Two Fridays ago (22nd November) I ordered 250 business cards from a print company, and as I needed the cards in time for a meeting on 28th, I paid for 2 business day express delivery.

Following the ordere tracking, on 25th the cards were successfully dispatched from Amsterdam, and were flown via Gemany to Stansted, after which they were forwarded to one of their depots in London.

So far, so good. On 26th, the day they were due to be delivered,waited at home (which doubles for my office). 2pm no cards. SO, I left a note on my door to leave with my next door neighbour as I had to go to a meeting. Just before 8pm, got home, no cards, and their tracking system informed me that the package was 'left behind' at the depot. That night, I rang up, they were apologetic, and I gave clear instructiuns that the package must be left with my neighbour or on my doorstep.

That evening - no package. A rang again requesting that the cards be delivered to my address no later than 5am as I had to leave at 6am the next day to go to the event I needed the cards for.

Got home that evening, surprise, surprise, no package.

Friday, I had to go to a meeting in Southampton. I stayed home as long as I could, nearly missing the train, got home, no package, but I got a slip through my letter box saying that I failed to be at home when they delivered.

On Monday (yesterday), I rescheduled my work for that day. Throughout the day I rang UPS several times, each time they assured me that tyhe package was on its way, and the customer service operator informed me that the depot would ring 'within the hour', of course no calls. The hours ticked by, after 7:30 I rangat again and got through to another person who informed me that as I was not at home on the Friday, I had to request redelivery for the next suggested that as the late delivery was their fault, they should hire a delivery company to deliver my package, but they said that this would not be passibleat short notice.

So, it is now the 'next day' I have been stuck at home waiting for the package to arrive. I rang customer swervices who infomraed me that it will arrive no later than 5pm UK time. There are 30 minutes to go.

As you all might guess, I am a bit disgruntled. As well as the costs of the cards, the delivery (which the printers refunded) there is the cost of three days (so far) of my timewhich comes to hundreds of pounds.

I am considering making a complaint and seeking compensation - loss of my time, loss of potential new business through not having the cards when I needed them, etc. Unfortunately, UPS are not signed up to any delivery compnay regulatora in the UK.

I have also found out that it is pretty straightforward to edit the Wikipedia entry on UPS and I am seriously thinking of adding a paragraph about their lack of reliability and recommending that anyone should think twice before engaging with any supplier that uses UPS as their dispatch company,