A priceless real-world education+ some back-to-school basics
The back-to-school season is just beginning, but here at Camelot, we have been witnessing an education of a different sort!
They say everyone should work in retail at least once, but I would counter that everyone should work as a mover at least one summer. Watching the newest members of our stellar crews develop these past few months, I was reminded of the many lessons us veteran movers have learned in our particular line of work:
Perspective: For starters, I've learned not to label people and to maintain perspective. No one is their best self on their Moving Day. Moving homes is challenging, but additionally at times people are moving due to a death or divorce. When I come across a difficult personality in my line of work, I do not take it personally, and I give them the benefit of the doubt that if we had met in a different circumstance, they would have been pleasant.
**Extra perk of perspective: Increased gratitude when I am working with a gracious and kind client no matter their circumstances and for my level-headed staff who excel at handling our clients who are going through a lot.
Prevention: I was recently eavesdropping on one of our in-house packing training sessions. Our trainer repeatedly emphasized the value of using a few extra sheets of packing paper when in doubt: “Two cents of packing paper can prevent hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of dollars in damage. Use the extra paper.”
What a life lesson I wish I had learned in my early twenties! Investing even small amounts now can save you a lot of pain later. (By the way, we did our classic drop test at the end of the training session. We dropped each box filled with fragile items from about six feet in the air. They all passed! Not one item was broken!)
Coordination: Our crews learn more than teamwork. Picture a moving crew of 6 seamlessly moving around a house they are seeing for the first time, packing, preparing, and loading items into the truck. While it may look like a carefully choreographed and rehearsed performance, it is more like improv. Each crew member is as equally tuned in to the movements and needs of the rest of the crew as they are focused on the task in front of them. Few jobs require complete independence (boxing up the contents of a kitchen filled with cupboards by yourself) as well as literally working in step with someone else (walking backward down a tight staircase while handling one end of a large, delicate piece of furniture). Check out the picture above as well as this post to see an amazing example of this teamwork!
While some of our employees choose to build a craft and career here at Camelot, others spend a few years with us while they pursue training and education for their next chapter. Either way, their time and education here proves to be invaluable.
Back-to-School Tips and Special Offers
To help settle your family into the new school year and your new home, create a checklist of essentials and ensure all school-related items are easily accessible.
To make this transition even smoother, we're excited to announce special back-to-school discounts on our moving and storage services! Contact us today to learn more about these limited-time offers.
Thank you for your continued support. We're grateful for the trust you place in us for your moving and storage needs. Stay connected with us on social media for the latest updates and tips, and don't hesitate to reach out if you need assistance.
Here's to a successful and smooth transition into the new school year!