Best International Removals Provider

This article is taken from the the special Relocate Awards 2020 supplement – the must read for HR, global managers and relocation professionals.Click on the cover to access the digital edition, read all of the articles on our website, or order your printed copy.

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Moving home is not just about shifting boxes and personal belongings. Success happens when people – both at the company and their clients – feel connected to the process and where values align.The winner of this award has achieved exactly this by creating a winning culture that successfully combines strong customer-service values – dedication, excellence, care and communication – with an internal people-centred approach across its expansive, well-resourced global network.

Expert international removals driven by strong values

Pickfords’ 450-strong UK workforce are motived and passionate about their role in relocating people globally. They are providing expert international move management services for a wide range of clients, helping them to reduce the cost of relocation, and think global and act local in their services.Remarking on how this entry was clearly differentiated from the others, the judges praised in particular how the company’s “strong corporate values are integrated within the reward and recognition scheme and performance management processes operated by the firm.”The performance management Goal Tracker is designed to give all employees clear customer-focused objectives throughout the year. This ensures employees feel part of a wider plan and that their contribution to Pickfords’ business and customer care strategy is important. The company also celebrates employees who go beyond business as usual for their customers on the intranet’s “Wall of Stars”.Each of these is part of an overarching six-point customer service plan, which includes staff training and development, quality champions attending moves as part of the service, reporting and customer feedback capture for continuous improvement.

Employee engagement leading to postive impacts

This values-based performance framework is supporting engagement and leading to increased service satisfaction scores (Pickfords’ TrustPilot rating rising from 6.2 to 9.6 in the past three years), successful tenders and a positive impact on the wider community.Pickfords’ corporate social responsibility programme raised over £20,000 for Cancer Research UK Ltd, as well as the British Heart Foundation, last year. Its useful move-day collection service means assignees leaving the UK can recycle their unwanted clothes, bric-a-brac and furniture.This year Pickfords’ charity network will include the Salvation Army. The international registered charity is also a valued client and showcases how Pickfords’ removals management, corporate values and CSR credentials are well integrated and incorporated into employee motivation and engagement initiatives – as well as responsive, client-focused services.

Supporting the Salvation Army

Working in 131 countries worldwide, the Salvation Army offers friendship, practical help and support for people at all levels of need. One of the challenges the Salvation Army presented to Pickfords was the General Farewell. This is where 60% of Salvation Army personnel move in the same week – often on the same day – at the height of the moving season.   In partnership with the Salvation Army, Pickfords defined a full end-to-end process for move management. This includes guaranteed discounted rates, one point of contact for the officer, agreed key performance indicators within a service level agreement, a briefing document designed for the officer and a mechanism to capture customer satisfaction after the move to gain valuable insight on performance.By managing the operation centrally and leveraging its national network to save costs, the process was carefully controlled to save 18% on the cost of removals compared to the previous year.

“An excellent entry”

Summing up, the judges remarked this was “an excellent entry showing how a large established corporate also recognises its staff for the great jobs they do whilst effecting cost savings for their clients and still finding time to support charitable organisations.”Receiving the award, Steve Wilkins – Director, Corporate Services, at Pickfords Move Management said, “Wow! What fantastic news. But it goes without saying that we need to thank our team for their efforts over the last 12 months. I’d also like to thank our customers, so thanks very much indeed. It’s much appreciated and we look forward to being able to share a glass of wine with everyone in due course. Thanks very much indeed.”https://www.pickfords.co.uk/

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Find out more in the Relocate Awards 2020 section!

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