We spoke to our Move Manager, Stacy Heath, about her experience working for Crown Relocations and her top tips to help you plan your next international move.
How long have you been with Crown? Can you tell us more about your role?
I started with Crown in 2012 and will celebrate my 10th anniversary in October 2022! My role as a Move Manager mostly involves managing the shipping process, arranging the shipping/airline bookings, container placements and Customs procedures for exports. I keep clients updated on the status of their shipments and remain their point of contact until after delivery.
I also handle all the imports across South Africa, assisting clients with their import documentation, and arranging the clearance and providing a full destination service according to their requirements. In addition, I work very closely with the sales and finance teams. So, you can see I’m involved in a little bit of everything in the background!
What’s the most common question clients ask you?
“Where is my shipment?” is the most common question I get asked. That’s why I keep in constant contact with our clients to provide status updates every week and set their minds at ease. We understand most of the time everything they own is being shipped - so why wouldn’t you want to always know where it is?”
What’s the most common mistake clients make when it comes to moving abroad?
I can only really comment on shipping and customs formalities, but most often the mistake is under-estimating how long a shipment can take to be shipped and cleared both at origin and destination. There are almost always delays (especially since Covid) and it is one of the rigours of our industry that we have to contend with. Unfortunately, there is no way to speed up the transit or customs processes. So, good communication is the key.
What would be your number one tip for anyone preparing to live and work abroad?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Clients often say to me ‘sorry if it's a silly question’. But there is no such thing! We are always here to help.
What is the most unusual move you have supported?
We once had a huge export move of seven vehicles and a full household. It was 3 x 40ft High Cube containers and took months of preparation and planning to put everything in place ready to ship.
What’s the moment in your Crown career that has made you the proudest?
We started an Africa desk in 2014 and I won a Crown WorldWise “Open-Minded” Award for my out-of-the-box thinking when putting it all together.
If you could move anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
It would definitely be England. My entire family (mum, dad, sisters, brother, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews) all live in England, so I would move to be closer to them.”
