U-Box of San Francisco

AWFUL. Don’t go here. Not safe. Needed moving supplies and placed online order. Pulled up and random aggressive guys on street started chasing my truck. Find out they are «looking for work» helping people move. Braved going in where nobody was helpful. Told to go through store and pull my items of which they didn’t have everything I already paid for. Totally sketchy. Go to one off of Market.

DONT USE U-​BOX, they are new at this whole «MOVING» thing and have no customers service. It is like the keystone cops. WHAT A BUNCH OF CLOWNS!!!

Luckily I had already shipped my belongings cross-​country with U-​box before reading the reviews on the SF facility or I might have been scared off. But from start to finish (Connecticut to California) they were as nice as could be. Staffers on both ends gave me their cell phone numbers to call in case of any problems. Delivery was prompt. In addition to the lock on my box that only I had a key for, U-​Box put on an extra seal to show nothing had be tampered with. Since delivery was the day before my month was up I was automatically charged an extra month of storage by the computer and SF staff immediately reversed the charge. Waaaay cheaper than pods and just as easy. With apologies to people who lost their belongings, my experience was so easy and wonderful– I made a new Unilocal account just to recommend it!

WARNING! WARNING! DO NOT USE THIS SERVICE… YOU WILL REGRET IT!
Ok…where do I even begin? I desperately wish I had read some reviews before I decided to use this service. I could go on for days about how horrible every aspect of my experience with UBox has been. Yes, some may think I’m being a little harsh but after hours and hours on the phone with their corporate head quarters filing numerous complaints and several times ending in tears because I was so frustrated… I think it’s finally time to share my experience.
My boyfriend was moving to San Francisco and unfortunately his new company would not help with moving costs. Therefore, we were on a pretty tight budget. After doing a lot of research and considering moving vans, PODS, all types of moving methods, U-​Box happened to be the cheapest way to get all of his furniture and belongings moved across the country. Because Uhaul is such a big company I didn’t even think twice about using them… big mistake!
Everything seemed to go fairly smoothly from the first stages (packing the Ubox, shipping it from Omaha). We were never given an exact date of delivery but was told 7 – 10 business days.
7 days pass, 10 days pass, 12 days pass… and still no one was able to tell us when we would get our Ubox. We were told numerous times that there is no way for them to track where our Ubox was. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The mail service can track a small envelope but you’re telling me that a large nationwide service like Uhaul can’t track this? THAT’S A SERIOUS BUSINESS FLAW! Not only that but our ubox was filled with thousands of dollars of furniture and have no idea where it is or when it’ll arrive. After sleeping on the floor for 2 weeks straight the best answer anyone could tell us is «we’ll call you when it arrives to San Francisco». And still… we never got a call.
My boyfriend happened to make a call and found out that it had been sitting in the San Francisco location for a few days. He was speaking to the receptionist on the phone and trying to set up a delivery date. Unfortunately the receptionist couldn’t schedule it? Said to call the delivery woman and set a time up with her. After numerous phone calls and message to the delivery woman, still several days later no response.
At this point I am thoroughly annoyed and irritated with the poor service, after sleeping on the floor for 2 weeks, and finding out our stuff is in San Francisco, all I want is for it to be delivered! SERIOUS BUSINESS FLAW #2…the only woman that schedules deliveries is the truck driver. Well, lets think about it… she is busy driving a semi and fork lift all day, clearly she won’t be able to answer her phone. My question is what is the receptionist doing?
We were finally told that our box would be delivered sometime Saturday, and they would call us back by Friday to set up a time. Friday evening rolls around and still no call to set up a time. I work Saturday and couldn’t just sit around all day waiting for it to show up. At this point I called the San Francisco location and was told that no they would not be delivering it Friday because they are closed on the weekends? WHAT?
As my frustration starts to boil I decide I’ve had enough and am calling to file a formal complaint. After being on the phone for over an hour and a half and being transfered over 10 times no one in the company had any idea who to have me talk to. I now had been on the phone for 1 ½ plus 20 minutes on hold (while I was at work) that I eventually had to hang up.
After work I called again and finally spoke to a very nice woman at their corporate location. She was the only person in my entire experience who generally cared about servicing the customer. She herself wrote 2 emails, left several messages for the VP of the San Francisco location to personally call me back to resolve the issue. Her exact words…“He WILL call you” by such and such time. Of course… no call. Thankfully this woman gave me her direct phone number as she tried very hard to help resolve this issue. At this point, she is also thoroughly annoyed with the San Francisco Ubox location.
I call the location again and am told they are closed on the weekends, it will be delivered sometime next week. But, they only deliver between 8 am — 5 pm… of course while both my boyfriend and I are at work. I’m so furious I was told it would came Saturday, now I’m being told next week. The corporate customer service woman tells me to call the location while she is on the other line. I call, their answering machine says they are closed. The woman says thats a lie, they are open, and she herself is able to reach someone to set up a delivery time for Saturday. THANK THE LORD OUR STUFF ARRIVED SATURDAY MORNING IN ONE PIECE! After several formal complaints I was told our $ 50 delivery fee would be refunded… which never happened. Worst customer service I have EVER received… complaint will be filled with The Better Business Bureau!

WARNING: DO NOT USE U-​BOX OF SF!!!
They are an utter rip off. My box has sat at their Bryant St location for now 2.5 weeks and I have not received ONE phone call from any one about drop off scheduling etc. I have left MANY voicemails none of which have ever been returned. After reading several blog postings about other people’s experiences with this particular store and their stuff being stolen I am seriously concerned that after 14 days of waiting patiently (sleeping on the floor or couch and living out of a suit case) that most my belongings are probably gone.
At this point I have called the nation customer service line and even they had trouble contacting anyone from this location. They have left messages with the branch manager and I have been told to wait to hear a call back (like I haven’t heard that before) and if I don’t then try and call ANOTHER number to which I can only assume is someone higher up on the UBox food chain. Regardless, I’m now personally resolved to find a solution to this problem and bring GREAT AMOUNTS OF ATTENTION TO THE LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE received by this place. I’m going to go there personally and demand to see my POD and inspect and if find it to be in an unacceptable condition I am prepared to take LEGAL ACTION.
So I warn you again: DO NOT UTILIZE THIS PARTICULAR UBOX LOCATION UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

Seems like a one-​woman operation. When I requested the uBox, she couldn’t guarantee my delivery date, but she did make an extra effort to get the box there sooner than she promised. For that, she earned one star. The box served its purpose — to hold furnishings during a remodel at a price much lower than PODS. For that it earned another star. Unfortunately, now that the remodel is over and we’ve moved back in, I seem to be stuck with the Box. I’ve left four messages since Monday morning to come pick up the uBox, and its now Thursday and I have yet to receive even a call back. I’m not asking for immediate removal, just to know when she will come and I’ve been unable to get a live person on the phone or a return call. I contacted corporate and so we shall see how much longer the box stays on site. …

U-​Box has many branches throughout the U.S. but the quality and level of service is not consistent. I previously had an incredibly good experience with U-​Box of Fremont, which was extremely reliable; all of my phone calls were returned promptly, the manager was courteous and helpful, her schedule was flexible and open, and all deliveries and pick ups were made on schedule. When I moved back to San Francisco from overseas, my box was transferred to the U-​Box of San Francisco as per company policy as each U-​Box branch delivers exclusively within their own service area. U-​Box of San Francisco is probably one of the most frustratingly unreliable businesses I have ever had the displeasure to deal with.
When I first called U-​Box SF, my box or my name wasn’t in their computer system. I called U-​Box of Fremont and they were shocked by this and politely called the San Francisco branch to rectify.
Two days later, I received a call from the woman who processes deliveries, and she agreed to deliver the box before lunch time. She was polite, courteous, professional, and did a good job placing my box on a difficult, inclined part of the side walk while avoiding traffic on a busy street. For this, the company deserves one star.
The company completely disappeared after their first delivery; it was like I didn’t exist. I simply wanted to schedule a pick up date and time, and I would be flexible if it took a few days but wanted to know for certain when to expect pick up so I could leave it unlocked the same morning as I no longer needed it. Living in an area with a lot of homeless people and vandalism, I had no choice but to lock it each evening.
I called and e-​mailed to schedule a pick up on Wednesday but they weren’t answered. I called on Thursday morning, and again, my phone call was not returned; and again on Friday morning and afternoon, same thing. On Monday, their voicemail was full so no messages could be left. On Tuesday, no one answered the phone and I was sent to voicemail again. By this day, the box was defaced by vandals, rained on, and its lock was bent. Vagrants threw garbage on the roof, and day by day, it collected more graffiti, and further attempts were made to bust the lock.
The lack of any communication with the company to schedule a firm pick up date interfered with my goal of building a positive initial rapport with my landord because I couldn’t promise him a day when my box would be picked up. He became increasingly displeased and frustrated, he considered the possibility that I was dropping the ball (he hardly knew me and companies are rarely this unreliable so you can’t blame him), and he was considering other options for its removal at my expense.
By day 6, I sent out three e-​mails, one to each person working in the U-​Box office. It was finally picked up some time in the afternoon but without a phone call or e-​mail beforehand. This is a very frustrating company because once you’re in their system, they will ignore you whenever they like because you’re at their whim. They will eventually act when they feel like it but without any communication with you.

I am so happy I found this because our original plan of pulling trailer failed so we needed a backup plan immediately. Contacted uhaul and directed me to U-​box. They were able to help me out by dropping off the ubox the very next day. In fact I talked to the young lady delivering the U-​box and she was able to make a special deliver first thing in the morning. She was on time delivering it the next day. The answering service was really helpful. They are also way cheaper then PODS. I highly recommend this.

Terrible service. I was supposed to get a box from the Redwood City U-​box and did not receive them. They did not have a working phone number. After calling the U-​hall 800 number, I was transferred back and forth a bunch of times and never got the issue resolved. I insisted on cancelling my order without a charge. They ended up leaving a message for the home office in Austin, they didn’t transfer me there or give me number, I just had to wait for them to call and confirm the cancellation. I would just call Pods even though they are a little pricier. Hopefully I will have a better review to write for them.

Pods have poor construction, customer service is slow, and pod was 5 hours late (had movers to help me but since it was late couldn’t use them)! Suggest finding a new pod place like door2door.