Well…. this is not a review of bekins moving, but more of a request for review.
Since starting this site I’ve received several requests for reviews on Moving Companies and since I’ve not used their services and since there’s no time to wait for someone to actualy submit a review I’ve decided to try and call all of you guys that have used Bekins Moving & Storage services to send us your reviews - good or bad.
When moving overseas, you can move your stuff either by air, or by sea. Moving by air is obviously shorter but more expensive while taking the ocean route is longer but comparitively inexpensive. The latter is the more common choice, but more and more people are opting for transportation of their goods by air. You can opt for either after considering the cost (make sure you include the cost of renting furnished apartments for the time it takes for your goods to reach by boat). Goods are shipped by sea in large containers. You can go for a single container, but a shared container provides more value for your money.
Look for a good international moving company, and let them do their job. It might be slightly expensive, but trust me, the peace of mind is worth it. As is routine, you will get an estimate from the movers based on the weight of the goods to be transported, and most companies ask for prepayment for overseas shipping. You will get a refund, or be billed according to the difference in cost incurred after completion of the job. Do not forget to get all your items insured before the move. Again, your mover will provide you with this option. Get a policy based on the value of the goods in the country you’re moving to. Important documents and jewellery should be carried by you only. Check with the embassy of your country for specific information about customs and other taxes and duties on your shipped goods. Your mover will be able to help you with this.
Owing to the highly expensive nature of the task, try and keep the weight of your goods to a minimum. A good way to do this is to hold a yard sale to get rid of stuff you don’t need. If you’re left with some stuff after the sale, donate it. As for the furniture, if you’re moving long-term, then only consider taking your furniture with you. If you’re moving for say a year or two, first find out about furnished accomodation in your new destination, then see what is cheaper. If moving short-term, you can keep your furniture in storage.
Your vehicle is also an important consideration. My advice would be that unless your car is very valuable, or is modified to suit your needs, or is of sentimental value to you, sell it, and get a new one once you get to your new home. If you have to move it, you can get a shared (or private, if your pocket allows) container and get it shipped by sea or air, whichever suits you. Do remember to obtain an international driving permit if you have to drive your car there. You will also need at least three attested copies of the vehicles make, model, colour and license. Again, your mover should have an idea about this.
If you have a pet, you will again need to consult the embassy regarding rules and regulations for moving pets. Your pet will need to have all their shots and vaccines, along with all required certificates no older than two weeks before the date of your arrival.
You can find more information at some of the following websites:
Association of Americans Resident Overseas (AARO) - www.aaro.org
Expatriate Resources & Resources for Global Relocation - www.expatexchange.com
All American Corporation was honored with the American Moving and Storage Association’s inaugural Moving and Storage Agent of the Year Service Excellence Award. The company was awarded during the Association’s annual Education Conference & Expo held in Orlando, Florida. This award comes as the icing on the cake as the All American Corporation also celebrated its 10th anniversary recently.
Employee relocation involves two things: relocating an employee to a different location as a result of a posting/transfer/promotion, or relocating multiple employees, whether as a project team, or while relocating the whole office, employees included. Whatever the case, you as an employer need to make sure that the move goes as smoothly as possible. There are some things you can do here to help the employee(s). I will use ‘employee’ in writing but consider it ‘employees’ wherever applicable.
First and foremost, inform. Tell your employee about the transfer giving him/her enough time to prepare for the move. Also, communicate with your employee and clear any doubts that they might have regarding issues like long-term job security at the new location. Additionally, prepare a small guide for your employee, especially in case of full office moves. It should include information on how to pack, what to pack, moving kids, moving pets, changing address and other related issues. This will save a lot of time and effort on both ends. Also include instructions on what to do before and after the move. Offer pre-move visits to the new location for the employee and family to see the place and meet the people around. Also, if you are currently providing accommodation to the employee, you need to do the same further. If not, give them contact details of real estate agents associated with the company, if any. You can offer temporary accommodation as well if required.
If you can, hire a reliable mover for your employee. If you have a business that involves frequent relocation of employees, you probably have a regular mover. It will be easier for the employee to trust the mover if the employer does. Also, it is your duty to bear the expenses of the move. And even if not, if an employee needs financial assistance, help them out. Offer some sort of relocation benefits, if nothing else. Negotiating some sort of concession with the mover shouldn’t be difficult. You should ideally provide career counseling services to help the employee’s partner look for a new job. Provide help in areas like elder care, education and if possible, other services like a doctor.
All this might seem like a lot to do especially since you’re the boss. But keep in mind that to maximize your employee’s productivity, you need to have them in the right frame of mind. For this, you have to support them through the move, otherwise its no use.
Relocating just a house is so difficult, imagine how tough it must be to relocate a whole office. with all the furniture and the equipment and so on. But like all problems, this too has a solution. You just have to do things in a systematic manner and be careful about certain aspects.
The objective is to make the move as convenient and as cost effective as possible. A good thing is to involve your employees. You obviously have to tell them about it, so why not involve some key employees and have a brainstorming session. Hold surveys, ask for their ideas regarding better use of workspace, and reward the best ones. This’ll help save money, and make the employees happy as well (which is important because they’re very much a part of the office that you’re relocating). If needed, negotiate release from current lease of office space.
Take your time, and pick a reliable mover. Along with the mover, pick a good architect or a space planner for proper utilisation of your new workspace. Keep some space for possible future expansion. You never know when you’ll need it, and anyways, having some room for additional equipment or employees is good. Design and plan the new workspace and as that is done, take care of other things as follows.
Take care of the address change through the post office. Also contact the ultility companies to take care of water, power and other services at the new as well as current office (removal in this case). Get custom wiring done for telephone and network services. If you have lots of electronic equipment, you need to have enough power outlets. This done, you can now get to the actual moving of items.
Remove all materials from desks, shelves, drawers and put them safely into cartons. Important papers like cheques, documents etc. need to be carried by you. Of course, do some sorting and get rid of the extra paperwork. The movers will not assume responsibility for these. Cabinets don’t have to be emptied before moving, just locked properly. Coming to the electronics, all equipment (including computers and other electronic machinery) should be dismantled and then re-assembled at the destination with the help of a professional. other equipment like water dispensers and vending machines should be emptied before moving. If you’re moving any hired machinery, the owner should be informed about it.
This should take care of the basic stuff. But moving an office involves so many small details that all of them can’t be listed here. I will list some of the important ones:
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