Flytpay is onto something!
Just PCS'd to Jax from Va Beach.
How about this for a carrier cutting back on employee expenses..
13 years of households, family of 4 with a 2 car garage, and 1800 sqft to pack up.
They sent (1) 50-something year old woman on an 8 hour shift to pack our entire house! I kid not.. I was waiting for at least one additional person to show. Now, she got the job done.. however, once we began unpacking.. hmmm.. I don't believe that anything beginning with the names Lenox, Royal, or Fine (as in *fine .. china) and wood frames should be wrapped together with old paintbrushes and trash. Oy!
For the physical movers, we supplied the outbound/inbound crews with lunch ($50.00 expense each time and gave both crews choice of 8 places nearby that I could pick up from - one group went with KFC and the other with pizza), Coke, and bottled water.
*If in question whether it's acceptable to tip, prior to the arrival of your HHG or your packup ask the coordinator/liason for the carrier (or HHG for your region) if tipping is even PERMITTED.. If this is your first PCS, keep in mind that tipping the outbound person/crew is absolutely no guarantee that your HHG will arrive safe and sound. Perhaps it will lessen the risk and your goods are packed slightly better. However, they should absolutely be providing that stellar service to begin with! If they are not, immediately stop them and call the coordinator. If you have a direct move and the trucker is getting immediately on the road, maybe your chances are slightly higher and the cargo is not unlooked or unloaded. If there's a time lapse, the truck may be unloaded and your HHG placed in a storage center and then handled 2 more times (for the reload and again with the unload from the truck when they arrive at your new home). That could be several different crews and even a different trucker assigned to dealing with your Williams-Sonoma, Ikea, or Haverty's..
One thing that I was impressed with, from our delivery driver, was that he brought in a box of tools and 'help-aides' for quick repairs. This was to his benefit, he said.. We took him up on it. He went through the furniture and tightened loose screws, reglued things that had melted from the heat during shipment. In the end, we had 1 piece broken off of a lamp (which I was irritated about) but it's a floor lamp, I threw it behind the leather couch. Figured it added character and memories to the place.. we can look back and hear my husband reminiscing about his Navy days saying, 'Ahhh, honey remember when that lamp broke during the VA-FL move b/c the SOB's didn't wrapped it and just threw it on the truck'. Can't beat memories..