Compare international movers
Choosing an international moving company to ship your household goods is one of the most important decisions you will make during your overseas relocation.
Taking the time to research international movers will pay off and help make the new transition less stressful.
Licensed and Bonded
The Federal Government requires international movers to be licensed and bonded. The first thing you will want to look for when choosing an international mover is that the company is bonded and licensed with the Federal Maritime Commission. The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is an independent agency with strict requirements regarding licensing, bonds and experience international moving companies must possess.
Service and Price – What’s included in the quote?
The quote you receive to ship your household goods overseas is based on the size of your shipment and the services offered.
Some international moving companies may offer you extremely low quotes, but you will want to evaluate the services you will get.
Compare the quotes to determine if the international moving companies are giving you a price based on the same volume.
Also, determine if the price is based on door-to-door service, door-to-port service or port-to-port service. This will make a considerable difference in the moving price.
Most international movers will include terminal handling charges in the USA.
Outside of the United States, these fees are referred to as a container service charge, these can change without notice, they out of your international mover control and usually will be excluded from the quoted price.
Service and Communication
When comparing international movers, research the differences in the level of customer service you can expect.
You can do this by asking questions and researching the companies online and by phone.
Here are some tips to help you differentiate international movers.
Find out whether the company specializes in domestic or international moves.
There is a lot more paperwork and attention to detail involved in international moves, so you will want to choose a company like IntlMOVE that only handles international relocations.
Read customer testimonials to determine if the international mover customer service standards reach and may exceed your expectations.
Determine whether or not the international mover is licensed and bonded as required by law.
Find out their hours of operation and how to get a hold of someone outside of normal business hours.
Your international mover should be able to keep you informed on the progress of your shipment, so ask how this information will be communicated to you.
Visit the offices and warehouse of the international mover so you can check first hand the organization and level of service the company offers.
IntlMOVE invites all of its current and potential customers to visit the company facility, so they can see the exceptional level of care that goes into moving their household goods and personal effects.
Clearing customs can be confusing, so clarify how your international mover will handle your customs’ clearing process.
