I ordered some stuff from B&H in NYC last Sunday. The expected arrival day was 8 days later, on the week after, Monday. Since I order stuff from B&H all the time, and it usually takes 3 business days unless there is a holiday (Jewish or otherwise) involved, this seemed to be quite slow.
So I began tracking the order, asking for automated updates for any and all reasons.
I think I found out why the shipment is so slow. It is going thru DHL to the USPS service – usually B&H routes thru Fedex or UPS. Note to self: avoid DHL if you are in a hurry.
Nevertheless, an update promised early delivery today by 8PM. Hooray!
Then I saw the package had arrived on the wrong side of Lake Michigan, and since there is no ferry across near there, was puzzled why. There’s no way it could be delivered to me today as promised unless they chartered a private plane or boat.
Today I got an email with an “Exception” label. It said “MISSENT.”
Next to the data stream was an entry box that said, “ASK” and “Type your question here.” Below is the dialogue that resulted. Each answer was nearly instantaneous, a clue that it wasn’t a human typing.DHL SM Parcel Plus Expedited
ME: What does “missent” mean, and how will it affect delivery?
[indent]DHL: Missent just means your shipment is taking the scenic route getting to you. 
In other words, something went wrong but nothing to worry about, we’re correcting it. It may just take a little longer to get there. If after three days it’s still not there, you should contact the merchant.
What other questions do you have?
ME: So you routed it to the wrong location? In spite of a correct address and ZIP? How can we avoid this in the future?
DHL: Sorry, I’m still learning and didn’t understand what you said. Would you try again, only say it a little differently?
ME: You are a computer, not a human, right? Can you pass the Turing Test?
DHL: Gee, thanks! I try my best.[/indent]