I can't believe this place is still in business
Rachel
Submitted this review about
Nationwide Trusted Movers
Review made Live: 7/5/2012 4:20:00 PM
I¡¦ve been biting my tongue, afraid to put something out there until I received my stuff, as this is TOTALLY the type of company who will do something in retaliation. I finally received my belongings the other day and now I can save you from this company!
First off, let¡¦s cover the key players as this company goes by several different names (something I didn¡¦t find out until after I booked, as that¡¦s a definite red flag). They¡¦re Nationwide Trusted Movers; Trusted Moving and Storage; Nation Wide Top Movers; and Trusted Movers. They¡¦re supposedly located at 5000 Birch Street, Suite 3000, Newport Beach, CA 92660, but everyone I spoke to is from San Jose in Northern California. They operate under US DOT 2160376 and MC 750828. They¡¦re contactable at 888-909-6270, 408-987-5455. I spoke with Amanda, Lea/Leah and Allie/Ally.
I did a lot of research before choosing Nationwide. Even with all that research, they fooled me, which is why I¡¦m posting this up here. Unfortunately, while there are negative reviews on-line now, there weren¡¦t any when I booked them. We needed a last minute move from California to Washington. I spoke with Amanda who is great. She assured me their company was small and family owned and they never outsource any of their work efforts. She even offered us two months free storage as we needed to wait to have our items delivered after we bought our home. The quote came in about the same as everyone else (around $2.5K) and it was the comfortableness I experienced with Amanda that made me choose Nationwide. I had inventoried all of our items to help make the quote as close as possible based on weight. As I didn¡¦t want any surprises, I also asked Amanda the following (copied from my email to her):
The quote below states it doesn't include: Packing materials or packing service (upon use). I get the packing material part, but if all we have left are furniture, pictures, lamps, those kind of things, is there a charge to pack those? They don't fit into boxes. Or are those part of the "wrapping furniture" service?
Also, for the 1-30 day delivery after we notify you, if we know we're going to close escrow on a house in 45 days and we give you that close of escrow date, does that mean it may take 30 days from the escrow close date for our items to arrive (75 days from date of notifying your company)?
Amanda¡¦s response:
Hi Rachel,
Indeed, larger items that cannot be boxed are being warped with pads for protection (included in the price), I will advise you regarding pictures, especially if this is a glass frame¡V you would want to use a picture box. You can find it in any department store or online ¡V they are telescopic meaning you can adjust the size ¡V thus protecting your pictures much better. The 1-30 days delivery window is an insurance requirement only, it is in our best interest also to deliver as soon as possible. The average is 5-10 days window for delivery from the day of notice.
Hope this helps.
Thank you.
Amanda Adams
Okay ¡V so we¡¦re all booked; they¡¦re great with late notice ¡V all is good, right? NO! Again, I¡¦m submitting my correspondence so you can see that I¡¦m not going all crazy on them. ƒº
Good morning, Amanda
Your movers impressed us with their attention to detail in ensuring our belongings arrive at their destination safely. They were courteous, friendly and very hard workers.
However, I do have some suggestions as to how your company handles a few items that might make the delivery of our goods go more smoothly than the pick-up and help your future customers.
I chose your company because, quite simply, you provided the lowest quote. That was my mistake, not yours, as we received a couple of quotes from companies that did on-site walk-throughs for a fixed rate of around $3500. After asking specifically if there were any hidden costs, and being assured there weren¡¦t, I believed we were getting the best deal out there. When the move began, though, it quickly became apparent this was not the case. I asked what we needed to do with pictures. You advised if they had glass, we could wrap them in picture boxes obtained from UHaul. At no time was it mentioned that if we chose to wrap the pictures ourselves in a different method, we would be charged to box them. Our glass coffee table, tvs and wine rack (all inventoried on the sheet) were also considered ¡§special¡¨ items and we were charged to specially wrap them with no prior notice. Additionally, I also asked what we needed to do with lamps and was informed they would be treated the same way as the furniture. Again, this was not the case and we were charged to have our lamps boxed. The part that bothers me the most is the ¡§mattress covers¡¨ we were charged for. On the inventory sheet, I did check we had beds. To be told there are absolutely no hidden costs, when there are, is incredibly disappointing.
The company may also want to consider widening their arrival time window. We were told the truck would arrive between 8-10. I¡¦m sure you can understand that moving day is stressful, whether it¡¦s across town or across country. Having to check in when the truck doesn¡¦t show does not help. We didn¡¦t receive word from the driver until 10:22 that they were over an hour away. Although we felt better after getting that call, we would have felt a lot better getting that call within the arrival window time or simply being told the truck would be there between 8-12.
Finally, and I¡¦m sure this is not your company¡¦s intention, I¡¦m a little concerned over the bait and switch technique. We were given a quote according to weight and at the last minute, without being told we had an option, it was switched to footage. The internet is rife with tales of the ¡§scams¡¨ moving companies pull, this being one of them. Maybe informing me upfront that the method of measuring might possibly be changed at the last moment would prevent any notions of your company acting inappropriately.
Perhaps outlining these tips in the same sheet you send the quote over on will prepare movers such as myself for the little things that quickly add up to thousands of dollars over the original quote, resulting in an informed, and satisfied customer. Most of these charges were items we could have handled ourselves and saved several hundred dollars on.
Thank you for your consideration of my comments. We look forward to working with your team again during the delivery process. So we can prepare, the load up process of our 987 sq. foot home and one car garage took over eight hours. Will the unload process take about the same time?
Thank you!
Rachel
To get even an acknowledgement of my customer service issues, I had to keep pushing the issue, especially since they called to get more money from us for packing supplies and the switch from weight to footage. Lea¡¦s responses were short, not very helpful and it took a lot of back and forth to get simple answers regarding the final charges (over $4K now). Below is her response to my customer service issues:
Hello,
Thank you for the feedback, regarding the packing you explained that you named to us what you had for example mattress and pictures ect., yes these items need to be properly packed so that in transportation there is no damage made to your house hold items, but we don¡¦t know exactly what you have packed and what you haven¡¦t packed, it was Amanda¡¦s job to get a rough estimate of the items you have, give you a quote and explain the moving process, not to explain how to pack each and every item that is named. If you were to ask her how to pack certain items of course it would have been explained to you, but we assume that you have all your packing under control unless we are told otherwise.
Next is weight and cubic feet. At the move you have the option to go binding or non-binding, binding is by space, and non binding is by weight, You chose binding which is Cubic feet. This option is on the revised estimate that you signed where it explains all of this.
Lastly we do apologize for not being able to be there in the window given to you traffic, weather conditions, road conditions are all out of our control, but we do the best to deal with them so that we can arrive to the pick up and do our job efficiently!
I hope I have answered all your concerns and feel free to contact me if I can be of any further assistance.
Thank you,
Lea 408-987-5455
So, whatever. It was done. And I know it¡¦s totally our fault for agreeing to cubic feet over weight, but that¡¦s what you have to do when they tell you it¡¦s your only option or they¡¦re not going to move you. Same thing with not offering extended insurance. Only a whopping 60 cents per lb. reimbursement. It sucked and it was expensive, but it was done. Ah, if I only knew our nightmare was just beginning.
In June, we purchased a home and arranged to have our furniture delivered. We gave the first available date of 6/22/12. They told us they¡¦d let us know when our items were on the schedule. According to the contract, they have 30 business days to move our stuff, so we weren¡¦t too optimistic about getting our items anytime soon, based off our previous interactions with them. I went ahead and sent this email on 6/29/12:
Good morning, Lea
It sounds like your company's pretty busy during the summer. I left a message on Monday asking for a call back. I also tried calling several times yesterday and this morning, but my calls are disconnected or I get a busy signal, so I'm attempting to reach you this way.
On Monday, I googled your company as I had a question, but did not have your phone number. I was shocked when site after site popped up containing recent claims of negligence, destroyed property and belongings and poor customer service alleged against your company. As I stated in my message on Monday, I am looking for reassurance these are misunderstandings with your customers and that my property is in no danger. I'm actually a little surprised I didn't receive a response.
My fears have, unfortunately, tripled due to the lack of the response and a segment on the news here in Seattle that aired on Wednesday. I have attached the link for you review, where you are referenced specifically. http://www.komonews.com/news/problemsolvers/Womans-moving-nightmare-I-dont-wish-this-on-anybody-160464905.html Do you mind contacting me to assure me over these allegations against your company?
I'm also concerned as the main reason I went with your company is Amanda told me:
The 1-30 days delivery window is an insurance requirement only, it is in our best interest also to deliver as soon as possible. the average is 5-10 days window for delivery from the day of notice.
I understand contractually, you have thirty business days to deliver our goods. I just hope that what Amanda told me is true.
I sincerely thank you for your time.
Rachel
Color me super happy to get a phone call a couple of hours later from their dispatch letting me know my furniture was being loaded and would be there Sunday or Monday, but probably Sunday. An hour after that, I received a call from Laura/Linda (I didn¡¦t catch her name properly) confirming delivery of our goods Sunday or Monday and addressing the news report I saw. She claimed the woman paid her outstanding balance two days before the news story aired and they didn¡¦t have time to deliver her goods between then and the airing date. I just said, ¡§Um, okay,¡¨ because I wasn¡¦t going to argue with the lady in charge of delivering my items. Why wouldn¡¦t the news check the woman¡¦s bank statement she produced and the dates? Anyway, Laura/Linda told me I¡¦d receive a call 24 hours before delivery.
Saturday came and went. No call. Sunday came and went. No call. So, Monday I called dispatch and spoke with Allie, with her winning personality (insert sarcasm here). Allie informed me that I shouldn¡¦t be receiving my goods as they were still in California? What? Why would two different people call me to tell me that they were on their way, then? Allie didn¡¦t know and really, Allie didn¡¦t care. After I pushed her, she said she¡¦d check with Lea and call me back. After an hour, I called Allie back. Allie informed me that in order to find out for sure where my goods are, she¡¦d have to get out of her seat and walk across the yard (oh, the horror!) to check with the dispatch, who was far too busy to give an answer now. I asked if two hours would be enough time to check. She said no. I asked if four hours would be enough time. She said they¡¦d call me when they had an answer. I called again that afternoon. Allie put me on hold for about ten minutes. When she came back, she swore that my goods were still in California and that they wouldn¡¦t be in Washington for about a week and a half. An hour later (and this is when it gets so freakin¡¦ crazy, I¡¦m actually laughing as I write this), we get a call saying our goods will be here on the afternoon of July 3rd between 1-3. My husband told the woman we¡¦d been told we¡¦d have to wait another week and a half. The woman laughed and said that was ridiculous. HUH? I sent the following email to Lea and her team. Yeah, I¡¦m probably starting to get a little bitchy in my emails now, but, hey, can you blame me?
Lea
After I sent this email on Friday, about an hour later, I received a call from a man at your company stating my items were loading as we spoke and that they would be here probably Sunday, but no later than Monday. I thanked the man. An hour after that, I received a call from someone whom I thought said there name was Linda, but I have since learned no one by that name works there, so I must have noted her name wrong. She said my email below had been passed on to her and she was calling to address my concerns. She also confirmed that my items were loaded on to a truck and were on their way up here. Again, she said they'd be delivered Sunday or Monday. Probably Sunday. I asked how I would know when they would get here. She stated I would receive a call twenty-four hours before the items arrived.
Here it is Monday and I have not received my items or a phone call. I spoke to Allie in your dispatch this morning at 9:50 am. She pulled up my order, informed me that her system did not show my items as loaded and that she would call her dispatch and truck driver and then give me a call back. I just called Allie back again. She informed me her dispatch couldn't give her an answer previously. It also involves having to get up, walk over to the dispatch and inquire and dispatch is just too busy to provide an answer; it all sounds like a huge inconvenience. I explained that two people told me Friday my belongings were loaded and on their way for delivery Sunday/Monday. She informed me either they were mistaken or that the computer isn't updated. Both of these situations are unacceptable to me as the bottom line is your company can not locate my wordly possessions. I was told two hours was too soon to call back again as your company wouldn't be able to figure out where my things are within that time.
I initiated this email chain as based off a news report. I'm continuing it based on my own experience now.
Where are my belongings?
Rachel
Of course, I didn¡¦t receive a response.
On the 3rd, the driver, Alex, called me in the morning to let me know there was traffic and he wouldn¡¦t be there until 4-4:30. No worries. I¡¦m not an unreasonable person. Traffic is unavoidable and I appreciated his call. I even called Allie and let her know my goods were being delivered. She was overcome with joy (insert sarcasm here). I asked her if this would be all of my belongings, as she had sworn the day before everything I owned was still in California. She replied it should be everything and someone must have forgotten to update the log. Again, something I could forgive, but with Allie¡¦s ¡§I don¡¦t give a s*$t attitude¡¨, it infuriated me a bit, especially since this shows that this company really has no clue where your belongings are.
The driver continuously kept getting delayed, but kept me informed the whole time, which I really appreciated. When he arrived, he and his partner did great work, being especially careful not to damage our brand new home (not new to us; literally, brand new).
Our nightmare was almost over. But, wait. What¡¦s that coming off the truck? And what¡¦s that not coming off the truck? We received items that didn¡¦t belong to us. Expensive items, like a fancy office chair and a rack to get underneath a car. We had items missing. Most noticeable, my brand-new LED 3D TV. How could someone just walk off with that if my goods had been ¡§secure¡¨ the whole time they were in Nationwide¡¦s possession? Someone went through our toolbox and took some tools. We haven¡¦t unpacked everything, yet. Who knows what else is missing? Maybe we won¡¦t even realize it right away. And remember those mattress pads I was charged for (materials and labor)? One of my mattresses wasn¡¦t covered at all and the rest looked like they were covered in saran wrap and tape. Again, I¡¦m not being unreasonable ¡V glasses were broken. I¡¦m not going crazy about that. I packed them and they were a casualty of the move. However, every single piece of furniture (besides the couches, fridge, washer and dryer) we own is completely gouged and cracked. And I¡¦m not talking about a scratch here and there. Major gouges. What the heck were they doing with our furniture (which they wrapped, by the way)? Pointer ¡V we can¡¦t do anything about the furniture because we were dumb and signed off on an inventory list that used codes. The codes indicated that every item loaded in their truck was either packed by us (so they weren¡¦t responsible for the contents) or warped, cracked, dented, dinged, damaged, whatever so that they were protected. Yes, I¡¦m dumb. Lesson learned there. It doesn¡¦t forgive the theft, though!
As directed by the driver, I called Nationwide right away to report the missing items. I didn¡¦t expect a call back on July 4th. Around 11 am on the 5th, I called and got Allie. I explained the situation. She didn¡¦t care. She said to contact the third party claims company as they don¡¦t handle claims. I asked if maybe my TV was with someone else, since we had received someone else¡¦s items. She wanted to know what ¡§sticker¡¨ was on the other items. I said I didn¡¦t know as we didn¡¦t accept items that didn¡¦t belong to us. She basically was like, oh, then don¡¦t worry about it. I asked how the mix up could have happened. In her words, it ¡§easily happens¡¨. Movers mix up items on the truck, they¡¦re tired, they forget to unload something or unload something too early. This is also why items get damaged a lot. Hold on, there! None of this was communicated with me before I booked with Nationwide. I repeated back to Allie what she said to me, that this ¡§easily happens¡¨ and she said, that¡¦s right. I then gave her a little career advice, which I don¡¦t think went over to well. Not once during any of my interactions with her did she ever apologize. I said, ¡§saying I¡¦m sorry for any inconvenience this caused you would go a long way to improving my opinion of your company.¡¨ I repeated this about three times before I finally got a measly sorry at the end.
Moral of the story ¡V don¡¦t use Nationwide, or whatever name they go by now or next. Also, learn from my mistakes and don¡¦t trust anything with the moving company. I¡¦m a ¡§read the fine print¡¨ type of girl and they squeezed a lot by me due to the stress of moving. Even better, just sell your stuff and start over. FYI ¡V your homeowner¡¦s insurance policy won¡¦t cover your goods if a moving company stores them. I¡¦m SOL (60 cents a lb. doesn¡¦t equal up to anything) - don¡¦t end up like me!
