What was I thinking? Using the internet to do a search at move.com - I requested quotes from movers to help me move some of my belongings. I did receive many quotes but AAA Vanlines was the cheapest. I contacted Nicole directly, and we completed my quote over the phone. I asked for the following: "is packing included?" Nicole assured me "that they would have blankets and protection for my things, and it was included." "Are there any other additional charges?" "Can I pay by credit card?" "Can I have my belongings picked up on a specific day and delivered 32 days laters on this specific day?" Nicole and I even reviewed my inventory and confirmed the charges to be a total of 990.00. I found Nicole to be very kind and helpful, I even had added a couple of items so that I would over estimate. Nicole assurred me that they could pick up and deliver on the day I requested. She stated that there would be no hidden charges and that they would store my furniture for 30 days free, the extra two didn't matter and charged my card for 40% of the move price of 990.00. Little did I know, they actually charged me the full 990.00, and today I know it's because that was 40% of the cost. Nicole told me that I was paid up and wished me luck on my move. (Boy, would I need it.) She told me if I needed anything the day of my move (a Sunday), to give them a call.
The day of the move, the movers called to let me know they would be there shortly. A few hours later, I called them back to find out where they were only to discover that they were not even in Tennessee yet. The driver had the nerve to question me about other things I could be doing instead of waiting 5 hours for them, whatever. I tried calling AAA vanlines because Nicole said to if I needed them and discovered that they are not open 24/7 like the website indicates and the website doesn't even work. (Try clicking on things... You can't manoever their site.) So, the movers finally show. They load my things, wrap things in shrink wrap, blankets and pieces of cardboard. Once the truck is loaded, the driver hands me an invoice with a move price of 990.00, additional cubic feet of truck space for 161.28, packing material order for 264.50, and a fuel charge of 115.12. The paperwork now totals 1530.90. Thus, my move just increased by almost 100%. The driver (major language barrier) insisted that I give him my credit card, agree to the charges, attempted to justify his additional charges and told me "if you don't pay this, I won't get paid." He further tried to get a valid credit card number out of my fiance, which I refused to let him do. I told him to call his supervisor, which he did but couldn't get in touch with. So, I let them drive off with my things and figured Nicole would help me in the morning. On Monday morning, I am told that Nicole is in a meeting and that she would return my call. I hear nothing, I continue to call and I finally speak with her. She lets me know that "he shouldn't have asked for my credit card, there should not have been additional charges and assures me that she will call me the next day, when the truck arrives. She was going to verify why I used more cubic feet and assured me it would be taken care of. So - days, and then weeks go by and no Nicole. I called everyday, only to be told by Michael that she was not available. Finally, my fiance is told that Nicole "no longer works there."
So, we are told to get in touch with Tonya (customer service) and Nick (the supervisor, however he is actually the owner). Tonya fails to return our calls so I sent her an email about my concerns. She receives the email and never calls me back. Actually, she sent me another bill for storage. Surprise, surprise - it's 250.00! Another charge. At this point, we are livid. No contact, no return calls, and we search the internet. How did I not see all these scams, and rip off reports. This company knows what they are doing, and they continue to do it to the next, and then to the next and so forth. Now, I worry about getting my things and drop my complaints and ask for my delivery date. Another surprise, my stuff is set to be delivered 5 days later than I was guaranteed. Again, I call and I am told that only Tonya, Eddie or Nick can change the delivery date and I can't get in touch with any of them. We finally catch Nick "in the office" who tells me that he is only the supervisor and they can't deliver my things on the date that I requested from day one. Not only does he not attempt to fix the delivery issue, but he tells me to "prove it" that Nicole said these things "as she would never tell anyone this without his permission." (Yet - I read usacomplaints. Coms and Nicole has been a busy girl "telling people alot of things".) During the next calls, Nick screams at me, hangs up in my face, won't tell me when I am getting my things and also tells me "that I am not helping myself fix the situation by continuing to talk about it and reminds me that I have signed Page 2 of the contract." Whatever. Sometime, just before the 24th - we are told that "we are looking good for our reserved date of the 24th but they won't be able to tell us until 24 hours before." Wouldn't you know it, the 23rd, 24th and 25th go by - and we don't hear anything from the movers. Of course, we call and noone is there because they are closed.
Last Wednesday, I call Nick and he assures me that my furniture is going to come on the 1st (7 weeks since they took my stuff) and he would call me 24 hours prior with the drivers phone number. On Friday, I call again and Nick tells me that "he doesn't have a phone number but if I have any problems - call AAA lines in the morning." I reminded him that I know that they are not open 24/7 and ask for the driver's number again. He has to call me back. Ironically, Nick calls me back and confirms a delivery date of the next day and a request for an additional 540.00 in the form of a cashiers check. I lost it, now I have to round up 540.00 in cash and get a cashiers check at 4:00 pm on Friday or they won't give me my stuff? I challenge him on this and all he can rant is "It's in the contract, I can't accept credit card, it has to be a cashier's check and hung up in my face."
The end of the story is that the driver did show up and he did collect an additional 540.00 from me to get my stuff.
This was one of the worst experiences that I have had with a company ever. The worst part was they had my money and my furniture. If I can spare anyone of the stress and frustration, I hope I do. It is a goal of mine to make sure that people know what they are walking into with Nicole, Tonya, and the "supervisor" Nick. The funny thing is, I highly suspect that Nicole is actually still an employee. Read the other complaints, they've been doing bad business for years.
Good luck.
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