I just came across a posting on another Real Estate forum asking for horror stories related to moving. I was spurred to bring my particular fiasco to AR. The names have been slightly altered to protect the innocent from being frivolously sued by the guilty.
As an agent, you would think when the time comes for a move that my fleet of angels would swoop in and deliver my affects safely to my new home without mussing a single hair on my head. Not exactly. Just over 2 years ago, the time came. A new home was not the only thing for which I was in the market, though. I happened to be between moving companies, as my go to guys had gotten up and went. After asking around the office, I was given the name of a small family company by a trusted associate. I set the appointment, and the move date came before I knew it. The guy who was recommended was booked, so I got his brother. The day of the move, I am completely stressed out. My wife was 7 months pregnant at the time, so in addition to finalizing our transaction and conducting my regular business, I had unassisted packing duties. Perhaps I did not do the greatest job with my boxes, but I did not think it necessary for the mover (we'll call him Vance with Arrow Cabeza Movers) to use profanity. After I volunteered to personally move anything he did not feel comfortable taking, my wife pulled him aside and asked him to cut me a little slack. I came outside with box in hand to hear my pregnant wife being berated in language that would make a sailor blush. Lovely sentiments such as, "You don't know who the F*&@ I am!" and "Do you know who you are f%$*ing with?" There was a moment of just standing there stupidly in complete shock, before snapping to and coming within an eyelash of a fistfight in my front yard. Right next to my sign post. After regaining some semblance of composure, I ordered him off the property. All of my furniture came back off the truck and was piled up in the carport. I was to give possession of my house the following day, and there we were with no mover and 75% of our earthly possessions just sitting in the driveway. One 1962 full size, manual transmission U-Haul, 3 nerve jangling trips, and 1 dented side panel later, I had moved the stuff out of the driveway and into the new house. The next day, after frantic calls to my company's relocation department, I was bailed out by another mover (who we'll call Dirks Allied Movers). All of the big items that I could not handle were mercifully moved for me by a terrific team of guys. One of these two companies has been getting a steady stream of my clients' business. Care to guess which one?
When I sit back and think about it, it blows my mind to think that this was how a Realtor, an avenue for referral business, was treated. Imagine what my clients would have been subjected to if I had passed the name along before my little test run. Gives me the shivers. I think an experience such as this really helps a Realtor empathize with his clients. I know that I will never take lightly the rigors and stress my clients are subjected to during the course of a transaction. They will not be treated in such a manner. Not on my watch.
With the dust settled, I've been able to have a few laughs with my associate about it. The punch line is usually some variation of, "I'd hate to see the guys you don't recommend!"
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