Bad information, worse customer service
Nina Menolascino
Submitted this review about
Platinum Van Lines
Review made Live: 7/22/2014 6:22:00 PM
I'm already having a terrible experience and I'm only half way through my move. First, I called customer service on 7/18/14 to discuss whether or not I needed a mattress bag. I was told first by Ethan the sales rep that I would need one. Then, when I was contacted by a woman on Monday, she said all packing was included. I wanted to clarify which was the actual story to avoid any surprises. The man that I spoke with on 7/18 confirmed the mattress cover was NOT Included, and that it would cost $20 for the bag to cover BOTH my MATTRESS AND BOX SPRINGS. Since I had already been to 2 stores looking for a bag, I conceded that the $20 was a reasonable price and aborted my search for a bag. So, you can imagine my shock when the team arrived and I was informed the price would not only be $25 but that I would need two bags, one for the box springs and one for the mattress - totaling $50. I never would have agreed to this when on the phone and would have went to the uhaul store to buy the bag had I been informed properly of the price.
Second, I spent over an hour on the phone with the sales rep Ethan measuring all of my furniture and creating an inventory list because Platinum Van Lines bases your estimate off of cubic feet instead of weight. This was a selling point for me because I really do not have that much stuff. We even over estimated the number of boxes because I had not packed yet and was not sure the final numbers. When I finished packing, I was significantly under the number of boxes from the estimate. In addition, there were 3 big items: a tv stand, a 10x20 rug, and my patio furniture that did not get put onto the truck. Yet, the foreman still said I was 30 cubic feet over my estimate. How could that be? I asked him 3 times and he said they use the wood panels in the truck to measure. Well, he also didn't pack the truck all the way to the top, so this took up more space in the truck, thus more "panels." I never saw Dennis actually measure the space in the truck and I was watching him like a hawk. The number he came up with was arbitrary and when I tried to question it, he argued with me. Add $200 to my estimate.
Then, I was told on 7/18 by dispatch that my pickup time would be between 9am-11am. The team actually arrived at 7:45am! Almost an hour and a half early. This left me without time to wrap up a few boxes with the bedding that I needed the night before. This would not be an issue except that I was later told that 2 of the movers needed to get out of there early to go to church. I'm not against church or anything, but you can't just change the schedule because you have something better to do. I'M paying YOU.
Also, I was told that I could charge my move to the same card as my deposit. What was not advised was that there is a 3% fee added. Again, more charges that I am hearing about on the morning of my move. This was even more aggravating because my checkbook was packed already and on the truck. Luckily my mom offered to pay with a check for me to avoid the extra fee and I can pay her back, but this is something that should be acknowledged upfront, ESPECIALLY, since I inquired about it!
Finally, I am really frustrated because there have been so many different explanations for when my belongings would arrive. Ethan first told me that it would be 4-12 days from when the movers take my stuff but he insisted that it "almost always takes 5 days." We even changed my original move date to accommodate this because I had the elevator rented in my condo on the 25th. Then the woman told me on 7/14/14 that it is 5-14 days from the date that I'm eligible to receive my belongings at my destination. Finally, Dennis the moving foreman told me 7/19/14 it's the date that I write on the envelope that I signed with him. Now that my belongings are on a truck and god knows where, an EXTREMELY rude customer service rep told me that it is actually 1-14 days from the date I write on that envelope and there is no way for them to guarantee a delivery date unless I pay an additional $200. More fees. The customer service rep I spoke with today 7/22/14 was condescending and unprofessional. I could hear her rolling her eyes at me through the phone . She not only told me to take a deep breath and calm down, she refused to let me speak with another customer service rep. When I asked for a supervisor, she HUNG UP ON ME. I of course called back and the new rep apologized, put me on hold forever and then transferred me to a voice mail. We'll see if I actually hear back from someone.
I am yet to find out an ETA on my belongs. The condo I'm moving to in Miami requires a date to reserve the elevator for move in and a $200 fee for each reservation. They're now booked solid until 8/7/14 and Platinum says the only way they can guarantee a team to move on 8/7/14 is if I pay another $200. While my fees keep stacking up, no one at Platinum Van Lines seems to care. I'll update this post if/when I hear anything and with information about my things when they arrive. DO NOT USE THEM!!!
