What Is White Glove Delivery? A Complete Guide

There is a difference between having something delivered and knowing the right team will handle it well. That’s the confidence white glove delivery should give you: knowing the job will get done, and done right, without you having to oversee every detail along the way.

For busy interior design firms, freight, receiving, inspections, storage, and delivery are essential to the final result. However, they shouldn’t require your constant oversight. That’s where a true white glove partner comes in.

What Does White Glove Really Mean?

You see the term white glove delivery throughout search results and service listings, but what does it actually offer an interior designer beyond traditional storage and delivery?

However, companies use the term broadly, and what it includes can vary considerably. For McCorquodale Transfer, it means becoming part of the designer’s workflow and managing the lifecycle of a piece, from its arrival at the receiving warehouse through final placement in the home.

Receiving, inspection, inventory, storage, delivery and installation work within one coordinated system. As a result, you get what white glove service should be: less to think about, fewer details to chase and an installation that comes together as intended.

White Glove Delivery vs. Standard Furniture Delivery

Standard furniture delivery focuses primarily on getting an item to an address and confirming receipt, often leaving assembly, placement, and cleanup to the recipient. White glove delivery, on the other hand, considers the entire experience, from arrival to final placement.

For example, that may mean planning for stairs, elevators, and restricted access. It can also mean protecting finished surfaces, accommodating oversized or delicate pieces, and managing assembly, placement, and debris removal.

For an interior designer, delivery is one of the final stages of a much larger project. Because of that, it deserves the same level of care and consideration as everything that came before it.

What Does White Glove Delivery Include?

From receiving a single piece to coordinating an entire home installation, customers can expect:

• Receiving and inspection: We receive furnishings from vendors, manufacturers and workrooms, then inspect and document each piece upon arrival.
• Secure storage and inventory management: We catalog, organize and store each piece until the project is ready.
• Project coordination: We plan deliveries and installations around project schedules, site requirements and designer specifications.
• Specialized transportation: We transport fine furnishings, artwork, antiques and one-of-a-kind pieces with appropriate care.
• Unpacking, assembly and placement: Our team unpacks each piece, assembles it as needed and places it according to the designer’s plans.
• Debris removal: We remove all packing materials, leaving the space ready for the designer’s final layer.

In addition, when our white glove delivery and installation team enters your or your client’s home, they also represent your design firm.

Professionalism, discretion, and respect for the residence matter just as much as careful handling. The experience your client receives during installation should feel consistent with the standard you have established throughout the project.

For this reason, McCorquodale teams take that responsibility seriously, working alongside designers in a way that protects both the project and the client experience.

Choosing a White Glove Delivery Partner

Not every company offering white glove delivery provides the same level of service.

For interior designers, look beyond transportation. Consider experience with fine furnishings, artwork and antiques; receiving and inspection capabilities; secure storage; inventory management; clear communication; and a team experienced in complex residential installations.

Most importantly, look for a partner you trust. The true value of white glove delivery isn’t simply knowing a team is handling your furnishings with care. It’s knowing they’re handling the details, too.

Interested in learning more about our white glove delivery for interior designers? Contact our team to request more information.

Expect Exceptional™