Real Intelligence Over Artificial: Why the Moving Industry Must Stay Real

The household goods industry is, at its core, a people business. It’s built on communication, trust, and the ability to solve problems in real time for real people. So, with all the talk about artificial intelligence (AI), the real question is this: Are we trying to automate away what makes our industry Real?

AI Isn’t a Silver Bullet

Across every sector, there’s a rush to plug in AI as a cure-all. If a product has “AI” in its name, it must be modern, relevant, the future. But we’ve seen this before. Remember the dot-com era? Anything with a “.com” behind it was a golden ticket — even if it had no clear use, value, or business model.

AI is in that same hype phase. But as with all tech waves, the dream eventually settles at the lowest water mark we humans allow. Bad actors will use it just as quickly as good ones. We’re entering an age where misinformation, manipulation, and fraud can scale at lightning speed.
“Buyer beware” won’t be enough — the new mantra will be: “Believe nothing of what you hear or see without verification.”

And as for the so-called “guardrails”? Let’s be honest: we’re entering the age of the AI grifter. It’s just another tool — and like any tool, it’s only as effective or dangerous as the person using it.

AI Can’t Replace the Human Touch

On a micro level, tools like ChatGPT are great for brainstorming. But AI doesn’t innovate — it recycles. It doesn’t lead — it follows. It’s built from existing knowledge, not new ideas. It doesn’t think, it predicts.

Sure, AI may eliminate some low-level knowledge work. But can it replace a plumber? A mover? A relationship-driven sales pro? No.

Transactional roles — order takers, entry-level customer service, some low-value sales — are at risk. But what we’re not doing is investing in real talent. Companies are cutting their sales teams, hoping AI can count the chairs and take the orders. We’re throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

What we should be asking is:

• Who’s building the relationships that drive growth?
• Who’s leveraging AI to identify and pursue new accounts?
• Who’s customizing service for real people with real needs?

The Industry Is Changing — Fast

Corporate relocation is shifting in real time. Managing information is no longer a game changer — access to quality labor, agility, and customization now take the lead. Moves are getting smaller. Employee loyalty is dropping. Self-initiated moves are rising. At the same time, new U.S. real estate laws are shrinking margins. With that relocation management companies (RMCs) are scrambling to stay relevant, embedding themselves deeper into HR functions to keep their footing. But the real disruption is happening.

Lump sum and allowance-based programs are gaining popularity — and this is pure COD business for movers. When consumers have direct access to the information they need, middlemen who only manage data are going to be left behind.

So, ask yourself: Do you have the right people in place to take advantage of that change?

Where Are Your Smart Salespeople? This is not the time to downsize your brainpower. It’s time to recruit, train, and reward sharp sales and marketing professionals who understand the game has changed. AI should make their job easier — not replace them. Tech should enhance the customer experience — not become the experience.

We need to ask:

• How can technology help consumers feel safer?
• How can it improve communication and transparency?
• How can we use it to augment our reality, not substitute it?

The Opportunity Is Wide Open

In this AI-driven world, the playing field is level — for now. We have the trucks. We have the warehouses. We have the labor. What we’re missing in many cases is the sales and marketing leadership to take our industry direct to the customer.

If information management is becoming commoditized, then our human capital becomes the key differentiator. That’s why we must be investing in human intelligence over artificial intelligence.

We need:

• People who understand that service still wins business. 
• People who know how to ask the right questions.
• People who build custom solutions.

Now is not the time to sit back and watch. This is the time to sit up and ask: Why not us? Why not now? AI is a powerful tool — but it’s just that: a tool. The magic still lies with the people who use it. In a world of automation, relationships, trust, and clarity are your “real” assets.

If we listen more — to customers, to frontline teams, to new ideas — and if we combine the best of AI with the best of our people, the opportunity is right in front of us. Most organizations are working on the artificial, let’s not forget the human intelligence.