This is by far the most frequently asked question a moving company in Panama receives, and our answer is as follows:
“So many factors are involved in a move (national or international) that we believe it would be irresponsible to our clients and our company to give prices when the probabilities of variation (increase) are so high.”
But let’s not be fooled; we are aware that an answer like this can cost us a sale, especially in today’s world, where information moves at tremendous speed and people expect instant answers. But it is precisely at this moment that our corporate values come into play. You might wonder what the connection between these two things is, and the answer couldn’t be simpler:
If, in order to close a sale, we must diminish the importance of the processes we have defined as an organization, we would be detracting from our business, and it is very likely that our potential clients would refuse to work with a company that adopts these practices.
What information is required to quote a move?
Our organization’s main focus is to build lasting and mutually beneficial relationships with our clients and suppliers. For this reason, our best calling card is to advise our clients to obtain the greatest benefit after a move. When we want to know the cost of a move, we must take the following into account:
| Information required | What for? | What is required to know this information? |
|---|---|---|
| ● Quantity and size of items to be moved | Calculate resources such as: quantity, size and type of trucks, number of people, workdays, and packing materials required. | Perform an inspection at the location where the items are located. The inspection can be physical or remote (via video calls or by sending photographs of the goods). |
| ● Origin and destination address | Identify if additional equipment is required to perform the service (use of pick-up trucks or trolleys, use of pulleys for difficult access, among others), select the international carrier, and determine which moving company we will select in the country of destination (the latter applies only to international moves to Panama). | Provide data during the phone call between the client and the moving company’s sales representative. |
| ● Condition of the items to be moved | Determine the type of packing that will be done according to its degree of fragility, for example, an ultra-flat screen TV that does not have its original box will require the use of a wooden crate to prevent unwanted damage. | During the inspection. When the client sends photographs, they will be asked for the measurements of these objects in order to quote the manufacture of the required crate(s). |
| ● Required date for the service | Schedule operations according to their complexity and required resources. | Provide data during the phone call between the client and the moving company’s sales representative. |
| ● Migratory status of the shipment consignee in the country of destination (for international moves only) | Identify the requirements imposed by the customs of the destination country and anticipate costs and procedures that may be required. In this way, the client will be given a complete overview of the costs, times, and procedures required to carry out the service. |
Risks present when a moving quote in Panama is provided without the required information
Some companies, with the intention of satisfying the immediate need of the caller, provide costs to give an idea of the value a moving service would have. But if this is done without the required information, many negative things could happen, such as:
● If a client asks for the cost of a move from “one building to another” and is immediately given the price without requesting the necessary information, the risks would be:
o Not taking into account that there were objects that would not fit through the elevator and, in some cases, not even up the stairs. This would mean that a pulley service would be used to move each item up or down, incurring additional costs not anticipated by the client.
o Carrying inadequate or insufficient packing material to provide proper protection for the client’s goods, exposing them to potential damage during handling and transport.
o Insufficient personnel, inadequate vehicles for the operation; this will directly impact the cost of the service the client will pay.
● If a client asks for the “cost of an international move for a 20-foot container” and does not provide the required information or allow an inspection to be scheduled, the following risks apply:
o That the 20-foot container is not enough to transport the entire move and it is necessary to return it to the port to change it for a 40-foot standard or larger one. This will impact in the following ways:
▪ There will be a new cost for a second container haulage to the port.
▪ The moving agent at destination will charge a higher fee if the goods arrive in a 40-foot container; this fee applies due to the size of the container and the weight/volume traveling inside it.
▪ The international sea freight will increase due to the size of the container required.
▪ The moving company must go back to the pick-up address to load the goods (if the container change cannot be done on the same loading day).
▪ The property owner will apply penalties to the client if delays occur regarding the residence delivery date (if the container change cannot be done on the same loading day).
▪ Building management will charge for re-booking the elevator (if the container change cannot be done on the same loading day).
o That the weight and volume of the client’s goods do not fill a 20-foot container, and they are provided a quote for a full one, thus exceeding the potential client’s estimated budget. This could lead a family, for example, to decide to sell all their furniture and buy new ones in the destination country.
Factors involved in a move
In order to avoid the materialization of the aforementioned risks, we briefly explain the factors that make up a move:
1. Cost of origin services (apply to national and international moves):
● Furniture packing.
● Packing of fragile and/or delicate items in boxes.
● Packing material.
● Deliveries and unpacking.
● Storage at origin.
● Manufacture of wooden crates.
2. Cost of freight services and procedures with the National Customs Authority (Only for international moves to Panama):
● Export customs agency for the client’s goods.
● Hauling the container from the port to the pick-up address at origin.
● Professional loading and stowage of the client’s goods inside the container.
● Sealing the container with numbered seals provided by the shipping line.
● Hauling the full container to the departure port.
● International sea freight to the destination port.
3. Cost of moving services at destination, provided by the moving company we select (Only for international moves):
● Import customs agency.
● Transport of the shipment to the client’s residence.
● Delivery of goods to residence, unpacking and uncrating.
● Removal of packing waste.
To obtain these costs, a moving company in Panama must request rates for international transport and agent services at destination. This information is not available at the click of a button. Although technology currently allows us to obtain rates much faster than in the past, certain destinations and the limited availability of containers in international maritime transport cause the response time to a request to vary between 24, 48, and even 72 hours.
After 20 years of carrying out all types of moves (office, industrial, local and international residential), we understand that the execution of a move must be planned with the same care and detail as the change of residence per se, since any setback that arises during logistics could have irreversible consequences or impact the final budget of the contractor, whether it is a company paying the bill or a family paying directly from their pocket.
For this reason, it is crucial to select experienced companies in the business before focusing on an attractive price. An organization with these characteristics dedicates time and effort to planning and designing its processes, anticipates the risks it faces, and acts to avoid them. In short, this type of company will assume responsibility for the service from start to finish, until the last box is unpacked; it will offer insurance coverage for your goods throughout the logistics chain, ensure trained personnel ready to provide professionalism and their best smile, and provide the equipment required to handle, transport, and protect your goods, giving you something priceless: peace of mind and tranquility when moving.
We invite you to weigh your options when selecting a moving company. Remember that quality and price are very important, but never the other way around!
To obtain a free quote, please contact us through the following channels:
● Carlos Cogollos
General Manager
WhatsApp: +507 6672 5960
Email: ventas@extrememoverspty.com
● Héctor Alejandro Rodríguez
Quality Manager
WhatsApp: +507 6077 4139
Email: quality@extrememoverspty.com
● Anthony Soledad
Operations Manager
WhatsApp: +507 6203 2381
Email: quality@extrememoverspty.com