The American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA)
The American Moving & Storage Association was formed after the merge of three companies. These are the National Moving & Storage Association (NMSA), the Household Goods Carriers’ Bureau (HGCB) and the American Movers Conference (AMC). NMSA was the first US national trade association for workers in the moving industry. In 1994, AMC and HGCB merged. Later on, AMC and NMSA merged to form AMSA.
The American Moving & Storage Association is based in the USA. Its headquarters are in Alexandra, Virginia. Members of the association are workers in the moving industry. These include moving companies and associated suppliers of moving equipment. Its members include the movers, van-lines, agents, forwarders and industry suppliers. However, it does not include self-movers.
AMSA has over 3,200 professional movers as its members. Members of The American Moving & Storage Association must abide by an ethical code of conduct. They must make sure that the customer protection rules are followed. AMSA not only protects the moving company, it also protects the mover. AMSA also educates the mover on the benefits of professional moving. In case of any complaints made by the mover, AMSA provides legal representation to the moving company. Its role is to act as an arbitrator between the customer filing the claim and movers. It also assists the movers with tax payments.
One of AMSA’s main goals is to ensure that fraud and unethical practices are not part of the moving industry. In the unlikely case that this occurs, AMSA’s role is to discipline the members involved in such acts.
AMSA helps to keep its members up to date on the latest news and rules affecting the moving industry. In 2001, AMSA founded an education institute that sponsors scholarships and research. This is called the Moving & Storage Institute.
The American Moving & Storage Association also takes care of the health of its members. It provides the necessary medical care to its members and assures them of safety in the course of the work.
Whereby the customer is satisfied with the service that the moving company provides, AMSA provides a forum where other clients can come to know about that specific mover. AMSA collects positive customer comments through a service called the Mover Referral Service (MRS). The MRS is regularly emailed only to movers selected by the customer to receive it. Movers participating in the Mover Referral Service agree to keep all profile information confidential.
Overall, The American Moving & Storage Association ensures satisfaction in both parties in the moving process. While ensuring that the moving company provides quality service to the customer, AMSA also assures the safety of the mover, a fact that is often ignored. AMSA promotes professionalism in the moving industry.