| APEX & Robert E. Lee Moving & Storage / Nashville, TN |

NASHVILLE, TN/JUNE 22-27, 2009 – Four years ago Mark Duke experienced a life-altering moment. A light bulb went on and from that day forward Apex & Robert E. Lee stopped being a follower.

It came during the Nashville company’s first Certified Mover® training by the International Office Moving Institute (IOMI®). Duke realized that his moving company did what it did because everyone else in the industry did it. He vowed no more.

Now, after four years of loyal customers, fewer claims and injuries, and a stellar reputation, Duke invited IOMI®’s Ed Katz back for more training. Katz also conducted a service and procedures audit of the now-veteran Certified Mover®.

“This is the second time we’ve taken the IOMI seminar. IOMI mandates and Apex practices ongoing training for all of our key personnel,” said Duke.

Training is popular. As one attendee put it “Ed was very knowledgeable and taught in a way that made it easy to learn.”

“IOMI®, like ISO 9000, is an outside independent entity, not an alliance, van line, moving company or trade association,” said Katz “IOMI® is a totally independent and unbiased office moving resource beholden to no one. IOMI® Certified Movers® must pass regular IOMI® audits in order to retain certification.”

To ensure Apex service meets IOMI®’s high performance standards, Katz visited two ongoing Apex moves.

Katz also accompanied commercial sales personnel to make sure they use IOMI®’s proprietary estimating formula that accurately determines the number of trucks, manpower and length of the job.

“Apex’s performance during the audit proved the company lives by IOMI®’s best-practice methods,” said Katz.

Mark Duke explains why.

“This training has enabled us to render a consistently high level of quality service to our customers. Our investment in the IOMI training was worth every penny. Our return on our investment has been in the form of loyal customers, fewer claims and injuries and a stellar reputation in our market.”

During IOMI®’s two-day service and procedures audit, Apex demonstrated its best-practice methods for minimizing the risk of damage to furniture, computers, and building surfaces such as office doors, which get Apex’s Mat-A-Door® treatment.

Comments

The IOMI course is the necessary ingredient for companies looking to diversify their revenue stream by getting into office moving.
Joe Rogoski, Commercial Relocation Consultant

This is the second time we’ve taken the IOMI seminar. IOMI mandates and APEX practices ongoing training for all of our key personnel. This training has enabled us to render a consistently high level of quality service to our customers. Our investment in the IOMI training was worth every penny. Our return on our investment has been in the form of loyal customers, fewer claims and injuries and a stellar reputation in our market.
Mark Duke, owner
Apex & Robert E. Lee
Moving & Storage Co., Inc.

APEX: Living up to a lofty name

NASHVILLE, TN/MARCH 15, 2005 – Can a company that follows the followers live up to its own name? With the help of IOMI training, Mark Duke, owner of APEX & Robert E. Lee Moving and Storage Co., Inc. not only thinks it, he has declared a resounding “no more” to business as usual.

“A light bulb went on in my head today. We do what we do the way we do because that’s how everyone else in our industry does it. But no more. Thanks to your seminar, we’re going to do it a much better way and we’re not going to be afraid to blaze our own trails and be different,” commented Duke after three day with IOMI instructor Ed Katz of the International Office Moving Institute. The veteran owner of a family business believes IOMI training will give him the competitive edge he needs to overcome the price-driven Nashville market.

“The Apex team is sharp and focused. They see the value in an estimating formula that balances the daily struggles between sales and operations when no matter who figures how many trucks and how many men for how long, the number will be the same. That’s a big confidence booster,” said Katz. “They also see the value in applying more efficient methods that reduce the risk of damage, disruption, and downtime, and make customers happy. Now Apex has the tools to live up to their name.”

Can training actually be this much fun? Mark Duke, left, owner of APEX & Robert E. Lee Moving and Storage, Tom Langdon, Apex sales and behind him, Heath Carr, operations manager in the center photo, and William Chambers, operations, find that handling difficult situations by role playing can be a lot of laughs.

Using miniature furniture and a simulated moving van floor, supervisors Shawn Beck, left, and Clyde Gibbs practice a fast, simple yet efficient loading method that significantly reduces the risk of damage.

IOMI’s Ed Katz teaches Apex employees methods and techniques they can use to gain a competitive edge in the Nashville market.

Tom Langdon, Tim England, sales, William Chambers, operations, and Chris Jones, sales, prove that no matter who figures an office move using IOMI’s propriatary formula, the estimate will be the same.

Apex employees learn how to protect glass entry doors and the furntiture passing through them with their new Mat-A-Doors®.

One reason landlords and tenants love Apex is the way they protect elevator entrances and reception room doors. Here Apex stands out in the marketplace using one of their 10 decaled sets of Mat-A-Doors® before commencing a move.

Comments from Attendees

I was engrossed in the entire 3-day seminar. Every aspect was both entertaining and informative. Tom Langdon

I was blessed to attend the seminar. Thanks to Ed, I now have the confidence of knowing that I can give accurate estimates. The tools that he taught us will enable us to outsell and outmarket our competition. Chris Jones, sales

Ed, the seminar was great. I got a lot more than I expected. You’re still underselling and over delivering. Thanks again for a great seminar. Mark A. Duke, president, Apex and Robert E. Lee Moving and Storage