Caroline Culot, Archant property correspondent spent a day at Abels head office in our fully equiped training school where new employees practice on our china, glass, ornaments and furniture items including grand pianos, chandeliers, barrometers – not our customers.
The excerpt below is taken directly from Caroline’s article in the Homes24 website http://blog.homes24.co.uk/norfolk/2011/03/just-what-is-the-art-of-moving-house/
The tagline for Brandon-based Abels Moving Services is “the art of moving” and I spent a day recently learning just exactly that. John Watson, managing director, invited a group of ladies working in local estate agencies and law firms along with myself to a day at the headquarters learning the skills required to move someone. I was completely surprised by the intricate computer systems in place to create, for example, a full inventory of all the items in someone’s house needing to be moved. There is a comprehensive system in place also for the training of staff and Mr Watson believes this must involve everyone so receptionists and administrative staff go through the same training to ensure they can answer questions asked by clients. The training itself is ingenious; there is a mock-up house complete with furniture and stairs where new recruits are put through their paces and literally taught how to pack items ranging from delicate glasses to large sofas. Abels can move items within the UK as well as abroad so their staff need to know how to pack extra large items too. I was taught how to pack plates and am glad to inform that I was the only person in the group to make the biggest mistake of getting my box upside down! So, even though I had made a decent job of packing plates and glasses, they would have all been crushed when the box was turned over – probably why I am a journalist, not a removals worker! However, I am glad to report I can now pack a teapot and its lid so it doesn’t get broken as well as bubble wrap a chair. It was a thoroughly fascinating day to be given an understanding of a part of the house buying and selling process that I do not normally see and which, I suppose, many of us take for granted. Much was discussed over how Abels staff (Abels hold a Royal Warrant to the Queen) take pride in their appearance and aim to completely understand the wishes of their clients. On the day everything has to go smoothly because they feel they owe it to the client at the end of the long process of moving house.
Anyone moving house, give me a call or perhaps really you should visit www.abels.co.uk