Another Year...
Saturday, May 12, 2007

In celebration of having made it in SF a full year on our own and my husband's birthday, we finally bought an Xbox 360 and four new games. With all the new tech and awesome games we just brought home, my husband is playing "Frogger".

That's right, "Frogger".

posted by Christine Hammond @ 10:05 PM, ,


Immune to the Hard Sell
Sunday, May 06, 2007

In anticipation of our move I requested quotes from several moving companies. I specifically told each and every one of them that I did not want phone calls, that we did not have a firm date and that the amount of stuff we move will be based on the cost to move it. I asked for basic quotes per sq. ft., lb., pod, or whatever their base measurement is. Out of a dozen or so companies I have received just one actual quote that I can work with. The rest completely ignored the specifics of my request and have instead sent a barrage of emails with requests to fill out a packing list. Even worse, on a daily basis (including the weekends), I receive upwards of five phone calls from these companies. It's going on 6 weeks and they still call. Because I firmly believe that in this day and age that I should not have to speak to anyone that I don't want to, what with technology and all, and seeing as how my initial request was by email, I have emailed these companies again and requested that the phone calls stop. I have further reiterated my original request with the condition that if they cannot send me, by email, a simple quote, I will not be doing business with them.

I do not respond well to someone who is trying to hard sell me anything. I am a car dealer's worst nightmare. I am the person who walks on the lot, points out the car that I want, how much I want to pay, and I tell them to make it happen, or I walk. I like to make it perfectly clear that they are doing me no favors by selling me anything. I'm not rude about it, I just don't want anyone's time to be wasted. And the hard sell is always designed to take advantage of you in some way.

There are a few of these moving companies that I have read great reviews about, but because of their inability to fulfill a simple request without annoying the hell out of me, I just can't give them my business.

The company that we'll go with based on their ability to handle a simple request, alone is Door to Door. We're also contemplating renting a truck and just driving. We'll see as it gets closer.

posted by Christine Hammond @ 9:04 AM, ,