11/1/2004
North American Van Lines’ New Web Site Helps Clients Focus on Opening Boxes, Not Bills
CHICAGO, November 1, 2004 — When you’re planning to move your family, there are plenty of worries. Hiring a professional mover shouldn’t be one of them. Neither should figuring out the cost of your move.
North American Van Lines understands the pressures faced by busy families on the move. That’s why the company has redesigned its Web site (www.navl.com) to include handy tools that help families do things such as get a free online “ballpark” move estimate in minutes; request an in-home estimate with just a couple of mouse clicks; and quickly figure out how much packing material will be needed.
A new online “Move Planner” allows families to carefully plan a move from eight to 10 weeks before the big day all the way to delivery. It also provides lists of common moving tasks, e-mail task reminders, an area that lists important contacts, and a valuable summary page that shows open and completed tasks.
Other helpful resources on the new Web site include a list of costs to consider, moving checklists, city reports and shipment tracking. And if you and your kids need a few minutes of stress-relief, try the “Memorable Moving” game. Also, valuable information on planning international moves has been added to the site.
“Of course, the better your upfront planning, the more money you’ll save,” said Dan Robertson, general manager of North American Van Lines. “There are many expenses people don’t consider before their move and some of those unknowns can add up quickly. North American’s new Web site allows families to quickly get a good idea of the potential time, materials and costs involved in their move.”
When preparing to move, you certainly don’t want to find that you miscalculated your costs or have spent money on moving expenses you didn’t plan to have. It’s not hard to do — Robertson advises that 10 to 20 percent of the final costs of a move can consist of unforeseen expenditures. For example, packing material, including boxes and insulation for breakable items, can be quite costly. Depending on the size of the move, materials alone can cost more than $100 and sometimes up to $300.
“Our goal is to work with our clients to make their move a positive, stress-free experience,” Robertson said. “We know that saving time and money is important to them, so it’s important to us.”
About North American Van Lines, Inc.
North American Van Lines, Inc., established in 1933, is a wholly owned subsidiary of SIRVA, Inc., a leader in providing relocation solutions to a well-established and diverse customer base around the world. The van line, with headquarters in Fort Wayne, Ind., and more than 500 agents, handles corporate, government, military and private relocations and operates in the U.S., Canada and more than 100 countries worldwide. Information on the company can be found on the Internet at www.navl.com.
About SIRVA, Inc.
SIRVA, Inc. is a leader in providing relocation solutions to a well-established and diverse customer base around the world. The company is the leading global provider that can handle all aspects of relocations end-to-end within its own network, including home purchase and home sale services, household goods moving, mortgage services and insurance.
SIRVA conducts more than 365,000 relocations per year, transferring corporate and government employees and moving individual consumers. The company operates in more than 40 countries with approximately 8,000 employees and an extensive network of agents and other service providers.
SIRVA’s well-recognized brands include Allied, northAmerican, Global, and SIRVA Relocation in North America; Pickfords, Huet, Kungsholms, ADAM, Majortrans, Allied Arthur Pierre, Rettenmayer, and Allied Varekamp in Europe; and Allied Pickfords in the Asia Pacific region. More information about SIRVA can be found on the company’s Web site at www.sirva.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not historical, but are made based on management’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects upon SIRVA, Inc. and its subsidiaries. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those anticipated by management. These forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, including without limitation those described under the caption “Business-Investment Considerations” and other risks described in our 2003 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We do not intend, and are under no obligation, to update any particular forward-looking statement included in this release.
Media Contact
Judy Wohlt
Manager
Corporate Communications
630.468.4886 (work)
630.802.1299 (cell)
