Capturing the essence of one of Canada’s moving leaders, Canway, is as simple as understanding their company credo “Never Satisfied Until You Are!”. “Never Satisfied Until You Are!” is more than a statement of a commitment to quality – it is about moving families. It is about enjoying life. It is about moving peoples lives.
As President of Canway Moving Inc., Michael Bloom, puts it, “What really works well is when you take something you are 100 percent satisfied with and say: “Okay, now how do we make it better?” It is this relentless dedication to continuous improvement that has maintained Canway’s leadership in a highly competitive industry day after day, month after month, year after year.
Looking back, thinking forward
The inspiring story of Canway began when Michael Bloom, a college graduate from Montreal, just 30 years old, moved into his second home in Toronto. It was 10 am in the morning, and the movers have not showed up. “Typical”, he says, “You pay for what you get”. That’s where the whole idea came from.
“There are three kind of moving companies” he says. “The first one’s are the discount movers (or low budget movers, usually $30 to $55 per hour) which you can find on most free newspapers, bus shelters and so on. The second kind are the movers that have small to medium sized ads in the yellow pages (usually between $95 to $120 per hour), and the third one’s are the big vanline companies that have full page ads, many times double full page ads, usually for many many years in a row” he says.
"The problem with the first one is these companies are not very reliable and don’t offer any kind of insurance. The second ones are pretty good, and what can you expect, you pay about $100 + per hour, better be good. The last ones are typically used for people that have a big budget and don’t care to pay the extra $1500 to $2000 for the move. These kinds of companies charge anywhere from $150 all the way to $400 per hour, of course, using their good name, why shouldn’t they” says Michael. “But why not start a moving business where the prices are just a bit higher than the low budget movers and the service is like those big companies, in other words, you buy a Mercedes and pay for a GM.”
One success led to the next, and by 1997, Canway had grown into a well-respected family business, run by Michael, and his Wife. With Michael’s idea, this was a revolutionary leap forward for both Canway as well as the industry. “We are the only ones offering a professional service for such a low rate” says Michael. “The phones don’t stop ringing, and many times we have not enough estimators to go to peoples homes.”
Today, Canway has grown into a fully integrated group that is a leader in the industry when it comes to value, innovation, quality and commitment to all their customers. In Michael’s words, “It’s when the whole company works as a team that it all comes together. At the end of the day, everyone has to be proud of what they’re doing. I think ultimately that’s the strength of our company.” It is this kind of strength and ingenuity on the part of Canway’s employees that leads the company with such tremendous success.
A leader in the industry
Canway’s style of doing business is to bring together every idea, every suggestion of the company’s operations under one corporate umbrella. Not only does this result in a superior level of quality control, it also maintains consistency and continuity.
With the minimum of 5 years moving experience that each employee has to bring prior to getting hired, Canway’s famous slogan “Never Satisfied Until You Are” means exactly what it says.
Like most leaders Michael understands how teamwork relates to quality, value, and ultimately, a satisfied customer he says, “At Canway our supervisors work with the Management Team, who are working with the marketing team.
Everyone works together, from the Drivers to our general packers to ensure that everything conforms to Canway’s high standards of excellence. “Everybody does everything. I go out on moves occasionally, my wife goes out on estimates. The packers answer the phones at the office. We all work the same!”
"Just like a giant dance, it's a tremendous feeling to come in and watch the office staff having fun every day at our corporate head office," Michael says. "While they’re focusing on the operations point of view, the drivers and their teams are producing some of the best jobs the world has to offer. It all just comes together. It's instant gratification for me."
This dedication to value has resulted in the company achieving one of the largest market shares in the industry. However, Canway views industry leadership as being more than just sales numbers.
“Naturally Better”
Canway’s trademarked “Never Satisfied Until You Are” program is an affirmation of the company’s dedication to being the best they can. In fact, Canway has a full-time research and development team that’s dedicated solely to improving the service and performance of the company’s future developments.
Along with this commitment to quality and value, Canway prides itself on its unparalleled customer service. Canway goes to great lengths to ensure absolute best customer care at every stage of the moving process.
From the first time you call Canway to arrange a free estimate, to actually moving-in, eager and available staff assist Canway’s customers even until late at night and sometimes early in the morning. One Canway’s customer said it best: “This is my second time taking Canway. I would recommend them to anyone at anytime, due to my confidence in the quality of their service and overall integrity.”
All through this ongoing relationship and through the moving process with its customers, Canway constantly identifies and responds to customer needs. “The people of Canway are professional, motivated and dedicated towards making our customers move experience everything that it should be – not just the first time we meet, but every time.” Listening to the customer is the cornerstone of Canway’s customer service philosophy.
“We don’t presume what the customer wants or needs; they tell us and we respond with the full strength of our organization,” says Michael.
Moving to the future
More than a decade has passed and Canway continues to learn and strive to provide the very best products and services. With a mandate to deliver superlative quality in every aspect of a home’s move, packing, and unpacking service, Canway continues to lead, innovate and execute both: high quality and superior customer service.
“Never Satisfied Until You Are” is not just a catch phrase at Canway, it represents the company’s long-standing commitment to providing the customer with a service they will never forget.
