Career moves: How to be handled

These pages take a behind-the-scenes look at what is often, on the surface, one of the less pleasant aspects of the international life-style. And with the help of an Ankara-based international household removals company, we discover that the worlds of transport and diplomacy are related in more ways than one.

To many people, a “diplomatic career” is a very attractive profession. There is, indeed, much to be relished about living in the differing environments of various countries, taking part in high-level contacts and meetings and thus having the opportunity to influence - or at least to witness - the formation of international policy step-by-step. The continuous procession of new friends, the not-so-occasional surprises… All these can be numbered among the benefits of an attractive and extraordinary life style.

But as with every profession, the diplomatic way of life has its difficulties. No few official envoys come to loathe the chores associated with having to move house every 3-4 years. Sometimes the move is “merely” from one country to another; sometimes it involves crossing whole continents. Time and time again, the diplomat has to gather up furnishings and personal effects in order to move to a house or apartment which he or she has never seen - usually in the capital of a country the politics of which he or she may know something about, but the practicalities of which are a mystery.

Breakage, damage and loss come in the most unexpected forms and at the most unexpected moments. Nothing can be taken for granted. Goods must be packed quickly but also safely and skilfully. They must be transported with care and properly efficiently unpacked. In some cases, the diplomat’s new home may not yet be ready, and his or her belongings may have to be prepared for a stay of unknown duration in the unfamiliar surroundings of some far-off warehouse.

Gaining experience

At such anxious moments, transportation companies experienced in international household removals are the diplomat’s key aide and representative. Rather like diplomats themselves, they have their own procedures and paperwork, and their own international connections. They know all about insurance, customs and storage, packing and unpacking, and depending on the volume of effects, the destination and the distance to be covered, they have ready access to land, air and sea routes.

Eşref Öztürk is Marketing Director of Özgür Nakliyat (Özgür Transport), a Turkish removal company established 28 years ago. “At one time,” he recalls, “the work which we do today was done by European companies. Now we are able to do the same job as they do and do it more cheaply. Our company receives awards from the Ankara Chamber of Commerce every year for the amount of foreign exchange which we bring into the country.”    

More jobs than one

According to Öztürk, the transportation business is becoming more complex the world over, and the amount of know-how required is growing accordingly: “Now transportation involves a series of other elements. For example, one of our side lines is insurance. We are the insurance agent of Turkish Economy Bank and we insure everything that we transport.

“When a customer comes to us for a transportation job, we don’t simply carry out the removal. First of all we have the water, electricity and gas supply discontinued in the place where he or she is living. Then we have these connections restored in the new place of residence. If requested, we can also provide an employee to do the housework or a baby-sitter for the children. As I said before, the world is moving in this direction and gathering these kinds of services under one roof increases the chances that the customer will opt for you again next time round.”

Crystal and canvas

Some people’s goods are easier to move than others. The packaging of a chandelier, a painting or a piano requires different materials and a different technique in each case. Diplomats may have quite a few such items. But for transport companies there are greater challenges. Eşref Öztürk’s company has other specialities in addition to household moving:

“As is well known, the transportation of works of artistic and historical value require special expertise. In order to carry works of art safely, you need to have experienced packagers and carriers who have undergone extensive training, and to use materials produced specifically for the purpose. Only in this way you can deliver valuable works of art to the required address in the safest way and the shortest time.”

Commissions undertaken by Özgür have included transportation works of the Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Exhibition and the Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha Museum. The company has modern closed warehouses in Ankara, İstanbul, İzmir and Adana. These stores are equipped with alarm mechanisms against fire and robbery, and humidity and temperature controls are regularly recorded. They are almost museums in themselves.

Affairs of state

The masterminds of transport and logistics are no more strangers to the world of heads of state and politicians than are the corps diplomatique. Marketing Director Öztürk explains:

“After the death of his beloved mother, Princess Muna, the King of Jordan wanted to build a very special mausoleum for her. For the walls of the tomb, an order was placed for Kütahya porcelain, which is famous for its unique production techniques and for its intricate designs, reflecting the Ottoman culture. These ceramics are as fragile as they are sought-after, and needless to say the whole, very substantial order had to be transported to Jordan without a single scratch. We had packaging specially produced, and the packages were delivered to the destination without any damage. After that, the King privately rewarded the staff of the company for their services.”

Öztürk also recalls participating in the transport side of the visits to Turkey of former US President Bill Clinton in 1999 and of the current President George W. Bush in 2004.

Living and learning

Does nothing ever go wrong? Öztürk admits that transport companies are sometimes confronted with unpleasant moments. But he adds that it has always been a principle of company founder Sedat Abacı, as a matter of company policy, to “regard negative events as experience, and make sure there are positive outcomes.” On one occasion an illegal migrant was found hiding in a truck on the German border. This uninvited passenger also turned out to have damaged some of the goods which were being transported. He was duly handed over to the German authorities and compensation was paid to the customer.

Until then, Özgür had generally rented trucks from abroad. But the German border incident brought about a radical change of policy. Within a year, the company had established its own fleet. Today it has a park of 75 vehicles, of which 35 are suitable for the transportation of furniture and furnishings.

Multinational dimension

Transportation is not an easy business. But in today’s globalised world, there is unlikely to be any shortage of demand. Already accredited to the Brussels-based Federation (FIDE) and the UK’s Overseas Moving Network Limited (OMNI), Özgür Nakliyat is now looking at the business potential in Europe, and officials say they are planning to open offices in Germany and Belgium soon.

Diplomats are the first to welcome the growth of experienced, specialist removal firms and their expansion across national borders, for by making the transition from post to post easier and more comfortable, it will allow them to get on with their own jobs, and to worry less about the next.

(DIPLOMAT  -  December 2005  -  Ankara)