Ask anyone who has moved overseas what they remember most, and it’s rarely the invoice from the moving company. It’s whether their belongings arrived intact, how easy it was to clear them through customs, and whether – when the container ship departed a week late – someone let them know their shipment was delayed.
Price is the easiest variable to compare when selecting an international moving company. But by itself, it’s not an accurate measure of the service you’re paying for.
Why the lowest quote often isn’t the best deal
Low estimates are attractive until the additional costs surface – packing materials, storage, customs handling, destination services – none of which appeared in the initial figure. At that point, the “cheap” quote and the comprehensive one cost about the same; the difference is that one company disclosed the costs in advance and the other didn’t.
Comparing quotes accurately means comparing what each one actually includes, not just the total at the bottom of the page. True value is determined by the completeness and quality of the service provided, not by the size of the savings on offer.
4 signs an international moving company is trustworthy
One of the first major decisions relocating families face is education.
People relocating abroad are typically managing several demanding transitions at once: starting a new role, enrolling children in school, adapting to an unfamiliar culture, maybe even learning a new language – all alongside one of the largest logistical undertakings of their lives. A moving company that understands this broader context does more than transport furniture, it removes a substantial source of stress during an already demanding period.
Establishing which mover will deliver that peace-of-mind requires more than reading the company’s description of itself. Every moving company describes themselves as reliable, professional or trustworthy. What distinguishes a company that has earned its reputation from one that merely claims it comes down to four specific factors.
Demonstrable, hands-on knowledge of the shipping lanes, customs procedures and local requirements of the countries involved in your move. This is the experience that allows them to identify a potential problem before it occurs, rather than responding to it after the fact.
Transparent quotations that itemise what is and is not included in your move – storage, destination handling, access charges, insurance – so that a second, unexpected invoice doesn’t appear halfway through the process.
Proactive communication all the way through. No amount of planning eliminates every risk in an international move. Port congestion, customs inspections and weather conditions all fall outside any mover’s control. What distinguishes a good moving company from a mediocre one is not whether delays occur, but whether they are communicated before you have to ask.
A single point of contact who provides updates, explains the situation and sets a realistic timeline does more to reduce stress than almost any other factor in the process. The absence of communication, by contrast, turns a manageable delay into an unnecessarily stressful one.
Membership in a vetted international network. Once your shipment leaves the country, your moving company is no longer working alone. It hands responsibility to a partner at the destination. If that partner is not held to an equivalent standard, service quality can become inconsistent and accountability unclear. By choosing a mover working within a network of certified companies, you are guaranteed that the destination agent handling your shipment delivers the same level of service as the company you hired in the first place.
Can’t verify the signs yourself? Look for FIDI FAIM
For most people, checking a company’s experience and its consistency from one client to the next is not an option. This is precisely what the FIDI FAIM certification does on your behalf.
FIDI FAIM is an internationally recognised quality accreditation specific to the international moving industry. Governed by FIDI, the International Federation of Furniture Removers, it covers service standards and customer communication, as well as areas such as staff training, environmental management, and financial stability.
To earn it, moving companies must pass an independent external audit by Ernst & Young (EY). To keep it, they undergo a new audit every three years, with self-assessments required in between. Because the FAIM standard is set by FIDI and verified by EY, rather than the mover themselves, it functions as third-party proof of the claims certified companies make about their own service.
For clients, the presence of the FAIM logo is a practical shortcut – a clear indicator that the company’s experience, transparency, consistency and network have been assessed by an independent auditor in detail and comply with FAIM requirements.
Royal De Gruijter & Co. holds FAIM Plus certification. FAIM Plus is awarded to moving companies that not only meet the requirements of the rigorous FAIM standard but also maintain a Quality Management System according to the internationally recognised ISO 9001 quality standard. The added Plus indicates that we go above and beyond what the FAIM standard requires.
A trustworthy mover reduces stress, risk and surprises
Choosing the mover with the lowest quote doesn’t only increase the risk of unexpected invoices. You could also be forfeiting communication, coordination and expertise, trade-offs that only become apparent once your belongings are already in transit.
A trustworthy mover will drive the moving process, so you don’t have to; manage administration on your behalf; and keep you up to date as your move progresses, especially if something doesn’t go to plan.
Their FAIM accreditation – FAIM Plus, in the case of Royal De Gruijter – is the guarantee that your belongings will be secure as they travel to your new home. It is also your assurance that the move won’t cause additional stress at a time when you already have so much else to sort out.
This is the real value of moving abroad with Royal De Gruijter. To experience true peace of mind during your move, contact us for your free moving quote.