U-Haul: We make moving ridiculously impossible

U-Haul likes to market itself as a one-stop moving shop. If you've ever caught their advertising, you're likely also familiar with the tag-line: "We make moving easier!" Let's talk a little truth-in-advertising...

As I noted last week, we were planning on loading up the house and transporting all our earthly possessions, the two dogs and my wife to California over the Labor Day weekend. Being cheap, we chose long ago when we first began contemplating this move that we would trade sweat and body-aches for the money required for hiring professional movers. To do this of course, we needed to rent a large truck.

My wife went to the nearest U-Haul location on August 3rd and purchased packing boxes. While there she inquired as to how far out she ought to reserve a truck for the Labor Day weekend. "Probably today," she was told and so she did.

Fast-forward to this last Saturday--a month to the day later--and I'm standing at the counter of the same location. I present our paperwork with the contract # and our contact information. The first gentleman who attempted to help us took it, checked in the computer and immediately developed a bewildered look on his face. "I can't find you."

Excuse me? The store manager was working the next register over and came over when he realized something was wrong. "I'll take care of it."

At this point I should have known we're in trouble when I notice his name badge: Erock (pronounced 'Erick'). E-rock? Oh, Lord...

After a few minutes of button pushing and mouse-clicking on the computer all he can tell me is that he does not have a 26-ft. truck on-hand, and that the "traffic department" is hunting one down all across the greater Phoenix area. "You're the top of the list, first priority!"

"Any way to know when they might find one?," I ask while trying valiantly to disguise my growing frustration. "No, they'll contact me and we'll call you.

"You can call the traffic department yourself as well." Great...I take the number and leave with my father-in-law, all the while muttering under my breath.

To recap, it's nearly 10 AM and we have a full day of packing and truck-loading ahead of us, only with no truck. Beauty.

Once home and my wife pacified, we start the packing process and also stage stuff at the bottom of the stairs to go outside and into our magical-as-yet-to-be-procured moving truck.

About noon, my wife picks up the phone to call the store and find out where things stand. She ultimately ends up talking to E-rock, and the roundabout, back-and-forth would have been entirely and utterly entertaining were we not in desperate need of this truck. Bottom line: Still nothing, I can't give you an answer as to how this happened and once we find you a truck, we're not going to give you any sort of discount or other compensation for your trouble. Have a great day! [Strike One!]

After speaking with E-rock, we're all feeling quite warm and fuzzy about the service we're getting at this point. Next step is a call to the "traffic department." Sadly, the result isn't all that different. The only good news is that we have a lead on a 26-ft. truck at another Phoenix location that should be available after 3 PM. That is helpful, but only to a point: we've got several people coming over around dinner time to help with the loading that ought to be well underway at that point. [Strike Two!]

Hoping that the third time is the charm, my wife calls the Cave Creek location and advises them she's been sent over to them via the traffic department and is desperate for some help. The response? "We have a truck available at 4 PM but it'll have to be back by 9:00 tomorrow morning." [Strike Three!]

After letting the gentleman know how helpful he hasn't been, my wife hangs up and bursts into tears. We're essentially truckless, going to remain truckless until and unless by some miracle U-Haul gets their act together but we're beginning to burn daylight. There's nothing for it at this point but to start calling other rental companies on the off chance they've got something handy. Yeah, right...halfway through the Saturday of a holiday weekend. Shouldn't be a problem!

Budget has nothing; Ryder isn't open, neither is Penske (at least the locations I call); another firm in SW Phoenix 'might' have something after 3 PM also. No help anywhere.

As we're sitting in the living room discussing alternatives, one of our helpers calls. My wife informs her of our mess, while she in turn works to calm my wife down. About 5 minutes after hanging up with her, we get another call from her husband: "Call Penske!"

"We did. Weren't open."

"That's weird. They've been great for us a couple of times when U-Haul screwed us over."

Well, do we try another location? The consensus is "why not, couldn't hurt." At this point almost anything is better than the nothing we're staring at.

I call the Peoria location, and get an answer. "This is Lori."

"Yes Lori, I've got a big problem and I'm hoping you can help...." After explaining my situation and my pressing need for a 26-ft. truck, the other end is almost silent. Then a small chuckle; "They gave your truck away, eh!? We get that a lot!" Yah, if they ever actually made the reservation at all!

At the end of the day, suffice to say that Penske was everything for us that U-Haul wasn't: competent, efficient and most of all, helpful! We were able to pick up a 26-ft. truck about 2 hours later on our way back from lunch. No muss, no fuss.

To Lori and Sam at Penske/Peoria: You guys are life-savers! Though we'll likely never see you again, we will never forget you!

To E-rock and the rest of the crew at U-Haul: We also will remember you for quite a long time, but for entirely different reasons. Your lack of service, incompetence and indifference to your customer's needs were appalling. You managed to turn very loyal customers into ex-customers in less than 4 hours. For what it's worth, we'll gladly inform corporate about your store's abysmal performance.

Oh, and have a great day yourselves!