International Corner
by Debbie Morales
Metro Claims and Relocation
The Differences Between Countries.
There is a lot of difference between countries around the world. There is the obvious, food languages, culture, economy. Those are all the first things that we think about. I have listed some things that I have learned in my international work that I always took for granted or never really thought that there would be that much difference in things here and there.
1. Appliances. Other than different currents, some brand names are not available or they are sold under different names in other countries. An example is Whirlpool, it is sold under the name of Mabe in Latin American countries. When you call to get parts for these items, you have to ask for a
Mabe dealer and then explain to them that it is a U.S. made Whirlpool; so that they know how to obtain the parts. Part availability also can depend on the type of factory that has been relocated to that country. In some of the factories in Mexico, washer and dryers are not produced there so these parts are not as readily available.
2. Mileage and Travel Time. On a recent inspection in the Dominican Republic, I pulled up the mileage and spoke to the client. We estimated that the mileage was about 75 miles from the capital to the location of the residence. In my thinking, 75 miles is an hour at the most. The trip was almost 3 hours one way, no traffic jams no accidents. After you leave the major cities, most roads are either rocky, muddy or straight up a mountain. Mileage and travel time that is applied on invoices for other countries, for small mileage, is not so much the mileage as it is the time length. Tolls are also expensive in some of the major cities, just to travel around the downtown area of Mexico City, will be about 45.00. And that is just on the Periferico (Outer Beltway). Weather is also a major factor in traveling around some of the countries. With hurricane season, traveling in the Caribbean and some of the Latin American countries, it is impossible to pass some of the surrounding cities. Your technician may have availability to go to an appointment, but road conditions may make it impossible to get to for several weeks. It is not uncommon for a shipment to be unloaded on the street in Mexico and walked by the driver and his crew up the hill to the residence, or put into the back of a small pick up and moved up to the complex. Security is the main reason for this in some of the residences in these countries. We all have Gated Communities, and we are used to that; but imagine that you have to deliver a house full of furniture, and you have to walk it to the building because the security does not allow trucks or enclosed vehicles.
Until next time.
Adios/vaarwel/ allez ciao/ ciao/ bis dann/jakshi bolzin
Is photo from street leading to the house for a claim
A community that winds up a hill. Claim destination is the yellow house. No large trucks are allowed. Any deliveries must be off loaded into a pickup truck or hand carried up the hills by the crew.
Moving Van in Mexico
An AM delivery of domestic help and labor/moving crew into Las Brisas Community.
Main road between Santiago Dr and Las Terranas. An Italian Factory location with lots of International Shipments arriving from Italy, Germany and France.
Typical major road in the Dominican
Intersection in a major Caribbean town.