In November 2014, I contacted several moving companies to discuss the details of moving my household furnishings form North Port, FL to Bluffton, SC. On November 12, 2014, I met with Ernie McNab of Arpin, exchanged several emails, and spoke on the telephone a few times. We agreed to a price; the dates of the packing; and delivery of household goods. Packing date was scheduled for December 15, and delivery date was scheduled for December 17.
Because of a change in my closing on my new home in SC, the dates were changed -- Packing on December 13 and delivery on December 23. Since Arpin would have my furnishings for up to 10 days, I paid $450 for storage. I was told the furnishings would be stored in a locked and labeled truck in Clearwater, Florida.
Both Ernie McNab and I signed the amended documents on December 2, 2014. My furniture was to be delivered on December 23, 2014, to Bluffton, SC. Ernie McNab documented the delivery date, and we both signed the document.
December 13, 2014
A crew arrived at my house and began to load the furnishings on a Dolphin Van. I purchased lunch for the crew and gave them a tip at the end of the day.
Toward late afternoon on the same day, a second crew came to my house to tell the first crew they had to hurry and finish because they had to go to another house. The second crew helped the first crew complete the loading. Apparently, there was a lack of space in a van, and furniture from another house was to be loaded on the van with my furniture.
I was assured on several occasions that my furniture would be sealed in the van, and that every item was numbered and itemized for my safety.
Before the truck left my house, one of the workers poured water into the radiator and explained the truck was not running as it should.
December 16 and 17, 2014
I arrived in Bluffton, South Carolina to finalize closing on new home and prepare for receiving furniture on December 23, 2014.
Paid for eight (8) days of recreational vehicle (RV) space, $154, December 17 through 23, 2014.
December 19, 2014
Received a call from Steve Bailey to let us know that he was working very hard to get driver for our furniture truck so it could be delivered on December 23.
I reminded him that Ernie McNab, employee of Transworld Van Lines was very specific and told me furniture would be delivered on December 23, 2014. Further, Ernie McNab was even more specific to quote the charges, weights, and especially the insurance and storage charges for the move.
I sent Mr. Bailey a copy of the signed contract between Ernie McNab and myself with the delivery date of December 23, 2014.
I received no response from anyone over the weekend.
I paid for eight (8) more days of RV space - $154.
Days turned into a full week and beyond. Calls were made to Steve Bailey and Ernie McNab between December 19 and 28, 2014. There was no response from anyone at any of the moving companies – Dolphin, Transworld, or Arpin.
December 29, 2014, 5:02 P.M.
I received an email from Ernie McNab. It was written in very large letters with poor spelling and punctuation scolding me for contacting him. Content of the email, exactly as sent to me, is as follows:
“Please call Steve Bailey only
As you have been told repeatedly
Ernie McNab is not in charge of your move
Mr. Bailey is the only one that can help you
Thank you”
December 29 and 30, 2014
I received a call from Steve Bailey letting me know that a driver would bring my furniture on December 31, 2014, New Years Eve.
Late on December 30, the driver called to let me know he would be bringing the furniture on December 31, 2014.
Morning of December 31, 2014
Truck arrived at my home in South Carolina with driver (Mr. Fred Young) and one helper (Mr. Dave Vickers) to unload the furniture. Mr. Young and Mr. Vickers had been driving through the night and were tired. They told me their plan was to drive back to Tampa on December 31, 2014.
There was tension in the air. Mr. Young was angry that he had no helpers for unloading. He called Steve Bailey from my front yard, raised his voice, and told him he needed help to unload the truck. I said, ‘thank you’ to both the men for delivering my furniture before they even took the furniture off the truck.
Mr. Vickers was very angry and said to me, ‘you think we want to work on a holiday.’ I responded with another ‘thank you.’
A little later in the morning a third worker from LABOR READY in Savannah arrived. Still later a fourth worker from LABOR READY IN Savannah arrived.
Afternoon of December 31, 2014
I got lunch for the crew of four. They seemed to appreciate it.
At some point in the afternoon, two of the men began a conversation with me about whether or not I trusted Ernie McNab. They told me he lies to customers, and he was usually the cause of clients not getting their furniture in a timely manner, poor customer service, and angry drivers and work crews.
Unpacking
I noticed immediately when the truck arrived that my furniture was in the front of the truck just as it had been packed. However, the back of the truck was full of furniture that was picked up somewhere else.
I have no idea if my furniture was indeed stored in Clearwater as had been promised by Ernie McNab.
My furniture was not sealed off in the truck.
Two dressers with crown molding were stored on their ends causing scratches.
The footboard of my Bernhardt bed was damaged, and a piece of wood was barely hanging on to the footboard
Boxes were crushed, and in some cases opened at one end or the other, and china and glassware were broken
This letter is meant to be used as a negative experience for Transworld, Dolphin, and Arpin Van Lines. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest rating, my score for the companies is a minus one (-1). Ernie McNab should lose his job for his participation in this unacceptable moving experience. He is the man with a record of lying to customers about delivery dates. Mr. Bailey told me Ernie McNab was not authorized and should have never signed a document with a delivery date. To add to this record, his email to me was totally unacceptable and unprofessional.
I was told very clearly that my move would be handled by professionals. LABOR READY employees of Savannah are not professional movers. I paid over $5,000 for a professional moving company and movers, and I did not get what I was promised. I did not receive a professional move. My furniture and belongings were handled in an unprofessional manner, and damage was done.
This letter will be sent to every customer satisfaction survey I can locate as well as
United States Department of Transportation
Consumer Complaint Hotline
South Carolina – Office of Regulatory Staff, Columbia, SC
Florida – Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
https://www.protectyourmove.gov/
Mr. David Arpin, CEO of Arpin Van Lines, Inc. Rhode Island
My hope is someone will be saved from this type of horrendous experience in the future.
The only people connected with Arpin that are even remotely concerned about customer service are the salesmen. BEWARE!!! I scheduled my move in two phases, the first with a small amount of items from my garage. They showed up late, and were under the impression that they were moving my entire house that day! For the second phase they also showed up VERY LATE with a hastily put together crew in a truck from some other company, with NO TOOLS!! They actually borrowed some from my neighbor! Once on the road there were delays upon delays upon delays, and they lied about where my stuff was. I was told that my truck was on the road (the pickup was in California) and a WEEK LATER it was still in California (my delivery was to the East Coast). It was obvious that the dispatchers are king and are untouchable at this company, and the dispatchers only care about meeting their own needs and helping their buddies in other moving companies. In every instance where dispatch was involved it was obvious that each day was a mad scramble of unplanned, unscheduled activities. I was shocked at their lack of concern about the delivery date they had promised, an all their representatives could say is "I' sorry." No respect for the customer who pays the bills. Pathetic, crass, disgusting people.
Arpin Van Lines Reviews
In November 2014, I contacted several moving companies to discuss the details of moving my household furnishings form North Port, FL to Bluffton, SC. On November 12, 2014, I met with Ernie McNab of Arpin, exchanged several emails, and spoke on the telephone a few times. We agreed to a price; the dates of the packing; and delivery of household goods. Packing date was scheduled for December 15, and delivery date was scheduled for December 17.
Because of a change in my closing on my new home in SC, the dates were changed -- Packing on December 13 and delivery on December 23. Since Arpin would have my furnishings for up to 10 days, I paid $450 for storage. I was told the furnishings would be stored in a locked and labeled truck in Clearwater, Florida.
Both Ernie McNab and I signed the amended documents on December 2, 2014. My furniture was to be delivered on December 23, 2014, to Bluffton, SC. Ernie McNab documented the delivery date, and we both signed the document.
December 13, 2014
A crew arrived at my house and began to load the furnishings on a Dolphin Van. I purchased lunch for the crew and gave them a tip at the end of the day.
Toward late afternoon on the same day, a second crew came to my house to tell the first crew they had to hurry and finish because they had to go to another house. The second crew helped the first crew complete the loading. Apparently, there was a lack of space in a van, and furniture from another house was to be loaded on the van with my furniture.
I was assured on several occasions that my furniture would be sealed in the van, and that every item was numbered and itemized for my safety.
Before the truck left my house, one of the workers poured water into the radiator and explained the truck was not running as it should.
December 16 and 17, 2014
I arrived in Bluffton, South Carolina to finalize closing on new home and prepare for receiving furniture on December 23, 2014.
Paid for eight (8) days of recreational vehicle (RV) space, $154, December 17 through 23, 2014.
December 19, 2014
Received a call from Steve Bailey to let us know that he was working very hard to get driver for our furniture truck so it could be delivered on December 23.
I reminded him that Ernie McNab, employee of Transworld Van Lines was very specific and told me furniture would be delivered on December 23, 2014. Further, Ernie McNab was even more specific to quote the charges, weights, and especially the insurance and storage charges for the move.
I sent Mr. Bailey a copy of the signed contract between Ernie McNab and myself with the delivery date of December 23, 2014.
I received no response from anyone over the weekend.
I paid for eight (8) more days of RV space - $154.
Days turned into a full week and beyond. Calls were made to Steve Bailey and Ernie McNab between December 19 and 28, 2014. There was no response from anyone at any of the moving companies – Dolphin, Transworld, or Arpin.
December 29, 2014, 5:02 P.M.
I received an email from Ernie McNab. It was written in very large letters with poor spelling and punctuation scolding me for contacting him. Content of the email, exactly as sent to me, is as follows:
“Please call Steve Bailey only
As you have been told repeatedly
Ernie McNab is not in charge of your move
Mr. Bailey is the only one that can help you
Thank you”
December 29 and 30, 2014
I received a call from Steve Bailey letting me know that a driver would bring my furniture on December 31, 2014, New Years Eve.
Late on December 30, the driver called to let me know he would be bringing the furniture on December 31, 2014.
Morning of December 31, 2014
Truck arrived at my home in South Carolina with driver (Mr. Fred Young) and one helper (Mr. Dave Vickers) to unload the furniture. Mr. Young and Mr. Vickers had been driving through the night and were tired. They told me their plan was to drive back to Tampa on December 31, 2014.
There was tension in the air. Mr. Young was angry that he had no helpers for unloading. He called Steve Bailey from my front yard, raised his voice, and told him he needed help to unload the truck. I said, ‘thank you’ to both the men for delivering my furniture before they even took the furniture off the truck.
Mr. Vickers was very angry and said to me, ‘you think we want to work on a holiday.’ I responded with another ‘thank you.’
A little later in the morning a third worker from LABOR READY in Savannah arrived. Still later a fourth worker from LABOR READY IN Savannah arrived.
Afternoon of December 31, 2014
I got lunch for the crew of four. They seemed to appreciate it.
At some point in the afternoon, two of the men began a conversation with me about whether or not I trusted Ernie McNab. They told me he lies to customers, and he was usually the cause of clients not getting their furniture in a timely manner, poor customer service, and angry drivers and work crews.
Unpacking
I noticed immediately when the truck arrived that my furniture was in the front of the truck just as it had been packed. However, the back of the truck was full of furniture that was picked up somewhere else.
I have no idea if my furniture was indeed stored in Clearwater as had been promised by Ernie McNab.
My furniture was not sealed off in the truck.
Two dressers with crown molding were stored on their ends causing scratches.
The footboard of my Bernhardt bed was damaged, and a piece of wood was barely hanging on to the footboard
Boxes were crushed, and in some cases opened at one end or the other, and china and glassware were broken
This letter is meant to be used as a negative experience for Transworld, Dolphin, and Arpin Van Lines. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest rating, my score for the companies is a minus one (-1). Ernie McNab should lose his job for his participation in this unacceptable moving experience. He is the man with a record of lying to customers about delivery dates. Mr. Bailey told me Ernie McNab was not authorized and should have never signed a document with a delivery date. To add to this record, his email to me was totally unacceptable and unprofessional.
I was told very clearly that my move would be handled by professionals. LABOR READY employees of Savannah are not professional movers. I paid over $5,000 for a professional moving company and movers, and I did not get what I was promised. I did not receive a professional move. My furniture and belongings were handled in an unprofessional manner, and damage was done.
This letter will be sent to every customer satisfaction survey I can locate as well as
United States Department of Transportation
Consumer Complaint Hotline
South Carolina – Office of Regulatory Staff, Columbia, SC
Florida – Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
https://www.protectyourmove.gov/
Mr. David Arpin, CEO of Arpin Van Lines, Inc. Rhode Island
My hope is someone will be saved from this type of horrendous experience in the future.
The only people connected with Arpin that are even remotely concerned about customer service are the salesmen. BEWARE!!! I scheduled my move in two phases, the first with a small amount of items from my garage. They showed up late, and were under the impression that they were moving my entire house that day! For the second phase they also showed up VERY LATE with a hastily put together crew in a truck from some other company, with NO TOOLS!! They actually borrowed some from my neighbor! Once on the road there were delays upon delays upon delays, and they lied about where my stuff was. I was told that my truck was on the road (the pickup was in California) and a WEEK LATER it was still in California (my delivery was to the East Coast). It was obvious that the dispatchers are king and are untouchable at this company, and the dispatchers only care about meeting their own needs and helping their buddies in other moving companies. In every instance where dispatch was involved it was obvious that each day was a mad scramble of unplanned, unscheduled activities. I was shocked at their lack of concern about the delivery date they had promised, an all their representatives could say is "I' sorry." No respect for the customer who pays the bills. Pathetic, crass, disgusting people.