Is being a “bad remover” a case of having bad manners or a bad business sense?
Or is it just bad management?
Does causing the occasional damage or not turning up to work because you overslept make you a bad removal man? Does hiring the wrong kind of staff member make you a bad boss, just because they didn’t declare that they like stealing from your clients when they applied for the job?
We often hear from customers that they were let down on the move day or the crew were late or they charged more money after the job was done. I’m sure many of you know dubious removers who are constantly complained about and have a “bad” reputation in the industry.
But how often has a driver not turned up for work and there’s been a mad dash in the morning to replace him and get the crew out on time at your own company? Or the job has been underestimated or the client didn’t declare everything during the survey? Or a porter tripped up the step, dropped the mirror and was too embarrassed to let the client know in case he lost his tip….?
Does that make you a “bad” remover or is that just “Removals”? Working and living in this industry? Dealing with the everyday problems we all experience?
Having run my own business now for a while I very quickly learnt that the moment I went out on my own, I “lost” my team members. i.e. the other staff members in the office, the boss who managed everything, the accounts person who quietly sits chasing the debt. Not to mention the pre-existing I.T. system which I took for granted or the salesman who made the phone calls. And the quote forms and terms and conditions that were already designed and had been used for many years, even by the time I first started working in a large, established office environment.
Although it seemed like a good idea at the time, all of a sudden I was on my own – feeling free, being my own boss – but I quickly realised that in fact running a successful business takes a lot more than experience and knowledge. You need to be the manager, the staff member, the web designer, the accounts person, the investor, the debt collector, the marketeer, the ideas person, the do-er, the customer service liaison as well as the estimator and sales person.
However, if you are an analytical, introverted kind of person who would rather work in the back office than be on the front line, you may possibly have problems dealing fairly with people and their problems. And if you’re an extroverted person, then you might have more “fun” dealing with people and have trouble sorting out systems and keeping on top of your accounts. If you keep coming up with the next big idea then you might often have lots of unfinished projects and if you are always the do-er and can’t think of ways to improve your business then your company marketing could become stale and have trouble competing in a competitive market.
Having team members who have skills and experience which are different from your own are essential in making your company a success. And being able to leverage those skills, resources and expertise is the key to making it “work”.
One of my biggest problems in business over the years has been “How do I go from earning “just enough” with profit? to paying other people to leverage my time and grow the company whilst still making money, pay the bills and handle all the staff, train them up and still get all the work done. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only business person who has ever struggled with this. If there is a secret solution to this for business owners, please let me know ;o)
As some of you may be aware, most NEW removal companies are started either by someone from within the industry, a removal man or office staff member, who thinks they can do better than their own boss or who lost their job and see it as a way to earn better money when they can’t get another job during a down turn. Many are started by someone from outside of the industry who thinks “removals” is an easy way of making a living because they can pick up a box and hire a transit van off the local van hire company. And there’s nothing wrong with this. Many successful removal companies started out this way.
However, I’m sure that very quickly these “entrepreneurs” experienced some if not all of the problems above at some time when first starting up and growing their business. More often than not, learning by trial and error as they go. They may want to be the best, they can be, but often fall down by not having enough resources or experience.
But does this make them a bad remover? Not knowing or having previous knowledge in running a business? Be it a Removal firm or any other company?
So my question is, do we need a national trade association to regulate movers of all ages and experience, or a Removers Business School where people inside the industry can learn about all aspects of “running” a removal company? Not just how to export pack china and glass or work out volume and the number of boxes, but also how to deal with accounts, customer service, staff management, business finance, choosing the best I.T. system for your business and much more?
Would customers understand and pay a remover more if they had a “qualification” that the public could relate to? Recent controversy over whether all BAR members should gain BSEN has shaken up the industry here in the UK and the ripple effect could potentially be felt worldwide by other industry trade associations and their members in the near future.
As a removal company owner would you be interested on going on a “Business Management” course? Specifically designed for the industry? Would you be willing to pay someone else who is giving their expertise and experience so that you can leverage their time and knowledge for your business?
Isn’t that essentially what a Trade Association offers? A way of training and helping the whole industry? Not just part of the industry? An access to resources that can help your business grow and become more professional? A way to become better so removers can gain more customers, more money, more experience and more expertise, whilst arming yourselves against problem clients, reducing insurance claims and gaining knowledge to better improve business for the years to come?
Don’t you do better when you leverage and play as a team? When you work together?
So how comes, there’s still less than 12% of removal companies in the UK belong to a trade association? What are they doing wrong to not gain more dedicated, loyal and committed members?
That is indeed a very good question. And one that surely the trade associations need to examine if they want to win the war over public perception of our industry and the implications that go with it.
Well there are now five different ways for removers to learn more about the moving industry, gain qualifications, learn the business basics and more advanced problem solving from each other. These are industry specific and will help you to improve your removal business.
You can either
Join a Trade Association
Both the British Association of Removers (BAR) and The National Guild of Removers and Storers (NGRS) offer reduced cost consultation and courses which will help you and your removal company. From basic consultation and advice through to full Removals Management courses. Plus other in house services, member discounts and networking opportunities. To contact the BAR go to www.bar.co.uk and to contact the NGRS go to www.ngrs.co.uk
Contact an external Training company
Bridge Removals Training + offer courses from basic Manual Handling through to Driver CPC and more complex managerial courses. You can contact Bridge Removals Training + at www.bridgert.co.uk Pickfords Training department also offer external courses to non Pickfords staff including manual handling, packing, health and safety and many more. To contact Pickfords Training department contact David Sanderson via email at david.sanderson@pickfords.com You can also contact the BAR who offer training courses to non members as well on 01923 699480
Read a Trade Magazine
If you are reading this then the chances are that you’re possibly already reading a trade mag or would like to subscribe to one. A long established trade magazine for the moving industry is the “En Route” Magazine. You can subscribe to this quite cheaply by sending an email to sharon@enroutepublishing.com There is also a brand new trade magazine being launched in July 2011 called “The Mover”. To subscribe to The Mover email Steve Jordan at steve@thewordsworkshop.co.uk If you are a BAR member then you probably already receive the Removals & Storage magazine. But if not, then you can subscribe to the R&S by again contacting the BAR at info@bar.co.uk
Talk to and meet with each other
As everyone knows just having a conversation with another remover can give you insights into ways of improving your business or ideas on how to deal with problem clients. There are several ways to network, one of which will be taking place in November 2011. The Movers and Storers show will be held again this year in Telford and you can find out more about the exhibition and register at www.themoversandstorersshow.co.uk
Online Networking
Social Networks have sometimes been criticised by managers for taking up too much of their employee’s time. However, the Moving etc… Network has been designed specifically for people working in the removals industry. Including managers, company owners, office staff, removal men and HGV drivers. You can discuss industry issues, look for trade partners, find backloads, get help and advice about business matters, insurance, trucks, customers and staff and much more.
Online social networking for business on the Moving etc… Network is for everything else the other options above don’t or can’t always offer. Instant answers via email, help from other movers on a daily basic, “free” advice and guidance for all those problems that until now you have just “put up” with, an open space to ask that silly question you always wanted answered – even at 12 midnight – and a great atmosphere for you to grow and learn as much as you can whilst helping others.
Now with nearly 800 members, over 1260 Bulletin Board posts, 500+ blogs and articles, more than 1150 photos and videos and many industry related groups and events, the Moving etc… Network is a great online meeting place where you can learn more about the great industry you work in whilst networking with other removers just as passionate about the industry as you.
Joining is free to staff working for a removal company and you can easily sign up at www.movingetcnetwork.com
In the meantime if you are already experienced and want to tackle the “cowboy” remover problem and gain that all important edge over your competitor, you can become a Moving etc… Recommended Removal Company if you belong to a recognised industry trade association. Membership costs from just £35.00 per month and your company details will be added to no less than 4 different industry related websites which will help you with your own SEO efforts, all with JUST trade association members listed.
For more information about the Moving etc… marketing service for TA members, please email john@movingetcnetwork.com or call Jane Finch on 0871 384 9915
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