Moving abroad is challenging and exciting! So how do you know that a mover offers the best quality service from start to finish? And who do you trust with your valuable possessions?

These 10 handy tips will help you make an informed choice when using a relocation service provider, and bring you one step closer to ensuring a hassle-free move.

Look for a removals company that:

1. Is accredited

FAIM and ISO are international quality standards that the relocation industry uses to measure a company´s level of service. When you choose a company that bears these hallmarks, you are assured of the best service on offer in the international removals industry. To find out whether a company is FAIM accredited, visit its website, www.fidi-faim.com. For a comprehensive list of the companies that are ISO certified in your region, visit www.isocertification.org. You can also check if your mover is a member of organizations such as the British Association of Movers (BAR) and International Association of movers (IAM).

2. Offers top quality service from start to finish

When moving abroad, you need the same high standard of service from start to finish. A company that offers a complete relocation solution from departure to arrival ensures that you receive the consistent service – from Prague to Pristina or South Africa to Singapore. The preferred choice is a mover that has a global network of branches following the same quality standards, at the point of departure and destination. If not, the mover should work with highly acclaimed, accredited and financially resourceful agents and partners in countries where it does not have subsidiaries.

3. Employs highly trained, skilled and professional staff

A company is only as good as its staff. A professional mover will employ trained, professional staff who has the necessary skills and knowledge relevant to their industry – from packers to top management. For example, staff should have the appropriate knowledge of clearing, forwarding and customs regulations. They should be customer-focused and work according to a quality manual set out by the company. This ensures that all staff are aware the level of service required during the move. Ask a company for its business policies, which should include reliability, credibility, empathy, communication, and responsiveness to clients´ needs.

4. Uses quality packing material

The goods that you are moving are likely to be of great value – whether monetary or sentimental. A top class relocation company will use only the best quality materials which comply with FAIM standards. Combined with tailor-made packaging, the risk of damage to goods will be reduced considerably. The use of renewable material, like plywood, will allow for environmentally-friendly disposal and show the company´s commitment to good business practice.

5. Follows the three S´s: Safety, Security and Storage

What security measures does the company have in place to safeguard your goods? Do staff undergo security procedures before employment? Find out whether the company has secured and ventilated warehouse facilities, should the need for storage arise when your goods arrive. Look for innovation in the company, like the European lift van which is compact, shock absorbent, can easily transport goods and acts as a storage unit. Enquiring about the mover´s security policies will provide you with the peace of mind that your goods are in capable hands.

6. Is financially stable and has extensive experience

The financial stability of a company is of paramount importance. Does it belong to a larger global network that can provide additional support should the need arise during a move – be it financial, human resource or technical? An established company with over 30 years of experience, for example, is likely to provide the best quality service due to the knowledge it has gained over the years.

7. Has the relevant technology to help you track your move

While your valuables are in transit, you will want to know their exact whereabouts and estimated delivery time. Choose a mover that offers the technology to help you track your goods during the various stages of a move. One way is via an online portal where you can track your valuables any time you choose. In addition, enquire whether your information is available to the movers at both departure and arrival, so either has access to the information should any queries arise.

8. Provides insurance

Insurance is essential when conducting a move to safeguard your valuable possessions. Establish if the company offers insurance, so that you will receive adequate compensation in the event of any damage to your goods. In addition, look at the degree of insurance cover on offer and the steps needed. The onus is on you to ensure that you are properly insured!

9. Incorporates values and ethics into its business practice

Moving has a big impact on the environment. Carbon emissions and the use of packing materials which are not environmentally friendly have an adverse effect on the planet. In this regard, a lot can be said about a company by its business values and ethics. A good choice is a company that links its business policies and practices to sustainable development, including social and environmental responsibilities. For instance, look for a company that participates in the United Nation´s Global Compact, which encourages good business practice in the areas of human rights, labor, the environment and anti corruption.

10. Will exceed your expectations

A company worth its weight in gold puts its customers´ needs first. A business that offers an online customer services tool for feedback shows its willingness to place the customer first. So choose a company that is innovative, resourceful, and efficient while offering top notch service. After all, as the client, you deserve only the best.

Credit to : http://www.expats.cz/prague/article/prague-relocation/tips-for-choosing-a-relocation-company/

Overview of freight forwarders’ responsibilities

Freight forwarders provide transport solutions to businesses wishing to send packages, crates and containers from one country to another.

Forwarders act on behalf of importers and exporters to get their client’s goods to their destination on time and in good condition. This means booking cargo with shipping lines, airlines, rail or road carriers. Some freight forwarders have their own road transport and may actually carry the goods themselves.

A forwarder’s other responsibilities include preparing and checking bills of carriage, arranging insurance, ensuring the lowest possible customs charges are levied and – where necessary – arranging storage.

This guide shows how trading conditions and insurance are used to limit the financial risk for forwarders. It also explains international trade finance and International Commercial Terms.

Trading conditions and limiting liability for freight forwarders

All businesses are subject to a wide range of statutory regulations – such as employment law, health and safety, public liability and accounting standards. There are also legal issues which specifically affect freight forwarders and their customers.

The role of the freight forwarder is to make arrangements which enable goods to travel from seller to buyer. This often involves a journey of several thousand miles, using more than one mode of transport.

There must have been a sale – and contract – agreed between a seller and buyer for the supply of goods before a freight forwarder is needed. Many of the elements of this contract impact directly on the nature and detail of the contract eventually agreed between the forwarder and their client – which could be the seller or buyer of the goods.

Trading conditions

To ensure the client and the forwarder fully understand – and agree upon – their responsibilities in the transportation process, the client must be made aware of the forwarder’s trading conditions. This needs to be done before details of the contract are agreed – ideally at the quotation stage.

Trading conditions establish the circumstances under which any service is provided and usually include limiting the forwarder’s liability in the event of a claim against them. Failure to do this could leave the forwarder with unlimited liability – which could prove very costly.

Trading conditions also:

• ensure the client knows their goods are not automatically insured
• provide safeguards to help ensure the forwarder is paid once the job is done
• protect the forwarder if the client fails to fully disclose the contents of a consignment, eg hazardous material or goods of an exceptionally high value

For information about packing goods and transporting hazardous material, see the guide on Freight forwarding: moving goods.

Credit to : https://www.gov.uk/freight-forwarding-managing-risk