B & T,
My sympathies go out to you. No, there is no such thing as a reliable courier company...we too had Segway's stuck in customs / logistics limbo. All three where Christmas presents, arrived in Dubai in time for Christmas delivery.
All three arrived here on the 19th for delivery to our offices on the 21st, giving the courier company 1.5 days to clear them. On the 21st we get an e-mail (not even a phone call but that could be because they are afraid of me
telling us they were very busy and would deliver our boxes on the 22nd at 9:00 AM. At 9:15 we call them and they tell us they will deliver them at 11:00 AM. At 11:15 (can you tell I like punctuality) we call them and they tell us they are having a problem clearing customs (something they told us had been done the day before) but would deliver them between 2 and 3. At 3 we call to find out that they didn't clear customs in time (remember that Thursday is the government "Saturday" so customs only works 1/2 day if items are not declared as RUSH) but that they would deliver them on Saturday (the 24th) at 9:00 AM.
Well, Saturday is an off day (the corporate (private sector) "Saturday") but we agreed to work. Guess what, at 9:05 (patience was running thin) nothing, 11:00 AM, nothing, 3:00 PM nothing, 6:00 PM nothing, 9:00 PM, still nothing.
So, when did the units get delivered.....11:45 Christmas day, and there I was accepting delivery and then turning them around to the clients! Of course, we not only gave them a discount but we also loaned them units to put under the tree and to use until their's got here!
So, a BIG HUG out to you and great thanks to our clients who were so understanding and accepting of this gigantic fiasco.
Steven
--- EAMUS CATULI! ---
No person is truly useless. They may always serve as a bad example!