University recruitment, background checks, and the vetting process behind every Undergrads crew member.
In 2023, the moving industry had one of the highest employee turnover rates of any service sector, above 70% annually according to industry estimates. The most common model is gig-based: a company posts a job on an app, a random person with a truck accepts it, and you let a stranger you know nothing about carry your furniture through your home. Undergrads was built on a different model. Here is exactly how we hire, what the vetting process looks like, and why we built it this way.
- Why university recruiting changes the trust equation
- The background check process: what it covers
- Training: what every crew member learns before their first job
- How we maintain quality across 11 markets
- What the Show-Up Guarantee means in practice
Why we hire from universities
Undergrads recruits crew members from university campuses in every market we operate. This is not a marketing angle. It is the core of our trust model. University enrollment means the person has a verifiable institutional affiliation, a track record of meeting obligations, and usually a digital footprint that makes background screening more reliable and complete. It also means our crew turnover looks like graduation rates, not the 70%+ annual churn typical of gig-based moving.
The name is literal. The crew members who move your belongings are current or recently graduated university students. They are working because they want to earn money, not because moving was the job of last resort. The character difference this creates shows up in how they handle your furniture.
The background check: what it actually covers
Every Undergrads crew member goes through a background check before their first job. Here is what that check covers.
- Identity verification: the person is who they say they are, verified against government ID
- Criminal history search: national criminal database check covering felonies and relevant misdemeanors
- Sex offender registry check: national and state-level
- Address history verification: confirms the identity chain across addresses
The check is processed through a third-party background screening service. We do not self-screen. The results are reviewed before the crew member is cleared for customer-facing work. Anyone with a disqualifying result does not make it to your door. This is not a formality; it is a filter that matters.
From the field
Every year we get the question: "Are your guys actually background-checked?" The answer is yes, but more importantly, the question is worth asking every mover you talk to. Ask what the check covers. Ask who runs it. Ask what disqualifies someone. A mover who cannot answer those questions specifically has not done the work., Tom Mumford, Undergrads founder
Get my free quote →Training: what every crew member learns before their first job
Passing the background check gets you in the door. Training is what determines how you perform on move day. Every new Undergrads crew member goes through an onboarding process before their first customer job.
| Training Module | What It Covers | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Lifting and body mechanics | Proper form, team lifts, pivot techniques | Prevents injury to crew and furniture |
| Furniture disassembly | Bed frames, tables, shelving, common IKEA pieces | Most complaints come from disassembly mistakes |
| Truck loading strategy | Load order, weight distribution, strap placement | Prevents damage in transit |
| Customer communication | Walk-through, placement confirmation, damage protocol | Sets expectations, reduces disputes |
| Building logistics | Elevator booking, parking, HOA protocols | Prevents delays on move day |
| Damage documentation | Pre-existing vs. new damage, photo protocol | Protects both crew and customer |
Maintaining quality across 11 markets
Consistency is the hardest part of scaling a service business. The crew captain model is how we address it. Every job has a designated captain: an experienced crew member who has completed 30+ moves and is responsible for the job quality. New crew members work with experienced captains before they lead jobs independently.
Customer reviews are reviewed by market managers weekly. Any crew member who receives consistently negative feedback is flagged for retraining or removed from customer-facing work. The Show-Up Guarantee is not just a marketing promise; it is a measurement tool. If a crew is late and we pay the $50, we look at why and address it operationally.
The Show-Up Guarantee: what it actually means
The Show-Up Guarantee is simple: if a mover arrives 30 minutes after the scheduled start, let us know and we knock $50 off your final bill. A quick call, text, or email is all we need — no claim forms to fill out, no arguing about what counts as late.
The guarantee exists because showing up on time is the single most important thing a moving company does. A customer who has arranged a truck, blocked off time from work, and coordinated friends to help is depending on the crew arriving when they said they would. A late crew is not just an inconvenience; it is a cascade of problems. The $50 does not fully compensate for that. It signals that we take the commitment seriously.
Frequently asked questions
Are Undergrads crew members employees or contractors?
Undergrads crew members are vetted and trained through our process and work consistently with our teams. The operational model varies by market, but the background check, training requirements, and quality standards are applied uniformly. The important distinction from a customer perspective: you are not getting an anonymous gig worker. You are getting someone who has been screened and trained before they show up.
What happens if a crew member damages something?
Every Undergrads move comes with $1,000 damage protection. If something is damaged during the move, contact us through the app or by phone and we initiate the claims process. We take photos, assess the damage, and handle the resolution. The crew captain documents any pre-existing damage at the start of every job, so disputes about whether damage was pre-existing are handled with evidence, not opinion.
How long has Undergrads been operating?
Undergrads has been operating since 2017 and has completed 40,000+ moves across 11 markets. The company was founded by Tom Mumford, who started it as a way to connect university students with people who needed reliable moving help. The university recruitment model and the Show-Up Guarantee have been part of the company since the beginning.
Can I request a specific crew member?
You can note a positive experience with a specific crew member in your booking and we will try to accommodate repeat requests. Crew scheduling depends on availability, so repeat bookings with the same captain are not guaranteed but we do our best. Many customers who move annually request the same crew and get them most of the time.
What is the most common feedback about Undergrads crew?
Based on 500+ reviews, the most common themes are: showed up on time, handled furniture carefully, worked efficiently without padding the clock, and were friendly and professional. The least common complaints are: occasional lateness (which triggers the Show-Up Guarantee) and inconsistent experience in high-demand periods. We address the latter by staffing more crew captains in peak season.
Background-checked. Trained. Guaranteed.
Every Undergrads crew member is vetted before your first box moves. Show-Up Guarantee: $50 back if we are late. $1,000 damage protection. $5 holds your date. See what customers say at our reviews page.
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