Expert Interview Series: AI Tech in Moving or Bust? A Chat with GM Andrew Goldman of Mayzlin Relocation

My name is Andrew, and I’m the General Manager at Mayzlin Relocation. I’ve been in the moving industry for about seven years, and have proudly spent the last five helping Mayzlin grow into the reputable, customer-first company it is today. While my main focus is on sales, I like to think of myself as the Swiss Army knife of the operation ready to jump into any role to keep things running smoothly.

I like to say I’m the perfect blend of a Motivated Monday and a chill Sunday, in that order. My work ethic was shaped by my youth years in the city, where seeing the lights always on meant someone was grinding. That mindset stuck with me. My favorite quote is, "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to work my way up from the ground floor and learned firsthand how important every role is in the success of a business.

I believe sales isn’t about pushing a product, it's about providing real solutions and building relationships. Moving is up there on the most stressful days next to your wedding day and the first day at a new job. And just like those days, the person next to you can make or break that day. We want to be the perfect person next to you during those days. At Mayzlin, I bring that approach to everything I contribute to. Because to me, it’s not just about moving boxes, it's about moving people the right way.

Edwards: Has the rise of AI and automation changed the way moving companies operate?

Goldman: AI and Automation have changed some things in moving. I wouldn't say it's been significantly impactful. But you can start to see the impact it will take into the industry. I think it's scary depending on how it gets used. I can see it providing a lot of helpful tools, but I don't know how much it will take over, like if AI automation will eliminate the human aspect of the industry.

Edwards: Is AI helping with logistics, scheduling, or customer service in the moving industry?

Goldman: We are still figuring out ways to incorporate AI into every department. From what I’ve seen with advertising, they are definitely trying to market it like it can, but I think logistics is a difficult department to just allow the AI to completely take over. Scheduling is like a mix of the logistics and sales. We do use some automation systems for that but it's not considered artificial intelligence yet.

With customer service, there is a small amount of AI that can be added into it, like the basic side of customer service. We haven't made the transition ourselves yet because it's not the most efficient. We feel like if we added in that to the lets say website, it would be counter productive. Though it may be able to give an answer, I think the customers would be annoyed because it wouldn't be answering the question completely without the full scope of the company/job.

Edwards: What are the biggest trends you see in the moving industry in 2025?

Goldman: The biggest trend I’ve noticed this year in the moving industry is the integration of technology. In previous years, the moving industry was pretty “old school,” to say the least. We would offer over-the-phone or in-person estimates. With the growth of technology, we have been able to add in virtual calls. I think it is a big plus for both the consumers and companies. It allows us to connect on a more personal level and allows us to put a set of eyes on the actual household and the goods that we will be moving.

I do worry as I see more involvement with the AI, just because I'm not sure how accurate or perfected the AIs are. I know it seems like a smooth process and can be very user-friendly. I'm just not sure about the possible flaws there are. As a company, if you ultimately put all the trust in artificial intelligence, you remove the friendly/family feel you get when connecting with a customer.

I remember when I was a sales person, I used to always start with making a friend first. Regardless if I was able to earn the job, I wanted to make sure to inform the customer, making sure they're as knowledgeable about the industry as possible. So regardless if they use us or another company, they know what they need to know in order to make the best decision on the company they work with.

Will an AI be able to provide those types of experiences? Overall I'm excited to see how technology helps improve the industry, but at Mayzlin, we are also cautious with adding too much of it. It reminds me of the saying: if it's not broken, don't fix it. I think we have found a good middle ground so far with mixing some technology and still keeping the old-school sales. I know being a consumer myself, I always try to build relationships when I purchase a service, especially when using an industry I'm not familiar with.

Edwards: What statistic in the moving industry do you think would surprise most people?

Goldman: I think one of the biggest statistics in the moving industry is how many companies are bad brokers and how many are new companies. It's scary because the marketing online will represent these companies to seem like they're a great company. They'll have a savvy sales person on the other side of the phone that promises the world while booking the job but when the job actually gets picked up is when the problems start. We live in a time where there are a lot of talented people on the internet that can make something very bad look very good. So it's important to dive deep into researching the company.

Another big statistic that I think is important is to remember not every good move leaves a positive review, and not every bad review is as bad as the review is made out to seem. We're in a world where people publish everything on the internet and can be misleading on how they present it. I’ve seen moves go amazing for a customer, and he felt like he didn't need to leave a positive review because he expected that type of service. Even after asking for the support, we still couldn't get him to leave a review due to the time it took. But he used our company more than three times. Then there's the other side of that too, I’ve seen our company get a 1-star review from a client, someone who didn't even use us, but they didn't like the way the conversation went during the initial process.

Reviews are powerful and customers know that as well, so they use that to their advantage when they need to. So I take all reviews with a grain of salt. Of course if there's a trend of reviews saying the same thing, maybe that's something to ask about or be concerned for. But don't let one person's point of view change how a company looks. Running a business isn't easy, big or small. I always try to look at situations from everyone's perspective: the company, the consumer, and even the people who will read what's written down the road. I always suggest sharing feedback on companies big or small, just be fair and share the whole story.

Edwards: How do you expect the housing supply to impact moving in 2025?

Goldman: The housing supply is very interesting this coming year, with a new president and the stock market on a constant fluctuation. I think like everything, with time it will find a way to balance itself out. I have yet to see a big dip in the demand for the moving world, though like every industry, we have our seasons and we have yet to enter the moving season.

I'm interested in seeing how things hold up once that season starts. But I know the majority of relocations are based on opportunity. And as long as people keep working, keep learning, going to school, and continue to grow our families, there's always gonna be a need for homes. We help people open new doors, figuratively and literally.

Edwards: How are economic conditions, like inflation and housing market fluctuations,
impacting moving demand?

Goldman: The economic conditions have a big ripple effect on the industry. When the economy tightens, there are fewer home sales, which means less moving, and people are much more price-sensitive when it comes to spending.

But I must say with moving, we manage to stay busy. Of course we have to adjust to the prices people are willing to pay for services. People move for all reasons. Sometimes they relocate because the cost goes up or down. Sometimes people delay the major move for another couple months and have us store items for them. So our services still can be useful, but when the times are tough is when we have to be more selective about work we are willing to take on.

Edwards: What’s the biggest mistake people make when hiring a moving company?

Goldman: I always say moving is one of the top three most-stressful days people will deal with in their life, especially long-distance. It's said to be up there with your wedding day and the first day at a new job. It ranks up there as one of the most anxiety-inducing experiences, and because of that, people are so worried while going through it. So many variables going on, expectations, hopes, possible mistakes, etc. Everything can go right, everything can go wrong, and moving is tough because it's not even done after one day. You have a waiting period where you pray your belongings are okay.

The biggest mistakes I notice are:

1. Not doing the proper research- checking licenses.

2. Believing someone because they said something — if it's not in writing it's not official.

3. Ignoring the red flags. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Sometimes people are on a budget and because of that, they get tricked into a bad deal. But just because you're on a budget doesn't mean going with an "initially cheaper company” is the right thing to do.

With all those points in mind, I’ve seen situations where a customer went with a competitor because the initial quote was more in their ball park, but when the job was actually done, they ended up paying double compared to going with us. I don't blame people though, it's tough when you don't know any better. You're getting a million calls from people who want your business and tell you what you want to hear only to lead you down a path that they knew wasn't gonna help. So it's important to do the homework, really compare quotes, and take your time (if you can). Remember, at the end of the day, the ball is in your court until you put it in the truck!

Edwards: What is the biggest myth people have about moving?

Goldman: I believe the biggest myth and possible mistake people have about moving is all moving companies are the same.

Many people assume that every moving company offers the same services, and the quality range will be the same no matter who is providing it. So they end up going with the cheapest option. I always try to remind people buying a service isn't the same as buying a tangible product. It's not something you can touch. With a service, you're buying the result, and unlike goods, the quality of a service can vary a lot based on the provider. Then when you get deeper into comparing companies, you realize not all are offering the same services. There’s always an industry standard when it comes to services, but as a consumer, we have to remember not every company is going to follow those standards.

Some may include additional stuff to make their offering better than the competitor, but if a customer doesn't know to ask about it, the company may not know to mention it. That's why it's so important to read what you're signing up for. People like to put faith into others hoping they disclose everything, but sometimes they might not say anything because they also assume you know everything. It's a slippery slope with that topic. So as consumers, we have to be prepared to do the extra homework with options we are
considering.

Edwards: How is your company keeping itself a leader in the moving industry?

Goldman: Mayzlin Relocation stays ahead of the competition by focusing on a few strategies that directly impact both our customer' experience and our efficiency.

1. Maintaining a customer-centered approach, we offer customizable moving plans with transparent prices, detailed estimates, and upfront communication help. Our team of moving coordinators dedicated to customers make sure all questions are answered and are available to walk you through the process. What makes our team different is that our goal is always to make a friend first. Whenever we are talking to a customer, the main goal is what's best for them. We’ll turn work away before we lie or over promise to them and not perform to expectations.

2. We offer nationwide coverage with a mom and pop shop feel. We handle jobs like those big companies do, but we maintain a more personal service. We invest in ourselves. We are one of the only companies that offers live GPS tracking so customers can see where our trucks are while in transit. We are definitely the only company I know of that owns all of our own warehouses. And we invest into our team by training our team to make sure everyone is aligned with delivering exceptional quality in every department.

With all that in consideration, we buy high quality packing materials to reduce risk and improve quality.

3. Reputation and Marketing: We are actively responding to reviews and fixing issues fast to make sure to do the right thing by the consumer. Because of that, the quality, and our experience, we get a tremendous amount of referrals from previous customers. We're proud to say that referrals account for about 20-25% of our jobs.

4. Strategic partnerships: we make sure to only work with companies that we believe in. (Move.org is a perfect example.)

5. Lastly, Adaptability and growth. We are quick to adjust to the climate of the market, we understand people move for many reasons. And just like the weather, the moving industry has its seasons. We are constantly making sure to keep up with the climate so our prices reflect the current market. We have all our calls recorded, and we conduct internal reviews and quarterly team audits to make sure we are constantly improving.

Edwards: What is the top thing your customers say they like about your company?

Goldman: Our customers are very important to us, and the most popular feedback we receive is the communication, that they feel like family. Being a smaller company, we take the customer relationship seriously, and they feel it.

As consumers ourselves to the world, we understand what it feels like when a company doesn't respect or appreciate your business. So we make sure to treat every customer the same, all jobs no matter the size. I was always told people buy from who they believe in, so I always preach to make a friend first. Make sure we're a perfect fit and if all the boxes are checked, the customer will see it, understand it, and we will all be happy.

A runner-up would be the quick responses and how knowledgeable and helpful we are. We know it's important to be available for someone during a high stress time like a long-distance move, and at any time, something can change. So we want to make sure we're always available for our customers and always giving the best advice for the situation.

I do always like to credit the guys in the field as well for finishing the job. It's only half the experience people get over the phone, but we are judged by the team on site. And they never fail to deliver over the top customer service. They make sure customers understand the process and what to expect going forward.