I am extremely disappointed and frustrated with my experience with R&L Carriers. As a small business owner who has invested my savings into my company, I was excited to ship my first out-of-state product to a customer. I chose R&L Carriers, believing them to be a reputable and well-known freight company. The pickup process went smoothly. I helped the driver load my package and I even tipped the driver $20 for their service. My product was carefully packed and palletized, featuring neon stickers that indicated it was a high-claim item and should not be punctured.
Unfortunately, my excitement quickly turned to despair when I received a call from my client, who informed me that the package and product had arrived severely damaged. To make matters worse, the driver suggested that my client accept the delivery and request a discount from me due to the damage. I was appalled by this unprofessional approach to handling such a situation.
Upon seeing photos of the damaged product, I was devastated. The package had been strapped to the back wall of the truck, and the driver refused to unstrap it so my client could see the other side, which was likely even more damaged. I have filed a claim, but the process may take up to 120 days.
As a small business owner with limited inventory and resources, this experience has been a major setback. Not only do I now have less inventory, but I also have to ship a new product to my client and cover the additional shipping costs. To add insult to injury, R&L Carriers added a $339.87 "limited access charge" to my final bill, despite having already paid for liftgate and residential pickup fees.
This careless shipping experience with R&L Carriers has significantly impacted my business and my finances. It is disheartening that a company that claims to specialize in shipping could be so negligent with their customers' valuable products. I sincerely hope that my claim will be resolved and that R&L Carriers will be held accountable for their actions. If I could give them a zero-star rating, I would. Shame on you, R&L Carriers, for causing such distress and financial strain on a small business owner who trusted you with their livelihood.