Simple Moving Labor

I moved from Smyrna, Ga to Round Rock, TX in early August 2014. I rented a Penske truck and was linked through the Penske site to the SML site to hire labor for loading and unloading of my belongings. I had used SML a few years prior for a move from Parker, CO to Atlanta, GA and was VERY happy with their service, so I didn't hesitate to use SML for this recent move. However, this experience was no where near as pleasant.

When I made the reservation, I decided to pay extra to have two experienced movers who, as the person I was booking with described them, could pack a truck like a game of Tetris. Well, the two men who showed up for my loading project on 8/9/14 were quite obviously not experienced movers. To start with, they didn't load the large items into the truck first. I have moved MANY times in my life and have ALWAYS had movers who first loaded the large items (washer/dryer, beds, dressers) first and the smaller items after and in open spaces to avoid shifting during transit. These movers did not. When I asked why they weren't loading it that way, I was told "we did put the dresser in first." I also had rented furniture pads to pad all of my furniture and had tons of tape and shrink wrap to protect my furniture. They half wrapped / half taped all of the furniture, which basically did no good at all. Once they had filled the truck with all kinds of small things (bags of pillows even!), they started to put the sofa and kept telling me that it was too big of a sofa and probably wouldn't fit all of my things in the truck with that. Then he took my washer and dryer out to the truck and said he was going to stack them. These are new full-sized washer and dryer! I told him I didn't like that and didn't want that and again was told that all of my belongings would not fit if I didn't let them do it their way. Well--- eventually they got almost everything in the truck. They couldn't find one space to put a microwave that I was moving into the truck, so I gave it to one of the movers well, because I didn't have anywhere else to put it!

When I arrived at my new home in Round Rock, TX and the unloaders arrived, they couldn't believe how the truck was packed. They even took many pictures of the truck as they unloaded to cover their own team from being blamed for damages. When they saw that my dryer was upside down on top of the washer, they couldn't believe it. The head guy on the unload team said that you are NEVER supposed to turn those over since it can ruin the entire machine. Once thy started unloading the furniture, we discovered that EVERY SINGLE PIECE of my dark wood Furniture has damage on it. EVERY PIECE!! The loading team did such a horrible job loading the truck that several items broke beyond repair and the wood furniture has scrapes, nicks and chunks of wood missing. The places that they taped on my furniture left terrible sticky spots that I'm still trying to get off without removing the stain from my wood furniture.

While the unloading team here in Texas was great, I will never recommend SML to any of my friends because of the terrible experience I had with the loading team.

Service cost: $720

They only sent 1 fellow. The second guy never showed up. 4 OLD ladies had to fill in for the missing unloader! it was very hot and the loan unloader kept calling for his back-up and whom ever he was speaking with kept saying they were trying to get in contact with the second man. This never happened. I was told they would only charge 1/2 the cost. I guess they frogot this promise. I'd love to use this service again(in the fall) but I am kinda' leary of the outcome.

Service cost: $125

Do not use Simple Moving Labor! I hired them to help load and unload a Penske Truck. I had a four bedroom home and I was moving into a three bedroom home. I decided to go with professional labor with the loading, thinking they will do a better job packing. Before they arrived my family had all of the boxes staged in out garage (about 150). All I needed was for them to move the large furniture. I had three beds (1 king, 2 single) and four dressers from upstairs. A kitchen table and six chairs, Futon already broken down, small gun safe, small home safe, one small hutch and six 30” inch wide shelves. They showed up over an hour late, loaded all of the boxes within 3 hours, but took 6 hours to load the big furniture. There were two guys, one was really good and worked hard all day, but the second was out of shape and disappeared several times for a ½ hour at a time. I did complain and Simple Moving labor credited me 10%. Too bad they overcharged me by at least 4 hours On the unload I hired just general labor. They unpacked the truck in just under 3 hours (why 9 to load). This is when I discovered all of the damage. I lost two shelves, several boxes were smashed (there goes the idea professional labor would do a good job packing),  most of the wheels on several items, and discovered several pieces of furniture that was scratched. Bottom line, if you want your stuff to be loaded quickly and without damage interview and hire local companies yourself. Simple Moving Labor has zero quality control. Simple Moving Labor is a bad choice because you never know who you will get and they really do not care. I sent pictures of damaged product, they did not care. I complained about it taking too long, they did not care. Please do not use this service!! Go with local help, because you are paying a higher rate and you could very possibly get the same movers!! Both of the loaders and unloaders gave me their personal business card! I got the impression that the laborers do not care when working for Simple Moving Labor because there really is no consequences!

Service cost: $1200

I hired SML movers through Penske thinking that these guys will ve very professional. To start with: 1) They arrived almost 45 mins late because they were lost trying to find directions in GPS! I had to phone escort them to my place. 2) They did not use all the tools that were made available to them. For example, I had blankets to wrap up my furniture, and most of them they did not do. 3) When the loaded the truck, there was a huge gap in the middle - so, I was worried that things will stumble down when I will drive the truck. 4) When stuff was unloaded off truck, there were cracks in sterilite boxes and other boxes because of faulty way of putting them. I thanked God, that some of the expensive stuff like Flat Screen TV etc, were not damages. I did not expect these kind of unprofessional people through SML.

Service cost: $149

Simple Moving Labor was fantastic; there sales people explained everything very well and their loading team was amazing.  Sean and Todd arrived about an hour early and got right to work.  They were friendly and courteous in addtion to being great workers and knowledgable about how to properly pack a moving van.  We could never have finished loading the truck on our own in a timely manner and I doubt we could have gotten it packed half as well; nothing they loaded shifted or moved and there were no broken or damaged items.   And they loaded by drop off locations; some at my daughters, my sons and our house.  Thus, by the time we were done we did not need the unloading help.  Great company, great employees resulted in a great move. .

Service cost: $509

We tried to use Penske's code to get moving labor. At two attempts at the phone to get them schedule a pickup they were unfriendly and unprofessional. After I talked to a supervisor and complained, they wanted to send a contract, which never arrived. Then I looked for moving helpers online and found better helpers for the same price this company offered with Penske's code. I can only imagine how unprofessional the helpers are after the experience at the phone.

Service cost: $280

Beware! This business was hired through Penske to do a load swap after our moving truck broke down. We specifically asked if the movers were licensed and bonded. The movers who showed up as well as the employer I spoke with on the telephone said they were. As it turns out, SML's FMCSA operating status was revoked months ago (it is currently September 2014) and is currently listed as "NOT AUTHORIZED" at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. I am not sure if they can still provide moving labor, but they certainly can't operate your moving vehicle. A second team of movers had to come repack SML's poor packing job, and there is an incredible amount of damage, even to items in hard-sided Tupperware bins. We are awaiting an assessment of damage, but I would guess it will take thousands of dollars and many months to repair or replace items. SML has not returned any of my calls or responded to email. Also, if they are hired to complete your load swap DO NOT sign any forms limiting their liability or job completion until you have spoken to the company who hired them and gotten the go ahead (in our case, Penske). Take a copy or picture of any forms. Be sure to take pictures of the packing periodically throughout the swap and film the final inspection--our moving team got in their vehicle mid-inspection and left, luckily caught on tape.

Service cost: $1000

Two professional movers loaded the contents of our home into a 26' Penske truck in Olive Branch, MS and two professional movers unloaded this same truck at our home in Columbia, MO. EXCELLENT experience. It was a pleasure to deal with the Sales folks before, during and after the move. These folks were professional, courtious and explained things well. The four loaders were very professional and efficient with their tasks to load and unload. I was totally amazed and extremely pleased with how well our belongings were packed. I was equally please with the care both crews took to not damage our belongings or our homes. To be honest, I was skeptical of the crew that arrived to load the truck as they were both in their early 20's with the Team Lead only having three months experience. My skeptism quickly vanished as I watched their ability to pack the truck in such a manner that not only was in a timely fashion but resulted in very little shifting during transit and no damages. If we move again, I will contact SML!! .

Service cost: $894