Complaint Review: Aadvantage North American Vanlines - Fort Wayne Indiana

Summary: Moving Contract for $12,691 signed in April 2014...customer still doesn't have all her posessions, no communication from company, no reimbusrasal for expenses that keep compounding, promised delivery dates, communications from Customer ignored, has paid 100% and customer has been delivered 2/3 of goods a month late and heavily damaged.  No time given for delivery of remainder.

March 24, 2014 – Tiara met with David McDaniel of the North American Vanlines Pensacola office.  Although his moving estimate was the highest priced ($12,691.00), Tiara opted for what she thought would be the safest choice and agreed to have them move, store, then deliver her household goods and her vehicle.  Mr. McDaniel assured her that storing the goods for two months at their location in Pensacola would be better than shipping it to Ann Arbor, MI for storage then delivery

April 5, 2014 – Tiara emailed David McDaniel the requested delivery date of June 7, 2014 and confirmed the delivery address.  She asked David to include that in the contract

April 7, 2014 – Tiara signs the contract prepared by David McDaniel indicating a delivery window of June 7-10, 2014 for her household good to Michigan.  These dates were notated on all 8 pages of the contract.

April 8, 2014 – Tiara was charged a $5,000 deposit toward the moving contract

April 2014 – Several email exchanges and phone conversations occurred between Tiara and David McDaniel coordinating the transportation of her car to arrive at the same time the household goods were to arrive, June 7, 2014.

May 23, 2014 – Tiara’s vehicle was picked up and transported to Michigan where it was successfully delivered a few days later.

June 2, 2014 – Tiara sent the following email to Veronica Mills, scheduling coordinator at the Pensacola North American office:

“My things have been in storage this with you the past 2 months and are now to be delivered this weekend to *** *****, ****, MI 48108. Can you please tell me if the truck will arrive on my requested date of 6/7 in *****?”

Ms. Mills responded that as this request was last minute, the best she could arrange was a pickup of the goods from storage June 16^th with a delivery window of June 20-23, 2014 

Given the terms of the longstanding contract, she was obviously alarmed by Ms. Mill’s response. She called and spoke to Ms. Mills, who indicated she was never made aware of the delivery dates. Tiara then forwarded Ms. Mills and Mr. McDaniel the email she sent on April 5, 2014 to David McDaniel, confirming the delivery address and delivery date of June 7, 2014. Ms. Mills indicated I needed to call David McDaniel. directly

When Tiara called David McDaniel, he told her that he was sure that she had never given him a requested delivery date and that he was not at fault. He stated the delivery date was never in writing anywhere. He was argumentative and rude, saying “Lady, you never gave me a delivery date.”  He denied ever having any phone conversations with her, stating he couldn’t remember any.

Tiara then asked to speak with a supervisor, and Ed Plant of the Pensacola office called.  Tiara explained the situation, and Mr. Plant indicated Ms. Mills “would work on it.” Tiara scanned and sent to Mr. McDaniel, Veronica and Mr. Plant the 8-page North American contract he had personally prepared with the delivery date of June 7-10, 2014 indicated on each and every page. 

** Radio Silence** 

June 5,^, 2014.  The last communication Tiara received from the Pensacola North American office was from Ms. Mills who said she had been out of the office with a migraine and hadn’t been working on this issue.  She indicated that the best she could do was the June 16,^, 2014 pickup date from Pensacola with a June 20-23, 2014 delivery window in Michigan.

Since that time, Tiara called the Pensacola North American office no less than 6 times and sent 4 emails without a single response.  North American Vanlines not only breached their contract with her,  then also stopped responding completely to communication from her.

June 11, 2014 – In a effort to get a response from anyone at North American Vanlines, Tiara faxed and mailed letters explaining the situation to Joan E. Ryan, CFO of North American Vanlines, Gregory S. Mairs, President of Logistic Services, Bob Rosing, President of Relocation Services, Ed Plant, Pensacola office Supervisor, and also copied customer service, Veronica Mills, Ed Plant, and David McDaniel. 

June 12, 2014 – Samantha Miller in Customer Service called.  She also followed up with an email restating what she said on the phone, which was “as of now they still do not have a driver available.”

June 13, 2014 – Tiara called Samantha Miller and asked to speak with a supervisor.  Dia Wilson at Sirva customer service called her back and emailed a follow up, offering the first apology she received to date, and restating no driver was available but they were “working on it.”

June 16, 2014 – After no word from anyone at North American Vanlines Tiara emailed Dia and Samantha in customer service requesting another supervisor or the contact information of the Vice President or President.

Dia Wilson responded in email: “It looks as if there has been a driver assigned to your shipment. According to the system, it looks like it is supposed to load on 6/20 with an anticipated delivery date of 6/24.”

June 21, 2014 – John, the driver, called Tiara and told her he was just leaving the Pensacola location but could only fit approximately 2/3 of her household good in his truck.  He told her the Pensacola office was very unorganized and were pulling items from different locations in the warehouse.  He also had already notated damages to items on the paperwork.  He also stated the balance of the contract had to be paid or he would be unable to make the delivery of her goods.  Tiara explained she was not willing to pay 100% of the balance on the contract we only 2/3 of her possessions were being delivered.

Tiara emailed and spoke with Samantha Miller in Customer Service who informed her this was North American’s policy and 100% had to be paid or she would not receive any of her goods.  Further, Tiara was informed it was too close to the shipment time to pay by credit card so she would have to have a cashier’s check ready for the driver.

Tiara informed Samantha she was traveling for work that day (on a work trip that had to be rescheduled after the first shipment didn’t arrive as promised) and asked to speak with a supervisor.  She was connected to Vicki Pease who arranged for Tiara to pay $5,000 with a balance of $2,691 due upon delivery of the remaining items.

June 23, 2014 – Veronica Mills from the Pensacola office sent Tiara a credit card authorization form for $5,000 which was a portion of the balance due, since only a portion of the goods were being delivered.

June 24, 2014 – Shipment #1 arrived, many things damaged and broken

June 26, 2015 – Having not heard anything from North American regarding the second shipment, a representative for Tiara called Dia Wilson at Sirva customer service and was informed the second shipment was scheduled to be picked up June 30, 2014 and delivered July 3, 2014

June 30, 2014 – Veronica Mills from the Pensacola office emailed a credit card authorization form for the balance on the contract, in anticipation of the July 3, 2014 shipment.  She verified via email the driver would be picking up the goods in Pensacola, FL that day and would deliver 7/3/14.  

July 2, 2014 – Tiara flew home from a family vacation with her children to be home specifically to receive the second shipment the next day

July 3, 2014:

7:19am Eastern – Tiara emailed Samantha Miller, Veronica Mills and Sirva Customer Service to let them know she had not heard from driver and need to know when shipment was arriving that day

9:27am Eastern – Tiara called Samantha Miller, left a message about finding out when the driver would be coming 

9:31am Eastern – Tiara called Dia Wilson in Sirva Customer service.  Reached her.  She said she would call the driver and call her back.

11:00am Eastern – Having not heard back, Tiara called Dia Wilson again and was informed her items still have not left Pensacola, even though Tiara was required to make full payment on the contract in anticipation of the July 3 delivery.  Dia said she had no other information, other than there’s a not in the system saying they are now looking into 3^rd party crating and shipping.  Dia said the earliest Tiara would recieve the good would be next week.

Tiara reiterated that she flew home last night with her children from a family gathering specifically so she could be there for this second shipment, and someone should have called her prior to the delivery day.  Tiara requested a firm delivery date be communicated today since tomorrow was the 4^th of July holiday and waiting until next week to find out a date was unacceptable.  Tiara has been left in a holding pattern again, wondering whether she is going to have to reschedule more work trips in order to receive the shipment.

1:00pm Eastern – Tiara's representative called Dia Wilson on her behalf insisting a delivery date be communicated today.  Dia hung up on him.