EP 5: "Behind the Warehouse Doors", a Conversation with Alivia (Caudelle's White Glove Gatekeeper)

In this special episode of "On the Move: The Art of Interior Installations", we hand the mic to our very own Alivia, receiving manager at Caudelle Interior Installations. Known for her sharp eye, unshakable organization, and ability to wrangle even the trickiest deliveries, Alivia brings a fresh perspective to the podcast. 

She and Kelly share stories from the receiving floor, deep dive into antiques vs vintage, and why attention to detail is the ultimate "white glove" skill. 

Thank you for tuning in to On the Move – The Art of Installation. If you’re as passionate about details as we are, hit “subscribe,” and join us for insights, stories, and strategy from the field. If you’re ready to work with a team that moves with purpose, professionalism, and polish. Reach out to us at www.caudelle.com or follow us on, Instagram @caudelle_installation. Check out our BLOG, The “WHITE GLOVE JOURNAL”, where you can find our show notes and updates.

Transcript

KELLY: Welcome back to On The Move, the Art of Interior Installations, the podcast where we take you behind the scenes of high-end design logistics. I'm your host, Kelly CAUDELLE, and today we're diving into one of the most overlooked but most critical parts of our world, which is receiving procedures.

Because if it doesn't arrive right, it doesn't install right. Period. Since our other host Care Lee is off teaching courses. This episode I have with me today, someone who quite literally sees it all come through the door or receiving manager Alivia. She's the master of unboxing inspector in chief and knows which designer shipments are bringing champagne and which are bringing headaches.

Alivia, welcome. 

ALIVIA: Thanks, Kelly. You're right. Receiving is the foundation of every successful install, and we're the first [00:01:00] line of defense. Our job is to catch damages, confirm quantities, and make sure hardware and custom details don't go missing, the worst sentence you wanna hear during install is where's the hardware for this bed?

KELLY: Or my favorite. Oh, that antique dresser. It's actually just an antique finish, which for the record is a designer way of saying, don't panic. It's brand new, but made to look like it's survived the French Revolution. So let's talk about real life dilemmas. What actually happens when a piece shows up, chipped missing hardware, or the crate looks like it's been through a demolition derby.

ALIVIA: That's when problem solving and receiving procedures kick in. We document obvious freight damages. 

KELLY: Okay, let me stop you there. So what actually happens when. You receive something damaged 

ALIVIA: From there, we open and inspect each piece and photograph any damages or areas of concern. Photos are sent directly to the designer the same day, so the claim process can begin as soon as [00:02:00] possible.

We separate these damaged items out, repackage them, and await instructions from the vendors on next steps. Sometimes we have to make temporary repairs or use touch up markers depending on the install date. There are times we have to deliver a not quite perfect piece to stay on schedule and wait for the replacement to arrive.

Once we get the new piece, we can redeliver and replace the original. We may have to jump through a hoop or two, but there's always a solution 

KELLY: And that's why receiving manager is worth their weight in gold because the difference between a disaster and a solved problem is whether or not someone's paying attention when the product is open and inspected. What's the difference between antique and an antique finish?

ALIVIA: An antique is a hundred plus years old. It shows authentic age wear and tear, and offers authentic surprises when you have to move it. An antique finish is a modern piece that is made to look aged, usually shows distressing patina and faux detailing. [00:03:00] The look is there, but the value is different.

Installers know the difference, but you still treat a $30,000 Louie the 16th commode the same way you treat a newly distressed showroom piece. 

KELLY: Okay, so let's clarify the difference between vintage versus antique. 

ALIVIA: Antique means over a hundred years old. Vintage means at least 20 years old. Think mid-century chairs eighties lighting.

Basically peace is old enough to be cool, but not quite museum level age yet. 

KELLY: Well, when someone says vintage to me, I think. I don't know Frank Lloyd Wright or could actually be your Aunt Linda's sofa from 1993. Either way, it's older than last year's showroom order. But seriously, you have to treat everything the same.

I have friends ask me all the time, Hey, what's it like handling such expensive stuff all the time? And I try to tell 'em you really have to treat everything different. I use art as an example of that. Let's say we're installing a dolly or we're installing a piece from home goods in a model, it [00:04:00] doesn't really matter.

You have to. Take care of each piece, like it's worth the other's amount of money. If you start worrying about how much a piece costs, you're worrying about what's in your hands. You don't pay attention. You trip on carpet, you bump into a piece of furniture. Next thing you know, you've dropped it. But if you treat both pieces the same everything gets treated the same.

You don't have to worry about any mistakes happening. To wrap up this episode. Receiving is where it all begins. Get it right and the project flows. Get it wrong. Suddenly you're the reason a designer is crying into their fabric swatches. Alivia, thank you for explaining our world of receiving and to listeners.

Remember, white glove service doesn't start on the install day. It starts the minute a truck backs up to our dock. Until next time, this is Kelly CAUDELLE with On the Move, the Art of Interior Installations. And remember. No inspection.