I Misleading "Turnkey" Promise – A Stressful Experience from Montreal to Casablancachose Armstrong International because…
I chose Armstrong International because they promised a “turnkey” moving service from Montreal to Casablanca. They assured me that everything would be taken care of — from packing large items to transporting my belongings all the way to my condo in Morocco — with minimal involvement on my part, limited only to my presence during customs inspection in Casablanca.
In Montreal, things started well. The local team was professional, polite, and efficient. It gave me confidence I had made the right decision — especially since I was recovering from a serious accident and needed peace of mind.
But once the container arrived in Casablanca, the experience turned into a nightmare.
I ended up managing the entire clearance and delivery process myself, over several exhausting days. Armstrong’s local partner was not a moving company, not a freight forwarder, not even a customs broker — they have no website and no clear identity. I had to accompany their staff every step of the way, pay out-of-pocket for things supposedly included, like a “customs form assistant” and laborers to open and re-seal the container for inspection.
Even worse, when it was finally time to deliver to my home, I was left alone to manage a team of random street laborers, hired at the last minute to unload my things. These men were not trained movers, had no respect for “fragile” labels, and I had to physically supervise every box myself — up and down stairs — despite my fragile health condition. It was extremely stressful, unsafe, and unacceptable.
When I raised all these issues with Armstrong, they told me this level of involvement is “standard practice in Morocco.” If that’s true, why sell a "turnkey" service at a premium price? Their response felt dismissive and out of touch.
I paid for peace of mind. I got stress, extra costs, and a sense of being abandoned when I needed the most support.
I’m sharing this so other international clients — especially those moving to Morocco — know what they might face. If I had known, I would never have chosen Armstrong.