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How Moving Companies Can Scale Profitably in 2026

Mark Hirschi of Salmons Moving and Storage and Tim Krupp of Krupp Moving and Storage share how moving company owners can grow profitably in 2026 by tracking gross profit, hiring before peak season, strengthening systems, using technology, and building local demand.

For a moving company owner, growth can be dangerous if profit does not grow with it. More trucks, more movers, more jobs, and more locations can also mean more overtime, more waste, and more stress.

The strongest message from this moving industry panel was simple: the goal is not just bigger revenue. The goal is a moving business that grows with better gross profit, stronger systems, and a team ready before busy season starts.

What Number Should You Watch Before You Chase More Revenue?

The key number discussed was cost of goods sold, or COGS. In a moving company, this includes major job costs like labor. If COGS creeps up, your revenue can look great while your bottom line gets weaker.

Monthly financial reports are useful, but they can be too slow. By the time you see the problem, the month is already over.

How Do You Avoid Being Short-Staffed in Busy Season?

The panel was clear: if you wait until the busy season to solve hiring, you are already late. When you do not have enough movers, you pay more overtime, create more cleanup work, and risk saying no to jobs.

One recommendation was to begin hiring campaigns around mid-February, then work backward from your peak season needs.

How Do You Keep New Movers Busy Before Demand Peaks?

Early hiring creates a real challenge: you need people before you have full peak-season volume. The answer is not to ignore the problem. The answer is to plan for useful work during the ramp-up.

Slow-Season Labor Options

• Upgrade some two-man jobs to three-man jobs. If pricing is set correctly, the customer may pay about the same because the job finishes faster.
• Use extra people in the warehouse. This keeps new hires active and helps the operation.
• Give them errands or support tasks. Use the time to strengthen the company, not waste payroll.
• Prioritize your best employees for hours. Slow season is also a time to refine the team.
• Replace weak performers. Some people will fall out. Use that as a chance to improve the crew.

What Systems Should You Fix Before You Add More Volume?

Scaling makes weak systems more painful. One company acquisition discussed in the panel included adding a CRM, integrating SmartMoving and QuickBooks, improving dispatch, updating the sales structure, and keeping the company culture strong.

The lesson: before you push harder for growth, make sure the back end can handle it.

Operations Upgrade Scorecard

• CRM: Are all moving leads tracked in one place?
• Dispatch: Is the dispatch process clear and current?
• Sales structure: Does your team know how to follow up, estimate, and close?
• Accounting: Are systems connected enough to understand profit?
• Onboarding: Are new movers trained beyond “here’s a shirt, get on the truck”?
• Culture: Are changes improving the company without hurting the customer experience?

Where Can Technology Save Time and Improve Profit?

Technology was discussed as a way to reduce waste, improve speed, and avoid unnecessary office hires. This included virtual assistants, AI receptionists, faster lead response, and tools that help with social engagement.

Technology Ideas Mentioned by the Panel

• Call bridge for new leads: When a lead comes in, the phone rings quickly so reps can respond faster.
• Voicemail drops: Sales reps can leave pre-planned voicemails with one click instead of repeating the same message.
• AI receptionists: These can answer basic questions and route customers to the right person.
• Virtual assistants: These can support admin work at a lower cost.
• EVY AI: Mentioned as a tool for personalized comments, posts, and replies.
• humantic.ai: Mentioned as a LinkedIn tool for improving personalized outreach.
• Instagram lead capture: The panel discussed tools that let customers submit information inside Instagram instead of leaving for a landing page.

How Should a Moving Company Build More Local Demand?

One major recommendation was to stay active in the community before the busy season. Do not wait until May or June to build relationships.

Local Growth Checklist

• Visit a BNI chapter. You do not have to join immediately. Start by meeting people.
• Connect with your local Chamber of Commerce. Look for business relationships, not just memberships.
• Visit a Rotary Club. Build local recognition and trust.
• Practice your elevator pitch. Be ready to explain clearly who you help and why your moving company is different.
• Keep momentum going in winter. Do not let slower weather slow down your outreach.

Quick Win: Build Your Peak-Season Staffing Target Today

In less than 30 minutes, pull last year’s busiest month and answer these questions:

• How many moves did we complete?
• How many movers did we need each week?
• How many movers do we have right now?
• How many movers will we need if we grow this year?
• How many people must we hire each week starting in February?

This one exercise can prevent overtime problems, missed jobs, and last-minute hiring panic.

What Mistakes Should You Avoid When Scaling?

• Chasing revenue without watching gross profit. Bigger sales do not always mean better profit.
• Waiting too long to hire. Hiring in May for June demand is risky.
• Using weak onboarding. Two days of basic training may not prepare movers for peak season.
• Letting leads sit too long. Even a few minutes can matter when a customer is ready to book.
• Ignoring community relationships. Local trust can create business that ads alone may not.

How to Apply This This Week

• 1. Create monthly projections for next year. Use historical data and your expected growth.
• 2. Reverse engineer labor needs. Decide how many trucks and movers each month will require.
• 3. Start your hiring plan before peak season. Build weekly hiring goals and include expected turnover.
• 4. Review one office or admin role. Ask if technology, outsourcing, or a virtual assistant could make the process more efficient.
• 5. Schedule one local networking visit. Visit a BNI chapter, Chamber event, or Rotary Club meeting.

To hear the full discussion from the original panel, watch How the Best in Moving Are Scaling Up: Awards Show Panel and visit the SmartMoving YouTube channel.

Work With SmartMoving

SmartMoving is an all-in-one CRM and operations platform built specifically for moving companies. It helps manage leads, create estimates, schedule moves, dispatch crews, process payments, and communicate with customers—all from one system.

Its goal is to simplify daily operations while helping movers book more jobs and run more efficiently. With built-in automation, reporting, and integrations, SmartMoving gives moving companies better visibility into their business and a smoother experience for both staff and customers.