Company Response Review Report Review
All is not well that ends well

Tom Becherer Submitted this review about Specialty Mobile Systems
Review made Live: 6/28/2005 8:32:00 PM
I contacted Specialty because of all the good reviews. The price was fair and the communication was good. They soon contracted with a shipper who neither the past owner or I were informed of. The past owner (PO) was surprised to hear from the driver----instead of the promised 24 hour notice, the driver wanted to pick the car up in 3 hours. Being a travelling businessman the PO agreed to rush from his current location back to his home where the car was located. But in the mean time the driver called again saying his truck had been debillitated, by an accident, and the driver cancelled the job. Specialty apologized about he faulty communications and in a few days found another carrier. They informed me of the carrier and gave me the cell phone number of the driver (apparently not the usual practice). Wishing to keep the PO as well informed as possible I passed on the cell phone number. Both the PO and I called the driver that morning which irritaded the driver. The next thing I learned from Specialty was that the driver cancelled due to intollerance of the teatment he had experinced from the PO. I called the PO and left a message saying the deal had been queered. But no! The next morning the PO called me and the car had been picked up. So I began trying to call the driver. He called me later the following day (the only time he was civil) and said he would be calling me the following evening to establish a 3 hour window during which the car would be delivered. The call never came but I took the next day off anyway. After about 10:00 I started calling the driver's cell. From then till 2:00 I called probably 4 times. Once to say that I would would be out doing errands and for him to call on my cell. Finally my cell rang----it was the driver. He curtly and repeatedly informed me that if I tryed to call him again that mine would be the last car he would deliver (of 11). The car was delivered the next day (luckily on the back end of the truck). The driver and I exchanged angry glares but kept our mouths shut.

Here is the upshot:
Be aware Specialty (a broker) has limited control over the transporters they contract with.
The transporters can only profit well when they can put together a contiguous route.
If you are anxious about the car you want transported get a case of good whiskey and settle in for the experience.

I do not think Specialty is a disreputable firm, I just think the overall business model one frought with potential pitfalls.
Shipment Details
Origin State:
Georgia
Pickup:
Not Provided
Destination State:
Illinois
Delivery:
Not Provided
Customer Service
Honesty:
Knowlegeable:
Promptness:
Customer Service:
Review Details
Quote or Order Id:
0505160021
Quote or Order Cost:
$550

Company Response
Amy from Specialty Mobile Systems Submitted this response.
Response Date: 6/28/2005 8:32:00 PM
To our future customers: We apologize for the difficulties this customer encountered during the move of his vehicle. Even though the experience was not a pleasant one, I am happy that he has shared his perspective. I want to review the entire transport to understand all the variables that are involved in the outcome of this situation. Communication is a top priority to allow a vehicle transport to progress as smoothly as possible; however this may be a case of too much communication. Specialty Mobile is a carrier as well as a broker - we transport as many vehicles as possible on our own trucks. Due to the volume of vehicles we transport we do work with a select group of outside carriers other than solely our own. When a carrier calls Specialty Mobile''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''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