RELO Roundtable…a gathering place

So you now know what not to do. Now let’s talk about what to do.

Start Sorting

International shipping is expensive. It makes no sense to ship something, only to arrive in destination to find you won’t or can’t use it, or should have thrown it away years ago.

Find out about the size of home you will be living in, and what you will want, use, or need. This is a good time to get rid of things you should have gotten rid of years ago, even if you can’t sell them.

Note – Homes in North America are generally much larger than other places. Check standards for things like door sizes, electricity, and room/house sizes to help determine what should not be shipped.

Get References from Relevant People/Groups

This is where you should start. Here are some tips on where to start your search:

• People who have moved from the same origin to the same destination
• Chat groups or support groups for people in the destination country who have moved there
• The local embassy or consulate of the destination country
• Local groups of people from the destination country
• The Human Resources department of your company (especially if they have offices in the destination country, or if they send employees overseas)

Note – You will notice I did not mention going to the nearest search engine and doing a search on “International Shipping”. This is on purpose. Do NOT do this!   

Select Three Companies

Now that you’ve checked with friends, family, people who have already moved to your destination, the local consulate, and possibly your employer, you should have a list of suggested companies.

As a bonus, you will probably also belong to an online group of people like you in your destination country who will be able to answer other questions once you arrive. (Where can I find a good butcher? What cut of beef is a number 6?)

Three companies is enough for you to get an accurate idea of competitive costs, while not killing yourself with reviewing estimates, comparing prices, or having surveyors come to do the visual survey.

Get Visual Surveys

Call or email (or both) the three companies you have chosen, and have them come to survey the goods. In the end, you will pay for the volume (or weight) of what you ship, so the survey is a key to getting an accurate quote.

Here are some tips:

• Do a walk-through of the house to determine what must go, what might go, and what won’t go, before the surveyor arrives. Make a list, and add in what you think it would cost if you needed to replace the items (this will come in useful later – see Insurance below).
• Try to schedule the three surveys as close together, or even on the same day (at different times) if possible.
• Make sure both primary living partners are at home during the survey.
• Get a written copy of the survey sheet and review it.
• Be honest – both when you are showing the surveyors what is being shipped, and when you are reviewing the list. If you have four (4) kids, and the survey sheet shows 2 boxes of toys, something is wrong! If the living room is filled with knick-knacks and books, and the survey sheet show 3 small boxes from the living room, there is a problem!

Note – You will pay for the final volume, once the goods are packed. Make sure the survey sheet shows accurately what is going and what is not. Pay specific attention to the amount of boxes listed, especially if you plan on taking much less than you currently own.

Read the Entire Quote

The surveyor has come and gone, and now you get the quote. The first thing you do is scroll down to see the numbers, right? Big mistake!

Ethical salespeople spend a lot of time in putting together their price quotes, and outlining what is and what is not included. The terms and conditions, while maybe spelled out in small letters, are very important to you.

Unethical sales associates, unregulated brokers, and unscrupulous move coordinators make a living because most people don’t read the quote!

If all you are reading is the “price” you are missing the total cost. Read everything, and what you don’t understand, question. Get answers in writing.

It might help to make a spreadsheet so you can compare the entire cost, not just the “door to door” costs.

Pay specific attention to what is NOT included! This is where you will find the extra charges, and you must know, in advance, what is going to be due (as opposed to maybe).

Note – Destination Port Fees and Terminal Handling Charges are routinely excluded from door-to-door quotes. Make sure your quote shows, in writing, what these fees will be! Never assume that one company will charge the same as another company for these fees.

I know that this means possibly a few hours of reading, but, whether you know it or not now, you are considering spending quite a bit off money (quite possibly as much as a car!) and you will be handing over almost everything you own to people and parties you don't know anything about! 

Take the time to read, and understand, what is involved!

Ed Singer is an Import/Export expert at Sonigo International Shipping, where he assists customers worldwide to arrange problem-free international moves. 

Based in Israel, Sonigo is part of UTS Unigroup and is a FIDI/Faim registered company. 

FIDI is the largest global alliance of independent quality international removal companies; FAIM is the only quality standard for the international moving industry.

Ed Singer
Sonigo Intl Shipping
Ashdod, Israel
Tel: 972 8 6111-222
Fax: 972 8 6111-223
Cell: 972 52-611-9674
Skype:Ed.Singer.Israel
Email: Ed Singer
US Toll Free: 1 (866) 978-5224 or (201) 535-4703
UK Free Phone: 0 800 097 5563