For interior designers, the right white glove delivery partner becomes an extension of the firm. You trust them with your furnishings, your clients welcome them into their homes, and they help bring months of planning together on installation day.
That’s why choosing a logistics partner is about much more than who can move furniture from one place to another. Ideally, the right team gives you greater visibility, anticipates what comes next, and makes the logistics side of a project easier to manage.
After more than 30 years of working alongside the design community, here are five things we believe interior designers should look for in a logistics partner.
1. Full-Service Receiving and Inspection
A receiving partner should go beyond simply signing for a delivery. Once an item arrives at the warehouse, their team should carefully open and inspect it, document its condition, and promptly report any visible damage, manufacturer defects, or discrepancies to the designer.
When evaluating a receiving partner, make sure they have a clear process in place. Important questions to ask include:
- Do you inspect each piece upon receipt?
- Do you document its condition?
- How do you report damages or discrepancies?
- How quickly will you notify my team?
Ultimately, a thorough receiving and inspection process gives your team time to address issues before they become installation-day surprises.
2. Inventory You Can Actually Keep Track Of
With furnishings arriving from multiple vendors over weeks or months, keeping track of every piece can quickly become complicated. Your logistics partner should offer a digital inventory system that gives your team visibility into projects and furnishings without having to call or email the warehouse for updates.
Look for a system that allows you to easily:
- See which pieces have arrived
- View individual pieces and their condition
- Access photos and receiving documentation
- Track items by project or client
- Review damages or discrepancies
- See what is in storage and ready for installation
As a result, your team gets a clearer picture of where every project stands, and important information stays accessible when you need it.
3. Storage Designed for Fine Furnishings
In many cases, furnishings remain in storage for months while a project comes together. Ask how the team protects, organizes, and tracks each piece, who has access to the facility, and how they handle delicate or high-value items.
Your receiving warehouse should function as an extension of your design operation, not simply a place where furniture waits.
4. Planning That Happens Before Installation Day
Installation day isn’t the time to start asking questions. Your logistics partner should connect with you in advance to understand the project, confirm expectations, and identify any details that could impact the installation.
Before the truck leaves the warehouse, they should be asking about:
- Access to the residence, including elevators, stairs, and entry requirements
- Installation sequence and placement expectations
- Oversized or heavy pieces that may require additional planning
- Furniture assembly and rug placement
- Fine art or specialty pieces
- Protection requirements for floors, walls, and finished surfaces
As a result, the delivery team can arrive prepared with the right crew, equipment, materials, and plan for the day. In short, the more that’s addressed ahead of time, the less your team has to troubleshoot during the installation.
5. White Glove Delivery Teams That Understand Designer-Led Installations
There is a difference between delivering furniture and working alongside an interior designer.
For example, pieces may need to be assembled, repositioned, or moved as the room comes together. A white glove installation team should be prepared to follow the designer’s direction, make adjustments, protect the home, and work professionally around clients and other trades.
Above all, they should understand that while they’re in your client’s home, they’re representing your firm, too.
How McCorquodale Transfer Supports Designers
At McCorquodale Transfer, these standards have shaped the way we’ve worked alongside the design community for more than 30 years.
We manage receiving and inspections, secure storage, inventory management, moving, designer delivery, furniture assembly, and white glove installations, and help designers manage logistics from procurement to the finished space.
With locations serving Palm Beach, Charleston, Wilmington, Houston, Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery, and Jackson, our teams support designers locally while coordinating projects and deliveries nationwide.
Our goal is simple: to manage the details behind the scenes so you can stay focused on the design, your client, and the finished space.
Looking for a white glove delivery partner for your next project? Contact our team to learn how we can support your firm.
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