Not as honest and customer-oriented as I expected
YZ
Submitted this review about
American Moving Services
Review made Live: 8/8/2011 7:15:00 PM
I picked America's Moving Services based on the positive reviews I found on this website. Because I was not exactly sure of my weight, I paid for an overestimate of 2000 pounds of belongings to be moved, all to be packed by myself, with the exception of my queen mattress, boxspring, and futon mattress, which AMS informed me needed mattress covers. I paid them $36 for the 3 mattress covers, so they would take care of those for me. The total price for this was $1925.
I was having some friends help me with the move, because I was leaving town early. A representative from AMS called me a few days before my moving window to inform me that my belongings would be moved next Tuesday (May 31). I notified my friends. Sunday afternoon (May 28), I received a voice mail from A Better Way (the company AMS had conctracted for the move) that they would be there Sunday afternoon around 5pm. I had about 2 hours on Memorial Day Weekend to try to contact my landlord to see if he would be available to supervise the move.
A week before I was scheduled to move to my new apartment, I called Josh who gave me an estimated move-in date (I had requested the items to arrive as soon after move-in as possible, which I was reassured during my booking process, it should not have been a problem). On the estimated move-in date, I called AMS, and they told me that they had no idea what I was talking about, and I could not have been provided a date by Josh so far in advance. Two weeks after that, my furniture was actually delivered. Technically, they were still within their 14 day window.
When my belongings actually arrived at my new apartment, I was surprised to see that my mattresses and futon were not covered. They told me the person who had moved my furniture in Minnesota had since left the company and had a reputation for irresponsible behavior. Unfortunately, this was the person who had moved my furniture in Minnesota.
I also noticed immediately that the mattresses had new yellow/orange stains. After we had moved all the furniture and boxes, I requested a reimbursement for the damages. The A Better Way Movers offered to reimburse me for getting the mattresses cleaned if I would send them the receipt. I had just moved to a new city to start a new job, and as a single lady in a new city, I had no means of transporting my mattresses (and where and to whom would I transport them to?) to get them cleaned. Nor would I be readily available to supervise strangers entering my apartment to clean my mattresses.
The movers said they could only compensate me up to $110. This $110 would also include reimbursement for a missing garment rack that was later found and (to their credit) returned to me. I was very reluctant, b/c I did not feel that (once you also factor in the $36 for the covers that would have prevented the damages in the first place), this reimbursement was not a true reflection of the damages. However, it became very clear I didn't have much of a choice for negotiation. One of the movers told me I could file separate claims with AMS. I agreed to this plan.
As soon as the movers left, I called AMS and spoke with Jerimiah regarding the move. He asked me to send photos of everything and reassured me that my claim would be dealt with in a timely manner. I also sent him other photos of damages of the futon frame with scratches. After that I essentially did not hear from AMS for about a month until I contacted them again inquiring the status of my claims.
I contacted them multiple times, but without a response. Finallly today, I called and spoke to Josh, who informed me that I was "more than adequately compensated" by A Better Way, and I cannot be separately compensated by AMS. I have tried to explain to him that I found the damaged futon frame and other damaged items after the fact, and that the $110 reimbursement should not include the $36 for the mattress covers that were not used to cover the mattresses. He has yet to respond to this favorably.
I cannot say that this company is better or worse than others, only that I did not have a positive experience, and I do not plan to use them again.
