Selling valuation is one of the quickest ways to add 2-3% straight to your top line.
So... why don't more movers do it?
Tim Krupp, owner of $8M+ Krupp Moving and Storage and Movebees, says there are 2 big reasons:
- Sales teams don't know how to sell it.
- Leaders are afraid they'll pay out more than they collect.
But Tim is proof it works. His team sells valuation on 36% of jobs—adding nearly a quarter million in annual revenue!
Here's his playbook for making it happen.
Stop talking about valuation—and start selling it
You can’t be half in, half out. Like all things sales, valuation is a numbers game.
"If you're gonna sell valuation at all, you want to sell it all the time. You're going to take way less risk if you're always selling it, than if you sell it every once in a while," says Tim.
Here’s Tim's proven process for generating more revenue from moving coverage valuation.
1. Sell it early and sell it often
Coming from 3 generations in furniture retail, Tim mastered the art of selling warranty packages. His motto?
“Sell it early, sell it often.”
Make sure your salespeople are presenting it right upfront. And yes, that means adding new sales scripts, templates and SOPs to the mix.
“Your sales people need resources,” says Tim “We need to sit down with them. Educate them. Spend the time with them so they really understand it well.”
Tim's also a big fan of role play. "We do it in all my companies," he says. "It can be uncomfortable at first, but we have fun with it. We laugh, but it's really the best way to get comfortable selling anything."
Tim teaches word tracks to help his team get ready to speak about what they'll be selling. Each salesperson can have their own way of saying it, as long as they hit the key points every single time.
📞 Tim’s top word tracks:
- “Our company prides itself on having a low claims ratio, very low in fact. But let's face it. We move millions of pounds of furniture every single year, and sometimes things do get damaged. We just want you to understand your options ahead of time so that if something happens, you've had the opportunity to purchase additional valuation, and you can have your items replaced at full value.”
- “The next item on your quote is full value protection. This is optional coverage ensures that if anything is broken or damaged during your move, it will be repaired or replaced at full value. Most moving companies only provide the state mandated minimum coverage of .60 cents per pound, meaning a hundred pound item would only be valued at $60 if damaged. We believe in educating our clients about this additional coverage upfront. This charge is completely waivable. Would you like me to include it in your quote for now?”
- “Unfortunately, sometimes in our business, things get damaged, but this is where our company shines. We always do our best to turn setbacks into positive outcomes so that everyone walks away happy. Our reputation is all we have in this industry.”
💯 Pro tip: Offer valuation at least 3 times—when the move is booked, when the move is confirmed, and again on move day before the job starts. (Companies do this by letting crew members sell valuation from the crew app).
Then sell it to as many customers as you can!
2. Incentivize your team
Ready to see your sales tick up? Give your team some skin in the game.
Tim pays his team 15% of all valuation they sell—and they sell a ton of it.
While you're thinking about incentives, make sure to include everyone who interacts with customers: not just salespeople, but ops, customer service, and crew, too.
"If someone's making money on it, they're going to sell it," says Tim. "It's as simple as that."
💰 Tim's best incentive tips:
- Offer 10-15% commission on valuation coverage sold
- Include sales, customer services, and crew in the commission plan
- Create a monthly leaderboard to spark competition
- Celebrate wins by shouting out top performers
The goal is to create a culture where everyone understands the value of valuation coverage and is motivated to sell it to customers.
"When everyone has skin in the game, that's when you see real results."
3. Put your CRM to work
Let your system do the heavy lifting. It's as simple as setting up a few key automations in your CRM.
"You gotta make your CRM work for you," says Tim. "We work in SmartMoving. We love it. Valuation prints on every single estimate."
🤖 Tim's must-have automations:
- Auto-include valuation on all estimates
- Text customers clickable coverage upgrade options
- Collect digital signatures for valuation forms
- Send follow-up emails explaining coverage
- Track valuation sales on your dashboard
Tim’s team starts with a $0 deductible on the estimate. If customers hesitate, that’s when they bring in other deductible options.
“For local, we offer a $0, $100, and $300 deductible. On long distance, we offer $0, $250, and $500 deductibles. But you can make those as high as you want,” says Tim.
With a process like this, everyone wins. Automations do the "busy work" so Tim's team can focus on what really matters—educating customers.
4. Lower your risk
Of course, you can't just sell valuation. You have to back it up with a solid claims process.
"You've got to have ironclad paperwork that protects you," says Tim. "And that paperwork doesn't mean anything unless we're getting everything signed."
📋 Tim's claims process cheat sheet:
- Go digital with all paperwork
- Document pre-existing damage (with photos!) via a pre-move survey
- Respond to claims within 24 hours
- Get a solid claims adjuster on your team
- Know when to use your cargo insurance (for Tim, that’s usually around $8-10K)
Tim’s team at Krupp Moving and Storage has a claims ratio of 1%. Their secret? Speed and empathy when handling claims.
“You're not always paying out full price. You can offer to fix things. Negotiate with people. You've got some wiggle room.” Tim explains.
He trains his team to apologize immediately and paint a clear picture of what happens next: "We're going to get this handled for you right away. I'm sending forms now, and our claims team will call within 24 hours."
"If you get a little trust from them upfront, it's goes a long way on the back end."
💯 Pro tip: You don't have to pay everything out of pocket. For bigger claims, talk to your insurance broker. They can give you guidance on how it will impact your rates long term.
See? Selling valuation isn't as scary as it sounds
67% of movers sell valuation coverage—which means 1 in 3 are still leaving good money on the table.
It doesn't have to be complicated. With Tim's playbook and 2-3% more revenue coming in, you'll kick yourself for not selling valuation sooner.
"Selling valuation isn't just about making more money. It's about providing real value to your customers and peace of mind for everyone involved."
Start with just one of these strategies this week and watch what happens. Your future self will thank you.
Watch Tim's full session on selling moving valuation here👇.
