Rogers came highly recommended by local neighbors and friends, most characterizing Rogers as…read moreexpensive but worth it. Well, they were definitely expensive. My estimate came in at $6-7k; my final bill was well over $11k.
The important part for potential customers is how this happened. When the Rogers estimator came for the on-site visit, we walked through every part of my house while the estimator and I both took notes. The estimator assured me along the way that Rogers could easily handle packing and moving the large house and particular items of concern.
The email I received from the estimator afterward reads "...we would complete the packing we discussed. This includes W, X, Y, and Z. Estimate shows you completing packing for A, B, C and D." This matches the notes I took during our conversation. Based firmly on that conversation, I understood "the packing we discussed... including W-Z" to mean the estimator was highlighting items I was concerned about, and that Rogers would plan to pack everything that wasn't expressly assigned to me within the quoted price.
The language in the contract that arrived later, however, doesn't match the email. It says "...crew will pack W, X, Y, and Z; all other packing will be completed by customer." I was confused, then panicked because it was far too late for me to di so much more than expected so close to move dates. The Rogers estimator did a textbook bait and switch - one that nearly doubled the quoted price. Whether dishonest or incompetent, Rogers is demonstrably untrustworthy.
There's also a stunning lack of professionalism. The estimator turns out to be a manager as well and the day before my move, this manager had a multi-minute unhinged scream-fest at me on the phone. Nothing justifies that. However many times employees of Rogers repeat that they know how stressful moving is, this verbal assault and the compassionless mechanics of their process make it completely hollow. Moving is stressful. For the people moving, it also has unique circumstances every single time. My realtor, fully aware and part of these complications, told me repeatedly that homeowners often change move-out dates and that Rogers would be understanding. Rogers, however, was indifferent to my situation and the many constraints I was forced to manage and the stress I was under as a result. I didn't find them to be understanding or patient or helpful.
Then there's the Rogers business model. Unlike any of the several professional movers I've worked with previously, Rogers closes over the weekend. My three-day move was split by a weekend, and as a result Rogers charged me for three nights of storage, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If they were customer oriented, and because closing is their own choice, they would only charge for the one business night.
This arrangement also meant I slept on the floor for three nights in an empty house. I've never had a professional moving company take my bed before the last night in the house, even for multi-day moves. I raised this with Rogers representatives who were, again, entirely indifferent. They seem so focused on their own business and profit margins that they can't consider any impact on the human beings who hire them.
Another real inconsideration of the customer is the complete waste of time and money of having one packing crew member spend about an hour walking through the house asking what to pack and what to leave. The exercise was useless because the crew didn't follow many of the requests. They took several things I asked them to leave, including cleaning supplies that I needed and reminded them about repeatedly, and left a lot of items that could have gone. Amazingly, they also took carriers for pets that stayed behind with me.
Nonetheless, the crew members were friendly, helpful to me as I worked alongside them, and seemed generally well trained in their work. Unfortunately, as the day wore on, they took only short breaks and most of them skipped lunch. I was home alone, giving directions and answering questions on my own, and working all day to help get everything packed. It wasn't feasible for me to go buy them lunch. With Rogers charging $460 an hour for labor, it wasn't reasonable either.
Unsurprisingly, the crew became hungry and cranky, and this hampered their ability to do quality work. If Rogers were a decent employer, they would build meal breaks into the schedule - without charging their customers or expecting them to provide meals - to ensure their moving crews were working to the best of their ability throughout the job.
There's so much more wrong with this experience; I'll finish with something that tells you a lot about Rogers. While they say proudly and often that the customer is only charged for what's actually used, they left piles of unused paper, tape, and boxes. Remembering that Rogers re-sells boxes, I called and learned that they gladly take them, but offer not a single cent back. Rogers is only about their profit.