No Business Ethics. Review on Chennai Packers and Movers

We were moving from a rental place to our own house. Both houses are in Chennai, a mere 3 km distance between them. We have a lot of things and thought it would be prudent to use a packing and moving company. We chose Chennai packers and movers. I've seen ads about them and when I called the 24444444 number, it was the first company they suggested.

I called a week ahead, and chose to have our things moved on a Sunday because it will be easy for us and they assured that its a working day for them. On saturday I call to confirm, we talk about landmarks, how to get to our house etc and am happy that everything is taken care of. Sunday morning rolls around.

They are supposed to be here by 9 sharp. I call by 9.30, no one picks up the phone. I call again and the call is forwarded (I think) to the business owner's home and he assures me that the movers will be coming soon. 11.30 and am starting to loose patience. I wanted to finish the moving and unpacking on Sunday!! We keep calling and are given one excuse after another. They are starting from Kolathur, they are stuck in traffice etc etc.

Finally, by 2 am totally pissed off and I call them in a rant mode. Only then do they discover their mistake. They never booked our order!! They had another order in the same area and thought we were the same people! I remind the lady of our conversations, that I called a WEEK ahead etc and she agrees that its her mistake. The only thing they can do is send the packers and movers by 5 pm.

We agree. What else to do! We need this stuff moved today. They show up by 4.15 and am happy. They have brought all the necessary boxes, and they start packing. They were efficient in that, I'll give it to them. Not very neat or sorted but put whatever is available and close the box efficient. Since we had everything sorted by saturday, this wasnt a problem. Then comes the time to get the heavy stuff downstairs. You know, fridge, washing machine, bureau etc. They decide to tackle the bureau first. They dont have any rope.

What kind of a moving company sends its workers onsite without rope? Are we the only people who live in first floor and decided to move? Are we the only people who use a bureau? Instead of buying some they decided to make do with some kind of wire tape. Our landlord downstairs gives them some idea to move the bureau but they disregard it. Am watching from downstairs and hubby is watching from upstairs, hearts going pitterpat. True to our apprehension, bureau takes a dive and they just let go.

On its way down, bureau hits a water tap and breaks it. A rush to stop the main valve, the owner getting into an altercation with the movers demanding that they fix it and me and my husband standing there looking lost. All we wanted was an efficient company to move our stuff from one place to another. Not to break our stuff, not to break our house owner's stuff!

The workers decided to get a tap and fix it. It being sunday, most of the shops are closed and my husband had to drive them around trying to find a tap. Finally they do and the tap is fixed by 6.30 or so. In the meanwhile, I called their office to inform about the bureau falling down and the lady who took the call (same one who messed our order) is silent first. Then she asked me what I expect her to do about it! Um, excuse me, but YOU are the moving company and YOU are responsible for the damages that your workers make when they move my stuff. Am asked to call the next day and talk to the manager.

The bureau is standing there forlorn, with many a scratch on it and its doors misaligned. We are tired, all I want is the stuff to be unpacked in the new house and have something to eat. At that time, I have no fight left in me and I leave it be. My mistake. I call the next day and after some five or six calls two guys are sent to "assess" the damage. They come, hear my story and tell me that they'll be back tomm to take the bureau, repair and bring it back. Well what do you know, no one comes the next day.

Repeated phone calls dont elicit any answer. We are living out of suitcases in the meanwhile still thinking that our bureau will be repaired. Naive, is what we are. The bureau still stands in our room, unrepaired. We are busy with work and other stuff now and have given up on Chennai Packers and Movers to rectify their mistake.

Will we ever use their "services" again? Not even if they are the last packing and moving company in the world. I'd rather carry my stuff on my back and walk than hire them. Will we ever recommend them to friends and family? Hell, NO Will we write a review in MouthShut? You bet!

But we thought we shouldnt write immediately. The feeling of being cheated is too raw, the review might be very biased. We should wait for atleast a week. Well, three weeks have gone by and the bureau is still unrepaired and the feeling of being cheated still hurts us.

/b