Last year, moving industry experts couldn't stop talking about AI and what technology might make possible.

This year, we asked 16 of them what they predict for 2026. They all had different takes, but the same idea kept coming up: moving companies can't keep doing the same things the same way. Good enough is no longer good enough.

Market demand is the wildcard

More industry operators predicted market conditions than anything else, and their predictions don't line up. Some see the housing market recovering. Others predict certain regions will permanently lose volume. Success in 2026 will depend heavily on which market you're in, not just how well you run your business.
‍

My boldest prediction for 2026 is a potential housing recovery, which would be great for everyone in the industry.

Walter Myers, President
Suddath Moving & Storage at The Suddath Companies

‍

Moving companies that I think will struggle most in 2026 are from areas that are unfortunately dying. We saw a mass exodus from northeastern United States. A lot of areas have been hit hard, and there just won’t be enough moving volume there.

The other ones that will struggle are those that don't plan for a little bit of slow time. It's nice to not have to worry about spending money in the wintertime because you didn't blow it during the summer.

Joshua Shipman, General Manager
Coastal Carrier Moving & Storage

‍

In 2026, people will come to terms with the interest rate environment and finally make the move they've been putting off for a few years. Even if rates don't change significantly, there should be an uptick in housing activity.

Cole Strong, Franchise President & Co-Founder
Square Cow Moovers

‍

I’m hopeful that things should turn out well with the military portion of household goods moving because of the change back to the DP3 system going back into effect. With the COD side of things we might be a little better due to the reflection of the economic shift and the lower interest rates.

John Battle, Operations Manager
The Other Moving Company

‍

I believe 2026 will mark one of the strongest periods for the moving industry in recent history, particularly in major metropolitan markets like California and the East Coast (including cities like New York).

Declining housing prices, potential reductions in interest rates, and increased mortgage accessibility are likely to stimulate buying and selling activity.

Combined, these factors could create a surge in relocation demand comparable to (or even exceeding) the peak levels seen during 2020–2021.

Alex Beressov, General Manager
VIP Pro Moving

‍

AI is still top-of-mind

AI is here whether you're ready or not. But although the industry is excited about AI and knows how important it is, there's no consensus yet on how to get the most out of it.

‍

Every company, regardless of your affiliation, will be able to accomplish the same things in 3 to 5 years. It doesn't matter how big or small you are. It's about how much you're willing to invest and I don't mean just fiscally. I'm talking about blood, sweat, tears, and time.

Are you willing to explore what the future has to offer? If you don't leverage the tools at your disposal, you're gonna be left in the dust because it's coming fast.

Tim Wicker, Vice President
Republic Moving and Storage

‍

Things will be happening much quicker than we’re anticipating when it comes to technology, AI, and customer behavior patterns.
‍
I also think we're gonna see a full comeback with major brands being more present and taking back their market share.

John Pellitteri, Vice President
Colonial Van Lines

‍

The people who think that AI solutions are gonna solve all of their problems when it comes to operational efficiencies are gonna be proven wrong.

It's gonna be a mix of understanding the fundamental principles of your business, and layering that in with AI to 10x what your operation can be.

A lot of people are going to sign up for a lot of AI services, and then not leverage them to their full capacity, and then go: "Why didn't my business make more money?"

Prabh Heer, Chief Operations Officer
Mobio Brands

‍

AI will continue to develop rapidly. My core prediction for 2026 is a reduced need for human labor in office roles, paired with higher overall productivity.

For example, a company that previously required 15 sales reps to operate a 30-truck fleet will be able to function efficiently with around 7-9 sales reps and only 2 customer support agents.

Alex Beressov, General Manager
VIP Pro Moving

‍

I think this year for the first time, we’ll see back office productivity increase, as AI Agents will be able to take on a chunk of work that employees currently do.
‍
This can include suggesting and doing 80% of some tasks, to fully owning and completing other sets of tasks. Employees that are able to master AI Agents will become the first 10x office staff.

Mark Miyashita, Co-Founder and CTO
Supermove

‍

The old playbook won't work anymore

2026 will be the year of operational differentiators. Being solid at everything won't be enough anymore. You will need to be exceptional at something, whether that's margins, operations, P&L fluency, or customer experience.

‍

I believe the industry will shift away from competing primarily on price and speed. They will need to move more decisively toward specialization and experience-driven services.

As customer expectations continue to rise, especially in design-forward, commercial, and high-value residential projects, companies that invest in training, process, and white-glove execution will outperform those that are only focused on volume.

In other words, I think fewer moves will be 'just a move', and more will require logistics expertise, accountability, and a true service mindset. Even if that means slower growth for companies unwilling to evolve.

Noah Garrett, VP Sales & Operations
Sanders Moving

‍

In 2026, the biggest disruption in the moving industry will come from the companies that fully embrace true concierge‑level service. Most movers still believe customers won’t pay for a white‑glove, end‑to‑end experience, but they’re wrong.

The companies that treat relocation like a luxury hospitality service—handling everything from planning and packing to home setup and post‑move support—will completely redefine customer expectations and capture the highest‑value clients.

Tami Fuller, Business Development Manager
Atlanta Peach Movers

‍

A big change I hope moving companies are thinking about in 2026 is that volume is no longer going to protect you. You've got to change your mindset. Instead of just throwing jobs on the calendar, you're gonna have to think about whether you can actually run these jobs profitably and consistently.
‍
Most of the time people are chasing more trucks, more jobs, and more growth without understanding the back-end work that goes into it. In 2026, it's gonna be about putting your guardrails up and being a lot more disciplined in terms of labor costs, margin compression, claims, operations, and similar things.

Edward Whitehouse, Sales and Business Development
Ridgewood Moving Services

‍

In 2026, the better operators will stand out. Execs need to have deep P&L fluency while their teams need to be making efficient decisions driven by data, not by their guts.

The moving companies that do this will see marginal improvements translate into massive gains, and as more owners are acquiring or being acquired, the ones who are operating at a high level will stand out among those who don't have the same data to act on.

Kevin Jacobs, Enterprise Account Executive
Supermove

‍

What else is changing

‍

During COVID years, inside sales became an essential component of every mover's consumer sales program. I believe we'll begin to see a measurable shift back to outside sales in 2026.

David Cox, President
JK Moving Services

‍

I predict we’re going to keep seeing more agents consolidating or forming these holding alliances. There will be a lot of big players, probably a lot more M&As that make big splashes.

Nicholas Schossig, Director of Sales
VIP Transport

‍

I think the bigger moving companies that don't prioritize culture will start losing business. Good movers don't stay. They either jump companies, leave the industry, or find a place that actually treats them like humans instead of replaceable labor.

Now layer in AI and better software. Quoting, dispatching, follow-ups, scheduling... the companies that take that efficiency and reinvest it into their people with better pay, training, higher standards, and real leadership are going to rise fast.

The ones that don't will keep cycling new hires, stacking bad reviews, and wondering why their marketing 'stopped working'.

Cody Phetteplace, Operations Officer
Minne Movers

‍‍

What do you predict?

What's your boldest prediction for 2026 that most industry folks would probably disagree with? 

Let us know here and we might feature you on our LinkedIn page!