We had the chance to talk to a customer with a short notice moving problem about how we did handling their move. On top of needing to be done at short notice, there were quite a few challenges to this move that made it not so straightforward.

First, tell us about your move. What did you need done?

I have an elderly parent in Auckland who had a fall. It meant they weren’t allowed to return to their retirement village and had to be moved to private medical care. While I was arranging to get my father from Auckland to Hawke’s Bay so I could see him more often, I needed his unit packed up and shipped here as soon as possible.

What were the challenges to the move?

I needed movers to go to his unit, pack it all up and get it here. There was nobody there to provide guidance, nothing organised or tidied up for packing, and it probably wasn’t the cleanest since he’d been having trouble looking after himself. On top of that, I needed it shipped to my home in rural Hawke’s Bay, so I could sort out his belongings to get them ready for this new care facility here.

How did we do getting this initially organised?

This stage was really the only grey mark of the move. I had to deal with two people and there was a bit of back and forth getting things organised. Both were really friendly and helpful though. I think the back and forth might not have been much of a deal if I didn’t have so much else on my plate. I have to say, the price was very good considering the requirements of the move.

How did the packing and pick up go?

This was where Conroy really stepped up. Communication was great. I had the movers phoning me to tell me what was happening and when. And they delivered on each thing on time and as promised.

We had a hiccup with the washing machine. It’s a model that has to be capped off for moving and the movers couldn’t take it until it was. But they organised to send a handyman the next day, who uninstalled the machine and got it onto a truck. This meant two pickups and two deliveries, but all done at no extra charge.

How was moving day for you when you received the goods?

Well, I feel a bit bad here. We live in the country and have a typical country drive. The guys couldn’t get the truck round a bend and past a tree. But they treated it like it was no problem and unloaded the truck from there. They were really polite and professional and had the truck unloaded in no time. You have to respect a truck driver who can reverse a truck with a 20 foot container on the back down a narrow country drive like he does it every day.

How happy were you with the move overall?

Really happy by the end. Good communication from the movers and delivering on each promise made for a very smooth final experience. Moving is stressful enough, but when you’re dealing with an elderly person who needs care, you don’t need added pressure. I’m grateful the move went well in the end.