How to check a mover can handle IT, furniture and timelines

A move that goes wrong costs days of lost productivity, damaged IT infrastructure, broken furniture, and missed client deadlines. A mover who knows how to handle servers, desks, cables and timelines—and proves it—turns chaos into a structured transition. You need concrete ways to verify they can actually deliver before you book.

Check their IT and equipment track record

IT-aware movers understand that a server is not a filing cabinet. They know about cable labelling, shutdown sequences, temperature control during transit, and the difference between moving a monitor and moving a network rack. Furniture movers without this knowledge will plug things in wrong, leave cables tangled, and hand you a migration day disaster.

Ask the mover for references from at least three recent office moves—and crucially, call those references yourself rather than relying on written testimonials. Ask them specifically: "Did the mover label and document your IT setup before packing?" "Was everything reinstalled and tested the same day or next morning?" "Were there any connectivity issues after the move, and how were they handled?" Listen for hesitation or vague answers; a smooth IT move leaves clients with clear memories of what went well.

Request that the mover provides a detailed pre-move site visit report. This should document every printer, monitor, router, phone system, and server—ideally with photos and a cable map. A mover who skips this step is guessing. Ask them to walk you through their packing and labelling system for electronics: which cables stay attached, which are bagged and tagged, and how they'll identify each item on installation day. If they can't articulate a clear system, they're not equipped.

Check whether they've worked with your specific IT setup before. If you run a particular phone system, backup solution, or security infrastructure, a mover experienced with that reduces confusion. Ask if they've moved offices with sensitive servers or data-centre-grade equipment; that experience translates to care and precision across all tech.

Verify timelines and proven processes

Office moves live and die by the schedule. A mover who says "we'll be done when we're done" leaves you without a plan. One who commits to a timeline but has no method to stick to it will miss it anyway.

During the quote phase, ask the mover how they calculate move duration. A credible answer includes factors like floor count, distance to new office, elevator availability, complexity of IT disconnection and reconnection, and furniture assembly needs. If they give you a one-line estimate with no reasoning, that's a red flag. Request a detailed move schedule—hour by hour if the move is complex—showing when IT will be disconnected, when furniture and equipment will be packed and loaded, travel time, unloading, setup, and reconnection.

Ask them directly: "What's your contingency if the move takes longer than planned?" and "How do you communicate delays to the client in real time?" A well-run mover will have a communication protocol—WhatsApp updates, a site coordinator on-call—and a backup plan (extra staff, staggered moves, post-hours work slots).

Request a copy of a previous client's move schedule (anonymised) to see what detail they provide. It should show phases, responsible teams, and checkpoints. Ask whether they'll assign a single point of contact for the entire move—someone you can call if something goes wrong rather than hunting through a call centre.

Before signing, confirm in writing what "complete" means. Is desks in place enough, or do they reassemble chairs, test every monitor, and confirm WiFi? Do they take away packaging, or does that fall to you? A mover who writes these details down is thinking ahead; one who leaves it verbal is dodging accountability.

Verifying experience with IT and timelines isn't about endless questions—it's about finding a mover who has built processes to handle complexity. When you find one with references to back it up, a documented pre-move plan, and a realistic schedule, you've found someone who turns a stressful day into a managed event. Strove's verified movers in your area will have reviews and qualifications on file, so you can compare their track records before you call.