FIDI FAIM re-certification huge success

“Three more Gosselin offices have recently re-obtained their FIDI certification. FIDI is an organization whose membership is restricted to moving companies that have successfully completed a certification procedure. This results in a network of FIDI-certified agents, which is an important factor commercially speaking,” Nathalie Luyckx of the Quality department explains.

Seeing as how all three offices passed their recertification audit successfully, we asked branch managers Laurent (Switzerland), Barbara (Italy) and Viktor (Russia) about their experience with this remote process organized using Microsoft Teams.

Unlike previous audits, this time the entire procedure was completed remotely. What was this experience like for you and your team?

Laurent: “Overall, it was a very positive experience. It allowed us to prepare in advance at a far more detailed level, which I believe is key to a successful audit. It also allowed us to cut down on actual audit time and skip those items which had already been covered during the preparations. So we only had to focus on the points the auditor needed to check.”

Barbara: “We already started using virtual web connection systems for our internal meetings between colleagues working from home last year, and even with corporate and private customers, since Covid-19 made it impossible to meet in person. This was my first virtual quality certification audit, but I wasn’t worried about our ability to demonstrate what we have accomplished over the past three years. And everything went very smoothly.”

Viktor: “It was a real challenge for us to pass this first-time remote audit as we had never done this before. It was a video conference that lasted more than five hours, with the auditor and a non-stop stream of questions and answers with just one 15-minute break.”

What kinds of challenges did you face?

Laurent: “The internet connection can be tricky. There can also be language barriers, which are more difficult to overcome when you’re communicating by phone rather than explaining things face-to-face, when you can use hand gestures or draw something on a piece of paper.”

Barbara: “Our initial audit was scheduled for November 2020, during the low season. The process was postponed in order to organize a remote certification procedure, and was rescheduled to take place in mid-May 2021, a time when our work load increased exponentially and almost atypically for that month. Helping the team to keep a positive attitude was key. The work involved in the internal review and preparation process for certification is not overly burdensome if you constantly work on it throughout the year - however, if you have to do this in addition to your everyday work during the high season, it is certainly a matter of careful internal organization, to make sure that the workload is divided equally.”

Viktor: “The remote audit was completed in a shorter timeframe compared to previous audits and was more intensive and more stressful, but our team coped really well.”

What does this recertification mean for you? 

Laurent: “Given the level of detail the auditor requires, recertifying all of the branches is a true testimony not only to the team’s hard work in preparing the audit, but also everyone’s professionalism and attention to detail when it comes to following FIDI guidelines on a day-to-day basis and the commitment to the quality of service.”

Barbara: “We were truly happy to be a FIDI top performer for the second year in a row. Having obtained the FIDI quality certification as a guarantee for efficiency, safety and stability in our work for international partners, private and corporate customers has renewed our conviction that every experience helps us grow and evolve. This confidence allows us to take on every challenge without the fear of being overwhelmed by events, and conquering them instead.”

Viktor: “Recertification confirmed that our office staff is well-trained, professional, adheres to high standards, is consistent year in and year out, respects procedures and quality, and so on, all of which is important for us, our customers and the Gosselin team.”

Anything you would like to add?

Laurent: “Our only recommendation would be for FIDI to switch entirely to remote virtual audits going forward. Completing this procedure remotely is yet another step towards reducing our carbon footprint.”

Barbara: “I think that FIDI is also aware of how well this remote process went for many companies. The auditors concluded the interview by asking if we would be in favor of a partial virtual audit in the future. Habits and rules have been modified as a result of the ‘new way of working’ imposed by the pandemic, and many opportunities and experiments were discovered that help achieve a new level of efficiency when you need to get things done, no matter what.”

About Gosselin

Gosselin is a leading provider of international moving and destination services. Our clients are multinationals, relocation management companies, expats, diplomats, military personnel and private persons. With 56 offices in 34 countries, Gosselin has a strong presence in Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. 

Gosselin is a division of the Gosselin Group that has its headquarters in Antwerp, Belgium. The company was founded in 1930 and employs a staff of 800 that generates more than 300 million Euros in turnover.