(** IF YOU HAVE BEEN SCAMMED BY CHAMPIONS MOVERS, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT TKN.MOVINGADVICE@GMAIL.COM **)

My saga (full story here) with the worst company in the bay area- CHAMPIONS MOVERS (Fremont, CA)- has continued for the last few weeks, though mostly in a dormant sense. About two weeks ago I sent them the e-mail in my last blog entry to which they responded with…

NOTHING!

Yes, as usual, they completely ignored me. No one e-mailed, called, wrote, texted or waved to me from Champions Movers. Clearly, this company lies to you, takes your money when you’re in a difficult position of moving (with a lease expiring soon), treats you like shit, breaks your stuff, then ignores you. Champions Movers is like a bad one-night stand, and when you wake up the next morning, something’s burning!

As you know I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Champions finally replied to me- using the BBB as a proxy- but only because I think they are legally obligated to follow up on a complaint. I wasn’t expecting much from Champions, and that’s basically what I got- a bunch of bullshit! Here is what’s on my current BBB complain:

The customer complaint send to Champions Movers (as per the BBB agent):

  • Customer Is Complaining On Extra Cost For Protecting His Marble And Glass Items.
  • Customer Is Complaining That He Received Three Movers Instead Of Two & Got Charged For It.
  • Customer Is Complaining That Damages Were Done To The Wall.
  • Customer Is Complaining Being Offered Tickets To Bennihanna’s As Compensation Of His Claim.
  • Customer Is Complaining Same Day Delivery Not Being Honored.

Our (Champions Movers) response to complaint:

After reviewing the customers complaint, and reviewing the call logs from champions movers, this is our conclusion and determination for this customer.

To address the customer’s FIRST complaint: the customer needs to understand that the movers have to pack any items that are glass or marble in this case that was not already packed by the customer. The customer had informed the movers everything was ready to be relocated. This was not true, when the movers arrived they saw the marble glass and all the glass furniture unwrapped at this point they asked Mr. Nikki and told him these items needed to be packed and protected before relocating, because we can not pay if these items got damaged, if he did not. At this time Mr. Nikki said that we could go ahead and pack these items. It is in the customer’s best interest to protect their items.

To address the customer’s SECOND complaint: I will like to respond to this by telling the BBB that he should be happy that we provided three movers instead of two. This way they work faster and more efficiently. We did not charge Mr. Nikki for the 3rd crew member like he states.

To address the customer’s THIRD complaint:
He will need to provide us with the pictures of the damages that can prove the movers actually damaged the walls. We will be happy to evaluate the damage and compensate if needed.

To address the customer’s FOURTH complaint:
I will like to clarify that in no way was the tickets to Bennihanna’s as payment for the claim that he might have for missing or damaged items. It was just a kind gesture.

To address the customer’s FIFTH complaint:
The movers did infact honor the same day delivery. Please read the following statement; from Mr. Nikki’s letter.

As you can see from this statement, the movers were there; they were performing the relocation and got stopped because in this living complex they could not be moving late at night, so Mr. Niki wanted to them to stop working and to return the next morning to finish the delivery.

They could not go the very next morning because they were already scheduled to perform another relocation; but they did go back to Mr. Nikki’s apartment around 1:30 pm.

To address any damages that he might of have, please have Mr. Thomas Nikki contact our claims firm at 954-217-3082 x13 to file a claim for damages.

I hope that I have answered every complaint in this letter.

If you should have any further questions please feel free to contact us.

Thank you,
Brenda Alicia
Claims Adjusting Firm, c/o Champions Movers Inc.

Customer rebuttal sent to Business:
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)

I do NOT accept the response from Champions Movers as resolution, particularly because their response is full of the inaccuracies, lies, excuses, and cover-ups. Their response is exactly what I would have expected from them, and is eerily parallel to the awful service I received during my move. And because Champions Movers didn’t actually offer any resolution. I have provided at the bottom of this e-mail a point-by-point rebuttal of Champions Mover’s claims.

I am willing to continue this process with the BBB though I have no confidence in Champions Movers to act accordingly, as thus far they have exercised no professionalism, no ethics, and no customer service. As Champions Movers has offered me nothing but condescension and excuses thus far, I see no way to indicate a middle ground in this negotiation, so I will maintain my request for a full refund of $1, 359.00.

Please leave this matter as currently unresolved, since Champions Mover’s response was completely unacceptable, and error-prone. The company could not even bother to spell my last name correctly, which is indicative of just how little this company cares about it’s services and customers.

My point-by-point rebuttals are below.

TKN First complaint:
1. When I scheduled the move, the salesperson, MICHAEL, informed me that marble and heavy items would not incur extra charges. He did not inform me that I would need to purchase additional items to wrap my marble or heavy items, despite my explicit questions in regards to such during the scheduling.
2. When the movers arrived I had one week left on my current lease. What other option did I have but to give in to the mover’s demands?
TKN Second complaint:
1. Per the contract I had to sign with the movers, I was charged $89.00/hour for a three man crew, not $69.00/hour for a two man crew as stated on my original quote. Copies of both documents are available upon BBB’s request.
2. Champions Movers should refrain from insinuating that I should be appreciate for a company baiting and switching me during the scheduling process.
TKN Third Complaint:
1. Pictures have been provided to the BBB for review already. However, I have no desire to deal with the claims service of this company after the ordeal they have already put through.
2. An original purchase order shows the value of just my bed’s headboard (with the cracked marble pillar) at $506.21. Copy of PO is available upon BBB’s request.
TKN Fourth Complaint:
1. The gesture was unappreciated, inappropriate and unprofessional in a discussion involving the major damages incurred to my furniture. A better gesture would have been to acknowledge my request to speak with an owner or manager, which went completely ignored both during and after the move.
TKN Fifth Complaint:
1. The movers arrived at my new complex so late because they arrived at the first location 2 ½ hours late.
2. I did not ask them to stop working. The movers were loud enough to disturb a resident, who called the Cupertino Police Department, who asked them to stop. The movers agreed to return at 9AM but the next day refused to return until 2:00PM. Phone records will show the volume of phone calls on Sunday, October 14th in which I tried to get my furniture back. Copy of phone records are available upon BBB’s request.
3. Per the mover’s contract, where date is guaranteed, the move began on October 13th but did not conclude until late October 14th, which was beyond the agreement in our contract guaranteeing a move on October 13th.
There is an event report on file with the Cupertino Police Department regarding this matter.

Thank you (BBB) for your time and efforts in this manner thus far,
Thomas Nikl

– End of BBB file —

As a result of this HELL, I have created a document about moving, which compiles all the things I have learned and wish I had known prior to getting involved with Champions Movers, who in my opinion, are at best a racket, and at worst a complete scam. I have distributed this document to my leasing office to look at and see if they want to include it in their welcome packet, since I am sure a lot of new tenants ask about moving. If they like it, I’ll likely see if other apartment complexes are interested. Though I do not comment on any moving service directly on the document, anyone who follows my advice will be able to easily avoid horrible businesses like Champions Movers.

If Champions Movers had been professional about this, and called me to apologize for their shortcomings, and offered me some kind of reasonable discount, I think I would have been satisfied. But they were so atrocious that I’ve made this my crusade to help protect consumers from this business and others like it.

References:

Would you like to see my BBB complaint? Click Below:
http://www.oakland.bbb.org/complaint/view/57106515/c/gxq3kz

Would you like to see Champions Movers BBB profile… where you can see they are NOT an accredited BBB business?
http://goldengate.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=99&bbb=1116&firm=153891

Do you have questions about an upcoming move? Want some tips I’ve learned from my experience? E-mail me at: tkn.movingadvice@gmail.com