R.404.,:inined effort to move with the times, the British Associaan
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of Removers titled the theme of its annual conference earlier us week "Our Industry — the next ten years." DAVID WILCOX :ports.
The conference in Stratfordpon-Avon attracted delegates om 90 of the BAR's 750 memer companies. There was trong international flavour, rith 50 or so foreign removers apresented, mainly from the Can.3r4r, Australia and outh Africa.
In his opening speech, BAR resident Michael Scott of Pitt nd Scott outlined an idea to set p a scholarship award, probbly in the form of a study trip, ) develop good management the removal industry and to ecognise innovation.
The first session of crystal-ball lazing was devoted to looking at narket trends; what will the cusomer want in the next decade?
he growth of the DIY move was liscussed. It was said that proessional removers in the UK tow do less than 40 per cent of cat moves; the rest has been ost to the van rental business.
One of the speakers, Jim AcCluskey from Grace Brothers Yf Sydney (among the largest emover in the world), said renovers in other countries had ;uffered even more from the DIY nove. In Canada, for example, nofessional removers have only 10 per cent of the local market, Ind in Germany the figure is 25 )er cent. He was unconcerned, lowever, about the deielopment, for he said that the )IY-ers were mainly young people who, when they were older and more affluent, would become the removal companies' customers of tomorrow.
Two other panel members had contrasting experiences of the DIY market. Peter Willliams, from Victory Van, Alexandria, USA, told the conference that 60 per cent of people in the USA who had moved themselves said they would not repeat the process next time.
But Peter Reading, from Barlows (Prestwich) of Manchestedr, who runs a van hire business along with his professional removal service, reported that DIY moves are popular. "Once they have done it for themselves they come back again to move their family and friends."
Mr Reading's other predictions for the next 10 years included "the growing stranglehold" of Pickfords and other large removal companies, and the continuing survival of the tea chest well into t Ife 1990s.
The development of the relocation companies for business moves, which look after every aspect of the move including selling the old property, arranging surveyors, removals, and so on, was briefly discussed. Nobody seemed very keen on relocation companies, as they represent another level between customer and remover. But, as one delegate said: "If relocation companies expand we will be sucked into it, like it or not."