NEW A FFI L I ATE COMPAS POINTS TO OPPORTUNITIES New Belgian Affiliate Compas has joined FIDI with ambitions to be a leader in the countrys international removals business. FIDI Focus speaks to Managing Director Pieter Willems about the company and openings in Belgiums market and beyond PIETER WILLEMS, COMPAS MANAGING DIRECTOR FIDI Focus: What are the characteristics of the Belgian moving market? Pieter Willems: Brussels is the capital of Europe and the home of EU and NATO, so there are many expats here, followed by Antwerp and Ghent. There are five FIDI Affiliates in Belgium, most belong to moving groups with a big geographical footprint, including Santa Fe, AGS and Gosselin, offering a wide range of services. Compas is proud to be the sixth FIDI member. As the new kid on the block, we are not aiming to become the biggest, but we want to be recognised as the best service provider for international removals. FF: What impact has COVID-19 had on moving in the country? PW: With telework mandatory up to 28 June this year, a lot of removals and assignments were cancelled or postponed, which had an impact. Some well-known brands such as Ziegler Relocations and Iconic Movers went out of business, and smaller moving companies had difficulties, too. Although many corporations remain cautious about sending people on assignment and there are travel bans in many countries, we have seen a peak in the number of move requests this summer. This is most likely a combination of the traditional summer season and moves that were postponed. I think it will be 2022-23 before our industry is back to normal. FF: Where are the biggest opportunities for growth? PW: We have seen consolidation that has created a few big moving companies/groups, that tend to outsource moving services. There is an opportunity to be an asset-based company with our own crews, trucks and resources and therefore to guarantee a high-quality service. The second opportunity is digitisation. A large majority of companies are now implementing ad hoc strategies to digitise the paper-based process. That is necessary but, in my opinion, not enough. Rapidly changing market and economic conditions, customer expectations and new technologies means we must embrace continuous digital transformation. FF: How would you describe the Compas ethos? PW: Customer satisfaction is of the utmost 70 FF303 Sept_Nov 21 pp70-71 New Affiliate.indd 70 importance to us everybody at Compas is aware of the requirements of external as well as internal customers. A positive attitude to customer service is also important it means happy customers as is making sure our employees are part of our decisionmaking, which brings staff loyalty and connection with customers. By gaining insights in processes and overall performance, we aim to never stop improving our services, while mutually beneficial relationships within the business are a must for the quality we deliver. FF: What are Compas main strengths? PW: The greatest asset we have at Compas is not our trucks, vans or warehouse, but the people who work here. They are the soul and foundation of the company and they make a difference every day, which makes me very proud. FF: Why did you decide to join FIDI? PW: The FAIM Quality Certification sets the benchmark for quality services in the international moving and relocation world, so it was obvious to join. Membership gives access to a great training resource, the FIDI Academy, and expands our network and business relationships. Im very curious about FIDI initiatives such as the netting programme, too. FF: How did you find the FAIM process? PW: After the new Compas was created in 2018, we submitted our financial results at the beginning of 2021 and passed the financial audit. As a result of COVID restrictions, the mandatory on-site audit could only take place on 15 June, which is a very busy period in our industry, making it even more challenging. We have found the process very interesting and we learned a lot, allowing us to make improvements to our organisation and business processes. FF: What are the future challenges for Compas? PW: The war on talent. Finding skilled packing crews will be a huge challenge. Although the cost of living has increased substantially in the past 25 years (by more than 100 per cent), todays labour crews are paid just over 50 per cent more than 25 years ago. As a moving company, we must compete with supermarkets and logistics companies, offering higher salaries. And the drivers job there doesnt include loading or unloading, but simply driving to a dock and relaxing in the cab while the contents are loaded and unloaded. Our drivers are under a great deal more pressure. Not only are they expected to be skilled movers, but also provide top-notch customer service. WWW. F I D I FOC U S . OR G 14/09/2021 17:22