J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Two Men and a Truck Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Full-Service Moving Companies

While Price and Availability are Important Considerations in Selecting a , Degree of Care with Belongings and Timely Transportation Lead to Highest Levels of Satisfaction

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 26 August 2008 —Two Men and a Truck ranks highest in satisfaction among customers using full-service moving companies, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Full-Service Moving Company Customer Satisfaction StudySM released today.

The study, now in its second year, is based on evaluations from consumers in the United States who used a full- service moving company to move their household goods during the past 12 months. Customer satisfaction with full-service moving companies is measured across five factors: insurance/valuation coverage; loading and unloading service; packing services; shipping estimate process; and transportation of belongings.

Two Men and a Truck ranks highest with a score of 809 on a 1,000-point scale. Following closely in the rankings are Graebel Van Lines (808) and (807).

“Customers who used Two Men and a Truck, Graebel Van Lines, or North American Van Lines all report very high levels of satisfaction with their moving company,” said Michael Drago, director of the real estate and construction industries practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “However, it is Two Men and a Truck’s consistently strong performance across all aspects of the move that primarily contribute to their top ranking. Graebel Van Lines and North American Van Lines also represent solid options for customers looking for a positive moving experience.”

The study finds that many customers cite the availability of the moving company to execute the move within a desired timeframe and the price originally quoted by the moving company as important considerations in selecting a moving company. However, customer satisfaction is in fact driven by the quality of the service provided, including the ability to deliver a customer’s belongings on time and without damage or loss.

“Although consumers view moving services as a commodity, there are real differences in both satisfaction and performance levels among the companies included in the study,” said Drago. “The challenge is to help consumers understand these differences to aid in their ability to make an informed decision. Customers should be aware that in the end, finding the best value can be different from finding the lowest price.”

The study also finds that 44 percent of moving customers report having items lost or damaged during their move. Among those customers who experienced loss or damage, more than one-half (56%) filed a claim with their moving company. Among customers with settled claims, the median compensation amount received equaled their perceived fair replacement value for the items in question.

“Since there is a high likelihood of incurring damage or loss of belongings during a move, it is critical for consumers to make informed decisions when selecting a moving company entrusted to handle their most prized possessions,” said Drago. “However, when loss or damage does occur, moving companies seem to do a good job

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The study results also include the following key findings: • Consumers may benefit from moving during off-peak times, when circumstances permit. Overall customer satisfaction with moving companies is lowest, on average, during the months of June through September. Conversely, satisfaction is highest during the periods of January through March and October through December. • Customer loyalty and advocacy with moving companies is particularly low, providing an opportunity for companies to differentiate themselves and stand out from the competition. Slightly more than one-third of customers say that they “definitely will” recommend their moving company, while slightly fewer than one-third of customers say they “definitely will” use the same moving company again. • More than nine in ten (91%) respondents received their belongings on time. Among customers who report that their belongings were delivered late, two-thirds were informed of the delay ahead of time.

The 2008 Full-Service Moving Company Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from nearly 3,000 customers who used a full-service moving company in the past 12 months. The study was fielded between April and July 2008.

For more information, read an article on full service moving companies or view ratings at JDPower.com

About J.D. Power and Associates Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The company’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2007 were $6.8 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com.

J.D. Power and Associates Media Relations Contacts: John Tews Syvetril Perryman Troy, Mich. Westlake Village, Calif. (248) 312-4119 (805) 418-8103 [email protected] [email protected]

No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates. www.jdpower.com/corporate # # #

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NOTE: One chart follows.

J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Full-Service Moving Company Customer Satisfaction StudySM

Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking (Based on a 1,000-point scale) JDPower.com Power Circle Ratings TM 700 750 800 850 for consumers

Two Men and a 809 Truck

Graebel Van Lines 808

Nor th Am e r ican 807 Van Lines

United Van Lines 794

Mayflower Transit 793

Atlas Van Lines 789

Industry Average 788

Wheaton Van Lines 771

Allied Van Lines 758

Bekins Van Lines 751

Source: J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Full-Service Moving Company Customer Satisfaction StudySM Charts and graphs extracted from this press release must be accompanied by a statement identifying J.D. Power and Associates as the publisher and the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Full-Service Moving Company Customer Satisfaction StudySM as the source. Rankings are based on numerical scores, and not necessarily on statistical significance. JDPower.com Power Circle Ratings™ are derived from consumer ratings in J.D. Power studies. For more information on Power Circle Ratings, visit jdpower.com/faqs. No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release or J.D. Power and Associates survey results without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates.