You’ll experience enough stress during your move even when everything goes right. Imagine how you will feel when things start to go wrong.

If your belongings are lost or damaged during shipment, stress levels escalate. Even if you are compensated for the missing or broken items, the hole where they should be is a long-term reminder of a negative aspect of the move. In contrast, having cherished items arrive safely helps your relocated family maintain a positive frame of mind in their new location.

To help reduce stress in relocations, choose a shipper with answers to the following questions in mind:
   Who handles damage claims?
It should be the company’s customer relations professionals who get back to the transferee within 24 hours of filing a claim. Some companies allow drivers to settle certain claims on the spot.
   How is restitution made?
The mover should have a list of restoration experts who can make an item look as good as it did before the move, and should have access to a network of firms that specialize in replacing hard-to-find, out-of-stock items. The settlement check should be the last resort.
   How are employees trained?
All packers and movers should receive hands-on instruction in a simulated home as well as instruction on how to handle very fragile or valuable articles.
   How well are moves coordinated?
A company that encourages communication between staff who conduct the surveys, the packers and the family is in the best position to make sure any special or fragile items are identified and appropriate steps are taken to protect them during the move.
   How are stored shipments handled?
Everything that comes off the truck should be inspected and accounted for. Are shipments unpacked when transferred to a storage site? If so, the company must be diligent to flatten each piece of packing paper and every box to make sure no small items are lost in the packing materials.
   Does the company perform claims analyses and reward careful employees?
By looking for patterns of damage or missing item claims, the company can spot problems and address them, thereby reducing the number of claims in the future. When the shipper is proactive in preventing damage claims, the company saves money, and so, ultimately, do you.

Another way that you can be proactive about an upcoming move is to call or e-mail us to help you anticipate and get through possible problem areas.