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New Branch in Wuhan, China |
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Our newest Chinese subsidiary, AGS Four Winds Wuhan, is now fully operational and ready to serve you in five provinces. The new branch will cover the provinces of Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Henan and Shaanxi. |
Opening a new branch in Wuhan was an obvious choice as Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, is the cultural and economic centre of central China. A sizeable expatriate community resides here with French, American, German and Japanese families.
In addition, Wuhan is located in the heart of China on the country’s rail, road and river networks. The closest ports are Wuhan Tianhe airport and Yangsi sea port. The newly-constructed high-speed railway has allowed for reduced travel time between Wuhan and the capital cities of other provinces.
With these significant advantages, we expect AGS Four Winds Wuhan to grow from strength to strength, providing the excellent service that our customers have come to appreciate when moving with AGS.
Branch manager, Xu Ting, benefits from several years’ experience working in our Shanghai branch.
AGS Four Winds Wuhan
Branch Manager: Xu Ting
Address: Room 3712, Wuhan Plaza Office Building, 688 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430022 China
Tel: +86 27 857 17850
Fax: +86 27 857 15196
Cell: +86 150 7236 9550
Email: xu.ting@agsfourwinds.com |
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Xu will be assisted by Jane Huang, Customer Service Move Coordinator at AGS Four Winds Wuhan:
Tel: +86 27 8571 7850
Mobile: +86 189 86242908
Email: jane.huang@agsfourwinds.com
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Top Results for AGS FIDI Academy Students |
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In only a year, AGS has invested in three FIDI Academies in Bucharest, Cape Town and Bangkok, with 51 senior managers receiving the Essentials in International Moving (EiM) diploma, a top industry certification, and an exceptional achievement. |
No removals company has ever had so many staff successfully complete this rigorous week-long training programme, which covers in-depth knowledge of the international removals industry, and concludes with a tough final exam.
Natalia Mesnager, top student of the most recent Bangkok seminar, said: “The FIDI EiM training is a great opportunity for anyone working in international moving. In just one week I learned so much and had the opportunity to meet many professionals in the industry whom I hope will remain friends for a long time. I am extremely pleased to be awarded the top student accolade, and am sincerely proud that I could represent AGS."
Natalia is a Business Development Manager at AGS Four Winds Singapore. As the top student in her class, she has also been invited to attend the FIDI Congress in Lisbon, Portugal, in April 2011.
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Branch manager new Chair of the Transportation Committee for the EU Chamber of Commerce. |
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Ben Garcia, branch manager of AGS Four Winds Korea, was appointed in January 2010 as Chairman of the Transportation and Logistics Committee for the European Union Chamber of Commerce.
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The role of the committee is to meet with government to discuss and remove obstacles that prevent international companies from operating in a competitive and fair business environment.
The committee has been instrumental in addressing the barriers to free-entry and a competitive market for domestic and foreign businesses through its work with local regulators. In addition, the committee plays a vital role in uniting Korea’s business leaders by hosting seminars, networking events and joint-committee presentations.
Since his election, Ben has met with leaders of Seoul’s international business community to address their concerns, and has started working with local officials to develop new and innovative ways to address these complex issues.
Although the Korean business environment continues to be open and responsive to foreign business interests, a number of sizeable obstacles still remain. The coming year is likely to be challenging, yet rewarding, for Ben and his committee.
The Group congratulates Ben on his achievement. |
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Employee excels during Niger’s coup d’Etat |
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AGS commends Claire Deschamps for skilfully managing a terrifying crisis during the coup in Niger in February.
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Claire was left in charge of AGS Frasers Niger when the coup broke out, ousting President Mamadou Tandja.
The military coup took place on 18 February in the capital, Niamey, following a number of pro-democracy rallies.
AGS Frasers Niger in Niamey had already closed for lunch break that day when the fighting started at about 1.00pm. Claire Deschamps, an intern who was in charge during manager Sébastien Favier’s trip abroad, had closed the branch after a pre-move visit that morning.
With the help of Sébastien over the telephone, Claire was able to demonstrate exemplary management of the situation.
As fighting escalated, Claire took refuge at a friend's place. In the first moments, she used her networks in Niamey to establish that the conflict was not widespread, but focused on the Presidency. She then communicated this information to all AGS staff and ensured the security of the AGS Niger warehouse. With the phone support of Sébastien Favier, she ensured that all employees returned home safely. She informed France, AGS Frasers Burkina Faso and AGS Frasers Senegal of the breaking news before returning home, where she abided by the imposed curfew.
The following day the situation seemed to have dissipated. Claire opened the AGS branch from 10:00am and the curfew was lifted in the afternoon, allowing a quick return to business as usual.
Niger is now headed by the Supreme Council for the Restoration of Democracy (Conseil suprême pour la Restauration de la Démocratie, or CSRD), which has publicly announced its objective to make the Niger a model of democracy and good governance.
Well done to Claire who managed this crisis with a clear head. She is an example to us all. |
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The 43rd Latin American and Caribbean International Movers Association (LACMA) Convention took place from 28 February to 3 March, 2010, in Nassau, Bahamas and AGS representatives were in attendance to gain some of the many benefits a LACMA membership delivers to the AGS Group.
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Joëlle Castro, Global Agent Development Director for the AGS Group, Antonio Gonzalez, AGS Spain Country Manager and Sophie Lucas, International Director at AGS Paris, participated in workshops and strengthened their professional and personal relationships with other members.
Each year LACMA celebrates its annual meeting in a different country in Latin America and the Caribbean. During the convention, members discuss and decide the future growth and development of LACMA. Its members are experienced and prestigious moving and relocation companies, not only from Latin America but across the globe.
Affiliation to LACMA demonstrates the AGS Group’s commitment to high standards, and our determination to contribute to the commercial development of the industry through mutual cooperation. Further benefits include claims arbitration, scholarship programmes for children of the employees of members, humanitarian aid to members in Latin America and Caribbean, increasing awareness about the importance of preserving our planet and training opportunities.
Five AGS branches are currently members of LACMA: AGS Spain (Barcelona and Madrid), AGS Coussaert in Brussels, AGS Lisbon and AGS Paris (SOFDI).
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Congratulations to Antoine in Poland |
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The AGS Group would like to welcome Antoine Duquesnay as AGS Branch Manager in Poland.
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Arriving at AGS in 2003 as part of a VIE (International Voluntary Service) in charge of Angola and Namibia, Antoine spent two months in Mozambique and Namibia, followed by two years in Angola. A hard worker, he later took the direction of AGS Frasers Botswana in September 2006.
When he expressed his intention to leave Botswana and Africa in mid 2009, his versatility, experience and the satisfaction he expressed in working for the group, made him the ideal candidate to lead AGS Poland.
Antoine said: “From my first day at AGS, I had always said that Eastern Europe was an area and a network I was willing to discover personally and professionally. Poland welcomed me in January 2010 with its coldest and most snowy winter in 30 years. But my enthusiasm about this country’s rich culture and history, the excitement of a new professional challenge in such a promising branch, and the pleasure of re-discovering a real winter after seven years of excessive sun made it all worth it!”
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A warm welcome to Arthur in the Ukraine |
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The AGS Group would like to also welcome Arthur Bastien-Thiry as AGS Branch Manager in the Ukraine.
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Arthur recently joined the AGS Group in October 2008 and cut his teeth in AGS Belgrade. Once he had familiarised himself with the removals industry, Arthur went on to Montenegro in order to create the new subsidiary AGS Podgorica. Following nine months of rewarding work experience, he now leads the AGS Kiev team.
Arthur said: “I have discovered Ukraine to be a country full of delights and surprises, which helps me through with my daily challenges.”
The AGS Group sends him our congratulations and wishes him every success. |
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AGS Nantes moves to new premises |
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Since its creation in 1998, our AGS branch in Nantes has continued to invest and grow.
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In order to improve and guarantee high quality services, the branch has invested in several new facilities and equipment. AGS Nantes has just moved to new premises and is now located at the following address:
19 rue Léon GAUMONT
ZI de Pentecôte 44700 ORVAULT
Tel: +33 2 40 92 09 50
Fax: +33 2 40 92 09 51
Email: ags-nantes@ags-demenagement.com
These new premises are 1,800m² and over 10m high, increasing their previous storage capacity by 25%. Furthermore, they are ideally located only 3km from central Nantes and 1.5km from the ring road.
A high-performance video surveillance system has been installed to ensure 24/7 optimum protection to personal effects. The enclosed larger premises allows vehicles to move more easily within the secure space.
The new 200 m² offices are more spacious and modern, and the premises allows AGS Nantes, under Pierre Arzel’s management, to provide even better customised services to its growing clientele.
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AGS Bangalore comes out on top for Mr GoodMove |
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The Mr GoodMove team congratulates the staff at AGS Four Winds Bangalore for delivering excellent customer care from 31 January to 31 March, 2010. We receive many first-rate satisfaction questionnaires for this branch.
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Mr GoodMove was created in April 2009 to help the branches measure and further improve their customer service levels. We have seen a marked increase in the satisfaction expressed by our customers since this additional customer service initiative was implemented.
Every AGS subsidiary is evaluated against communication, customer service, responsiveness and the effective application of recommended preventative and corrective actions.
Our customer satisfaction ambassador, Mr GoodMove, is available by email at mrgoodmove@agsmovers.com.
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Blue skies on the horizon for Alain Bernard |
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Alain Bernard retired at the end of March 2010, after a long and successful career at AGS, where many are already missing him.
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After some time spent as an officer in the French Navy (affectionately called “the Royale”), he joined AGS Martinique as a sales representative in 1988. Having proven his abilities, early in 1993 AGS management immediately thought of putting his experience to good use when the opportunity presented itself to create AGS Guyana. This followed the takeover of the business from Noël Soler and Michel Esquirol, who both continue to work for AGS.
His know-how and expertise have made Guyana the best performing branch of the French overseas territories network despite the difficult market in 2009. He has now handed over the command to Jean-Jacques Jardin, who worked with Alain and will be a great helmsman for AGS Guyana.
Alain Bernard has retired after 17 years as a branch manager. His wife Evelyn, sales representative for the military, will join him in retirement at the beginning of September. All at AGS wish them a well deserved and peaceful retirement. May the winds be fair to both of them! |
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AGS Frasers Mozambique has relished the opportunity to support students on their way to a World Cup schools soccer tournament. Also in Africa, AGS Frasers Cameroon is helping store life saving mosquito nets for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. In Europe, future entrepreneurs got a helping hand from AGS Sofia. |
Click here for more. |
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