David Arpin has been elected chairman of the American Moving and Storage Association. Arpin is the president and CEO of Arpin Group, in addition to serving as chairman of the company’s executive committee and board of directors. In the past, he has served on the executive committee of the association board of directors, as chairman of the group’s Rates and Tariffs Commission and as vice chairman.
PBN: Are there any specific issues facing the professional moving industry that you hope to address during your tenure as chairman?
ARPIN: Yes. A big issue for us as an industry is distancing ourselves from the ‘rogue operators.’ Rogue operators are those who might scam customers and do not adhere to a code of ethics. Collectively, these operators do a lot of damage to the industry and its reputation. The association has developed a ProMover certification program that gives customers the assurance they are working with a moving company that provides quality service and protects customers’ rights. The image and the professionalism of our AMSA members is really where we need to focus our attention. Providing exceptional training and education services is also a priority.
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PBN: What are some lessons you have learned in your more than 35 years in the industry?
ARPIN: There are several lessons, but among the most important is to take care of your employees. Our employees are the face of our company and the ones who most impact our customers’ experience. A big part of it has to do with making sure our employees are properly trained, first when they enter the company and then as they progress through their careers. To do this, we provide them with an ongoing training program to help them stay current on changes in the company and industry. We’ve recently launched an online video-training system which educates our employees and agents worldwide on how to provide quality service.
PBN: You are the fourth generation of your family to manage Arpin Group. How has your company managed to thrive as a family-owned business for so long?
ARPIN: My brother Peter is also helping run the company. I have two daughters and he has two sons, so hopefully some of them will get involved with the business, but in the meantime … we’ve tried to make sure we’ve provided for a smooth transition to the next generation or to other stockholders in the future. •
