RIM®
Registered International Mover
To meet the customer demands and the moral requirement to improve the industry that they represent, the National Moving and Storage Association (now American Moving and Storage Association) embarked upon a mission to both satisfy customer needs and upgrade the overall quality of international moving services worldwide. On July 20, 1994, representatives from the HHGFAA, NMSA (AMSA), ERC, OMNI, FIDI and the top 10 van lines met to explore the possibility of creating a worldwide certification program. From that historic meeting (at no previous time had a group so diverse, representing both buyers and competitive sellers, assembled), the Registered International Mover program, RIM®, was born. A steering committee was organized to develop the standards upon which universal international agency and individual certification are based. A subsequent meeting of that steering committee adopted a set of standards that were later approved by the permanent International Standards Committee. This present publication was commissioned to be the manual that sets forth the standards required of those companies and persons requesting RIM® certification.
RIM® provides certification of agencies and for individuals. The agency certification establishes that an agency has sufficient equipment, facilities and RIM® certified personnel to meet the minimum RIM® standards. It further requires that a principle or managing executive pass an examination based on the RIM® manual and that he/she possesses the knowledge necessary to conduct international business. Additionally, within a period of three years of initial certification, a RIM® certified agent must employ a RIM® certified surveyor, coordinator, and at least three certified international packers. Individual Certifications for surveyors, coordinators and international packers belong to the individuals and may be moved from company to company providing that the rules of transfer set by the International Standards Committee are followed and proper notification of transfer is given. Companies and individuals must be re-certified every three years. Re-certification is achieved either through testing or proof of participation in continuing education classes and seminars.
The international household goods industry accepted the challenge to meet and surpass customer expectations, and to provide a method by which the industry will continue to improve.
