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  • Report:  #944236

Complaint Review: Alliance Worldwide Vanlines - Internet

Reported By:
drc04 - Manchester, Tennessee, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:

Alliance Worldwide Vanlines
Internet, United States of America
Phone:
(541) 255-2842
Web:
www.allianceworldwidevanlines.com
Categories:
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After contacting 7-8 moving companies online I had decided to go with ALLIANCE WORLDWIDE VAN LINES after talking with their sales representative "Alicia".  I was moving the equivalent of one bedroom consisting of clothing, an 1100 lb bed, one chair, one treadmill and three bicycles.  Alicia had provided not necessarily the best quote financially but provided the BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE (initially).  

I was concerned about the weight initially and she suggested I contact Allied Van lines or another company that would send out a representative to write up an estimate for shipping weight.  When I agreed, she then said "You know, we use the same exact program they use so if you want to give me the number of boxes, an idea of the contents and how many other items were shipping that she would provide the same weight as what the representative would have provided if done in person."  

So I told her I have less than 50 boxes, an 1100 lb storage/platform bed (which was confirmed by the manufacturer), a Bowflex Treadmill, two bicycles and a recliner.  She gave me a contracted weight of 2,600 lbs @ .60 per lb.   I told Alicia that I lost my job recently and wanted to be sure about the cost as I couldn't afford anything over $2,000 so I asked her to confirm no additional charges, no hidden fees and that she could schedule the delivery anytime after September 1st, 2012.  

Everything was fine until the pick up date which was Monday (Aug 13).  Alicia said someone would contact me 24 hours before pickup.  I received a call on Sunday (Aug 12) saying they would be at my house no later than 8AM for pickup.  GREAT!  Monday came and no truck - no phone calls to tell me of any changes.  By 3:30 PM I was worried so I called Alicia.  She did tell say before she'd be on vacation on pickup day, but she assured me that he phone would roll over to her supervisor "John" who would then return my calls.  

After giving thought to my shipping weight, I was going to take advantage of revising the weight of my shipment prior to pickup due to the added treadmill as Alicia told me that the weight per pound would be cheaper to disclose on the front end of the agreement rather than wait for the delivery and find the weight was MORE than contracted which then would be charged at a higher price per pound.  

I didn't want a balloon payment upon delivery so I was going to change the weight.  After calling Alicia's number no one returned my call.  No one returned my email inquiry.  I couldn't confirm anything on the pickup scheduling either so I called the '888' customer service number where I spoke with Brad who said he'd try to reach the driver to confirm pickup which at that point I knew it would not be Monday since it was already after 3:30 PM!  I didn't hear back from anyone so at 5PM I called Customer Service again and it went to voice mail.  

Finally by 6:30 someone called and said the truck was delayed and would be here Tuesday at 8AM.  It didn't show until 9AM.  Bobby, Allen and Justin arrived and packed my ONE BEDROOM and miscellaneous stuff in less than 90 minutes!  I told Bobby specifically that Alicia said he would be able to determine what I had if the weight was grossly over my estimate and if he thought it was that he could NOT load or not take everything.  Bobby said the weight was likely dead on and maybe a little over ... but NOT BY an additional 1100 lbs. I had even asked Bobby to call me personally for the final weight but he never did.

Someone from Dispatch named "Gabby" called a few days later (before Sept 1) saying my shipment was overweight and that I owed AWWVL an additional $2,100 AND that they were ready to deliver my stuff the next day.  I was not ready to receive delivery as I was NOT in Tennessee yet.  By that time I paid on date of agreement to Alicia almost $600 then paid to Bobby on pickup date half the remaining balance of less than $700.  I assumed at delivery I would owe less than $600.  

Instead Gabby told me that my stuff would not be delivered if I didn't pay the new balance of over $2,000 ... this would have made my new total over $3,300 which also included what they call an SIT (storage in transit fee) Fee of almost $500 which was not in my agreement!  I could have delayed the pickup date if they were going to charge me a storage fee for the delay, but Alicia and Preston both said there would be no such charge.  

Preston and another dispatch representative named "Carlos" said they had been known to 'forget to put a shipment on a truck if it meant delaying delivery to the customer without incurring additional storage fees'.  I was called twice (once by Gabby and once by Carlos) saying delivery could be sooner than September 1 or if I didn't take delivery sooner than agreed up that my stuff would be sent to storage and I would incur an SIT Fee of $500.  I told Carlos and Gabby they needed to speak with Alicia who promised that my stuff would not be delivered before September 1st and no later than September 13th.  

It is now September 20 and my stuff is still in storage according to John (Sales Supervisor) who is not willing adjust or negotiate the balance in order for me to get my shipment.  I finally asked John to have his supervisor call me ... and he said that would be "Blake" who I have found to be "BLAKE".  When I "Googled" AWWVL & BLAKE it came up with "BLAKE DAMATO"  At this point, I am still waiting for my stuff and don't expect to actually get it anytime soon.  My stuff isn't WORTH $4,000 total so it doesn't seem like a good decision on my part to pay what they are asking for delivery at this point.

I will provide an update to my post once remedied.  My suggestion is to be sure the term "BINDING" is indicated on ANY contract you sign with anyone so the price is guaranteed and no additional fees or charges are stuck on your bill.  AT this point, I have disputed the two charges thusfar put on my VISA Card through Bank of America and they have removed the charges so I am not paying interest on a bad contract.  What happens next is a mystery to me.


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