"When you're looking at a strange new neighbourhood, Who are you going to call..?"
By Michael Hardware for Phil Pertoldi

Relocating overseas can be a daunting ordeal, involving extensive planning and meticulous attention to detail. Recognising that some customers do not have the time or expertise to do this, removal companies are broadening their services and turning their hands to 'move management'. This includes those added-value services that provide more than just the moving of the household effects but managing the whole process.

With that in mind, it becomes even more difficult to ascertain which removal company is providing the right kind and level of service you require. To the individual, the Internet can seem overwhelming. With so many companies promising so many different services, it is often difficult to choose the one most suitable to you.

So what should you be looking for in a removal company? It is important to understand that for the majority of the companies, international services involve them working with associate or agency companies during the course of the move. For this reason it is best to choose one with a recognisable quality assurance standard, such as BS EN ISO 9001. 2000, so t hat whether you are travelling to Singapore or to New York your removal company will be working to agreed levels of quality throughout .

The type and scope of services offered by the industry varies enormously. Allied Pickfords promises total move management with International Removal Consultants (IRC). The website provides a detailed step-by-step break down on what IRC does, right down to the last detail. Britannia staff promise to do "everything they possibly can to make your move a pleasure". Chris Smallwood, a representative from Britannia, elaborated: "Britannia will provide fully trained, experienced and well equipped removals operatives, capable of packing, wrapping and preparing household furniture and effects for shipment and can arrange shipments of motor vehicles subject to the type of vehicle and destination country."

Cadogan Tate offers a global moving service from an international network of accredited agents. They will help with packing and unpacking awkward or delicate items and ensure that the client is confident that anything entrusted to Cadogan Tate will remain in pristine condition.

Bishop's Move's website has a lot to say about containers and specialised packing. Again, the emphasis is on ensuring that the client receives a full service. Its fully trained consultants will compile a comprehensive survey, helping you to decide on timing, routing and modes of transport. Bishop's Move will also provide the client with a list of useful addresses and valuable information, such as electrical supplies and prohibited items.

Other companies seem to have also understood the need for more help. Comprehensive assistance is provided by those prepared to go that extra mile in their dealings with the customer. When relocating overseas there are many factors involved that a client might not have even considered. In such cases it makes sense that companies are beginning to address this need and offer a service to suit.

People moving because of work often have little choice in the area they relocate to. The culture can be completely unknown, the language different and the bureaucratic system incomprehensible. Time is often restricted on such moves, with little allowance made for the move. In such cases it is essential to find a company that can work either with the individual or with the employer to ensure the relocation as a whole is as smooth and as uncomplicated as possible. By finding a company that provides orientation services and puts itself in charge of all the necessary research, the whole situation can be made much easier.

Abels Moving Services provides 'move managers'. Not only will they plan the move but they will also provide an overview of the area you wish to move to. Should clients wish, they can go on an orientation trip. The move manager will accompany them on a tour of the location providing assistance on aspects such as housing, transportation, education, healthcare, banking and finance, and leisure. Abels will compile an information pack with useful websites and bureaucratic information to help during the move. As part of the service, Abels also provides a helpline which allows for any further queries after the move

The service Abels provides is dependent on the client's needs, whether that be an individual or a company. Elizabeth Wright, Abels' Customer Services Manager - Relocations, explained: "Relocation will bring substantial benefits to the employee's organisation but it is all too easy to consider only the business goals and neglect the needs of the assignee or their family who are relocating."

Another remover, John Mason, has also taken into account the growing demand for more personalised services. One of the options from its comprehensive service is a home search, where a relocation manager will identify suitable available properties and organise the bureaucratic details with the letting agent. It can also research the schools of the area. Like Abels, John Mason also provides orientation trips and assistance with settling in. Finally, when the client pulls the front door shut for the last time, it will handle anything extra that might need to be arranged, such as cancelling the lease and carrying out repairs.

There is definitely a need for a more comprehensive service when relocation is overseas. The sheer scale of the task and the amount of time usually allocated to it means that more and more individuals are leaving it to the professionals to shoulder the burden and provide that extra touch to ensure a stress-free move.

Published in Homes Overseas, May 2004.

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