On 4/27/05 we hired Brinks to perform our move from Waldo, FL, to New Orleans, LA. Brinks's total estimated quote, based on items I'd scrupulously inventoried over the telephone, was $2554; if anything I over-reported the number of items, as well as their size, since in fact we eventually abandoned a number of large items (e.G., a dog pen) that were considered part of the original inventory.
About five days prior to the scheduled pickup on 6/15/05, I called Brinks to confirm the date; they assured me that, absolutely, they would arrive promptly the morning of 6/15.
The afternoon of 6/14 I got a telephone message from Brinks's dispatcher, Oren (no last name), to the effect that Brinks would now be arriving on 6/16 rather than 6/15. My wife and I—based on Brinks's recent assurance—had already made elaborate plans to be in New Orleans on 6/16 in order to receive delivery personnel, service providers, etc., at our new home. I complained to Brinks, but they pleaded a "mechanical problem"; they promised they'd arrive for pickup in Waldo, FL, first thing in the morning on 6/16. My wife and mother therefore stayed in Waldo to meet the movers; I drove to New Orleans.
At around noon on 6/16, I got a cell-phone call in New Orleans from a subcontractor in Ft. Lauderdale to the effect that he'd just been contacted by Brinks only minutes before and needed directions to our house in Waldo, FL, about six hours to the north; the man joked about Brinks's shabby treatment of me and promised to "back me up" in a complaint. He finally arrived at our house in Waldo around 6:00 in the evening.
The next day my wife, distraught, called me with the news that Brinks had raised the price more than $800 over our original estimate. Brinks claimed that I'd "underestimated cubic footage, " though in fact (I repeat) I was careful, if anything, to overestimate. When I complained, Brinks stopped returning my calls.
The only person who stayed in touch was our sales agent, who later called me at night to say he was quitting Brinks ("I hate being lied to") and to give me the names of five other recent Brinks customers with similar complaints. With his help, we negotiated a final price of $2850—only $300 (rather than $800) above the original estimate.
Finally, on 7/13/05—i.E., 18 business days after pickup (Brinks promises "7-10 business days" for midwest delivery) and 27 days total, _one day_ within the legally mandated delivery period of 28 days—our possessions were finally delivered by Brinks at our new home in New Orleans.
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