When it comes to furniture shipping receiver services, interior designers have specific needs. Partnering with a reliable
interior design receiving warehouse is an important key to success. Here are a few things to consider when selecting your interior designers shipping receiver.
Your first contact with prospective furniture receivers can give you a clue. Pay attention to their response time—if you have to leave a message, how long does it take them to call or return your email? This should give you a sense of their business model and how they prioritize customer service.
You can also look at their methods of communication. If you prefer to e-mail with vendors and they are only available by phone, they might not be the right option. If you need something promptly, do they have multiple contacts you can work with? Especially if you need to file a claim, you’ll want to be sure you can get a timely response.
Don’t choose your furniture receivers with just a phone call. Go to the warehouse and visit in-person. It's important to understand who you are working with and see for yourself how they organize their warehouse. These are the people who will be handling thousands of dollars of merchandise for your clients, so make sure you feel comfortable with them.
Plan a visit to the furniture shipping receiver and meet the team. But give them the courtesy of an advance notice—this isn’t about trying to “catch them off guard.” A face-to-face meeting will go a long way toward understanding what kind of company you are dealing with.
While you’re there, look around. Is everything in the warehouse covered? Ask if everything in their warehouse is always protected from dust and other debris. Ask about their organizational systems—does it look like things appear organized? Ask about their tracking systems and paperwork. Make special note of how they handle Bills of Ladings (BOLs) because they are legally binding documents. If you see that racks and products are not clearly organized, paperwork is piled up on desks or not filed, or there’s no centralized delivery location, these are signs of furniture receivers to avoid.
Location is key when selecting the right interior designers shipping receiver. Consider whether the location will work for your business. Where is the interior design receiving warehouse located? Is it near your home, office, or clients? Does their warehouse have loading docks, roll-up doors, or a forklift?
An important consideration: Do they allow large trucks for home furniture delivery? It’s an absolute requirement that 53’ trucks can easily arrive, park, and leave.
Discuss your furniture shipping receiver’s pricing model. There are many different pricing models, but at a minimum, you should clearly understand their pricing, so you aren’t surprised by unexpected charges. Some common pricing models are per piece pricing, per sq. ft., the percentage of cost of product purchased, per truck, etc.
It is important that you make your expectations and unique needs clear before you enter into a relationship with a furniture shipping receiver. Make certain you’re aligned on definitions, service expectations, and especially inspections. Ask what the furniture receivers will inspect; if there is anything they won’t inspect; be sure you understand why.
Mention some common issues that may arise and find out how they would handle them. For example, what if damaged goods are discovered at the install? Provide a few different scenarios and ask how they would handle those.
Some clients require more care for their expensive or important items. As careful as your furniture receivers might be, some items like artwork, antiques, or family heirlooms may require an extra level of protection. To be prepared for these situations, consider a company that offers white glove furniture shipping services.
In the Hilton Head, SC area, there’s no better option for an interior designers shipping receiver than Bubba’s Shipping & Storage. We specialize in providing top-shelf, unrivaled furniture shipping and storage options including white glove furniture shipping. Contact us today for all your shipping and storage needs
