront.
The On-Site Crew	Movers are late, unprofessional, careless with items, or have a bad attitude.	Hire and train for professionalism. Run background checks. Provide clean uniforms and proper gear.
Communication	No move confirmation, no updates on arrival time, and radio silence after the job.	Send automated confirmations, day-of reminders, and post-move follow-ups asking for feedback.

Nailing these four moments is non-negotiable. They form the foundation of a five-star experience and a healthy, growing business.

How to Measure CSAT the Easy Way

You don't need complicated software to start tracking this. The simplest and most effective way to measure CSAT is with a single-question survey sent via text message within an hour of the move being completed.

Just ask this simple question:

• "On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate your experience with us today?"

That's it. This one question gives you an immediate, real-time pulse on your performance. You’ll instantly know which jobs were a home run and, more importantly, which ones need a follow-up call to fix a problem before it turns into a scathing review.

This is the first step. You can't improve what you don't measure. The feedback you gather is pure gold, pointing you directly to the operational tweaks that will make the biggest impact on your bottom line.

Mastering the First Impression to Win More Jobs

Here's a hard truth: the customer’s experience doesn’t start when your crew shows up with a dolly. It starts the second they decide to call you for a quote. That very first interaction sets the tone for everything that follows.

Think about your own operation. It’s 6 PM and you're wrapping up a long job, or maybe it's the weekend. What happens when a new lead calls? For most small to mid-sized movers, that call goes straight to a voicemail that won't get checked for hours, if not until the next business day.

This isn’t a small leak. It's a gaping hole in your revenue bucket. That one missed call is a potential $1,000+ job you just handed to a competitor who was ready to pick up the phone.

The True Cost of Missed Calls

I see it all the time. Owners are so busy running the business—managing crews, dispatching trucks, handling logistics—they don't realize how much business is slipping through their fingers. It's shockingly common for moving companies to miss 15-25% of their inbound calls during peak season.

Do the math on that. For many, it adds up to $50,000-$150,000 in lost revenue. Every single year.

And it gets worse. A surprising 35-40% of moving inquiries come in after traditional business hours. Missing these calls is like closing your shop right when a third of your customers want to buy.

Every minute a customer waits for your call back is another minute they spend calling your competitors. The first mover to provide a confident, professional quote almost always wins the job.

Stop Chasing Bad Leads and Wasting Time

Answering the phone is only half the battle. The other half is figuring out if the person on the other end is a serious customer or just a tire-kicker. Wasting 20 minutes on a low-value inquiry while a high-value job goes unanswered is a classic operational trap that costs you dearly.

To nail that first impression and boost your CSAT, you need a solid process. Here’s what to focus on:

• Qualify Leads Instantly: Train your team (or yourself) to ask the right questions upfront. "Where are you moving from and to?" "What's your ideal move date?" "Is it a 2-bedroom apartment or a 4-bedroom house?" This helps you immediately prioritize the serious inquiries.
• Deliver Accurate Quotes: Nothing shatters trust faster than a vague quote that balloons on moving day. Use a simple, consistent system to gather inventory details so your estimate is realistic. This builds immediate confidence and sets clear expectations.
• Handle After-Hours Inquiries: This is non-negotiable. If you can’t cover the phones 24/7, you need a plan. To learn more about this, check out our guide on the benefits of an after-hours answering service for small business.

By mastering this first interaction, you create a seamless booking experience that tells customers they’ve made the right choice. You stop leaking revenue and start building a reputation for reliability before a single box is loaded onto the truck.

Executing a Flawless On-Site Experience

You can have the smoothest sales process on the planet, but if the on-site experience falls flat, your CSAT score will absolutely tank. On moving day, your crew is your company. Their professionalism, attitude, and communication skills will single-handedly decide whether you get a five-star rave or a one-star rant.

A perfect move day doesn't just happen. It’s built on clear processes, solid training, and empowering your foreman to be a leader, not just a mover. This is your chance to turn a customer's most stressful day into a smooth, positive memory.

Setting the Stage Before the Truck Arrives

The move day experience really begins the day before. A simple, professional confirmation call or text does wonders for a customer’s anxiety. It’s your first chance to prove you’re organized and on top of things before a single box gets lifted.

This pre-move checklist should be non-negotiable for every single job:

• Confirm the Details: Quickly re-verify the address, start time, and best contact number.
• Set Expectations: Briefly go over the scope of work and confirm any special arrangements, like parking.
• Introduce the Foreman: Let the customer know who will be leading their crew by name. This one small touch builds instant rapport.

This quick touchpoint prevents last-minute headaches and shows the customer they're in good hands. It’s a simple step with a massive payoff in customer perception.

Training Crews for More Than Just Muscle

Your movers need to be skilled at more than just heavy lifting; they have to be experts in customer service. The best crews get it: they aren't just moving furniture, they're managing a high-stress life event for their client.

The most common complaints aren’t about broken items. They’re about poor communication, a lack of care for the property, or a crew that just seemed rushed and unprofessional. Your CSAT score lives and dies with your crew’s soft skills.

Focus your training on these critical areas:

1. The Morning Walkthrough: The foreman should kick off every job by walking through the house with the customer. They need to confirm which items are going and discuss any fragile or special-care pieces. This five-minute conversation prevents so many misunderstandings and immediately shows you care.
2. Property Protection: Drill every crew member on the mandatory use of floor runners, door jamb protectors, and furniture pads. This isn't just about preventing damage; it's about visually demonstrating respect for the customer's home.
3. Handling the Unexpected: Things go wrong. A sofa won't fit through a door. An old dresser is more fragile than it looked. Arm your foreman with simple de-escalation scripts to turn a problem into a solution-focused conversation.

Consistent training and clear communication from the office are everything. Using the right tools, like streamlined crew scheduling software, ensures the right people with the right information are on the job, every time.

The Final Walkthrough and Graceful Exit

How a move ends is just as important as how it begins. Rushing to get the final signature and bolting is a rookie mistake that can sour an otherwise great experience.

The final walkthrough is your last, best chance to lock in that satisfaction. The foreman should walk with the customer through their new home, confirming every box is in the correct room and all furniture is placed exactly where they want it.

This final check-in makes the customer feel heard and valued. It catches tiny issues before they become post-move complaints and shows a level of care that cements those five-star reviews and future referrals.

Building Trust with Proactive Communication

Radio silence is a customer’s worst nightmare. In the moving business, a lack of communication creates anxiety and instantly kills trust. Every unanswered question or missed update makes a customer wonder if they hired the right company.

The good news? Fixing this is one of the lowest-cost, highest-impact ways to improve your CSAT score.

It’s not about overwhelming customers with constant contact. It’s about sending smart, reassuring updates at key moments. The goal is simple: be so proactive that the customer never has to call you asking for an update.

This simple shift proves you’re reliable and in control, turning a stressful process into a confident experience.

Your Four-Step Communication Cadence

Think of your communication as a roadmap that guides the customer from booking to move day. Each message has a specific job: to build confidence and get rid of uncertainty.

Here's a simple, effective four-step cadence you can implement today.

1. The Instant Booking Confirmation: As soon as a job is booked, an email or text should go out immediately. This isn’t just a receipt; it’s proof that they are officially in your system. It needs to confirm the date, time, addresses, and the quoted rate. No exceptions.
2. The Pre-Move Reminder: Send a reminder text or email 24-48 hours before the move. This simple message confirms you haven't forgotten them and gives them peace of mind when they're most anxious. It’s also a great opportunity to share the name of their crew foreman, which adds a personal touch.
3. The "On-the-Way" Text: On moving day, your foreman needs to send a quick text when they are heading to the customer’s location. This message is critical. It eliminates that dreaded "Are they going to show up?" anxiety that every single customer feels.
4. The Post-Move Follow-Up: Within an hour of the crew leaving, send your one-question CSAT survey. This shows you value their feedback and gives you an immediate chance to address any issues before they fester and become a negative review.

A proactive communication plan doesn't just improve CSAT; it cuts down on the inbound "Where are you?" calls that pull you and your crews away from the job. It's an investment in both customer happiness and your own operational sanity.

This kind of structured communication turns your service from a transaction into a guided, professional experience. Automating these touchpoints—especially the booking confirmation and the survey follow-up—ensures nothing falls through the cracks during the chaos of busy season.

It’s a bulletproof way to show every customer they made the right choice by hiring you.

Turning Customer Feedback into Profit

Getting a CSAT score is the easy part. The real work—and where the profit is hiding—is what you do with that information.

A score is just a number until you use it to plug revenue leaks and make your operation smarter. This is where you transform customer feedback from a simple report card into a roadmap for growth.

Think about it. The feedback you get is free business consulting from the people who matter most: your customers. They’re telling you exactly what works and what’s costing you money. Your job is to listen and turn those insights into action.

From Numbers to Actionable Insights

Once you start collecting feedback, trends will emerge almost immediately. Don't just look at the overall score; you have to dig into the details. The goal is to connect a low score to a specific part of your process.

This isn't about blaming people. It's about spotting weaknesses in your system.

• Is one specific crew consistently getting lower scores? They might be fantastic movers but need more training on customer communication or property protection protocols. A small investment in soft skills training can pay for itself in better reviews and fewer damage claims.
• Are customers repeatedly mentioning confusion about the final bill? This is a huge red flag. It likely means your initial estimates aren't clear enough. Reviewing your quoting process and using a clear, detailed format can solve this. For more on this, check out our guide on creating a solid moving company estimate template.

By grouping feedback, you can pinpoint exactly where to focus your energy for the biggest return.

Responding to Reviews The Right Way

Your response to public reviews—both glowing and critical—is a powerful marketing tool. Potential customers are watching. They want to see how you handle things when they go right and when they go wrong.

How you handle a one-star review says more about your company's commitment to service than ten five-star reviews combined. It's your chance to publicly prove you care.

For positive reviews, a simple, personalized thank you goes a long way. Mention the customer by name and thank them for their business. It shows you're paying attention and value every single job.

For negative reviews, follow this simple framework. No exceptions.

1. Acknowledge and Apologize: Start by thanking them for the feedback and apologizing that their experience didn't meet their expectations. No excuses. Don't get defensive.
2. Take it Offline: Provide a direct phone number or email for them to contact a manager to resolve the issue. This shows you're taking it seriously without getting into a public back-and-forth.
3. Solve the Problem: Actually reach out and do what you can to make it right.

This approach demonstrates accountability and professionalism. It shows future customers that even if something goes sideways, you'll stand behind your service and work to fix it.

That kind of trust is priceless and directly translates into more booked jobs.

Got Questions About Mover CSAT? We've Got Answers.

We talk to moving company owners every single day. Everyone’s trying to grow, and boosting customer satisfaction is the most direct path to get there. But figuring out where to even start can feel like a huge task.

Here are the most common questions that come up in those conversations, along with some straight-up answers from our time in the trenches.

What's the Single Fastest Way to Improve My Company's CSAT Score?

Hands down, it's your response time. Missing calls or taking hours to reply to a quote request is the quickest way to kill a customer's trust before you even get a chance to earn it.

Think about it. A customer is ready to drop over $1,000, and the first thing they hear is your voicemail. It's a terrible first impression. With 35-40% of leads calling after hours, just solving this one problem can pull a massive amount of revenue back from the brink. When you answer every call instantly, you set a professional tone that boosts their perception of your company from the very first second.

My Crews Are Experienced Movers, but Our CSAT Is Just… Average. Why?

This is a classic. A crew can have decades of moving experience, but that doesn't automatically make them customer service pros. When we dig into this, it almost always comes down to communication.

A mover can be incredibly fast and efficient but have no idea how to manage a customer's stress on what is usually a chaotic and emotional day. Your guys might be doing a perfect job wrapping the furniture, but the customer feels like they're in the dark or that their concerns are being ignored.

You have to train your foremen to be proactive communicators. They need to kick off every job with a quick huddle ("Alright, here's our plan to get you moved today…") and end with a thorough walkthrough to make sure the customer is 100% happy. It’s about guiding the customer through the experience, not just hauling their boxes.

How Can I Get More Customers to Actually Fill Out a Satisfaction Survey?

Make it ridiculously easy. Stop sending those long, multi-question email surveys that no one has time for.

The single most effective method we've seen is a simple, one-question text message sent within an hour of the move wrapping up: "On a scale of 1-5, how was your move today?"

The timing here is everything. You're catching them while the experience is still fresh. For anyone who replies with a 4 or 5, you can fire off an immediate follow-up text asking for a public review on Google or Yelp. For any scores of 1-3, that's your cue to pick up the phone, find out what went wrong, and solve it before they ever think about writing a negative review.

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At MoveJoy, we built our entire system to solve these exact problems. If you're tired of losing jobs to missed calls or want a bulletproof way to turn happy customers into a flood of five-star reviews, let's talk. We can help you book more jobs, effortlessly. Find out more at getmovejoy.com.