Your first contact with your mover will be with one of their moving consultants. Advising the family on every aspect of a well-planned move is the primary responsibility of this professional.
Your moving consultant will come to your home to explain to you and your family the many services that the company offers. Having done that, the moving consultant will perform a survey of everything in your home that will be moved - and he or she will probably point out things along the way that can't be moved (flammables such as cans of paint, for example), that may require special attention (crating for a slate-top pool table, perhaps), or that must be prepared for the move by you or a third party (disconnecting a gas dryer or draining a waterbed are two common examples). This can be arranged by the origin branch.
This survey allows your moving consultant to provide you with an estimate of costs and the various pricing options which you may choose from, potentially including our Total Price Guarantee. (See the next section for more details on how your moving costs will be determined.) Once you've selected a mover, you'll be asked to sign an Order for Service, at which point your moving consultant will officially register your move with Allied.
If any questions arise as you make the final preparations for your move, don't hesitate to contact your moving consultant for the answers.
If you ordered packing, a team of specially-trained packers will be sent to your home either on the morning of your scheduled loading day or the day before, depending on how much packing needs to be done.
Next up among the professionals assigned to service your shipment is the driver - who we in the moving industry refer to as the "van operator", since his or her role in your move encompasses so much more than just driving.
Your van operator, of course, is in charge of the physical moving process. He or she is responsible for loading your goods at origin, driving the van, and delivering your belongings -safe and sound- into your new home. Generally, the van operator will be assisted in the loading and unloading processes by one to three helpers.
Before loading begins, your van operator will take special precautions to protect your home, as well as its contents. This may include laying down "floor runners" to protect carpets and flooring in entryways, hallways, and other high-traffic areas, as well as padding banisters and doorways to avoid marring walls and woodwork.
Your van operator will also prepare a detailed Inventory & Condition Report of the items to be moved. In addition to tagging every individual carton or piece of furniture with numbered and colour-coded labels, the van operator will record each item on the inventory form. You should accompany the van operator as he/she prepares the inventory, pointing out any special concerns or handling considerations along the way.
You'll be asked to sign the inventory, as your acknowledgement that the pieces indicated were loaded and as verification of their condition prior to the move. Then, your van operator will sign the form as well and present you with a copy. Keep this inventory with you for use at destination.
The van operator will also ask you to sign a bill of lading. This is the contract by which you authorize your moving company to transport your possessions and agree to pay for those services. The bill of lading serves to confirm the services performed, pickup and delivery schedules, verify delivery information - address, dates, phone numbers and the valuation and protection plan that you've selected.
If you cannot be present at the time of loading, you'll need to arrange for a responsible person to act as your agent in signing both the bill of lading and the inventory.
Most furniture is wrapped with specially constructed cloth pads or "blankets" to protect it from scratches, dents, dirt, etc. Even items such as gardening tools are padded to prevent them from scratching or soiling other items in the shipment. Tightly loaded tiers with heavy articles loaded on the bottom - will be constructed inside the van to avoid jarring or shifting while on the road. Specifically, trailer walls and doors are lined with logistical tracks, enabling shipments to be secured further with heavy nylon straps.
After everything has been loaded in the van, it's a good idea for you and your van operator to take one last walk through your house to make sure that nothing has been overlooked.
It's extremely important for you to contact your destination branch as soon as you arrive in your new hometown so that final delivery arrangements can be made. Your van operator will contact the destination branch 24 hours prior to the expected arrival time to allow the destination branch to notify you. (If you cannot be reached, it may be necessary to unload your shipment into storage at an additional cost to you.)
Unless approved billing or credit arrangements have been made in advance, the van operator is required by law to collect payment for your move before your shipment can be unloaded. If your shipment is placed in storage, charges up to that point are due at that time. Payment must be made in cash or by certified or cashier's cheque, travelers cheques, money. Personal cheques cannot be accepted. A copy of the bill of lading signed by the van operator will be your receipt.
When your shipment arrives at destination, you can help expedite the unloading process by having a room setting floor plan in mind, and by letting your van operator know where you want things placed as they're unloaded and brought into your home.
The van operator, crew, or the unpackers will also re-assemble any items which they disassembled at origin. Check off items from the inventory as they're brought in, noting their condition. If an item appears to have been damaged during the move or is missing, make a note on the inventory including the van operator's copies - and notify your destination branch.
If you have requested and paid for unpacking services, your destination branch will arrange to unpack cartons at the time of delivery and will remove the used packing materials. Should you choose to unpack your cartons yourself, you'll be responsible for disposing of empty cartons and used materials.
