Build a business that doesn't depend on you 💪
You're not just moving furniture. You're building a business that runs without burning you out.
But let’s be real. New hires don’t know what they don’t know. And when there’s no system in place, the questions never stop.
Whether you follow Systemology, EOS, or just your gut, SOPs (standard operating procedures) give your team a clear, repeatable way to do things right.
Why most movers' SOPs collect dust
Most owners aren’t stuck at 7% margins because they can’t move. It’s because everything lives in their head—and nobody else can run the business without them.
Here’s what doesn’t work:
❌ Downloading random templates
❌ Writing SOPs like novels
❌ Leaving your crew out of the process
❌ Expecting people to follow steps they never saw trained
Your team’s not reading a 50-page manual between jobs. And your office staff won’t follow processes that slow them down.
🫣 The stat that stings: Employees spend 25%+ of their time just searching for the info they need.
Start with what actually matters
Focus on the SOPs that drive your profit margins. Here’s where to start:
1. Lead response & booking
- Quoting for profit, not just price
- Following up fast
- Converting shoppers to booked jobs
2. Pre-move coordination
- Crew assignments that reduce overtime
- Equipment and supply checklists
- Customer comms to prevent surprises
3. Move day execution
- Walkthroughs and damage docs
- Load sequences that protect gear
- Real-time quality checks
4. Post-move follow-up
- Faster payments
- Reviews and referrals
- Upsells to storage or additional services
Free SOP template for movers
Grab this plug-and-play SOP to get started.👇
Move day SOPJob details
Pre-move checklist ☐ Review job details in dispatch system ☐ Inspect truck (fuel, cleanliness, equipment) ☐ Check required supplies:
Customer introduction ☐ Arrive in uniform with name tag ☐ Introduce crew members ☐ Review scope of work with customer ☐ Complete walk-through ☐ Document pre-existing damage ☐ Identify high-value items Loading sequence
Quality control ☐ Final walkthrough with customer ☐ All rooms checked ☐ Inventory list complete ☐ Payment collected ☐ Customer signature obtained ☐ Before/after photos taken Post-move ☐ Clean truck ☐ Return equipment ☐ Submit paperwork ☐ Report any incidents ☐ Request review from customer |
How to create SOPs your team will actually use
1. Keep It Simple
Your team is navigating three-flight walkups, not flowcharts. Give them:
- One-page checklists
- Photo/video walkthroughs
- Mobile-friendly docs
- No PDFs buried in Dropbox 🙏
2. Build from reality
The best SOPs come from watching your top crews. Track your most profitable jobs. Document what they do right. Make it repeatable.
3. Test, fix, repeat
Roll out one SOP at a time. Ask: What’s working? What’s confusing? Tweak and move on.
Making SOPs stick
Here’s how the top movers make SOPs part of the culture:
✅ Train in chunks: Master one process at a time
✅ Make it visual: Add real photos, not stock images
✅ Track compliance: Reward teams that follow the system
✅ Update quarterly: Tweak based on customer feedback or crew pain points
SOPs aren’t paperwork. They’re profit.
Great SOPs aren’t about control. They’re about freedom. They help you scale without losing quality, and grow without working yourself to death.
The best movers we work with? They’re not guessing. Their teams follow proven processes, and it shows—in their margins.
SmartMoving = SOPs built in
Stop building from scratch. SmartMoving comes loaded with checklists and workflows built by the most profitable movers in the country.
🗓️ Book a demo. We’ll show you how they went from 7% margins to 20%+.👇
