Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Amaral.
Chris, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
About ten years ago, I had already been playing music in various bands throughout Boston, but didn’t really have a steady job. A friend of a friend, who had heard I was looking for work and needed a flexible schedule to keep playing music, introduced me someone who ran a moving company.
At first, it was a great fit — the hours were flexible, no day was ever the same, and there were always new situations from which I could learn something (even things I never in a million years wanted to learn).
After a while, however, I realized that I didn’t have the same priorities as the company, even though I was more or less running the operation. I thought to myself, “I know how to do this . . . why not just start my own company?”
I had a bunch of friends in similar situations — artists and musicians that wanted a steady income while retaining a flexible schedule. And they were people I could trust. So I took a shot.
And that’s basically how Safe Responsible was born. At the old company, turnover was high. That was for a variety of reasons, but mostly because the employees didn’t feel invested in the operation. The pay was low and so was the bar for entry into the company — because of that, a lot of the movers had pretty bad attitudes. Customer complaints were frequent and loud.
I figured if I paid my employees fairly, and made sure to treat them with respect, that attitude would come through to the customer. And ultimately it’d be more beneficial for everyone in the long run. And so far it has. We get a ton of repeat customers. We get a bunch of great reviews. And employee turnover happens, of course, but it’s never unexpected or because of poor performance. So I think we’re doing a pretty job.
Has it been a smooth road?
When you’re a mover, you’re dealing with people who are going through one of the most stressful situations of their lives. One misconception people have of movers is that we’re all big oafs who can carry heavy stuff, but how much stress you can put on your back doesn’t have much to do with being a good mover.
Movers need to wear many hats — psychologist, interior decorator, welcome wagon, etc. Your interpersonal skills and how you respond to psychological stress are immeasurably more important than your strength.
Plus you spend a lot of time crammed into the front of a moving truck with the same people every day — so when hiring, it’s always more important to look for someone who can get along and keep a smile during a bad day than it is to find the next Schwarzenegger.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Safe Responsible Movers is a moving company. We move residences and (very small) offices, but mostly we’re residential movers — and we serve the entire state of Massachusetts.
A quick look at our reviews shows that what we’re best known for is our demeanor. When you book a move with us, you know you’ll get courteous, friendly, hard-working people to show up to move you.
Moving is something we do every day, while most people do it every other year or even less often. People are often surprised that we joke around with each other and keep a smile after moving an oak dresser up three flights of stairs. But we’ve had practice and we know what we’re doing. So that’s our focus — just putting people at ease during what’s usually a pretty stressful time.
As far as what I’m most proud of, I’d say the people who work here. I think we’ve assembled a really great crew, and everyone cares that we maintain the reputation that we have.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
For a moving company, this a great city. The real estate market is super active, and the student population turns over often, so it’s a fantastic market for movers, as there is always a need for our services.
One obstacle, however, is the cost of housing. If the city of Boston could do something about keeping the median housing costs a little lower, and allow more people to afford to rent or own a home within the city limits, I think our business would be even stronger.
Contact Info:
- Address: Safe Responsible Movers
24 Denby Rd. #28
Allston, MA 02134 - Website: www.saferesponsiblemovers.com
- Phone: (617) 784 3347
- Email: info@saferesponsiblemovers.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/SafeResponsibleMovers
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SRMovers
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/safe-responsible-movers-boston
- Other: https://plus.google.com/+Saferesponsiblemoversboston
Image Credit:
Richard TK Hawke
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