Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Bloomer.
Thanks for sharing your story with us josh. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
After working for many years for other companies and seeing the clients disappointed by lowball estimates and extra charges and fees, I saw a better way. In 1996 I opened Pony Express Moving Services with a van and rental truck. Now that has grown to 8 trucks and 25 men. 20 years of honest service and tens of thousands of moves later the vast majority of our business is still by word-of-mouth.
Accuracy and communication from the initial estimate through the move itself as well as honest, transparent rates and high quality of service in the field are the major factors that keep people coming back and referring their friends. At Pony Express you’re not just a number or a name on paper. We understand the unique needs and requirements of every move.
Has it been a smooth road?
Business is never a smooth road, if it is, you’re probably doing it wrong! Getting and keeping good personnel is always a challenge in any service industry. A lot of applicants look good on paper or during an interview, but then they cut corners, are late, pull a no-show, etc. Of almost 80 W-2’s sent out last year most of them are guys who didn’t last more than a week. To solve this the men “self-police” the crews–we’re a tight family and if there’s a cog that doesn’t fit, that person is weeded out quickly.
Equipment is also a factor in the moving industry–unexpected truck breakdowns, especially in the interstate arena require quick thinking and problem solving both logistically and dealing with the clients expecting their delivery. Our estimating system works very well, it’s all done with brain power and not with computers–there is no computer that can calculate the human element of this industry, therefore we tailor our estimates based on a number of factors.
So long as the prospective client is forthcoming with the details we ask for the estimate will be spot-on every time. It’s a constant learning experience, but if one sees the challenges and makes provision to prevent such from recurring, operations generally get smoother in time. 20 years in and it’s much smoother than it was in the early days!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Pony Express Moving Services story. Tell us more about the business.
We offer full-service moving and packing both within Massachusetts and anywhere in the continental US.
What sets us apart is not only our honesty and personal treatment of clients, but also the simple rate structure that keeps the client from having an unpleasant surprise when the billing is done. The crews use professional techniques, point-to-point padding, and generally like the work and clientele. By being available for questions and concerns we develop a rapport with the client in hopes of relieving some stress during a stressful event–moving. It’s more than just booking and doing a job, there’s psychology involved, and every move is different.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I don’t see the industry changing all that much in the foreseeable future–people will always have more belongings than they can move themselves and so will need movers to help them.
The advent of self-moving containers hasn’t impacted us all that much, people still need help loading and unloading them and even then those containers tend to be moved around much more roughly than a professionally loaded truck with a professional driver. So for the higher-end moves folks will still call a full-service company. When they invent the teleporter we might have some competition however!
Contact Info:
- Address: 430 Amory Street
Jamaica Plain, MA
02130 - Website: www.ponyexpressmoving.com
- Phone: 617-983-8700
- Email: info@ponymove.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PonyExpressMoving
- Twitter: @ponyexpressmoves
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