Why A Cheap Towing Service Might Not Be Your Best Choice
Often, when you need to call a tow truck, it is at the most inconvenient time. To make matters worse, most of us do not even consider towing options until an emergency arises. While financial strain might make the cheapest towing option sound like the best idea, this is not always the case. In fact, the cheapest towing option might not remain the cheapest in the long run. Because towing a vehicle can be done incorrectly, there are certain risks a customer can assume when choosing to work with a cheap towing company. It’s very important to carefully evaluate your risks and determine your best choice.
You Get What You Pay For
When it comes to towing services, you truly do get what you pay for in most cases. Because proper towing protocol requires training and appropriate equipment, a cheap towing company may simply not be properly equipped to handle a job safely.
Though this is not by any means true of every cheap towing company, many that offer the lowest price often do so because they’re also offering low-quality services. Keep in mind, every state has different requirements when it comes to the operation of towing vehicles. You should first determine what your state requires before looking into different towing companies. This way, you’ll have a list of regulations to ask about before deciding on a specific company.
The Risks of Choosing Cheap Towing
When you trust the services of a cheap towing company to move your vehicle, you might run into several issues in the process that may end up costing you more long-term.
For example, you might find that the cheapest towing option comes with:
A glaring lack of professionalism: The cheapest services often receive business no matter how they treat their customers, so at times there is no incentive to offer exceptional customer service.
A one-size-fits-all approach: Depending on the type of vehicle that you need towed to safety, there may be more than one piece of equipment needed to properly transport your vehicle. If a company uses only one sort of equipment and is only experienced at one type of towing job, your best bet is to look elsewhere.
Lack of proper licensure and insurance: The cheapest towing option available may or may not be compliant with their state’s towing regulations. This might mean that tow truck operators are not properly licensed or insured, which could lead to costly mistakes later.
Damage to your vehicle: Because choosing the cheapest option might lead to the lowest quality of service, you might incur further damage to your vehicle if it is improperly towed. While you can most likely take the company to small claims court for the damages, it’s better in the long-run to avoid the hassle altogether.
Hidden fees: Sometimes, cheaper towing companies will offer a low price to tow a vehicle and neglect to mention additional fees until the towing job has already been completed and you have little choice but to pay for services rendered. This might be done by quoting a flat fee and tacking on a hook-up or mileage fee later.
Price Ranges to Consider
While choosing the least expensive towing service is not always ideal, you should not necessarily shell out tons of money for a more expensive service either. Price is only a factor when it comes to service, and a towing company’s capacity to overcharge clients does not directly relate to its ability to offer excellent service.
Much like any other factor you’re using to determine your towing options, you want to consider price as a single piece of the puzzle. It’s in your best interest to conduct research and weigh the pros and cons of each company you’re thinking about working with. Get quotes, ask questions, and talk to a representative of the company to decide for yourself whether their services are worth the investment that you’re going to make.
Usually, the best service lies somewhere in the middle of the price range, which can be due to the fact that smaller companies with moderate prices have to constantly justify the prices they charge for services. These companies typically offer the best-trained drivers, highest quality of customer service interactions, licenses and insurance policies that ensure that the company assumes liability for any mistakes they make, and the most versatile towing capabilities. They cannot simply rely on rock-bottom prices or the reputation of their corporation’s name to keep customers satisfied.
When the need for towing services emerge, you owe it to yourself to make informed choices and ensure the proper handling of your vehicle as well as your personal safety should you need reliable transportation in the process.
