My daughter decided to stay in Massachusetts after college, so we needed a moving company to move a small bedroom from Maryland to Boston. I went online, requesting quotes, and settled on All America Van Line because Mike, who answered my call, promised me a fee of $900. He was very convincing, telling me how some moving companies charge for the tape and the wrapping and how his company just gave you one price.
I told him, "if you put this in writing that this is the absolute final price, I'll pick your moving company." He sent me an e-mail... My mistake; not paying enough attention to notice the word "estimate, "; instead, relying on his word that this was the final price.
As soon as the movers (three men, and I'm but one woman) packed the furniture onto the truck, they told me it would be $1350; a 50% increase of what I was promised. Then they told me the delivery could not be made on the day Mike had promised me, because they weren't going to be in Massachusetts that particular day.
I called Mike, who should be an actor on stage. Shocked, he said, something to the tune of, "What? Why would they say they couldn't deliver it on that day?" and "What? Why would they charge you $1350??" He told me he'd get in touch with his supervisor and call me back.
I called the movers directly and told them it was impossible to receive the furniture any other day than the day promised, and all of a sudden, that was ok.
Back to Mike and the never returned phone calls. I was thinking, why, if Mike is shocked, certainly the price is incorrect and he will rectify the situation. On my second call to Mike, I said, "you have such an honest sounding voice, " (great acting on his part yet again). Every time I talked to Mike, he said he would investigate and call back, or the "supervisor, " Andy would call back. No one ever called.
Each day I called and each time, it was going to be investigated. The day before the delivery, I finally got connected with Andy, the "supervisor, " who told me he was just the dispatcher. He refused to give me even one of the five owners names, said I was never promised the lower price; when I asked him to put Mike on the phone, Mike was suddenly "not at his desk." He was sorry; there was nothing he could do. Yep, they had my daughter's furniture hostage, and the only way we could receive it was to have a money order for the final amount or... Surprise! Cash.
This company had my furniture hostage, wouldn't give me a name of an owner, and when my daughter tried to give them a money order from the Bank of America, they refused it and she had to get another money order from the Post Office. Andy was super generous (sorry for the sarcasm) and said he would give me $50 off the price of the move, but he neglected to tell his movers, and they tried to squeeze the $50 from my daughter in Boston. When she refused, they called Andy, I assume, and ended up taking the money order.
Insult to injury, the movers mocked my daughter, asking her, "how is your mother?" knowing full well the fury I have for their deceit.
Total lies, huge stress, never ever a returned phone call, denial of ever promising a fixed price. Andy did tell me that I never had to use their company again...
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