The UPS Store Committed to Shipping Your Precious Packages
(Pictured Above: Certified Packing Expert, Amy-Ruth Hallett, and Estate Agent, Nathan Sapp, initiate the proper packing sequence of glass-framed artwork with the application of glass-mask used reduce the potential of glass cracks/breakage during transport.)
By Rebecca Holder
The UPS Store™ and Print Shop on Knollwood Street in Winston-Salem wouldn’t be the first place to come to mind for offering a wide variety of senior-centric services, but such is the case. When Amy-Ruth Hallett acquired The UPS Store™ in February 2013, she immediately began enhancing and expanding services. Hallett credits development of the Estate Services business to “our full-service customer mindset.”
Certified Packing Expert, Walker Houchins, demonstrates to UPS Driver, Nick Pyrtle, the initial steps to safely package this high-value, heirloom 1965 Guild Starfire Guitar by loosing the strings to reduce pressure on the neck of the guitar while in transport. Trophy via freight logistics.
“I tell staff to treat what we handle as if it was theirs – like it was their family,” says Hallett. What they handle is everything from original artwork to family heirlooms to sensitive documents to the occasional 12-foot oar. Estate Services offers packing and shipping services as well as notary services, pick up service, freight, storage, and shredding. The store carries cards, office and packing supplies, and provides printing services, fax, and mailboxes.
“If someone is downsizing or settling an estate, they can come to us and we’re able to address most of their needs,” notes Hallett. “Whether it’s building a crate to ship a piece of furniture or arranging for other pieces to be in secure, climate controlled storage—we’re a one-stop option. All services can be paid via credit card and most services qualify for AARP discounts.”
However, the real value of Estate Services, aside from the convenience, is the peace of mind it
Certified Packing Experts, Chelsea Hollifield and Walker Houchins, begin the process for custom crate building to securely transport the Deerhead Hunting Trophy via freight logistics.
offers customers. All of the staff who enter the home are Certified Packing Experts. Whether at home or at The UPS Store™, Hallett encourages customers to watch and ask questions, “I want them to see the process and feel good about how things are handled,” says Hallett. “For example, when an estate item is shipped to an elderly person, we check first to find out if there are any issues we can prevent from this end, such as restrictions on number of boxes deliverable to the recipient’s address or health issues preventing them from lifting heavy objects. Having this kind of information allows us to make adjustments before shipping by determining the best size, weight, or number of boxes, and the most cost effective shipping method— a benefit to sender and receiver.” They also make contact after delivery to ensure that everything arrived safely and as planned.
Chelsea Hollifield, The UPS Store Manager, assists Estate Agent, Nathan Sapp, with the safe, secure Iron Mountain Shredding services available for all your legal and personal documents.
The UPS Store™ has a Pack & Ship Guarantee and offers insurance up to $50,000 on items. However, people will often spend more on packing and shipping than the item is worth monetarily. “It’s the emotional and sentimental value that is so important,” observes Hallett. She and her staff understand being entrusted with fragile heirlooms that warrant the highest customer service. That understanding and attitude are what lead Hallett and Nathan Sapp, whose company Chatmon-Sapp, Inc. provides estate settlement services, to forge a strong working relationship. “We work with attorneys, bank trust departments, and the executors themselves in what can be some very complicated and drawn-out estate settlements with the involved parties scattered anywhere and everywhere,” explains Sapp. “Having someone who understands this and whose work helps us maintain our reputation for trusted, quality service is important. It works well for both of us.”
For more information on the UPS Store, go to http://winstonsalem-nc-4367.theupsstorelocal.com/.
