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Thread: When your Delivery Arrives

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,883

    Default When your Delivery Arrives

    When you get your furniture delivered from the White Glove Delivery Services, please be sure to NOT let them rush you, or talk you into something that doesn't seem right. Remember - its YOUR furniture that you bought and paid for, and you are paying the delivery company for a service - to deliver and place into your home. You are in control, not the driver of the delivery company. I know a lot of customers feel rushed when pieces arrive and you should take your time when the delivery is going on, stay calm and collected and check things over carefully. If there's a problem, don't just say "Put it back on the truck!" Take time to document it and take several good photos with your cell phone that show the issues. These photos are critical and have to be able to tell the story. It does no good to take close ups if there's not a distance and mid-distance shot to accompany it Grainy and blurry photos are no good, either. Without photos there will be delays in getting things done because we have to wait for the furniture to be returned to see what the issue might be. That usually means delays.

    This weekend a customer had a delivery of a H&M Sectional, and for some reason the driver told them it wasn't going to fit in the space of their house, it was in the incorrect configuration, a reverse of what it should have been. Now the driver's paperwork showed it was made correctly, the tags on the furniture showed it was made correctly, and my paperwork showed it was made correctly. The sectional was never unloaded, it was left in the truck and the order refused. I could have seen instantly with photos if it was made correctly - but there were none because it was never unwrapped. The truck left and the driver headed back to North Carolina. After flurry of emails on Sunday between the customer and myself, and the delivery company Dispatcher the conclusion was everything was right, and the driver was just wrong in his assessment. Why did the driver say that? I have no idea......remember that you are entitled to see your furniture, don't take their word for something like this - have them unload it and show you. I'm willing to bet that YOU know far more about the pieces on the truck than the crew that is delivering them.

    In the above scenario, even if the sectional was made incorrectly and the short / long sides were reversed, having photos would have shown me instantly. If it was made incorrectly and I have the photo proof, I would be able to get the replacements started the next day. Without them, we have to wait a week or longer until the delivery company can send them to me, or the manufacturer.

    One more point - if you order several pieces and there is an issue causing one item to be returned, do not reject the entire order.

    Hope that helps clarify.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Beautiful Texas Hill Country
    Posts
    188

    Default Re: When your Delivery Arrives

    Duane,

    Not that any member of your forum needs my input, but I want to stress the importance of following your guidance!

    This is from my own experience... The delivery crew, more specifically the lead guy, is likely to rush, even hound, you to quickly accept your piece(s). I encountered exactly that scenario. I cannot recall ever, in any situation, having experienced such pressure! Thankfully, I was prepared because, prior to delivery, I had read similar advice from Duane and other forum members. I also had prepared a checklist of things to do, such as watch them unpack/uncrate, wrap the door frame, move rugs, clear the space, and every area on each piece needing inspection. Were it not for my checklist, I am guessing the guy's high-pressure attitude would have unnerved me and I would have let something slip. At one point, I did have to (politely) tell the guy that no matter what he said, I was going to inspect each piece. For most of that time, he hovered and editorialized. It was aggravating, but the checklist helped me stay on track and tune him out.

    I am not claiming every delivery person is cut from this same cloth. As a matter of fact, I am guessing most are not. Also, I do understand that the delivery guys are in a hurry. They are trying to meet deadlines. I am sympathetic to that, but that does not negate the importance of customers strictly following Duane's advice. I am very thankful that Duane and his forum helped prepare me!

    TXCajun

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,883

    Default Re: When your Delivery Arrives

    Yes, you are correct. Many of these delivery companies will arrive and tell you they are late and have to go quickly. That's not your problem - it's THEIR problem. Don't be rushed.

    In the scenario I first described above, the customer got re-delivery of their sectional this week and it was perfect - it just took two weeks longer for them to enjoy it due to that driver doing what he did. I still don't know why he did that - however Sun Delivery management called me and told me they had a serious discussion with that driver and he will never do that again.

    Another one of the things you do not want to do is take a delivery after sundown. As we head into Fall and the days get shorter, there may be some pressure to accept deliveries after dark. I think this is ALWAYS a bad idea and you are within your rights to insist upon a daylight delivery. You just can't do a good inspection when it's dark out, and if you see a flaw or something that needed to be addressed the next day in the light, it's too late.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

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