“Sterdts. Disappointing service experience.
I'm extremely disappointed with the service I received from Sterdts, a company I trusted to ship my household goods overseas. Despite rave reviews, my experience was marred by poor communication, extra costs and eventual unfulfilled delivery service ( Ras group Ireland).
After 11 months of waiting, I was told that they couldn't fill the original 40ft container and I had the option to wait an unspecified time until it was filled ( paying extra storage insurance ) or change to a smaller 20ft container shared with 5 other waiting clients, in the same boat as it were.
My additional charge for this shared option was R14.000 for my 4cbm. 50% more . My original shipment was also a shared container, the size was determined by Sterdts.
The promised delivery services were not provided. We had to help carry the goods into the house. The packaging was not removed as agreed upon, and contents checked. This oversight could lead to issues when claiming insurance for damaged or lost items. In my case 2 whole boxes were missing, and I later discovered they were never shipped.
Evasive and obfuscatory email communication was stressful. Their conveyed vague accounting system was challenging.
A small refund was offered for my missing boxes, as an apology for their bad service that did not correlate with the glowing reviews, and advertised assurances of unparalleled service delivery.
To avoid similar experiences I recommend;
Don't rely solely on reviews. ( I can corroborate this review with another Sterdts client using the same container)
Insist that an agent visits your premises for an accurate quote. A thumb suck quote from a WhatsApp video or photos is not recommended.
Don't accept that a volume will only be accurate when goods are packed.
Verify every items dimensions .Create your own inventory list with photos.
All boxes are numbered. Make your own list of the contents of each box. The packers descriptions are inaccurate.
If shared, ask for original container size. Ask how long it will take to fill it and request a reasonable delivery timeframe.
Validate who the delivery company is on the other side, and that they comply with your contract.
Insist on a detailed breakdown of all charges. In writing.
Question any vague additional charges.
Ask relevant questions if you are not sure about something.
Get comparable quotes for your specific goods, timeously, giving
you time to make a good and informed decision.”
