Behind The Scenes of GMS: Professional Move Manager

For Global Moving Service, our Professional Move Managers are an integral part of what we do. They’re here not just to help with your move, but they also play a huge role in navigating you through the complexities and intricacies of international moving.

One of our wonderful Move Managers, Lisa Finlan, talked to us about the day in the life of a professional International Mover – and exactly how we support our clients through what can be a stressful time.

In the morning, I’ll check my calendar to see what new relocations and moves have been booked by the sales team. Once we’ve had a handover from them, we’ll introduce ourselves and send a  “move pack” – which is an opening letter to the client with a bit about our role and next steps. After this, we do a compliance check, which is a checklist to make sure we have all the correct details from the client. This is to make sure that the ball will continue to roll for a successful move.

I or another Move Manager at GMS will then introduce ourselves to the client and become their single point of contact. Moving, especially overseas, can be a really stressful time for people, so we give them that reassurance that we’re here to answer any questions through whatever communication channels suit them best.

If I’m not talking to clients on the phone or emailing them, I’m usually talking to our trusted Destination Agents (DAs). These are the professionals overseas who will be in charge of clearing shipments through customs and ultimately delivering the goods to their final destination.

I’ll then usually do a bit of research around any new / updated international regulations. At GMS, we literally ship all over the world – be that Australia, Singapore, Madagascar or the Seychelles so it’s really important that Professional International Movers stay up to date with regulations. Brexit, for example,  has meant that moving within the EU is far more complicated now than it was.

When we’ve introduced ourselves, we’ll let our clients know exactly what documentation and information is required for their international move. Depending on where they’re moving to, this could involve:

• Insurance
• Free custom forms
• Power attorney
• Moving pets
• Supplementary declarations

It’s a legal requirement for some of these documents to have a hand-signed signature, so we’ll organise this and help clients through the process. I’ll also advise the client on the logistics of the move and confirm important practical information (such as if they live on a 2nd floor with a lift). It’s my job to make sure that the Professional Movers are briefed on all these logistical parts so that everything is in place ahead of move day.

There might be a short turnaround, such as just 1 week. If this is the case, we’ll speak just ahead of the move day, when we reach out and let them know what time the movers will be at the property. I’ll then have contact after the move, especially if there are shipping details involved, so I would be back in touch with the client when the DA has informed us that the goods have been delivered.  Or, the DA will get in touch with our clients directly.

For larger moves, such as Australia or the USA from the UK, we often have clients that have goods go into storage – so we’ll manage this too. We’ll be in touch with the storage facility to manage payments, timings (etc), and when the goods need to come out of storage.

Every move and day is different! Last year, some of the moves involved shipments to Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Madagascar which I find really exciting.

I love seeing the great TrustPilot reviews we get! Even when we have disruptions out of our control, such as weather issues that cause delays, we can almost always find a solution. At the end of last year, we had a client move from Belgium to the UK. He had his flights booked, his transfer of residence completed by HMRC, and the shipment ready to go but then it snowed. This frustratingly caused delays but we were able to find a solution, pick up his goods and deliver them safely. He was really thankful to GMS and gave us a 5-star review on TripAdvisor.

Clients like to have the peace of mind of a Move Manager, someone they can rely on to manage the complexities of their move. I’ve found they don’t have to be concerned that they won’t have the right paperwork needed to move, because we’ll tell them exactly what’s required. Not all moving companies have a Move Manager, but knowing how difficult international moving and shipping can be, I know that it makes people’s move infinitely less stressful!