Triple Fails from Moving Companies

A follow-up from some prior posts.  In late June, I wrote how Thomas Transfer and Storage mailed a moving offer to my post-move address.  Since then, they not only sent a remail of the exact same creative package, they sent a 2nd remail of that package to my new address. Each of the three packages arrived about 10 days apart.

That means Thomas Transfer earns a Fail for Creative as well as List and Timing.  I covered in prior posts that when remailing the same offer, the creative should be modified for additional effectiveness.  If the customer does not open the first envelope, why would he open a second envelope that looks exactly the same?

In the meantime, Texas Home Movers continues its Fail with lack of communication and inappropriate communication.  After making 10 attempts to reach the company to inquire about my damaged a missing goods, filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, filing a dispute through Visa, and sending a certified letter to the owner, I received an e-mail reading:

HELLO THIS IS ANITA WITH TEXAS HOME MOVERS AND I AM EMAILING YOU TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I TRIED CALLING YOU TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO FEEL OUT THE CLAIM FORM AND THE PROCESS WILL TAKE UP A FEW WEEKS TO PROCESS AND THEY WELL ALL US AS SOON AS IT GOES THREW AND WE WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU AND INVERSE WHAT WE OWE YOU.FOR ANY MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL US AT 1877/878/4092 THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN ANITA WITH TEXAS HOME MOVERS.THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN ANITA. HAVE A BLESSED DAY.

This is not exactly a Customer Service letter, but at least it is personal.  On Friday, I received a call from Anita threatening to take legal action against me for filing a dispute with Visa and the BBB.  Today, the web site appears to be down.  Not a good sign.  Perhaps the entire company is a Fail.

When a Hot List cools off and moves out of town

I wrote several days ago how several moving-related companies mailed to me after I already left town, but I did not expect this to arrive from Thomas United Transfer and Storage.

Their solo mail package deserves Fails for List and Timing. Not only did Thomas Transfer mail the moving offer several weeks late, they mailed it to my new address.

Setting that aside, this is not a bad creative package but could use some tweaks. The outer envelope includes a teaser that is relevant to the consumer – practically everyone who moves needs boxes, so why not get some free. After all, “free” is the most beautiful four-letter word in the English language. The package leads with a friendly cover letter that communicates positive features of the company. Meanwhile, the flyer is more promotional and describes the free box offers.

Some ways creative treatment could be improved in the letter:

• Be consistent with the grammar. Some of the cover letter is written in the first person plural, while the close states, “Please call me …” even though two people signed the letter.
• Actually include a hand signature of Dawn and Christina. Represent who those people are – the owners? Salespeople? Moving coordinators?
• Consider more benefit statements, i.e. low-stress, piece of mind. 

At least Thomas Transfer and Storage only wasted marketing money. I wish they had reached out to me earlier so I would not have ended up with Texas Home Movers damaging and losing my goods.

Learnings: Use a hot list quickly before it cools off.  Don't address-correct a solicitation for moving supplies.  If the person moved, don't mail.

A Hot List is hot for a reason

I recently moved across country. Twenty moving companies reached out to me with direct mail offers. Of these, 7 arrived before I made a decision which company to use, 8 arrived after I made a decision, and 5 arrived after I left Houston. Below are examples of postcards that arrived too late.

There could be a few sources these companies used to learn I was preparing to leave town. Based on my actions, I believe they included a listing on the Houston Area Realtor web site and inquiry at movers.com. I also completed a change of address form at the post office, however I do not recall the USPS sharing lists as such.

This one, although late, is interesting.  It offers the prospect an immediate benefit -- a discount at Lowe's.  This $10 off $50 coupon is the same offer that is made available through the US Postal Service's Movers Kit.  Perhaps the cost to Allied is zero, but it is an effective way to break through mailbox clutter.

Of course, the speed in which a company reaches out to you to sell is not necessarily correlated with the quality of it’s service. My furniture was shipped by Texas Home Movers, AKA Texas Home Storage. The shipment was late, and several items were damaged.

The company subbed out work to an independent trucker after telling me they wouldn't.  The trucker claimed he completely offloaded the truck at delivery, but still missed a box that was brought by a week later by his brother in-law with major damage.  6 weeks later, items are still missing and I can’t even get a claim form from the company. Needless to say, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and took other action.

Learnings: As a business, if you purchase a hot list, use it fast. As a consumer, avoid Texas Home Movers.