I always explained to homeowners that we....(..the freight company.)...were exactly the same as UPS, or FedEx.....except we did the bigger things that UPS,DHL, and FedEx didn't handle. Most people could understand package and parcel delivery,...so it became an easy analogy for them to comprehend.
UPS was going to toss the package on your porch,....I was going to place it in your garage.......
That being said.....I was on many "kid-glove" service deliveries ABF had contracted. As steward, I felt that since each delivery of that type had it's own unique...."problems".....we, as Union people,....had the right to accept and determine the parameters of each delivery,...as far as safety of the employees went.....
Never had a problem with ABF questioning our judgement,....even when it meant a re-delivery with added costs.....(...or a refused delivery because of conditions..).....
We had a delivery one time,...in a fancy plan of homes, that required two men to hand-carry an elliptical into the home, assemble it, and place it at the customer's choice of spot.
Me and another guy showed up in two trucks,.....and were greeted at the door by the homeowner,..who said :"No Shoes! I just got new hardwood floors installed!"
We said: "No delivery!".....but there was a drapery installer on site who said we could use his floor tarps that were already on the floor. O.K. with the homeowner? Sure?.....
We carried in the various pieces of the elliptical......along with the detailed delivery and assembly instructions ABF had provided,...along with hand tools the TM had purchased the day before.....
........and us two "brain surgeon/engineers" started ......putting it together.........slowly............
Two hours,......and two polite,...but increasingly frantic calls from the TM on our progress,.......later,......we had the elliptical assembled.......
But the homeowner insisted we plug it in and turn it on.......Sure,...we can do that.......
BOOM!...........the circuit breaker for that side of the house in a new construction blew out..........TV, computer,......all dark......
Turns out that the amps being drawn by the elliptical motor pretty much required a dedicated line........
At that point,....the TM had to come to the site,.......and get on a conference call with the manufacturer, homeowner, and his boss.....
Later on,.....he told me that the charge for two of us to ....be there and assemble the elliptical,......was almost double the cost of the machine itself......But she wrote the check out......
We went on many...."assembly" deliveries........treadmills, chiropractic beds, sunglass displays.......and the cost was never an issue with the customers........The "professionalism" of the delivering crew was ....paramount....to the customers...Cost be damned.....
I'm sure there are many homeowners who only care about the....cheapest cost to get their "free shipping" item in the house......
....But after a delivery by Larry, Daryll, and Daryll,.......or worse,....Moe, Larry, and Curly.........I think many homeowners might want to pay a few dollars more.......for a more...."quality"....delivery team....
And.......Company reputation will be.....everything....