To accompany our survey and quote we have compiled this fact sheet which contains helpful points of advise and a thorough look at the process ahead.

Transcription

1 Fact Sheet

2 About Us Thank you for requesting a quote from Classic Moving. To accompany our survey and quote we have compiled this fact sheet which contains helpful points of advise and a thorough look at the process ahead. Classic Moving & Storage is an independent Moving company in Singapore. We have 15 office based staff and 30 employees on the road and in our warehouse. We have a modern 50,000 sq ft warehouse for our short and long term storage. Vehicles are expensive to run in Singapore so we are proud to have a fleet of 6 trucks on the road. Classic Moving has the FIDI FAIM accreditation. FIDI is the largest global alliance of professional international moving and relocation companies. FIDI has over 600 affiliates in more than 100 countries. Every FIDI Affiliate complies with the rigorous FIDI-FAIM quality standard, generally accepted as the supreme professional industry standard worldwide. This assures customers that only the top quality companies around the world are working with Classic. Classic Moving is a shareholder in the global network company Harmony (formally UTS founded in 1992). All 180 moving companies across the world in the Harmony network have to be FIDI accredited. Working with the Harmony brand gives Classic a global footprint and a strong working relationship with the partners involved. Harmony HQ is in the Netherlands.

3 The Move We appreciate that moving household goods is an upheaval and not the most exciting process to undertake. Some of our customers will have had varied experiences with international moving, some good, some bad. As we have already mentioned, understanding the process in the first instance helps avoid those negative experiences. You will no doubt have noticed that moving companies have to detail many terms and conditions, rules and potential issues, which can appear a bit cumbersome. For us both, being aware and discussing expectations will allow us to work together more efficiently, because an international move is always a complicated set of logistics to get right in any country, at anytime. Survey Ideally every household move should have a survey. In our case it will be Brad, James or Carl making the visit. We prefer to do our own sales and meet our customers. There are two reasons we will always try to survey. Firstly we want to build a rapport with potential customers and secondly to gather the correct information to quote. Information recorded at this point has a major bearing on the move. A survey is a bit like the preparation before decorating; it takes the most effort but produces the best finish. It's the first time we have been to your home. You're all too familiar with your furniture and effects and its easy to assume the surveyor has picked up on everything around them. Take time to point things out, and consider what is to be moved. It's often the case that for one reason or another some items will not be moved due to disposal or sale. Maybe items will be added after the survey is complete. Volume The whole basis of the household moving industry works on 'volume' which is measured in cubic feet and/or cubic meters. This one calculation forms the backbone of your move. Viewing a household move is the only sure way to gauge the volume. Volume is the main cost factor for your move. It is a common assumption that freight is the most expensive part of a move but in fact it is origin and destination charges. The volume will dictate the labour charges, mode of transport, material usage and operational time required to complete the move.

4 The Mode The volume will generally dictate the type of transport or service (mode) that will be quoted. In regard to international moving a shipment can be sent via air or sea. The majority of household goods (HHG) shipments go by sea freight. The expression door to door (DTD) refers to a shipment that is collected from a residence and delivered to a destination residence. Airfreights are generally small shipments due to the cost. A typical airfreight would be 1 or 2 cubic meters. Most standard household goods can be sent by air but it s a good idea to stray away from packing delicate items. Depending on the destination airfreights take approximately working days to process through the ports ready for delivery. Cost of airfreight is based on both volume and weight and every kg and cft matter to the calculation. Sea freight moves are packed and loaded into steel sea containers. The sea containers are owned by the shipping lines and for HHG use they are referred to as dry sealed containers. Three types of containers are used for international HHG moves: 20ft = 1000cft / 28cbm 40ft = 2000cft / 58cbm 40ft HC (high cube) = 2400cft / 68cbm It s important to note that the technical specification of a container size does not reflect the volume to which HHG s can be stacked and packed. Because HHG s are generally awkward shapes the use of space is often inefficient. A DTD sea freight move can be split down into three services based on volume and requirements. These services are the most common types of international move as follows: Exclusive sole use container (FCL - Full container load) A single container used to transport your HHG. The container might not necessarily be full but the appropriate size (20ft or 40ft) is used on a DTD basis. The transit time of the container is as swift as possible. Upon loading it is taken directly to port and arrives at your destination residence (unless effects are taken via warehouse or the destination country does not allow containers past customs like Australia or China). The sole use container service suits any volume. Groupage / Shared container (GPG - Groupage) A container freight rate is a flat cost so we collect together numerous small moves to fill a container. This is useful for people with smaller volumes (up to about 500 cft). It makes the move significantly cheaper as we avoid having to charge all the flat costs associated with a sole use service. To achieve gathering enough volume to fill a container we have to spend time consolidating the shipments so transit time is greatly increased and in most cases a sailing date can t be specified at time of quoting or packing. It is a useful and cheap solution to moving HHG however customers must consider the process involved and if it suits their expectations.

5 The Mode LCL (Less than Container Load) An LCL service is best described as being something in between the above two services. It is an exclusive shipment however the packed effects are cased in wood and sent via freight consolidators. The shipping dates are almost as fast as a sole use container but there may be a few days lost through de/consolidation at either origin or destination port. The LCL suits volumes up to about 300 cft; beyond that an FCL is the best option. In recent years LCL services have become expensive at the ports and depending on the destination an FCL option will often be as competitive even at lower volumes. Origin Once a quotation is accepted a single point of contact (Move Manager) will confirm the dates of operation which will include the packing and loading. Our team will access what arrangements are required ahead of the packing, such as a carton delivery or booking the job in with condo management (if applicable). Condo management have to know when the crew are operating and the loading day to allow access for the truck and container. Condo management charge for protective lift padding (budget approx $50-150). There is usually a deposit required for the condo which Classic takes care of. What we need from you to operate the move: Acceptance form Relevant visas for clearance at destination as applicable Completed destination customs forms & insurance forms Passport copy What you need to do to prepare for the packing crew: Identify the items to be packed or left behind / storage etc. the crew packs fairly swiftly and can take people by surprise so be prepared ahead of time. Empty fridge / freezers, if such items are to be transported. To reduce risk of mould & mildew make sure all clothing / seat covers / linens are clean and 100% dry. Furniture and effects should be dusted (dust carries the mould spores). This also applies to any household item that comes in contact with water. Mould is an issue for HHG exports so please ask us for more details and for our vacuum bag service.

6 Origin Upon arrival the crew will complete an inspection report of existing property damage as a free service. In the case of rented properties landlords will focus on any existing damage at point of handover. As the crew finishes loading it is essential that you check that all rooms, cupboards and outside effects have been accounted for. This is especially important in the case of a sea container on site as the doors will be sealed and container driven direct to port. Freight Depending on the service we are conducting for you (direct or grougage) the transit time will vary based on operational requirements. In any event movers use the shipping and airlines to carry freight. While in the majority of cases shipping schedules run smoothly its always prudent to bear in mind that delays outside the control of the movers are possible during transit and at the ports. Important note in regard to Singapore ports; extra container haulage charges are incurred if a sailing is more than two to three days after loading. This is due to the fact that SG port will not store containers. We may need to discuss final loading day with you to avoid these charges. Destination When your shipment reaches the destination port there will be port and customs clearance activity. This will vary based on the country in question. Some countries have a swift process that can take 3-4 days while some can take weeks or more. There are countries where a sea container will be unloaded before delivery can take place like Australia or China. Our destination partners will process the customs clearance (and quarantine in AU/NZ) on our behalf and communicate with you directly. Classic is responsible for the door to door move however its often easier if the destination office takes on communication for basic operational needs. Our partners will organise delivery and/or storage (as required). Their crews will unpack as required onto flat surfaces and place furniture. We may have dismantled furniture to save you space and freight cost. In Singapore the crews are very flexible and will dismantle with out extra charge however in many destination countries reassembly of furniture is an extra service.

7 Insurance Whilst great care is taken during the removal of your goods, there are many risks of loss or damage, which are beyond a Movers control. The Mover s liability for loss or damage is limited by their standard contract terms and conditions, which are incorporated into all removal, storage and shipping contracts. For these reasons, you are strongly advised to take out an All Risks insurance policy to protect you from the many risks to which your goods will be exposed during removal, storage and transit. Other parties involved may include, for example, the shipping company or airline, other transport operators, the Port Authority and so on. These parties operate under separate contract conditions, international law or conventions that may limit or exclude their liability. If a loss occurs at sea and the shipping company declares a General Average loss (which is the cost incurred by the carrier to preserve the vessel and it s cargo), in this case, you, as the shipper of the goods may have to contribute to the General Average loss incurred by the shipping company. The policy covers this risk. Even though every care will be taken by Classic, you will appreciate that the distances involved, coupled with the rigours of an international transit, means that on occasions loss and/or damage to your goods may occur. You are therefore strongly recommended to take out insurance cover to ensure that you are duly compensated for any potential loss or damage which may occur. Assurance Quality is an over used word in every moving brochure and it s difficult to validate the the depth of that meaning. At Classic we prefer to prove to our potential customers that we have a good track record and that the structure of our operation is built on the fact that we care about the service we offer. The quality of a moving company is a measure of the people involved and their experience. This is a people industry and our staff and customers matter to us. We employ our own crews and trust everyone who walks into our customers houses. We are an operationally driven company because recommendation is our most powerful sales tool. Our accreditation is FIDI which is the measure of our commitment to our customers. Classic runs the latest operating system for the industry with online customer tracking. Kavitha is our Customers Service Manager and monitors all areas of communication, operations and after sales activity. We have Move Managers with exclusive responsibilities for our customers throughout the moving process.