not ethical and honorable company - closest thing to a scam

Tim Karaca Submitted this review about Ariston Auto Transport
Review made Live: 5/14/2014 8:52:00 AM
Just do not do business with them, neither honorable nor ethical organization... if you are having the same issue please report to FMCSA who regulates the brokerage industry.

I called to reserve a spot and confirmed the day and the quote for May 13th. Couple days before the pick-up I called Cisco Garcia and e-mailed him several times for confirmation of pick-up. Just to note I made the reservation way in advance 3 weeks before the pick-up day.

Could not reach Cisco at all, but someone called me the morning of the delivery day and told me that the price went up $200 if I want my car picked-up as scheduled or need to wait another 3 days. Original contract was 1245 and it has been increased to 1445. I was flying out of NYC so pretty much I had no choice other than paying the extra. I told them I will be flying out the next day of pick-up several weeks ago.

Guess what happened and no one again showed up on the time they told me so. I will report to FMCSA and please do the same.


PLEASE DO NOT USE THEIR SERVICES.

Company Response
FELIX from Ariston Auto Transport Submitted this response.
Response Date: 5/25/2014 4:25:00 PM
This is Cisco responding to this review..... First of all, I never interfaced with the customer until the driver was assigned for an on-time pickup. No rep from this company would ever tell a customer upon being asked that it is OK to put household goods into the cab of a car where the seats are or are supposed to be. Only child seats are allowed. It is a FEDERAL Government RULE. Drivers are ticketed at the scales. Fines are as high as $500.00. When the driver was assigned I simply reminded the customer who is moving 5/2/14 that she may put up to 100lbs of bedding and clothing ONLY in the trunk ONLY of her vehicle. At that time she insisted that I personally advised her that it was OK to fill the car except for the driver's seat with items. Even though a driver was on the way at a full $200 less than the current market was trading, she sent them away and asked for her deposit back (which she got the very next day.) Her son Erik has since called me and asked me to continue to help her one week later. No one got called a liar but me and I never even spoke with the customer until it was dispatched. All of our documentation including the contract explicitly advises you CANNOT put household goods in the car in big BOLD PRINT. She heard from many other brokers that items CAN be in the back seat of the car and assumed it was someone in our company that advised her in error. I am very glad she came back to me for help and I wish I could get this poor review off of here but you cannot please all of the customers all of the time. She insisted that I lied to her about moving a car with items in it and became very irate and upset when I pointed out that I run a very tight ship and all of our literature advises you cannot put items in the car. I then called the rep who also advised that you can only put bedding and clothing in the trunk and nothing in the cab of the car. I am from corporate America. Anything I say I put into writing to back it up. My reps are only allowed to send pre-printed educational revised quotes. In the few events when a rep directly conflicts what is in writing it is quickly brought to my attention. In this case no one from this company ever advised verbally that the car can be filled. So in a nutshell, this customer was moving her household goods 5-2-14 and preferred her car arrive before her fly date a few days later. We had her picked up 5-2-14 at $900!!! A full $100 to $200 below where the other shippers were offering money to the drivers with their contracts to make an offer. The driver was desperate and also attempted to talk to the customer who begged him to bend the rules but he would not. One full week later I called the driver asking about the delivery of this order. Wouldn't you know it.. He actually picked up the vehicle and delivered it. When you lie you must be smarter than the next person and NEVER involve others in your lies as they will forget quicker than you and the truth shall prevail. This is a perfect example why I name the company Honest Auto Movers and my sailboat on which I live, THE NAKED TRUTH. YES - it was probably very humiliating when I nicely showed the other woman who was accusing me of lying to her that indeed no one ever conflicted what has always been in writing and that she was the only one upset or lying throughout this entire process. Now I already gave back the customer's $150 deposit. I never had her signature on a contract (as usual) but I DO have her signature giving up the car to the driver. I have the ability to re-run her card and win any credit card dispute with that signature. However I will let this go to show all who read this that I always do the right things regardless of others trying to take advantage of me.